Hornet's Nest
The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

Hornet's NestHornet's Nest
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From:
The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
Hefeweizen
Ranked #50
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
88
Ranked #13,734
Avg:
3.94 | pDev: 9.64%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
70
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 26, 2023
Added:
May 19, 2013
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  33
At OMB, we love our local history almost as much as we enjoy brewing our premium local beer. While most people think Hornet’s Nest is an ode to Charlotte’s basketball team, it’s actually the nickname England’s General Cornwallis gave Charlotte when he met more resistance here than anticipated during the Revolutionary War. So why did we choose this opaque, subtly sweet Hefeweizen as Charlotte’s tribute beer? Because it’s awesome! Otherwise, it wouldn’t be much of a tribute.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by GarthDanielson:
Photo of GarthDanielson
Reviewed by GarthDanielson from Virginia

3.69/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured on-tap at the brewery and served in a Weiss vase, the beer is an opaque, hazy, pale yellow coloring with a filmy, clingy, tall white head. Nose of banana, lemon, and hints of clove. Flavors are banana crème forward, with subtle spices, and toasty highlights. Smooth, creamy body. The aftertaste is roast and spice, with banana rich throughout. Smooth, sweet, clean finish. Solid brew.
Nov 16, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.73 by BeardedWalrus from North Carolina

May 26, 2023
 
Rated: 3.79 by siege06nd from Virginia

Mar 04, 2023
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Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

3.94/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy goldenstraw with a two finger head; decent retention with squiggles and shards

Smell: Wheat bread with hints of lemon, banana, sugar cookie and clove

Taste: Tangy wheat forward with hints of banana and sugar cookie; the lemon and clove appear after the swallow

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate to high carbonation; somewhat creamy

Overall: Not getting quite the level of banana that I would like to taste; maybe it is the batch as others have reported a more traditional brew
Jun 29, 2022
 
Rated: 3.65 by SadMachine from New Jersey

May 22, 2022
 
Rated: 4.06 by clm9 from North Carolina

Feb 21, 2022
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

4.29/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Enjoyed a 1/2 liter serving while visiting the brewery on 8-8-21. Also picked up a four-pack to take home.

Beer was served golden with an outstanding white head that had some great hang time!

Nose was outstanding as the yeast strain imparted a serious amount of banana and clove esters.

Taste followed the nose with the light wheat malt base incorporating the weizen yeast wonderfully imparting a bold bubble gum, banana, and clove flavor mid sip. Finished balanced.

Mouthfeel was light to medium bodied and pretty smooth and refreshing.

Overall while enjoying this i kept commenting to Da Boss on how legit the brewery is and how on par they are with the Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier!
Aug 09, 2021
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

3.71/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
With such an assertive name but a quite soft style, Olde Mecklenburg's take on traditional German Wheat Ale pays homage to Carolina history with a soothing session.

Cloudy gold and with peps of burnt lemon providing an overcast to the wheaten riddled ale, Hornet's Nest billows with a creamy pillow of foam. As a fruity, spicy and herbal scent rolls off of the glass, notions of tropical, citrus and pastry come to mind and with a tingle of pepper. Soft and creamy with first impression in taste, an upstart of cream of wheat offers a cereal softness with sugar cookie and wheat germ.

The full fruit and spice balance is on display once the beer breaches the middle palate with lemon, banana, apple and pawpaw. Not to be outdone, the spices of white pepper, clove, coriander and mint all balance the fruits and lingering wheat sweetness and eventually overtake them. Trending herbal with lemon pepper and hay, the hops are there for support only and to never make the beer bitter.

Medium light on the palate, the spices, grains and hops pull the beer out of balance slightly with the earthiness of stale bread and an extra tingle on the tongue. But the beer otherwise finishes crisp and refreshing with an off-clean linger. Hints of cumin and mint linger slightly in a short and sweet after palate.
Jul 29, 2021
 
Rated: 3.69 by crobinso from Colorado

Jun 06, 2021
 
Rated: 3.74 by Curt3 from Ohio

Apr 28, 2021
 
Rated: 4.18 by RochefortChris from North Carolina

Feb 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.08 by ThreeJs from North Carolina

Dec 24, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

Dec 14, 2020
Photo of Manta200
Reviewed by Manta200 from Kentucky

4.24/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Courtesy of brentk56! 19oz can into Erdinger Weißbier glass.
Did not get much of a head but that might be due to the shipping stress the beer went through.
Hazy straw color when swirling the last bit before pouring, exactly the way it should be. Otherwise crystal clear color.
Distinctive banana smell and taste. Crisp, clean, mildly sweet finish.
A nice example of a Hefeweizen, hopefully somebody sends me more of this...
Oct 28, 2020
Photo of lakebeersociety
Rated by lakebeersociety from North Carolina

4.12/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Clovey, kind of overwhelms a bit, very floral. Still, a classic Hefeweisen and we would all drink it again happily!
Aug 09, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by FLBeerGuy from Florida

Aug 03, 2020
 
Rated: 3.94 by Mikemcgrath4 from North Carolina

Jun 07, 2020
 
Rated: 4.13 by SFC21 from Florida

Oct 10, 2019
 
Rated: 5 by lebriarjr from North Carolina

Jul 13, 2019
Photo of zpaden
Rated by zpaden from North Carolina

3.91/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Huge head, sweet smooth beer. Elements of spice but I felt like they took more of a backseat in this beer.
Mar 15, 2019
Hornet's Nest from The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 70 ratings