Gordon Biersch Hefeweizen - Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

jporf911

Virginia

2.1/5  rDev -42.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12oz bottle, no freshness date provided, but there is a Born On date.

Appearance- 3.5 out of 5. Very thickly-clouded, almost opaque orange with yellow around the edges. Pours with a decent one and a half-finger white head that dissipates fairly quickly and leaves a similarly decent bit of lacing around the sides and on top.

Smell- 2.5 out of 5. This beer smells odd. It has all of the typical Hefeweizen scents of banana, clove, and bubblegum, yet it also has an oddly sour note. This is my fourth bottle of this beer this year, so it's definitely not an isolated incident or a case of tainted beer.

Taste- 1.5 out of 5. That strangely sour note returns in the taste. It's almost as if someone squirted honey mustard into a sweaty jock-strap and let it stew in a hot locker room for a week. It really makes it difficult to enjoy the rest of the beer's flavors. Aside from that, there is a hint of sweet malt, fermented yeast, beer bread, and spicy rotten bananas. The hops are noticeably absent from the overall flavor profile.

Mouthfeel- 3.5 out of 5. Rather heavy for a Hefeweizen. Carbonation is noticeable but not strong.

Drinkability- 2 out of 5. This is the third time I've poured this beer down the drain. I'm a rather open-minded imbiber, but this beer is just terrible. Gordon Biersch needs to redesign the recipe for its Hefeweizen before I'll consider approaching it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2010 20:37:32 | More by jporf911

stckhndlr

Virginia

2.15/5  rDev -41.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Had this on tap at the restaurant in Virginia Beach, Virginia
(Review is from notes)

A- Cloudiness. Has the appearance and color of fresh pineapple juice. Decent lacing.

S- Smell of cloves with soft banana notes in the back.

T- Strong, strong clove taste. Reminds me of the clove packing they used on me when I got my wisdom teeth pulled. Very unpleasing. Not as much banana as I had hoped, kinda comes in late on the finish.

M- Thin with an over carbonation feel.

D- Not my thing.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2011 02:29:38 | More by stckhndlr

BucannonXC5

California

2.15/5  rDev -41.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a tap into a hefeweizen glass. Poured a honeycomb flavor with about an inch of foam that stayed for awhile. Smelled sour with a touch of citrus and wheat. Highly carbonated for a hefeweizen. Had a caramel taste to it. Not that much of a taste compared to other hefeweizens.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2011 07:42:54 | More by BucannonXC5

dexcool707

Arizona

2.45/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

I've had other Gordon Biersch products but didn't particularly care for this one. It poured well with an average head. Smell was fairly nice but the taste didn't quite seem to match. Too many banana hints for me I guess, and almost a smokey flavor like a Scottish Ale or something.

Thought I'd try eating some pistachios with it to maybe help compliment the flavor but it didn't work.

Glad I had the experience but likely won't buy it again. (just my $.02)

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2008 02:57:15 | More by dexcool707

drewmprs

California

2.5/5  rDev -31.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

It had potential before I tasted it. Nothing particular to praise about this beer, tasted like it had banana syrup poured into it. Something chemically that made it hard to finish. Sometimes gordon biersch goes on sale with the ralphs club card, but i've never been happy with his brews.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2005 03:24:12 | More by drewmprs

atigerlife

Hawaii

2.55/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours an opaque golden/orange color with a 1 finger creamy white head. Not a bad start.

Aroma has some clove and somewhat bready.

Taste is lacking flavor. Some old paper and light clove. Tastes slightly off. Old. Certainly not a usual hef.

Mouthfeel is rather flat and lifeless. Creamy.

Overall, a very weak attempt at a hef. While I was able to finish the glass, I would not recommend it to anyone. Lacking in almost all the usual hef. characteristics and style.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 1 Aloha Tower Dr Ste 1123, Honolulu

09-04-2007 01:51:03 | More by atigerlife

K9AleingPiss

Oklahoma

2.7/5  rDev -26%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The appearance was good,as expected a semi-blonde bubbly,brew with a nice foamy head. The odor was sweet,and malty,some spice the odor was quite enticing. This was my first and last Hefeweizen,nothing against the maker. I felt like I drank a beer that someone else had drunk from a baseball game that had a big wad of gum in her mouth. Honestly..down the drain it went. Overall its my loss ...just couldnt appreciate this style of beer.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 1 Aloha Tower Dr Ste 1123, Honolulu

02-27-2012 03:14:47 | More by K9AleingPiss

bosco7

Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a massive head due to overcarbonation. Cloudy orange in color.

Over ripened banana dominates the nose. Some pear aromas tucked in their as well.

Tastes like it smells; lots of ripe banana upfront that leads into some twangy pear. Suprised that there are no clovey flavors present. Finishes with a lot of tartness. Really one-dimensional.

Decent mouthfeel very creamy and smooth. Fairly drinkable. I rather drink something else though.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 1 Aloha Tower Dr Ste 1123, Honolulu

06-22-2007 03:42:54 | More by bosco7

fsimcox

California

2.95/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a cloudy, golden straw color. Fluffy white foamy head that holds for some time. No lacing.

Smells of banana, and citrus. Hints of sweetness. But overall, weak.

Tastes of banana and a little fruity. Some sweet bubble-gum notes. Hints of a traditional German Hefe, but again, weak.

Mouthfeel is creamy upfront, smooth, with some carbonation in the finish. However, it is too watery, and thin.

OK, but not the best example of this style.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 1 Aloha Tower Dr Ste 1123, Honolulu

02-26-2011 16:57:40 | More by fsimcox

TheLiterati

California

2.98/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Just experienced the GB Hefeweizen, which, oddly enough, is currently being advertised as the perfect beer for summer, and available in July...it's February. Go figure.

The beer was presented in a glass that in itself was a work of art. A nice head gave way to an even nicer color, which was a hazy, rich, golden yellow - straw-colored with orange to amber undertones. The visual was nicely offset with a mellow banana-clove bouquet - a nice treat for the olfactory.

However, the mouth feel was much lighter than I expected - nice for a brunch, maybe with a nice, light omelet (seafood or chicken, for example), but overall, I missed the slight "chewy" taste and body that accompanies most Hefes.

Sadly, the aftertaste was virtually nonexistent. I kept waiting for a nice little bite - that sweet balance between fizz and flavor resulting from good conditioning - but the more I drank of this light-bodied brew, the more it took on the characteristics of a somewhat flat soda.

All in all an "OK" brew, but doesn't stand up to the all the GB hype - or their signature garlic fries, for that matter.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 1 Aloha Tower Dr Ste 1123, Honolulu

03-01-2004 02:02:33 | More by TheLiterati

alysmith4

District of Columbia

3.05/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This was the best of the ones I tried from this place. Had a good full color to it, with a hazy redish tint with a decent head. Smell was of honey and bananas, but the taste was mostly bananas. It was fairly low in carbonation as well. Fairly typical hefe.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 1 Aloha Tower Dr Ste 1123, Honolulu

11-14-2006 03:01:38 | More by alysmith4

xduderx

Tennessee

3.1/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Sampled on-tap at the Yard House in Long Beach, CA.

A = reminded me of a cloudly amber lager. pretty light for a hefe.

S = pretty mild with obvious clove and citrus aromas

T = very mild with no strong flavors that really stick out.

M = very thin and watery.

D = this is drinkable, but there are so many better hefe's around, I don't see any reason for ordering this.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 1 Aloha Tower Dr Ste 1123, Honolulu

02-23-2006 14:42:53 | More by xduderx

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.1/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A- Pours a bright, yet hazy golden, with a one and a half finger white head that retains well and leaves one ring of lacing.
S- Wheat, slight banana, touch of clove.
T- In the flavor, there is much more bubble gum than there is banana. Clove flavor is noticable, but understated. A faint sourness to it as well.
M- Crisp, but I found it underweighted.
D- A mediocre hefe I feel. More spice flavor and more body would have done this beer well.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 1 Aloha Tower Dr Ste 1123, Honolulu

03-21-2011 16:12:03 | More by jsprain1

champ103

Texas

3.13/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a cloudy golden/orange color. A two finger white head forms, but recedes in a second. Little lace.
S: Dominated by clove and banana. Nothing else. Not bad, but blah.
T: Banana and spicy clove. Again, not bad, but bland.
M/D: A medium body that has a little to much carbonation. Thin and watery. Not hard to drink. Quaffable for what it is.

Another bland ofering. Nothing much to note. Not the worst thing ever, but much better hefe's are out there.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 200 Poydras St, New Orleans

05-11-2010 03:48:44 | More by champ103

JDV

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Cloudy yellow color with a thick white head. Smell is wheaty, clove and spice with the same taste but not too overpowering with the clove spiced part, which i'm not too big on. Good standard hefeweizen and probably one of my favorites for the style. On tap at SF godon biersch.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 200 Poydras St, New Orleans

01-31-2008 21:28:50 | More by JDV

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to Huhzubendah for bringing this bottle over to share with the other Matt and myself. Amyliz4 said no thanks. Served in a Captain Lawrence tulip.

Pours a hazy, somewhat dark, yellow-gold with a nice white head. Really nice lacing. The nose has a pretty standard hefeweizen aroma, leaning more heavily toward the banana/bubblegum end of the spectrum than the clove, but pretty good. Bit too much breadiness, which really carried over into the flavor, where the malt tended to dominate the yeast. Medium body and a bit too heavy. Moderately too sweet. Decent enough, but not something I'd seek out.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 200 Poydras St, New Orleans

04-25-2011 22:01:26 | More by Thorpe429

wcdoyle

Florida

3.18/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

What I enjoyed about G.B. is that use different glasses for different beers. I'm not a beer snob, by any stretch, but I appreciate that the make the effort.

Gold trending toward amber color and slightly cloudy. Head was modest. Smell was a combination of grain and slight crisp-sweet fruit. Flavor was light, mild with perhaps a touch of citrus coming through. I'd should add, however, that there wasn't anything "off" about the beer either. I just wanted a bit more flavor to come through. Mouthfeel was light-to-medium with a nice touch of crispness. Solid drinkability, but nothing really stands out with this beer. This is a decent by-the-numbers beer. I preferred the G.B. Schwarzbier for having a touch more of everything and some really nice flavor.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 420 S Mill Ave Ste 201, Tempe

07-19-2007 19:43:20 | More by wcdoyle

drabmuh

Maryland

3.2/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to Huhzubendah for this rare tick. Reviewed from notes.

Beer is amber and hazy with a medium sized white head of small bubbles, some lacing moderate carbonation.

Aroma is wheaty with mild cloves and some banana.

Beer is medium to thin in body with a grainy finish, the whole thing finishes a little bitter with some acidity on the end, the forward is mildly sweet with some banana in there. nothing great here just an average hefeweizen, probably won't repeat unless it is free at a party.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 420 S Mill Ave Ste 201, Tempe

06-19-2011 15:19:24 | More by drabmuh

kflorence

California

3.2/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Imported from my ratebeer.com profile - MAY 28, 2008

On tap at the brewpub.

Pours a nice cloudy orange color with particulates. Smells of citrus, wheat, yeast and candy. Flavor is tart and sweet, heavily dominated by an orange citrus flavor but also packing some wheat and spice in there. Finishes dry, tart and slightly bitter. Not my favorite hefe but it’s decent.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 420 S Mill Ave Ste 201, Tempe

07-22-2011 05:56:46 | More by kflorence

mdfb79

New York

3.2/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From 10/22/11 notes.

a - Pours a murky straw yellow color with one inch of fluffy white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of bananas, cloves, spices, and light citrus hops. Some bready malts as well. Not bad, but wans't expecting the citrus.

t - Tastes of bananas, lemon and citrus, cloves, bready malts. Everything is light and that citrus is there again. Not bad at all but a tiny bit bland.

m - Light to medium body and low to moderate carbonation. Pretty easy to drink.

o - Overall a pretty average hefeweizen. Thought it was better than their Golden Export, but would order the Marzen or Schwarzbier next time I go.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 420 S Mill Ave Ste 201, Tempe

10-24-2011 18:47:23 | More by mdfb79

avaldivia

California

3.23/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pored 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Ok, I will start this review with a story:

When the Giants won the world series, I was in San Francisco at Gordon Biersch watching the game. I drank a lot that day and when I got this, I kept saying it tastes like bubblegum. My friends all said I was wasted and my palate was destroyed. I didn't think I was that inebriated, but I stopped saying it.

I saw this on the shelves and I had to buy a bottle to see if I was really that drunk. You know what? This still tastes like bubblegum. Boom! Vindication.

After that, it really is a mediocre Hefeweizen. Not much complexity. Aside from bubblegum, it tastes like all other Hefeweizens. Not something I will buy again now that I feel vindicated.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 420 S Mill Ave Ste 201, Tempe

08-25-2011 04:51:53 | More by avaldivia

krausenman

North Carolina

3.3/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-The beer pours a hazy orange color. The beer was capped by a thick inch of foam.

S-Initially as the beer warmed there were banana aromas that were mixed with a background of bubblegum. The beer stabalized with a clove spicy aroma that was accompanied with a underpinning of ethanol.

T-It tasted spicy with a yeast wheat like dryness.

M-The beer has a light body that is lightened by the carbonation rate.

D-The beer is drinkable as a session beer with some highpoints to enjoy.

Serving type: bottle
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 420 S Mill Ave Ste 201, Tempe

06-13-2010 01:13:52 | More by krausenman

UCLABrewN84

California

3.3/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

On tap at Gordon Biersch in Burbank, CA.

Pours a murky honey orange with a foamy off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, wheat, yeast, spices, and a slight soapy aroma. Taste is much the same with spice and earthy flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is an above average beer that seems somewhat unrefined in the aromas and flavors.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 420 S Mill Ave Ste 201, Tempe

02-16-2013 23:01:04 | More by UCLABrewN84

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.33/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Dull, cloudy yellow/amber with a tight, white cap. Some lacing. Bready aroma with a bit of clove and lemon. Malty and bready flavour with a bit of lemon, clove and citrus, plus light banana character in the finish. Medium body that lightened towards the end. Carbonation was on the high side, giving an acidic bite. A pretty average offering. Drinkable and approachable, but lacking a bit in overall character.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 200 Poydras St, New Orleans

04-26-2008 16:04:41 | More by DrJay

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Gordon Biersch, Broomfield, CO

Not a bad hefeweizen, not great, but one of the better GB offerings. Poured a hazy straw-yellow with a generous white head that receded to a thin layer, but lingered nonetheless. Expected aroma: yeast, banana, spice. Wheat profile on the taste buds, yeasty, banana esters, with hints of pepper and clove. Crisp with a dry finish, light bodied and fairly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant, 200 Poydras St, New Orleans

08-30-2011 21:01:49 | More by Rifugium