Julius Echter Hefe-Weissbier Hell - Würzburger Hofbräu AG

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle served in a weizen glass.

L - hazy golden color with a creamy white head that left a good trail of lacing.

S - banana yeast and spices, smells like a hefeweizen.

T - nice balance of hefeweizen flavors wheat, banana bubblegum and spices.

F - medium bodied with a creamy, smooth feel.

O - a good example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 21:58:58 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

BelgiumBill

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Paid $3.99 for a 500ml bottle with a 9/2011 freshness date.

Poured into a pint glass, served at 43 degrees. It was a very hazy golden honeyed color with a gigantic ivory seafoam-like head. Eventually dissipated to a thin blanket with minimal lacing.

The nose was grainy, yeast, coriander

The flavors coming through were bread with citrus, then some hop making a showing along with some spice notes of coriander..

No more than medium bodied and very well balanced with neither hops, carbonation, yeast, malts, or any overwhelming flavors knocking it out of whack. Supremely drinkable.

Top tier hefe. I had the Shiner hefe last night and the difference is readily evident and appreciated.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 23:35:29 | More by BelgiumBill

cagocubs

Illinois

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from large bottle into hefe glass.

A: Pours a darker, hazy orange with a fluffy 2 finger head. A typical pour for a hefe, nice color and head.

S: Citrus, spice, wheat, mellow hops, and earthy tones. Orange/grapefruit. Corriander.

T: A nice spicey/citrus taste at first. You get the wheat taste midway and finishing. Well balanced.

M: Light bodied, creamy and smooth. Very nice mouth coating.

O: A very good example of a hefe, really nice taste and smell with a good finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 19:48:33 | More by cagocubs

Tschnab

New York

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- looks like a classic hefe: cloudy yellow, creamy head, almost no lace.

S- Yeasty and wheaty, some lemony citrus, banana, vanilla

T- all the qualities of the smell are here, but interestingly it is the vanilla that is really coming through to me. It almost tastes like cream soda, but the other dimensions make it more complex.

O- Man I love a good hefe while eating a brat on my deck with the family, and this one delivered.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 01:43:10 | More by Tschnab

confer

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A perfect hefe appeance. Nice gold color, very cloudy, with a big white head.
Smell is almost perfect banana bread The clove are really limited in the aroma.
Taste falls short of where the smell starts. The banana/clove hits at the beginning but quickly fades giving way to a medicinal taste.
It does have a nice creamy feel. This isn't a bad hefe but I'll pay the extra cash and choose from several other German offerings.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 00:57:55 | More by confer

TheQuietMan22

Iowa

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Poured into a half liter weizen glass. The color is a cloudy, dirty dishwater orange. Three fingers of thick, white head dissipated to leave a fluffy cap and trails of foam on the glass.

Smell: Hefeweizen heavenliness. Banana, apple, clove, yeast, pepper, lemon, orange, and maybe a hint of bubblegum.

Taste: Bavarian to a tee. It has a thick, wheaty mouthfeel packed with flavors that mostly mirror the smell. Banana, apple, yeast, orange, and the hint of bubblegum. There is not as much clove, pepper, or lemon zest, but I will not complain.

Drinkability: It is good stuff — on par with other Bavarian greats. There is nothing orgasmic or special about it, but it is still high quality.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 05:43:56 | More by TheQuietMan22

fitzy84

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This beer poured with a massive head that eventually subsided and left behind some thick lacing. There are some hints of citrus, but mostly light breads and yeast aromas. Slight metallic, but sweet taste with a bitter aftertaste. Lightly grainy or yeasty. The drink is very refreshing, light, and watery. Very good on a hot summer night. Overall, a really refreshing hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 02:22:00 | More by fitzy84

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500 mL bottle with a best before date of 2011/11. Pours very hazed, medium gold color with a large cap of dense, fluffy white head. Retention and lacing are expectedly great.

Nose has a nice, soft banana-clove aroma combo. Niether being dominant and both complimented by some grainy wheat. Very nice hefe on the smell.

This is one of the softer weissbiers I have had and the yeast does not go too crazy on the banano-clove esters. Uber-refreshing and goes down very easy. This is one of those hefes you could drink a second liter stein of in one sitting without getting bored or too yeasted-out. Id have to say I am very impressed with this beer, I like it at least as much as Weihenstephaner.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2011 17:59:00 | More by twiggamortis420

Bung

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

500ml. Gold pour, large white head when poured. Laces pretty well as it goes down.

Aroma, a yeasty straw/hay. Limited banana and clove.

Taste matches, which is why I prefer German Hefe's, very under control banana and clove. The wheat shines without being blown away by spice. US versions allow those flavors to be out of control in my opinion.

Crisp, clean light bodied, extreamly easy drinking. Carbonation is higher than in US versions. Most importantly I would want to drink more, which I usually don't with Hefe's.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 02:03:23 | More by Bung

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.15/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

500 ml bottle. Pours hazy-golden hue with a huge, long lasting, white head and a lot of lacing. Aroma is of yeast, wheat malt, banana and hint of spices. Light, almost smooth body. Taste is of yeast, fruit wheat malt. Nothing special, simple, but refreshing brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2011 13:50:17 | More by mikeg67

HopHead84

California

3.68/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

5/22/2011

Bottle thanks to Chris (largadeer), thanks! Poured into a snifter.

A: Vibrant yellow gold with pretty good clarity and a big foamy white head. Lots of bubbles traveling skyward. Much lacing.

S: Wheat, straw, banana, and restrained clove notes with a touch of bubble gum. Nothing more to say.

T: More banana here than was evident in the aroma, and a bit more clove now that I consider it. Slightly peppery as well. Notes of wheat are apparent and there's a light apple note in there.

M: Upper light in body with spritzy carbonation. The mouthfeel is fluffy and creamy.

Overall: A refreshing beer, but not one of the better examples I've had.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 08:30:16 | More by HopHead84

chicagoabbot

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

500 ml bottle into a snifter...pours a cloudy straw yellow with a huge head that just keeps coming and coming. Excellent. Deep yeast funk and plenty of sharpness from the wheat mash, balanced by soft but crisp hops.

Taste is excellent. What a great beer. Sharp. Refreshing. Clean. Funky. It has everything you would expect from a classic of this style.

Mouthfeel is perfect. Simply perfect. Crisp like a blade, goes down easy and wakes you up.

Overall, it's hard to mess with the best of the Germans when it comes to the wheat mash. Monster. Monster mash. Awesome brew, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 06:00:28 | More by chicagoabbot

CuttDeez

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a Weizen glass

A - Opaque golden color with some burnt orange and yellow gold mixed in. Huge white peaky head that has a beaten egg white stickyness.
S - Sweet and awesome nose. The clove is obvious and the bananas is in full force. They is a great wheaty backround throughout. Overall exactly what I expect it to smell like and nicely balanced.
T & M - The taste follows the nose to a T. Not overly sweet and the flavors of each clove and banana are strong throughout. The wheat brings a nice slight chew to the medium to light body of the beer. It is very clean and light on the palte in the finish and back end.
O - A good Weiss overall. Strong in all areas and refreshing. Overall I have had crisper and more refreshing Heffes but this one has it's own character and is still a great summer brew.

-Cheers

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 00:23:23 | More by CuttDeez

atlason

New York

3.78/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into Julius Echter vase. Freshness date 2011/06.

A: Hazy pale gold, thick foamy head. Lacing leaks away quickly.

S: Light wheat.

T: Wow, what a wheat bomb. The wheat is center stage on this Hefeweizen. Gives the beer a light creamy taste backed with some slightly spicy clove. I prefer a bit more complexity here but they do this wheat heavy style very well.

M: Creamy and lightly carbonated for the style. Medium attenuation.

Overall this is a super interesting Hefeweizen just for the sheer wheatiness. If you ever wondered why these are called wheat beers, try this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 02:10:28 | More by atlason

BarrelO

Virginia

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle poured into a pint glass. Best before the end of May 2011.

A: Cloudy light orange body. Big fluffy head leaves a bit of lacing.

S: Yeast and citrus.

T: Mainly cloves and yeast. Also citrus and banana.

M: On the heavy side of light, if that makes any sense. Pretty creamy.

D: A solid Bavarian hefe. Nothing more, nothing less.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 09:31:30 | More by BarrelO

ZenAgnostic

Texas

3.28/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Cloudy gold body with a white frothy head with decent retention and lacing.

Smell - Over ripe banana.

Taste - Astringent.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with full carbonation creaminess.

Overall - Good, but for the price you might as well get a Weihenstephaner or Paulaner.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2011 02:07:16 | More by ZenAgnostic

mdunman

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A: Hazy yellow-orange with a gigantic head and lots of linger

S: Banana bread, orange, roasted malt

T: Banana bread and other fruits complement the roasted malt early on and finishes with a good dry finish.

M: Light-medium body and unbelievable carbonation

Overall this beer was really enjoyable. I don't think it's quite as refined as Franziskaner or some of the other great Hefe's, but this one did stand out as a really good Hefe to me.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 01:54:38 | More by mdunman

bmwats

Louisiana

3.88/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 500 ml bottle into a weizen glass.

A: Cloudy hay colored hue. Pours about a giant 3 or 4 finger, frothy, white head. Settles slowly. Plenty of little bubbles of carbonation continue to rise throughout the body. Some thick beer ring lacing mostly retreats back into the body of the brew.

S: Wheat, heavy amounts of yeast, with a bit of lemon citrus and pine. I think there's some honey in there too.

T: Yeast rules the day. Pungent (but not overwhelmingly so) taste of Italian bread. Just a hint of lemon citrus and a very rumor of honey. Tastes like it smells.

M: Clean and crisp. Pungent palette. A hint of sweet in the front, and a yeasty lemon finish.

D: Very enjoyable, clean and smooth weizen.

Atmosphere is really nice. That cloudy weizen body with a giant head. Nose is a strong yeast base with some citrus hints. Flavor is Italian bread with lemon and honey. Overall, this is a really good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 05:14:09 | More by bmwats

bobhits

Kentucky

2.05/5  rDev -48.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Yellow orange color, full of protein/yeast that gives off a very cloudy color. Nearly opaque in color with an ok head without much lacing or legs.

Cloves, bubble gum, banana, and sweet sugary malt aromas. I should add this is slightly sour.

The sour smell kicks into the taste. I've never had a hef with this much sour flavor. Clove is the second flavor that kicks in and really adds that spicy flavor. Followed by bananas and a wheat and spice powered bitterness. I don't think much of hefs and this is just not good enough to get into the great beer who cares the style level. Too sour, too much wheat, and way too much spice.

There's a huge amount of carbonation which is common with german beers and as a result it is hard to drink. This hurts the drink ability and mouth feel to me.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 23:23:16 | More by bobhits

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Chevy Chase in DC. Served in a weizen glass.

Pour yields a somewhat dark for the style brew. Dark gold and very, very hazy with a good white head and really nice lacing as it goes down. The nose brings forward a bit too much bread and not enough yeastiness. What is there is pleasant, but this needs to be more yeast-forward. There isn't really any clove, just a bit of banana and some bubblegum. The flavor is bready with a touch of wheat plus some mild yeast. Medium body and a bit chewy. Overall, not bad, but not something I'd really seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 01:54:09 | More by Thorpe429

HalfFull

California

3.63/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Half liter capped bottle poured into a weizen glass, best before May '11. Pours a classic hazed golden to deep orange in color and carrying a slowly rescinding two inch cap of creamy white foam. Nice lops of lace on the glass.

Nicely balanced clove and banana on the nose yet lacking the overbearing sweet banana esters evident at times. A pleasant yeasty wheat character accompanies.

Flavor is wheat forward with some banana notes that are a bit thin at times. Bit of clove spice and wheat bread on the finish opens up with some air and helps firm up the feel a bit. Otherwise the carbonation fizzles out a bit making for a pleasant though light bodied take on the style. Overall a solid Hefe. that's a bit light in the malt delivery and a touch subdued but without any negative components.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2011 06:21:04 | More by HalfFull

starkystark

Alaska

4.15/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at Snug's in Hingham, MA. Great place to go drink; they serve all their beers, including this hefe in the proper glass.

Appearance: Usual hefeweizen appearance. Cloudy pale orange that fades to yellow in the light. A bit of yeast sediment on the bottom. 3.5 finger frothy head with decent retention as I drank. Great looking beer.

Smell: Again, fairly standard for a hefe. Strong clove aroma, picked up the banana, and caught some notes of lemon.

Taste: Similar to to how it smells. Really picked up that clove taste, and then could definitely pick up the lemon as well on the back of the tongue. Caught some yeast at the end.

Mouthfeel: Crisp at first. A little bit oily, but very refreshing as you swallow it down.

All around, one of the best versions I've had of one of my favorite beer types. I had two during my time at dinner there, and the second one was even better than the first.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2011 17:58:18 | More by starkystark

JayQue

Virginia

3.7/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Good hefe....I think I got a somewhat less than fresh bottle, so I'm thinking it is even a better hefe when fresh. My main clue was the color. A dark hazy gold rather than the light straw color that others reviewed. Had all the bells and whistles. Big head, delicate looking with lots of bubbles and good retention. A few rings of lacing and a dull gold color (albeit a little dark gold).

Smell was a bit faint but had the basics, lemony, cloves, banana.

Taste was pretty good but a bit "off" from a really good hefe. There was lemon, bananas, cloves, wheat, bubble gum etc., but not quite as fresh and refreshing as the best German hefes...I'm thinking this is a bit old.

Mouthfeel is just right for the style, crisp and light and zesty. Carbonation is just right.

Drinkability is good...I'm betting a fresh bottle would be better.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2011 02:18:02 | More by JayQue

Avagadro

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

A: Julius Echter holds a beautiful hazy golden color with the usual froth. Retention is admirable, but lacing leaves something to be desired.

S: There isn't much going on here. The usual clove/banana are present, but at levels far below my standards.

T: A nice cereal base is accented with banana, clove, and a touch of rose.

M: Full body, slight chalk in the texture, and mounds of carbonation. This brew is extremely effervescent.

D: A decent hefe, but there are plenty of better ones out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2011 20:00:30 | More by Avagadro

jiggahertz

New Hampshire

4.65/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Huge head on this with an agressive pour. Beer is cloudy butterscotch. Head dissipates slowly leaving mountainous peaks.

S: Nose reminds me of a saison. Banana really comes through, a hint of tartness, and yeasty goodness.

T: Clove tartness up front, gives way to a sweetness fruitiness and a solid malty finish.

M: Light bodied but a complex mouthfeel. Stickyness long lasting fruitness.

D: One of my favoriete hefeweizens.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 23:11:43 | More by jiggahertz