Julius Echter Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel - Würzburger Hofbräu AG

brentk56

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a cloudy ice tea color with a very nice head that lasts and lasts while leaving shards of lace behind

Smell: Brown bread predominates with hints of spice cake and banana

Taste: Spice cake, up front, with the banana and brown bread flavors arriving underneath; after the swallow, the spicy clove aspect tends to outweigh the other elements of the profile

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body and creamy, with moderate to high carbonation

Drinkability: Not in the top echelon of the style, but a decent beer; would like to see more banana and less clove

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 23:11:48 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.55/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Best before 12/2011.

Pours a murky brown with a 2 inch foamy light tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of wheat, spices, yeast, and some slight dark fruit aromas. Taste is much the same with a slight alcohol kick on the finish. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is still tasty a good 6 months after its best before date.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 03:44:55 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.38/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a dark cloudy brown color dunkel with a huge foamy dirty brown head with pretty good retention. Aroma of banana with hints of cinnamon with sweet strong malt. Taste has notes of banana with some sweet malt but not much bitterness is discernable. Creamy texture is really enjoyable and body is fuller then average.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2005 15:15:37 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Got to love the classics. A good dark German wheat always hits the spot when you want finess and flavor. Looks murky and muddy. A wheat texture with an amber color. Good proteins yeild good head retention and lacing. Smells lightly malty with barley but mostly wheat. Toasty, yeasty, estery, and light in the scent and flavor. Light clove, bananna, and bubblegum hide in the moderately toasted flavors. Very clean and refreshing. Finishes crisp without drying. A good session beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2006 14:16:56 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours hazy medium brown with nice fluffy white head that became creamy-like as it settled,quite clovey on the nose with a bit of iron and banana.Nice smooth,lighter mouthfeel almost creamy in nature,well rounded dark wheat flavors clovey with a touch of green apple lightly sweet a touch of iron underneath.Light and refreshing but definently not wimpy I am liking this style more and more and this one is helping me convert more.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2006 19:19:58 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cloudy, reddish-brown with orange & crimson highlights. The cream colored head is fluffy but tight; composed of tiny bubbles. It thins but holds a solid surface covering to the end. The aroma is lightly fruity and sweetish with some bubblegum and light toffee. The body is light/medium with a very fine and lightly effervescent carbonation that leaves it gently zesty in the mouth at first; then becoming creamy as it warms. The flavor starts lightly tangy, becoming sweet as it crosses the palate, and displays soft bubblegum and caramel in the finish along with some drying bitterness, a light smoky phenolic and some gentle clove. Although it's well balanced, throughout the glass the sweetness and clove have a tendency to build on the palate. A well-brewed dunkle weiss with some nice character and a good drinkability, but not a leader in its category.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2002 20:44:15 | More by NeroFiddled

WesWes

New York

3.33/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a cloudy brown color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a fruity hefe scent of pale and wheat malts along with the German hefe yeast, but there is a sweet crystal malt element as well. It's not overly sweet, but just enough to let you know it's there. The taste is average. It tastes like muddy water. There is a weak crystal malt flavor laid over a pale weiss taste. It's got a light sweetness and a fruity yeast finish. The mouthfeel is decent. It is a medium bodied beer with good carbonation. This is an average Dunkel. I'm not impressed with the taste at all. I'm not even sure this is a good weiss minus the crystal malts. These guys should add some more crystal malt and call it a day. The mouthfeel is way too light and the CO2 is way too intense.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2007 21:33:54 | More by WesWes

metter98

New York

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is cloudy light brown in color and poured into a weizen glass with a two finger high head that has good retention properties. A high amount of carbonation is visible from the rising bubbles.
S: There are aromas of bananas, dark malts and yeast in the nose; the smell isn't that strong and somewhat resembles banana bread. The aroma intensifies as the beer warms up.
T: The taste is similar to the smell, except for having a slight amount of sweetness. There are flavors of bananas, clove and wheat as well as some hints of caramel.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and slightly creamy on the palate with lots of carbonation.
D: The beer is very easy to drink and is rather thirst quenching.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 15:12:24 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours with a frothy, light tan colored, initially three finger thick head that sits on top of a dark, amber tinged, brown colored brew that shows a lightly hazy, rich, ruby hue when held up to the light. Quite fruity smelling with notes of raisins, green grapes, and Macintosh apples. Malt notes of toasted grain, browned bread crust and complex and rich malt notes are pretty noticeable if you dig a bit for them. More typical Hefe Weizen aromas of banana and clove come in as a sort of backdrop or supporting role. At times it almost smells a bit like vanilla poached apples.

Light, but chewy enough that it is not watery at all. The beer is lightly sweet with flavors of vanilla, raisins, tart apples and some spicy clove notes. The darker malt flavors really turn on in the finish were a nice toasted malt flavor is evident; lightly toasted whole grain bread, a hint of chocolate and browned / caramelized malt sugars. As my palate gets used to the flavors notes of banana and even some vanilla flavors start to come out. This has an appetizing tartness to it that really makes this beer quite drinkable as well as cutting through the malt to keep this quite drinkable. The yeast pour softens the beer a bit, it becomes rounder and loses a spicy sharpness that was there before.

Another interesting beer from this brewery, this could perhaps be a touch more focused on the Dunkel grain notes, but it does contribute. A refreshing, easy drinking version that really starts to open up once it becomes a bit warmer.

Purchased: Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2007 21:10:52 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.13/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 16.9oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light brown color, with a large and dense off-white head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains wheat, bananas, caramelized malts and some hops.

T: The taste starts out with bready flavors of wheat and a hearty malt character that are quickly followed by mildly sweet flavors of bananas, caramel and some citrus. The hops presence is also mild but it's where it should be for the style and provides a good balance. The after-taste is slightly bready and slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, mild kick, very good representation of style, this is a nice beer to drink for a long time if you're in the mood for the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2011 04:09:49 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured an effervescent caramel/brown with 4+ fingers of fluffed sand colored head. Slightlty above averagre lacing & average head retention

S: Fruitty, a little iron & slightlty phenolic

T: Bananas, herbal hops & caramel up front. Fruittyness (apricots & pears) & breadyness comes though as this warms. Finishes dry/tart with a hint of dates, grainyness, a little bit of mushroom & juicyfruit gum

MF: Medium-bodied with lively carbonaton

Drinks easy, a nice example of dunkel from a brewery in of the prettier German cities I visited. Those looking for a huge yeast signature may find this lacking

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2007 19:20:02 | More by russpowell

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out as a hazy dark brown color what had some orange highlights around the egdes. The head was fluffy and tan typical of the style. The aromas were of banana, some clove, some raisin and a hint of yeasty wheat. The taste was decent, there was the typical wheat beer flavors along with some toasted flavors as well. There may be some fruits in there as well. The mouthfeel is smooth much like other beers like this. Overall it wasn't too bad but I think there are better ones out there.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 03:26:44 | More by Knapp85

jwc215

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a weizen glass:

Pours caramel/brown with a large rocky head.

The smell is of toffee, banana and mint spiciness.

The taste is of warm banana bread, toffee, mild mint spiciness. Plum-like fruitiness in the back. Finishes with a toffee-ish sweetness with a hint of balancing tart.

Lighter side of medium body, coating, smooth. Flavors hang around on tongue.

A nice, easy-to-drink, tasty classic dunkel!

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2007 01:06:02 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Best by 5/2011. I guess I'm having this just in time.

This is a pretty tasty beer for a sessionable 4.9% weight. I'm impressed. There's a big cinnamon raisin aroma with light candied bread behind it. The body and flavor are a touch on the thin side, understandable for the lighter alcohol. The flavor has more a of date and plum taste, similar to a dark Belgian ale, with hints of the wheat malt and a slight spicy rye bread taste (though I'm sure no rye was used). I'm not usually a big fan of this style, but I'm digging this beer. Sure it drinks more like a dark Belgian ale, but it's damned tasty. I'll take another.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 03:06:48 | More by tempest

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazed amber ruby with a tan head. Nose is malty with a touch of acorn. Flavor is meaty. Almost like biting into the flank of...something. A tree. That’s it. It’s like biting into an old, aged, hearty tree. There is a strong earthen tone to the flavor profile. Feel is decent, though it seems to me almost a bit watery. Carbonation is nice, but like I said...a bit thin. Drinkable, yes. I am not very familiar with the style quite yet, but this is a pretty interesting brew. Might take someone with a bit of a developed palate to appreciate it though.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 22:25:36 | More by RblWthACoz

Jason

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: Sleek 16 oz brown euro style bottle, no freshness date.

Appearance: Cloudy murky brown in colour with a tiny bubbled beige lace.

Smell: Fragrant oily clove in the nose with a mildly spicy wheat back round.

Taste: Well carbonated, smooth with a crisp malty mouth feel and holding a medium body. Slightly tart with hints of lemon and apple, spiciness of the clove and fermented wheat is moderate. Flavours of toasted bread and nutty yeast add to the complexity with a touch of alcohol at its feet.

Notes: A tough style to brew right, this brewery seems to have this one down pat. Very palatable and a pleasure to drink, perfect blend of malt and tartness. For me it is an other great choice of a lunch time brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2002 11:26:50 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

4.1/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16 ounce bottle, no freshness dating to be found. Poured a dull, cloudy brown. Light tan head, initially large and puffy, it settled down to a long lasting film and left some lacing. Yeasty, bready nose. This is a pleasant brew, nice take on a very tasty style. Yeasty, nutty flavor notes, also chocolate and cloves late and more as it warmed. Chocolate milk shake flavorings with a kick. NIce dark wheat

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2004 04:00:04 | More by Billolick

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appears a hazy dark mahogany with a fluffy white cap that slowly fades into a gentle collar. Scattered spots of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is toffee and chocolate covered bananas with toasted nuts, vanilla, and cream.
Taste is of the aromas with cloves, and vanilla flavors.
Moutheel is spritzy, medium bodied, caramel laden, toffee, Heath bar flavors lingering.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2010 17:53:03 | More by weeare138

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Unfiliterd. Dark copper/burnt amber orange color.

S: Fruity (apples) and bananas for aroma.

T: Nice bread palate and very smooth to drink. Creamy sweet caramel and bananas for flavor.

M: Nice creamy mouthful with moderate carbonation.

D: A little low abv wise for a dunkel (4.9) but overall drinks very nicely and is well crafted and clean.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2008 17:53:50 | More by beerthulhu

DrJay

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Cloudy tawny colour with a fluffy beige cap. A bit sticky with good head retention. Aromas of banana, bready yeast, a bit nutty, light caramel and clove. Tastes kind of thin and without the fruitiness present in the nose. Roast malts dominate, giving it a dry cocoa and caramel flavour. Minerals, bread, yeast. Medium body with slightly high carbonation. Grainy, dry texture. It's certainly not bad, but the flavour really didn't live up to the promise of the aroma and didn't quite hit what I expect in a dunkelweizen.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2009 21:32:33 | More by DrJay

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Deep brown with a tan head, good retention & lacing.

S: Banana bread & cloves, not overpowering, but nice.

T: Banana bread, with a hint of cloves & nobel hop spicing. Nice, but not an knockout.

M: Well attenuated moderate body is smooth.

D: A good drinker.

Thanks sstacko!

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2009 02:03:33 | More by Derek

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A solid pour of ruddy brown, thick and a super haze of glowing deep crimson browned amber. Mega tall foam of a light caramel cream color that floats to the top well and sits for a time before settling to a thick skim always present. Minimal lacing in a few big blobs and spots.

Aroma is dark and bready sweet with a mild tang of soft lemony/orange poofyness. The yeast carries a slight cheese aspect and touches of oily clove. Nice.

Taste is a completely solid notion of tamed sweet tangy breadyness. Wheaty, soft, tender, and mildly lush with a well handled fluffy/creamy body. Nice little touches of pale orange, banana mush, and some clove.

The body is a nice mild tone of carbonation within a medium body that has just enough sharpness in tang, sweetness, and spice.

A solid Dunkel and drinkable all the same that would go great with any food and sessioning of other beery sorts.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2009 01:49:18 | More by tavernjef

RoyalT

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - The giant, super-sized head requires a careful, weizeny pour. It is off white and huge, settling into down-filled pillowy lumps of foam. The deep, brownish-orange liquid is hazy and inviting. An outstanding-looking Dunkel Weissbier.

Smell - The big, yeasty nose jumped right through the head. It is full of banana and clove with some lesser fruity smells like peach and melon. The toasty darkish notes compliment the fine yeast backbone.

Taste - This one is clean with some good darkish, doughy yeast. The bananas turned to mush but the other characteristics from the nose were hard to pick up.

Mouthfeel - This is light to medium-bodied with a dead mouthfeel. They really screwed the pooch here. The mouthfeel of a true Weissbier is elusive. This one was hard and wrongfully carbonated. Absent was the light, fluffy delicate feel that defines the style.

Drinkability - The flavors were good enough to earn it a 3.0, but it really didn't live up to the nose and the mouthfeel was a disappointment.

Update - I hadn't even seen this beer in about six years then caught one at me local beer store and decided to take a second look. The mouthfeel was much better which led me to believe I just may have gotten a bad bottle before. The head again was a beautiful sight, even for a weizen, the yeast continued to dominate throughout, and with the better carbonation and lighter feel I took my rating up a few notches.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2004 15:48:54 | More by RoyalT

avalon07

South Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle to a weizen glass. Produced about a half inch of head and a light brown color. Had an almost cloudy consistency.

This beer had a nice fruity smell. Doesn't knock you over with its smell, but is solid nonetheless.

This beer had an okay taste. Bananas and some spices come through the most, but it didn't really jump out at me in any major way.

Like the taste, the mouthfeel was alright, but not strong enough. It's fairly well-carbonated, but doesn't blow you away.

This is not a bad beer. It's decently drinkable, but I can think of others I'd head for first.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2008 16:51:25 | More by avalon07

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Julius Echter Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel

Pours a caramel brown color. Aromas of Bavarian yeast, noble, flowery hop and straw. In the taste, smooth clove and muted fruit notes. Caramel, sugar, and faint banana bread. There is little bitterness. Crisp, somewhat smooth finish. Overall, a nice dark wheat beer and goes down easy.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 04:55:38 | More by Stinkypuss