Shiner Hefeweizen - Spoetzl Brewery

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.18/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a weiss glass. "Unfiltered and Bottle Conditioned", no date or info.

A - Poured with the sediment swirled in it, this hefe has a nice bright yellow hazy hue topped by a large four-finger off-white head. Moderate retention but little lace is left over.

S - Mild yeast hints accentuate the soft wheat aroma but husky grains fall behind and disrupt it. Hints of lemony citrus and orange peel with the honey are at a low but reasonable level that balances well. It doesn't really smell like a hefe though. It's missing that potent German yeast and banana-bubblegum ester nose.

T - Again, the yeast is low but accentuates the full, soft wheat flavor that's backed up by some pale malts and graininess. A kiss of citrus comes out bit it's still lacking typical hefe characteristics.

M - Medium-bodied, the soft wheat gives a nice smooth texture backed by medium carbonation. Nicely smooth to the finish.

D - It's one average hefe that seems much more like and American Pale Wheat Ale than a hefe due to it's startling lack of typical hefe characteristics but it remains a fairly drinkable lawnmower brew regardless. Especially since I just mowed the lawn.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2010 03:38:57 | More by BeerFMAndy

bluejacket74

Ohio

2.73/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 ounce bottle, one of the 6 beers included in Shiner's Family Reunion 6-pack. Served in a weizen glass, the beer pours a hazy golden/orange color with about a 2 1/2 inch off-white head. Head retention is good, with a decent amount of lacing. It's a nice looking beer, but unfortunately it goes downhill from there. Not much to the aroma. It smells mostly like sweet and bready malt, with a bit of lemon peel, wheat, and also has a metallic aroma. The taste is just like the aroma, but with no metallic taste. There's also a slight weird bitter taste noticable. It's not a bad tasting beer, but it's not good, either. Mouthfeel/body is light, with decent carbonation. Drinkability is OK. Regardless if it's really a hefeweizen or an American wheat ale, I didn't think it was a good example of either style. Maybe it was a bad bottle, but I didn't care for this brew very much. I'll have to try this again in the future to make sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2010 01:00:25 | More by bluejacket74

smakawhat

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a wheat ale glass. Good till Feb 16th 2012 I think if that's how I read it.

A nice off white almost creamy looking head, but mostly foamy is formed off the pour. Body color seems to be a simple dull yellow lemon with some orange hues. It looks a little hazy uneven for color, but otherwise pretty good. Some sticky lacing also.

Nose is kind of simple but good. Light clove and lemon spritzy, not so much banana.

Taste overall is kind of spicy and a little light bodied. Wet sense and very dry clove, with even perhaps a little hop bitter. Malt and chewy density not so apparent.

Overall this one is ok but a little dull. Certainly drinkable and tolerable, and I could have it over many other hefeweizens, but there are plenty of better ones out there.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 23:20:01 | More by smakawhat

Brent

Kentucky

2.78/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Quite a bit of information on the label. Instructions on how to partially pour and then swirl before pouring the yeast - I'm thinking a good effort at beer education, but then the instructions conclude with the suggestion to serve with a slice of lemon, which is okay with a filtered wheat, if you want to, but not with a hefe.

Then also notice that the beer is brewed with orange peels, spices and honey added. Huh? Is this a hefeweizen or a witte?

The wheat beer base was fine, but the addition of honey made the beer too heavy, and the honey sweetness did not meld with the yeasty breadyness of the beer. The spices also seemed out of balance - riding along rather than integrating into the flavor. Sort of a "deconstructed" effect. Shiner makes a honey wheat that I haven't sampled, but I wonder if this is the same beer, unfiltered.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2005 15:48:00 | More by Brent

blackie

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

appearance: Pours a bone white 1.5" head that gradually recedes partially, leaving a nice layer on top in the weizen glass. The beer is a hazy pale golden color.

smell: Big yeast and wheat aromas up front. Hints of lemon, honey florals, and light fruits. Light, green noble hop aroma. There are none of the banana like esters that I usually associate with, and appreciate in, a hefeweizen. Seems more of a wheat than hefe at times.

mouthfeel: The carbonation is on the low end of the high range. The body is a light medium.

taste: Wheat and lemon up front, some light yeastiness about it...clean and refreshing but nothing special. Light hop flavor and bitterness.

drinkability: Easy to drink. Seems more of a wheat than hefe at times.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2006 06:38:32 | More by blackie

champ103

Texas

2.88/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours a cloudy orange/yellow color. A large white head forms with good retention. Some patchy lace is left behind.
S: Musky and metallic aroma at first. After it warms up some banana and light spice come through.
T: Again, a metallic taste but not as prevalent as in the nose. Some fruity flavors and spice. An odd buttery flavor.
M/D: A light body that is over carbonated. Thin and watery, like most Shiner beers IMO. Smooth and easy to drink.

Not my favorite style. After saying that, it is still substandard. This is not something I would recommend, unless nothing else is available.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2009 20:51:36 | More by champ103

alexgash

Connecticut

2.83/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Light haze in a golden apricot body. Solid finger of thick, glass-licking, powder-white head. Nose is sugar-dusted malt with a very light banana fruitiness/yeastiness. Not very hefeweizen-like, but not bad. Soft, mellow wheaty bread malt. Soapy. Honey-glazed imitation banana (barely) that gets lost in mild, generic bitterness. Medium bodied, proteiny feel. Not a bad beer, but not a good hefe. A fine American wheat? Sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2006 00:22:16 | More by alexgash

drpimento

Wisconsin

2.63/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

With fairly aggressive pouring I got a small to medium sized off white head that quickly faded to almost nil and no lace. Color is amber and I see no yeast sediment. Aroma is malt grain hay and a little fruit. Flavor is like aroma plus a little tang in the end. Have no idea where the "Bavarian" part comes in. Body is ok and so is carbonation. Kind of a sweet tart finish. If there were only light or common beer other than this, then I'd choose this. Left handed compliment.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2010 01:00:44 | More by drpimento

tdm168

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy yellow with a good amount of head and nice retention. Smells bland with just faint yeast and citrus notes. Taste is wheat, yeast, and mild orange peel. There is a little lemon here but it's masked and hard to discern. Mouthfeel is light and crisp; drinkable and refreshing.

This is a hefeweizen for those with their training wheels still on. Rather forgettable, but still a refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 23:25:56 | More by tdm168

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - A hazy light amber yellow with a half inch of head that quickly turns to a lace ring (fizzy). Head is somewhat sticky.

S - Slight sourdough and wheat along side of clove and lemon peel.

T - Flavors transition as lemon zest then sourdough with a wheat finish. Really is pretty good.

M - Pretty spot on as expected. Light to medium.

Overall not a bad take on the style, I really like how clean tasting it is rather than yeasty. Got about 3 more and would put them back rather quickly.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 05:04:36 | More by DrDemento456

merlin48

Kentucky

3.15/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, cute label. Pours a hazy straw yellow with a moderate white head. Plenty of small bubbles and a few yeast particles can be seen in the glass. Patchy lacing. Not much of an aroma, but I detect some lemony citrus and hay. Fizzy in the mouth, with medium carbonation. Light bodied. Taste is unremarkable, with wheat malt and a decent hop bitterness. Nothing overwhelming, but would be very drinkable on a hot, summer, day. Not a bad American wheat beer, but there are many better ones.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2004 22:38:20 | More by merlin48

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into pint glass.
Had this along side Pyramid Hefeweizen. This one is a bit bolder. Golden hazy body, bubbles rose in fine columns from pouring til ending, forming an even head full of hops and citrus aromas.
Taste starts with citrus, green grass(ish) and hops. Hops stays a bit longer than I would have liked for this style, but it does add to the 'crispness' of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2006 16:37:12 | More by Mebuzzard

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

2.8/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

poured a beautiful hazy orange color with massive puffy head that fell to a thin coating that lasted throughout the glass. Smell is mostly bread-like with little spiciness. Taste is very suprising, not at lall what I was expecting. There is no spiciness, only a dry crisp taste. My feelings for the beer improved as the glass emptied, but iot was not what I waas expecting. Would probably be better on a hot summer afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2005 00:18:50 | More by tgbljb

Gmann

New York

3.13/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Pours a hazy golden color with an orange hue. The off white head is fairly dense and settles into a light cap

The aroma is bready and lightly fruity, perhaps lemony. No clove, bubblegum, or banana that you would find in a true bavarian hefe. No much there.

The taste is bready and fruity as well. Some apple and lemon notes provide a tartness. There is a honey like sweetness. Some grassy hop flavor in the finish. it doesn't taste like a true hefe but has a solid flavor. It is hard to rate it higher than a 3 since the beer is called a hefeweizen and not an american wheat ale.

Moderate body with fizzy carbonation. Mildly sweet on the palate with a slightly dry finish. Easy drinker.

A decent beer, just not a true hefe.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 00:02:01 | More by Gmann

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown bottle into a weizen glass. Has a cloudy brown color with 1/2 inch head. Has a pleasant aroma with hints of citrus. Taste is fruity and flavorfull. Medium bodied in mouth and fairly drinkable. Not the best hefeweizen I have drank, but certainly a pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2009 00:55:55 | More by tone77

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - just a little hazy on the pour. Lemony yellow with a large rocky head. Nice lacing but the beer looks a little too transparent for the style.

Aroma - a tiny whiff of yeast and citrus, pretty underachieving.

Taste - somewhat thin on taste when first starting out, but it has good balance and gets tastier as it airs out a bit. A breath of wheat, a brief snap of citrusy sweetness and a little dab o' hops at the end. Very middle of the road as hefes go but the evidence of effort is there. Finishes sweet and dry.

Mouthfeel - crisp with an element of smoothness. On the high side with the carbonation, but I like it.

Drinkability - light and refreshing, a good summer picnic beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2004 22:09:15 | More by brewdlyhooked13

billab914

Virginia

2.63/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Sam Adams pint glass. Poured a cloudy pale straw color with a thin white head covering the top. The color seems a light and bright, almost similar to pineapple juice.

Aroma is pretty muted, I'm getting a little wheat but not much else. The taste has wheat and a little bit of citrus to it but is pretty light in flavor overall.

Mouthfeel is light with a good amount of carbonation. It's an easy drinking beer but it just doesn't have much flavor. It feels like it's missing the big banana and clove yeastiness that I expect from a Hefe. This tastes more like a light wheat beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 23:16:37 | More by billab914

ArrogantB

Colorado

2.4/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Nice clear orange color, decent head. Teh smell is bland and uninteresting. The flavor was sort of metallic and honestly not good at all. The drinkability for me was very low because after I finished one I had no desire to drink another one. Too bad I have a whole six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2009 19:21:31 | More by ArrogantB

Reidrover

Oregon

3.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I am intrigued by the weird label..so bought a single to go with my Chicken burrito.
This is actually a nice looking hefe..its got the pale cloudy orange colour down..and a very attractive frothy pure white head.
Ok they got the looks but the aroma is average at best..some faint wheat sourness and thats about it.
Again the taste though it does threaten to get "spicy" is rather bland..but it seems very fresh.You casn taste the wheat no doubt ,but like most American "hefes" the yeast lets it down.
Pretty ok in the mouthfeel..maybe a tiny bit thin.
For all its faults it was extremelly drinkable with my burrito..and no doubt would be an acceptable beer in the Texas summer.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2004 05:05:21 | More by Reidrover

dsa7783

New Jersey

3.05/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Single, twelve ounce bottle just purchased from State Line Liquors in Elkton, Maryland...
Pours a hazy and murky straw-colored appearance with an off-white foamy head that quickly dissipated and left a minimal amount of lacing...
Aroma seemed off-centered, and was mainly concentrated with straw, hay, and grainy essences, which seemed rather odd for a Hefeweizen...
The taste, likewise, seemed off-balanced and slightly acidic with not too much sweetness thrown into the mix... Loose, watered-down mouthfeel led to an about average level of drinkability that was truly nothing to write home about...
Mediocore to say the least...

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2008 23:29:23 | More by dsa7783

cjgator3

Florida

3.88/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle

A- Poured into a weizen glass with the yeast added into the pour. Pours a cloudy golden orange color with a nice off-white head.

S- The aroma features a noticeable wheat base with some citrus (orange and lemon peel) and yeast. There are no banana and clove flavors like I really enjoy in many of the German Hefeweizens, but this is a solid aroma that is very refreshing.

T- The taste like the aroma is very refreshing. There is some wheat with citrus and yeast as well. Not overly complex, but it is very drinkable.

M- The mouthfeel is light bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

D- This is one drinkable beer that I could see myself drinking a few easily on a warm day.

Overall, this not a bad beer that is definitely worth a try. I would consider it more of an American Pale Wheat Ale than a Hefeweizen, but that doesn't take away from the enjoyability.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2008 03:49:21 | More by cjgator3

ADR

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Uniformly lightly hazy and palish yellow/orange in color. Nice and high puffy head of good duration and leaving thisk ropes for laces. Smell is vaguely citric, could be yeastier. Mouthfeel is somewhat sub par and the flavor is in a mellon category with some notes of lemon and hardly an estery cotton. Finishes just north of watery and with low carbonation. Not a bad beer, but like many American Wheats, not a lot happening -- though I could see this as a session brew for a blazing summer afternoon in College Station...

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2003 17:32:35 | More by ADR

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.45/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer now sports a different label, with a slanted, retro-cool text popping off of a vibrant orange background. A 12 oz. twist-capped bottle poured to a pint glass. Gracias to Texas BA LarryKemp for toting this one to Portland.

Cap implores: "Drink Shiner Hefeweizen... It's Good!"

A: THAT is what a hefeweizen should look like: cloudy and deep golden/wheat-colored, crowned by a billowing dollop of rich white sea-foam. Head drops slowly over several minutes to a clumpy cream.

S: Damn! First smell, none of the big wheaty/yeasty goodness, the orange and clove adjuncts aromas, come forth. Served a little cold, so given some time - still not much, other than a mild citrus tang.

T: Odd! Fruity, REALLY fruity! Lots of orange upfront, like a juicy squeeze of ripe Valencia went right into the bottle. The first few sips had a fairly tart zip, but mellowed to spicy then sweet all within a few seconds. Strange, strange, strange...definitely not the 'hefeweizen' I thought I was getting. Mulling this over, behind that citrusy start, there is enough grainy wheat, a honey sweetness and a soft herbal/grassy hop quality that I recognize this as a 'hefeweizen', but it's different. I don't dislike it and actually give it points for uniqueness.

M: Zesty, light-medium mouthfeel with a little carbonation zip and a cleansing, rather refreshing finish.

D: Struggled with what score to give here...it's an enticingly different take on a 'hefeweizen' (finally placed it - this reminds me more of a Belgian WITBIER, oddly enough). Glad to have tried it, but it's not going to win me over from the traditional bananas and cloves of the German originals. Seems refreshing on a hot day; thanks for the try, but I'll pass on another.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2008 02:51:38 | More by msubulldog25

argock

Virginia

3.13/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served from 12 oz brown bottle
Appearance: pretty hazy yellow with thick white head
Smell: less smelly than expected
Taste: kind of bland; there is some clove and fruity and flowery flavors, but not much coming at you here
Mouthfeel: good but not great with a bit much carbonation
Drinkability: for its blandness, drinking more than 3 would be tough

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2007 04:49:54 | More by argock

clayrock81

Virginia

3.65/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a lightly clouded body with a two-finger head that slowly receeded and left decent lacings. The smell is more orangey than anything, a very strong orange if I can say so. Some other citric notes (lemon) and spices came through, but again a strong orange juice like smell hit my nose. The spices and fruitiness are medium at best, giving this beer a medium type body that goes down smooth. Unfortunately, a little too tart with the orange for my liking, as it overpowered the spices and any sweetness that could've been tucked in there. Not a bad hefe or a bad beer period, but there are other hefe's that I think I would go for first.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2008 15:16:41 | More by clayrock81