Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse - Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

JWU

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz. bottle poured into my Hefe glass

A- Beautiful. A very cloudy yellow with orange highlights. Some carbonation can be seen coming from the bottom of the glass. A big, pillowy head which give a little lacing down the glass.

S- A slight astringent note on the nose. Clove, banana, a touch of bubble gum and yeasty funk is what I pick up.

T- This one really straddles the lines of Hefe flavors. Clove, banana, bubble gum, wheat notes, and yeasty funk. One doesn't dominate, and that's what I really love about Franzy.

M- Smooth, light carbonation, and it doesn't overly dry your mouth from any astringent qualities.

O- Likely my favorite of the "big" German Hefe's. Balance is the name of the game here.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 16:22:53 | More by JWU

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- pours a cloudy light golden color with orange and yellow hues. Frothy thick white head with a bit of lacing.

S- Lots of classic hefeweizen aromas, including banana and clove. A bit of wheat and yeast as well. Banana dominates above everything else.

T- Light lemon citrus hops, wheaty backbone, notes of banana, but not as noticable as in the smell, a hint of powdery clove, finsihes with a slightly tangy bite. Very well balanced.

M- Very creamy. Low, but crisp carbonation, medium bodied and very drinkable.

O- Very well balanced Hefe. A classic exemaple of the style and the mouthfeel is spot on.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 01:33:23 | More by Treyliff

TheCondor

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Side poured with light vigor into a weizen glass. Picked up at World Market the other day when I bought a new computer desk.

Appearance - Pours a cloudy straw yellow color, plenty of sediment and carbonation to make it unable to even think about seeing through this beer. Packaging is a little weak, but that's not technically a scoring criterion. Nice two finger head that sticks for most of the beer and leaves good lacing.

Smell - Heavy on the funky banana esters. There is also some clove, wheat, and yeast in there, but like all good hefe's, the funky banana is the primary olfactory stimulation.

Taste- Follows the nose close, but there is a certain grainy and metallic zing I detected as well. Not a bad thing, just a little different. Outstanding overall palate though.

Mouthfeel - Highly refreshing. Perfect level of medium carbonation, nice and smooth, just the right body to a good hefe.

Overall - excellent example of the style. Highly recommended, I will buy and drink this again. It was spot on in every category for a hefe, excellent beer. Good for a hot summer day, a cool fall day, anytime.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 01:21:11 | More by TheCondor

mrsheeps

4.8/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: hazy golden orange, quickly building foamy white head that slowly dissipates
S: lots of banana and yeast, some clove, faint wheat
T: lots of clove and yeast, some banana and wheat, faint lemon peel
M: refreshingly crisp, dry finish, nicely carbonated
O: an extremely reliable German hefe

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 18:24:59 | More by mrsheeps

hardy008

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy gold with a 4 finger foamy white head from a gentle pour, with very good retention and lacing. The aroma has bananas, cloves, coriander, and citrus.

The taste is sweet with bananas, bubblegum, cloves, coriander, and citrus. This is the perfect beer to drink on a warm day like today. Very refreshing.

Light bodied with high carbonation and a light sweet aftertaste. I almost move the taste score up to the next level, but barely decided against it. This is very good though, and worth buying again.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 02:52:46 | More by hardy008

opalchemist

United Arab Emirates

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Eye: hazy red golden. with a white cloud-like foam.

Nose: light character - with slightly fruity sour smell hints of metal and a whit soapiness.

Tongue: Slightly sour yeast, harmonious - only a hint of hoppy bitterness at the end. Very fresh - only a hint sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Fresh - lots of nice integrated carbonation.

Afterthought: Lingers lightly and rather shortly on the palate.

Overall: Very pleasant but unobtrusive beer; perfect for the summer. Could be a little bit "wheatier" - though no complaints...

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 00:03:57 | More by opalchemist

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

4.45/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A 500ml bottle with a BB of Sept 2012.

Poured into a Sam Smith's pint glass. A very hazy golden-amber with high carbonation. Yields a large creamy white head with the consistency of meringue. Aroma of banana, cloves, wheat and yeast esters - a nice blend.

Tastes of wheat and yeast, with a dry finish. Slightly sweet and without bitterness. Notes of banana, cloves, wheat and earthy yeast. A faint hint of solvent in the background. Dry but refreshing. Mouthfeel is smooth, dry and has good body. Somewhat astringent, with an aftertaste of banana and yeast esters.

Tasty - I really like this weissbier. I find the balance in Franziskaner is perfect; the aroma and flavour are just right. An excellent and highly drinkable example - add it to your must-try beer list.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 01:18:17 | More by jazzyjeff13

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle served in a weizen glass.

pours a pale, hazy yellow with a just shy of 2 fingers' head; solid retention and leaves some noteworthy lacing.

nose offers predominantly banana with citrus (mainly lemon), clove, and yeast evident. flavor follows with a nice balance of banana, lemon, clove, wheat, and spice.

crisp, light-medium bodied mouthfeel with relatively high carbonation. high grade drinkability, something i would easily be inclined to session - especially in the warmer months. not a style i generally spend a whole lot of time with, but this guy is one of the better hefeweizens i have sampled.

original review on: 08-24-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 15:45:32 | More by BostonHops

Sharkophile

New York

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured into a Hobrau stein glass. Appears a murky honey-golden color with some orangey tones. An enormous white head crowns the beer and takes a few minutes to settle. Looks positively gorgeous.

S: Banana, clove and grainy wheat and malt dominate the aroma.

T: Again begins with the banana and clove flavors from the yeast along with some honey-like (herbal hop?) flavor as well. Grainy flavors become more dominant and the finish is dry with some lingering spicy grain flavors. Delicious hefe.

M: Crisp medium to light body with incredibly active carbonation for a light and airy mouthfeel. Excellent.

O: Among the best authentic Bavarian hefes around. This was the first one I had a while back and is still up there among other examples of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 22:05:43 | More by Sharkophile

magictacosinus

California

3.8/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I've been having this for years, but have no idea why I haven't reviewed it yet. Poured into a weizen glass out of a 12oz bottle.

Appearance is everything I expect from a hefeweizen: a giant, fluffy head topping a yeasty, straw-brownish color, and lot's and lot's of carbonation. Looks appetizing and very thick.

Ooh, this one's quite aromatic too! Huge yeasty covered malts, and flavors reminiscing banana, lemon grass, coriander, and hopped spices. The sweetness is pervasive, but it has a funky, spiced earthiness that makes it a hefeweizen within its own caliber. Definitely top of the line here!

Flavor is not as rich as it smells, but still makes itself an all-around worthy wheat ale. The excessive yeast and spices actually make it a worthwhile, flavorful experience, yet the fruity notes seem a little lost underneath. I do like spices, but I feel doesn't reach the meal-like caliber that other wheat beers I've had do. This beer is an overall success concerning body, as it's thick and juicy as any ideal wheat beer should be. The finish is a little watery, but it's very balanced and very well made overall.

This may be macro offering (from Spaten), but it's still a classic among wheat lovers. Really good, fresh, and balanced, and a purchase that can't usually go wrong.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 04:59:23 | More by magictacosinus

BeerLover99

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: cloudy/straw yellow 2 finger white pillow top,
gorgeous lacing

S: lemon peel/grass, wheat, hint of clove

T: lemon peel/grass, earthy grain wheat, mild clove
sem-dry earthy finish

M: med/light body, smooth/semi-crisp mouth

O: Don't know if I'm bias, but my 1/4+ German
roots love this brew. I could drink it all summer.
Very refreshing, fine import beer for newbies
to wheat biers, as well as, imports. For a lighter
beer, this is just so enjoyable.

DELIGHTFUL, SEIZE A SPIEGELAU + ENJOY!

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 20:42:41 | More by BeerLover99

jsisko01

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a very cloudy golden-copper color with and inch+ creamy white head.

Smell - Banana, clove, yeast, and maybe some lemon.

Taste - Same as the aroma.. but not so much of a banana flavor. Clove is most present, along with wheat, grains, and breadiness.

Mouthfeel - Medium body with mild carbonation.

Overall - This is one of the best hefeweizens I've had.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 23:38:04 | More by jsisko01

iSip

Colorado

4.6/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Franziskaner Weissbier: Outstanding! While I like to support local breweries, and very much enjoy American style wheat beers, there is just something special about a good weissbier direct from Germany. The Franziskaner has a lightly cloudy golden peach color. I did not stir up the yeast from the bottom of the bottle. A big frothy head forms on top, and lasts for the duration. Good aroma for a wheat beer, with big lemon twist notes. Very smooth going down. Lots of subtle favors, banana and orange peel most distinctive, and just the right level of sweetness. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 17:17:21 | More by iSip

mattbk

New York

3.93/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Served in a brewmaster's wheat glass - my is that a lot of head! A full five inches, and I wasn't even that aggressive! That's what she said. Cloudy, golden orange color. Nice.

S: Very spicy and clovey, but there's a mustyness about it that's off putting.

T: The mustyness not present in the taste. Sweet, clove, a touch of banana, lemon, very nice, very drinkable. Not over the top though. Not a ton of wheat character in this, the yeast dominates over all.

M: I think I did pour this a bit agreesively, most of the carbonation has been liberated. It has a medium mouthfeel.

O: A solid, drinkable hefeweisse. Very, very good in summer. Nice that a beer this good is so easily available.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 01:56:52 | More by mattbk

TheSixthRing

California

3.78/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a cloudy, deep yellow with a white, 2 finger head. Good retention, and the resulting lace stays thick and sticky.

Smell - Classic hefe aromas - banana, clove, yeast. There's also soft lemon, which might be it's most prominent aromatic quality.

Taste - Prominent clove spice throughout, with subtle notes of banana and yeast. A soft lemon tinge on the back end. Finishes quickly, but what's there while it's there is good.

Mouthfeel - Light and slightly watery. A fair amount of carbonation leads to a decent bite on the back of the tongue, but not enough to save a disappointing body.

Overall - A decent hefeweizen. If you don't try it, you aren't missing much, but it's a decent buy if you've got a hef itch and there aren't better options available to scratch it. Promising flavor, but ultimately it's the nearly dimensionless mouthfeel that keeps it from being great.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 04:25:22 | More by TheSixthRing

rangerred

Tennessee

3.25/5  rDev -20%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle into a weizen glass.

Pours a hazy brownish orange with a one finger head. Pretty poor head retention and lacing.

Smell is quite yeasty with loads of clove coming through along with a light musty odor. A small amount of bubblegum and orange too.

Taste has a lot of bubblegum and clove but not a whole lot of orange. A definite yeasty quality is there but nothing is present in large amounts. Honesty it taste really watered down. Mouthfeel is extremely watery.

Overall I was a little disappointed by this beer. I'm not sure how fresh it was but I have had much better hefe's. Might have to revisit it sometime.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 21:29:48 | More by rangerred

killianf

3.88/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

500ml bottle into Weizen glass

A: Pours cloudy orange with a 3 finger head foaming well over the glass. Decent lacing, and a film of head is retained all the way down. Fairly carbonated.

S: Very fruity smell. Citrus and spice notes first, with a slight hint of banana. Also quite a grassy smell.

T: Starts with a clove kick on the back and top of the mouth, citrus fruits also present, and with a banana aftertaste (and burp).
Very fruity beer and the clove is strong but not at all overpowering.

M: Medium bodied, with a slightly watery finish. Quite fizzy on the tongue.

Overall: A good refreshing Hefe, and one definitely worth trying. However it wouldn't be my favourite in the style, possibly top 5. Would recommend to a Hefe fan.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 17:46:52 | More by killianf

BigPlay1824

New York

4.68/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed in a weizen glass

A: pours an extremely hazy hay color with an incredibly large amount of carbonation bubbles and two fingers of fizzy pure white head that lingers beautifully and becomes creamy on top before dissipating and leaving some bubbly lacing around the glass
S: really great wheat aroma and a solid lemony scent to back it up and add a great zest at the end
T: begins with a great taste typical for the style with bready notes and clove as well as a slight banana in the finish, lemon notes really add depth and character in the middle to even it out and add some real nice interesting-ness to it
M: a bit intense on the carbonation, drinks fizzy but thin, leaves the mouth rapidly and cleanly
O: this is, IMO, the best representation of the style ive seen thus far, just so well crafter, incredibly complex and simple at the same time, the attention to detail and quality is evident from the moment it hits the glass

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 01:39:11 | More by BigPlay1824

tdm168

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy orangish yellow with a thick layer of soft, cloud-like white head that fades to a thin lacing. The nose offers intense clove spice and a mild banana fruitiness. Wheat and straw dominate the character of the flavor with some clove and yeasty undertones. The mouthfeel is very crisp and heavily carbonated which lightens the body considerably.

Smooth and refreshing, this is a nice, drinkable beer. The high level of carbonation detracts from the flavor. The bubbles exploding on the palate don't allow for the flavors to really come through. Overall, this is a solid Hefe worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 20:45:04 | More by tdm168

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.85/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into fluted glass

Appearance – Pours a hazy yellow-orange color with a very large billowy white head. The head has really good retention and lasts for some time before giving way to a moderate level of lacing.

Smell – The smell is very peppery in nature. A nice lemon aroma is also mixed in there with a good yeasty smell as well.

Taste – The taste begins with a nice wheaty base infused with some lighter citrus flavors. A good presence of yeast is also detected at the forefront of the taste. A peppery flavor develops more in the middle of the taste. It lasts throughout the rest of the taste profile and in the end mixes in with a more biscuit malt body leaving a nice somewhat spicy flavor on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – A medium bodied beer with a rather average level of carbonation. Makes for an easy drinking brew which is quite appropriate for the style.

Overall – A good brew that is easy to drink. It has some nice peppery flavors as well as some very nice aromas.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 00:54:56 | More by Darkmagus82

Drinkerofales

California

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours cloudy golden yellow, with a traditional huge white head. Minimal lacing, but good retention. The beer darkens as more yeast exits the bottle, leaving ghosties in the beer.

Smell is on par, yeasty, dry malt, with a light fruity citrus.

Taste is mellow malt, yeast, hint of citrus. A dry finish makes for a nice feeling.

The almost medium body seems lighter, but it has some definite body. A light bubbly sting happens on the front of the tongue, but doesn't overpower.

A good example of a wheat beer, the Germans do this right. A few others do this better, but I was happy with this beer.

DOA

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 19:13:58 | More by Drinkerofales

bierfreundlich

California

4.15/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a hazy gold color with a one-finger off-white head.

S - The aroma is composed of lots of yeast smell followed by sweet over-ripe bananas and a tiny bit of clove.

T - Yeast is very present at the front followed by a spicy clove flavor. Banana doesn't seem to come through as it does in the smell.

M - The carbonation "stings" your tongue as you drink it and leaves your mouth fairly dry.

O - I love this beer! It has been my go-to beer until recently. Perfect during the spring and summer on a hot day. Very light and rejuvenating!

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 01:56:32 | More by bierfreundlich

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

500 mL bottle poured into a weizen glass at refrigerator temperature

L - Deep gold color and hazy, 3 finger white foamy head, ok retention, not great lacing.

A - Grainy wheat smell, hint of banana in there with maybe the slightest bit of bubblegum. That's right, bubblegum.

T - Definitely grainy, sweet, with maybe a little bit of spice. Can taste the banana as it rolls over my tongue. Slightly tart finish. Not bitter at all. Alcohol not noticeable at all.

F - In my opinion, this is the best part of the beer. Creamy mouthfeel and dry but very carbonated and thus very refreshing. This simply feels great in my mouth and the carbonation tickles my throat as it goes down.

O - This is a pretty good hefeweizen that I can definitely see myself drinking on a hot summer day. Thinking about sitting on the porch drinking this stuff makes me very happy. It is extraordinarily refreshing and has the perfect amount of alcohol for that occasion.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 01:43:15 | More by BlackBelt5112203

thedoubler55

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle served in a weizen glass:

A: Cloudy orange in color, a nice off white head at the top that stays for a while, a nice coating of lacing around the glass as you drink.

S: Honey , lemon , yeast, A nice note of citrus fruits throughout.

T: Very well balanced brew, just like the nose with more of a wheat taste and slight bitterness thats perfect.

M: Smooth, light bodied, nice amount of carbonation.

D: A great summer brew, enjoyed this beer a lot.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 15:05:33 | More by thedoubler55

Everydayoff

Thailand

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle poured into a weizen glass by freshness date.

A:
Hazy yellow amber color with massive fluffy white head, the retention is very good by slowly dissipating to tight everlasting foamy layer covering on top. Some clingy laces manifest upon the descendent path. Carbonation is actively high.

S:
Mellow fruity, estery note contain banana, apple, citrus. Rich malty comes to support with bread, a bit spice from clove and phenol.

T:
Fruity ester leads by banana and citrus. Malt lends some sweet and bread touch supporting. Spicy phenolic adds more complexity along with ghost-like bitterness from hop.

M:
The body is medium, smooth mouthfeel with some good crisp from decent carbonation.

O:
Harmoniously running through yet smooth without fail, it’s definitely one of the examples of a good traditional Hefe.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 03:49:54 | More by Everydayoff