Terrapin SunRay Wheat Beer - Terrapin Beer Company

mocktm

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First had on draft at 909 in Fredericksburg, Virginia; appropriately enough, a partly Grateful Dead themed bar. Loved it there so I grabbed some bottles to drink and review.

Pours a very hazy, but bright golden yellow. Almost looks like honey in appearance. Not a lot of carbonation going on, but still yields about a finger's worth of white head. Poor retention and very little lacing, leaving only a faint ring as the foam quickly dissipates. Disappointingly, this one is lacking what is essential to a serious Hefe, a massive and voluptuously frothy head.

Nose is full of wheat, banana, clove, bubblegum, and faint honey. For a beer whose label proclaims honey as its differentiator, I was hoping it would be much more in my face. Still a decent aroma however.

Tastes as the preceding aromas would suggest. Lots of upfront Hefe flavors, particularly a incredibly strong banana presence. Honey is noticeable as well, contributing a bit more mild sweetness in the middle, before it finishes off nice and biscuity. Overall, it almost reminds me of a banana pancake. Pretty good stuff.

Mouthfeel is a bit of a let down. A little too light bodied for what I like to see in the style. Needs more carbonation and creaminess to accompany the taste.

Overall, this is a pretty decent offering. The flavors are right on and quite delicious, but some more carbonation and a creamier body would take this to the upper tier of Hefes.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 16:49:43 | More by mocktm

JamesWn

Florida

3/5  rDev -14.8%

02-28-2013 21:50:00 | More by JamesWn

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +13.6%

02-28-2013 02:41:24 | More by t0rin0

justinm4bama

Alabama

4/5  rDev +13.6%

02-26-2013 05:18:02 | More by justinm4bama

Budinetz

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -21.9%

02-04-2013 19:26:04 | More by Budinetz

mess41

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

01-31-2013 22:39:42 | More by mess41

DmanGTR

New York

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

01-31-2013 21:39:59 | More by DmanGTR

sendbeer

Georgia

2.75/5  rDev -21.9%

12-23-2012 05:33:17 | More by sendbeer

beedster14

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

11-03-2012 19:55:19 | More by beedster14

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

10-16-2012 22:09:07 | More by RblWthACoz

DioS

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -7.7%

08-28-2012 19:29:10 | More by DioS

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.73/5  rDev +6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Terrapin Beer Company's Sunray Wheat Beer is a Hefeweizen style ale brewed with Tupelo Honey from the Savannah Bee Company. As of 2012, the beer is retired with no plans of a return in the future. I found a single six pack of this at a seedy gas station right down the road from the brewery for $7.99, which is an attractive price for Terrapin's beer nowadays. Despite this bottle being 2011 vintage and having a freshness date of Week 2, August 2011, my previous review of this beer warrants a follow up.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to my Terrapin Pint Glass. Served at º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a crisp but thin fizzy head that dissolves almost immediately, indicative of age, leaving a largely clear surface save for some carbonation activity in the center of the glass. Body color is a golden yellow, very mildly hazy. Relaxed carbonation is sparse. Aside from the poor head quality, the rest of the beer looks decent. 2.5

(Smell) In comparison with other Hefeweizens I have had recently, the clove is nearly nonexistent in this beer and the banana yeast notes play the dominant role, bringing this a bit closer to the german style than others of its class. Banana bread muffins are paired with a bit of faded honey on a slightly musty wheat background, but not a bit of it is unpleasant smelling. It's a mild but enjoyable aroma overall. 3.5

(Taste) The front has a subtle hint of honey in the mouth with a slight banana pairing. The finish is where the clove, bitter orange and honey peeks in, the clove only in small doses and the honey with a much larger emphasis. In the end it's a mishmash of all flavors altogether, culminating a very tasty balanced session beer. The taste has remained surprisingly well-preserved for the past year, but I can imagine that this would be even better if consumed fresh. Overall, the beer is very approachable and drinkable with a decent balance of flavors and a limited spice finish, making this a easy-drinking Hefeweizen. 4

(Mouthfeel) Texture segues from a very slick front to a tongue-tickling crisp texture on the finish. It would probably be better to boost the front carbonation a bit but the finish carbonation is at its limit for me, really accentuating the spices in the flavor. Body is light. Alcohol presence is low. Overall a good pairing. 4

(Overall) I'm finding it even more important to go back to beers previously dismissed and give them a second shot down the road. It's been nearly 2 years since I last had this beer and the first time I didn't enjoy it so much. Now I've found a penchant for enjoying Hefeweizens locally and from abroad, and this one certainly is a delicious and highly drinkable beer. The honey does little to interfere with the flavors and taste, instead accentuating an already enjoyable flavor while adding complexity. Good luck finding this beer around the south, but I'll have you know that it's still damn tasty. 3.5

Terrapin Beer Company's
Sunray Wheat Beer
3.73/5.00

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 18:04:04 | More by Jadjunk

jeddis1

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

06-29-2012 01:07:14 | More by jeddis1

FeminaAmphibios

4/5  rDev +13.6%

06-19-2012 02:53:50 | More by FeminaAmphibios

DrFunkenstein

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

05-16-2012 01:25:13 | More by DrFunkenstein

Zachb4au

Alabama

2/5  rDev -43.2%

03-16-2012 18:39:47 | More by Zachb4au

UltimateLivewire

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

03-12-2012 20:45:03 | More by UltimateLivewire

OldTime

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%

03-09-2012 18:46:32 | More by OldTime

carrollmel7

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

03-06-2012 21:01:28 | More by carrollmel7

ltdantheman

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

02-20-2012 23:15:54 | More by ltdantheman

djcira

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

02-19-2012 17:00:24 | More by djcira

hippityhophead24

Tennessee

2.5/5  rDev -29%

02-09-2012 03:47:45 | More by hippityhophead24

Ljoreilly

Georgia

2.5/5  rDev -29%

01-28-2012 06:34:23 | More by Ljoreilly

EvanWilliams

Illinois

3/5  rDev -14.8%

01-28-2012 04:58:49 | More by EvanWilliams

tclapper

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%

01-16-2012 03:55:54 | More by tclapper