Weihenstephaner Vitus - Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan

Kremlock

Ontario (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Golden straw opaque with a thick 3-4 finger head that is frothy and bubbly.

S: wheat, peppery, and a nice bubble gum backbone.

T: Definite bock flavours present with maltyness present. Bubble gum of the German wheat beer comes through and compliments well. There is a slight pepper flavour also.

M: Well carbonated, creamy on the palate.

O: This is a great weizenbock. By far one of the best I've had.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 19:13:43 | More by Kremlock

jvillefan

California

3.9/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: A very pale and very hazy yellow body with a two finger white head with lasts for a little while.

S: The spicy German yeast character is evident up front. There is a lot of bubblegum aroma in the middle from the wheat.

T: Very interesting taste. There is a little peppery spiciness, subtle lemon flavors, and rich wheat body. Unfortunately, there is a ton of bubblegum in this flavor.

M: The body was a little thin, especially given the ABV but the carbonation was great.

O: It is good for the style but I am not a fan of this style.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 03:12:45 | More by jvillefan

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer is hazy and apricot hued with an inch of white head. The aroma brings banana, clove, spice. Like a stronger hefe with more sweetness and alcohol. The flavor offers a heavy dose of sweet bananas, booze, wheat. While this is good, I much prefer the standard Weihenstephaner hefe. Medium bodied with mild warmth in the finish. Pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:57:52 | More by Huhzubendah

mtboozeaddict41

Montana

4.44/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured pint bottle into 12oz glass

A: Beautiful musty yellow-golden color. Extremely good retention on the head leaving behind a half inch of lacing.

S: Bright esters of banana and a bit hoppy. Bready yeast also comes through on the nose as well as grass. The aromas are quite sweet and piercing.

T: Nice light fruit flavor of banana and hops. Malts are not very noticeable, not bad though. Yeasty

M: Big element of carbonation leaves a very cleansing effect upon the palate. Light to medium body

O: Very well put together beer. One of my favorite styles for sure and definitely purchase one in the future. Not to rich like many complex belgians but just the perfect amount of fruit coupled with spot on carbonation. for me, just about perfect. Reminds me of delerium tremens without the richness.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 04:41:31 | More by mtboozeaddict41

TheHammer

Ontario (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Poured with tow fingers of head that didn't leave much on the way of lace, but retained decently. The body is a hazy yellow that boasts solid steady carbonation.

Smell: A strong banana presence backed by cloves, peaches and ample whole wheat bread scent. Good, even while cold and warming only helps bring out the scent. A little bit more impact and we have a perfect score.

Taste: There is a lot of wheat malt here, but strangely enough it is incredibly sweet and mild as it starts with a sweet banana, peach and orange taste and shifts to the more potent clove, zest and slight apple touches, ending with a fine brush of mild earthy hops.

Mouthfeel: The transitioning is exceptional, the carbonation help out the entire beer, the head was frothy but didn't overstay it's welcome, the aftertaste is a next blend of the beer's flavour and it masks it's high alcohol content perfectly.

Drinkability: It's a little bit on the sweeter side, probably because of the high amounts of malt, which are to be expected. That being said, at 7,7, this stuff is dangerous and is like drinking liquid candy as it is far lighter and easy drinking then you would think.

Final Thoughts: It's Weishenstephaner, if you haven't accepted the fact they are the undisputed kings of wheat beer, you are living under a rock. Another solid offering by them, and well worth trying. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 02:51:42 | More by TheHammer

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This poured out as a hazy golden color. The head is white with a pretty good retention but not much lacing at all. The smell of the beer has a fruity aroma, along the lines of peach and banana. Really fresh smelling beer. The taste is also fruity (apple), there is some bready yeast flavors and a subtle spice note in the finish. I do get a slight metallic flavor that I'm not digging too much, hoping that fades as it warms up. The mouthfeel is soft, very smooth with a decent carbonation. Overall it's a good brew, I can see why the score is so high on this one because it really is a great beer. Awesome flavors and really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 04:13:33 | More by Knapp85

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 16.9 oz bottle into a Half Acre tulip.

A- pours a cloudy burnt lemon with a huge 3" white, frothy head. Big blotches and bubbles of lacing remain on the glass.

S- big estery fruit notes, lemon, spices, clve, sour dough bread.

T- bread, lemon, clove, spices, with slight citrus rind bitterness.

M- medium body and medium carbonation. Acidic and creamy.

O- very good hefeweizen. Higher abv gives it a nice creamy mouth feel along with typical sweet citrus and spices.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 02:04:47 | More by kawilliams81

harrymel

Washington

4.41/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

bottled: unk

Initially overflowed the bottle real quick. When poured, the beer is american cheese orange with a solid quilt of fine creamy foam. Smells of clove, butter, wheat, shortbread - nice nose. Flavor is rich with wheat, a touch of nougat, some banana, spices, corn, and a hint of bread. Full bodied with tight, hi carb and an off dry finish. This is a really nice beer, can't understand how I've missed out on this one. Best weizenbock I've had.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 05:36:33 | More by harrymel

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

stylistically perfect weizenbock. pours cloudy gold, glowing brightly, with a lasting two or more inches of thick white foam. the nose is slight banana yeast, sturdy wheat malt base, some subtle sugar, and an alcohol kick. the flavor is so balanced, with a mild hop finish that gels with the yeast just right. huge dose of german wheat malt is the perfect backdrop for this drink, and it takes me, like the hefe they make, to somewhere else, Bavaria back in the day or something. its traditional, classy, and strong. actually the alcohol seems higher than necessary, and gives this beer maybe some extra weight, slowing drinkability just a tad. good late winter or early spring drink, perfect with some fresh pretzels, and actually stood up well to salmon on the grill. overall a top notch version of the style, and you absolutely cannot beat the price, under four bucks per bottle!

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 20:02:33 | More by StonedTrippin

Steamer

Missouri

4.38/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Hazy yellow color on the edges deepens to a light gold in the middle. A white, pillowy head.

S - Fruity esters with a hint of clove.

T - Strong malty flavor hits the palate then subsides leaving a sweet aftertaste in the mouth.

M - High carbonation results in a small residual explosion in the mouth giving it a creamy mouthfeel.

O - Very nice and refreshing; more full bodied than other wheat beers I've had. A pleasant surprise.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 22:37:19 | More by Steamer

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.86/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

500 ml bottle poured into a weizen glass.
7.7% ABV, "store dark and keep cool 46-52°F) 6102 on back label.

A - This highly carbonated, cloudy golden straw-colored beer pours with a fantastic white head. The clumpy pillows of foam slowly collapse leaving a sad amount of lace on the glass for a German weizen.

S - Vitus has an explosive and classic German aroma rich with dusty yeast esters providing glimpses of banana, clay, white pepper, and clove. Grainy pale crushed malt and husky straw with soft wheat balance out in the background providing an excellent, perfumy and inviting aroma.

T - Grainy pale malt provides an excellent base for soft wheat and plenty of yeast nuances to fill in. Similar to the aroma, Vitus displays a wonderful cornucopia of soft banana and clove, earthy clay and white pepper, and a dry, dusty finish.

M - Plenty of carbonation provides a lively feel throughout Vitus' duration but it doesn't keep the beer from an exceptionally soft and smooth feel going down. Though there aren't any noticeable hops to speak of, the yeast's dryness gives the beer great balance on the finish, lingering with a touch of fruit and spice which beckons for another sip.

O - World-Class from start to finish, Vitus' explosive aroma draws you right in, pressing past the foam for the first sip of the classic yeast-rich German brew. This full-flavored and deceptively light weizenbock goes down all too easily. It looks like I've found one of my new favorite, easy to find, German beers!

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 17:56:28 | More by BeerFMAndy

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

4.44/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Weihenstephaner Vitus

Poured from a 16.9 ounce bottle into a Weissbier vase. Served chilled...

A) The beer is a pale gold to deep amber. There was a good two fingers of fluffy head, which dissipated to a dusting.

S) Light malty sweetness. A bit fruity, mostly banana. A hint of clove. Excellent aroma...

T) Quite near the nose. A bit of malty sweetness and some wheat. A pleasant fruit flavor that is a little bit of apple and some banana. My goodness the alcohol so well hidden in this beer, it's hard to believe it's nearly 8% ABV.

M) Medium bodied with a fair amount of carbonation. This is just remarkably easy to drink. Very smooth.... Very refreshing.... A very nice clean aftertaste, that has just a little warmth to it.

O) And absolutely delightful beer. I'd probably love it even more during the summer on the patio. This reminded me of New Glarus Dancing Man Wheat, which is fantastic. This might even be a little better. I can't recommend this one enough.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 02:24:41 | More by RoamingGnome

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A- Very cloudy pale peach colored body with a huge, frothy white head. Tons of carbonation bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass, with some light coming through.

S- Citurs, dark dried fruits, wheat, some banana, apples, sweet malt.

T- Lots of sweet fruity flavors coming through. More sweet malt flavors than wheat. Almost tastes like a combination of a hefeweizen, tripel and a helles. Very interesting combination of flavors. No hint of alcohol.

M- Medium bodied, medium carbonation, full flavored.

O- Very good beer. Not has wheaty as most weizenbocks I have had, but plenty of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 23:22:18 | More by stephenjmoore

Raven3464

Japan

4.21/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: It pours a beautiful golden body with a big three finger head. Retention and lacing appear average.

Smell: Wheat, spicy glove and banana notes are noticed right away. Sweet malts and corn can be detected as the beer warms.

Taste: It essentially follows the nose. Clove and wheat flavors hit the tongue first followed by touches of banana and lemon s as the beer goes down the throat. A dark fruit sweetness, perhaps plum, is noticeable near the end of the flavor cycle. The aftertaste is spicy. Alcohol is well hidden.

Mouth feel: It is medium bodied with a good blend of carbonation and dryness, highly refreshing and drinkable for a beer with such a bold ABV.

Overall: Weihenstephan has yet again produced a well balanced brew. There may be one or two better weizenbocks out there but this is still a world class beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 11:45:14 | More by Raven3464

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Into a weizen glass (also had some in a pilsener, nothing changed):

A: hazy yellow/orange body initially leaves a big four finger white foamy head, wow, (one of the largest heads I've ever seen in any beer). The head does eventually die after five minutes, light slowly moving carbonation is seen rising.

S: clove up front with the "estery" thing going on backing it up powerfully. Some lemon comes out as well. As the beer warms, it gets a bit more pepper

T: sweet yet peppery at different times. It comes across pretty smooth in the taste.

M: medium and initially sharp cutting my tongue like a knife. Fortunately, as the beer warms, it smoothes out a bit. This is not exactly a sessionable beer, a one and done bomber, though the alcohol isn't tasted, it gently gets felt after a good hour. There is a slight sticky aftertaste and finish

O: though this is my first weizenbock I have reviewed, I like it, I would come back to it and not because I don't want an earthquake to happen in Germany (my ancestry rolling in their graves), this is a very good beer. If any beer needs to really be had at the correct temperatures, this would be the one. Initially, I may have gotten it a bit too cold but my living room was at the correct temperature to have this and I believe that helped.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 01:32:25 | More by kangarooAdam59

BucannonXC5

California

4.09/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Type: 500ml bottle
Glass: Pilsner glass
From: Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, Calif., on Jan. 5, 2013
Price: $3.49
Misc.: Part of the bottle reads “Brewed under the purity law, of 1516.”

Poured a golden yellow color with three fingers of rocky white head. Below average lacing with average retention.

Smelled cloves, banana, lemon, honey, grass, sour fruit and some sweet floral notes. Nice on the nose.

Tasted pretty close to the smell, albeit with a healthy dose of alcohol and some skunky malts. Tasted cloves, banana, yeast, lemon grass, honey, corn and light skunky malts. Big alcohol finish. Sweet or tart as well.

Medium-to-light body. Oily texture. Lively (above average) carbonation. Astringent finish.

Not a surprise, but once again another good Weihenstephaner beer. Just a good weizenbock.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 05:45:24 | More by BucannonXC5

Labeorphile

Texas

4.73/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a champagne flute. Thick head that settles to a half-finger head well supported by streams of bubbles. Beer is a straw colored cloudy appearance.

Good yeasty aroma with bananas and hints of some spice, maybe clove? S
Spice becomes more dominant as it warms.

Taste is well-balanced and smooth. The bananas show up in the finish, with a citrusy space in the lead.

Carbonation just right for the beer, which gives it a refreshing mouth feel.

Overall a really great beer I bought a couple of on recommendation of the salesman at the local shop. Really sits well on a slightly warmer winter night where I wasn't in the mood for a stout or porter.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 03:08:00 | More by Labeorphile

jibjib513

Ohio

4.41/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

This was my first weizenbock and I didn't really know what to expect. I had Wehenstephaner's hefeweizen last night and this is comparable except it was more cloudy in appearance, and you can definitely taste and feel the stronger ABV.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 01:33:57 | More by jibjib513

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.14/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance –Served a hazy golden-yellow colored brew with a one finger thick white head. The head fades slowly to leave a great level of lacing.

Smell - The aroma is a mix of wheat and yeast with a light citrus smell, consisting mostly a mix of orange and a lighter lemon smell. With these aromas are notes of coriander and clove as well as some banana smells.

Taste –The taste has many of the flavors that were detected in the nose. It starts out wheaty and bready with a moderate yeasty taste upfront. A sweeter citrus flavor also greets the tongue initially almost entirely orange in nature. The citrus flavor lessens some more toward the middle of the taste while flavors of banana, coriander and clove come to the tongue. These flavors take the taste to its end where an almost candy/bubblegum like sweetness joins the flavor as well as a very light alcohol taste, leaving a nice sweet wheat banana bready flavor to be left on the tongue.

Mouthfeel –The body of the brew is on the slightly thicker and chewier side with a carbonation level that is on the slightly higher side as well. The chewier body is quite nice for the wheaty flavors while the carbonation is very nice for keeping it drinkable and for accentuating the spice and fruit flavors of the brew.

Overall – It is kind of like a souped up hefeweizen or maybe like a hefenweizen-grand cru hybrid. It is great tasting and potent but very drinkable. Rather well done.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2013 00:48:15 | More by Darkmagus82

sweemzander

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into an imperial pint glass.

(A)- Pours a clear goldenrod yellow hued color. A fantastic thick and fluffy white head with great retention and lacing left behind.

(S)- A nice subtle spiciness combined with the biscuit-like yeast and wheat. Finishes with a balanced deeper raisin and prune like sweetness.

(T)- Similar to how it smelled. A great dynamic combo of dry biscuit-like wheat and a mellow spiced caramel-like sweetness at the end.

(M)- A great carbonation level and balance. Very smooth with a great malt balance that is both dry, but slightly spicy and sweet at the same time.

(O)- Overall, a fantastic Weizenbock. I do not have a ton of experiences in this style, but definitely like what I am seeing in this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 19:31:09 | More by sweemzander

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

500 mL bottle from the LCBO; best before Oct. 19 2013. It has been a while since my last weizenbock, but with winter in full swing, now is as good a time as any for another - especially a weizenbock from what is probably my favourite wheat beer brewer.

Pours a cloudy, golden honey-yellow colour, topped at first with over two fingers of pillowy, puffy white head that recedes over the next few minutes. It leaves behind a dense, foamy 1 cm cap and some sticky lacing on the sides. Highly effervescent. The aroma is positively incredible, with plenty of sweet wheat malts, banana bread and bubble gum, with hints of clove, coriander and vanilla. Complex and enticing - what more can you ask for from a sniff?

To put it bluntly, this tastes like their hefe on steroids - and since I'm a big fan of their hefe, that is A-OK in my books. Atop the backbone of sweet, bready wheat malts I can detect plenty of banana and bubble gum, as well as citrus, pear, clove and pepper notes. The finish is yeasty and spicy, with a long, lingering aftertaste along the same vein. Medium-bodied, with some chewiness - it sort of leaves a coating behind on the palate after each sip, and has a smooth and silky feel in the mouth, with a slight prickle from the carbonation. The alcohol is nearly completely undetectable in the flavour, making this the most drinkable weizenbock I've ever had.

Final Grade: 4.55, an impressive A. Vitus is easily one of this brewery's finest creations, and probably one of the best weizenbocks available anywhere. As much as I love Aventinus, I've got to admit - I kind of like this stuff a bit more. This brew is definitely a bit lighter (in terms of both appearance and taste) and more 'hefe-like', which may or may not be a big part of why I like it. But rather than argue that the oldest brewery in the world isn't following style guidelines, I would rather lie back, sip this slowly, and contemplate how said brewery can make such consistently incredible beer. I guess practice does make perfect? This stuff is absolutely worth a try; no fan of German beer, wheat beer, or beer in general should deny themselves the hedonistic pleasure that is Vitus.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 00:10:32 | More by thehyperduck

SirLordComic

1.6/5  rDev -62.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Too spicy, too much yeast and alcohol riding atop a decent body. Where's the Dunkel in this? Cloudy and blonde. I'm not an expert but the definition of a Weizenbock provided by this web site is fitting, so maybe the beer is exactly as it should be, and that's something I can't stand drinking, like a Lambic. At first, I could appreciate that this beer had very unique, defined flavors, but they just don't work for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 21:54:48 | More by SirLordComic

BierStein711

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a brilliant Weizenbock!

500mL bottle poured into two weizens!

Two finger head, moderate carbonation

Straw gold

Smells of bananas!

Tastes of banana, bubblegum, and cloves!

Mouthfeel: Smooth and refreshing!

This is an exceptional beer. Buy some tonight.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 02:33:29 | More by BierStein711

Douberd

Netherlands

4.3/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500 ml bottle, at home, poured into a weizen glass.

Pours a deep yellow/ close to orange colour beer, with three fingers of white, thick soapy head, with excellent retention. Some activity in the glass. Body is hazy, semi-transparent.
Aroma of citrus fruits, bananas, bubblegum, very complex and pleasant.
Wow, fanastic taste! It follows the nose but much more enhanced and empowered. Wheat, bubblegum and bananas the most noticeable elements, with some clove and pepper noteson the finish.
Medium to thick on the body, with just the perfect carbonation. Very smooth and drinkable. The alcohol is very well hidden.
A fantastic beer, aroma and taste blew me away. Make sure to try it if you find it.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 20:07:53 | More by Douberd

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a hazy yellow, much like their hefeweizen with a massive white head with tightly packed creamy bubbles. There is a slight rosy pink tint to the beer, similar to how the hefeweizen looked, which may come from the heavy haze which keeps the other side of the glass obscured from view. Lacing is fat and fluffy, again reminding me of the hefeweizen. Honestly, if I didn’t know better I’d say I was looking their hefeweizen right now, as it and this weizenbok look nearly identical. On the nose, this beer is heavy spicy banana, with more clove than in the hefeweizen, slight hints of bubblegum, and some nice light cream and mint notes. The smell is quite sticky and heavy on the nostrils in contrast with all other Weihenstephaner beers I’ve sampled. The beer tastes wonderfully of banana bread, cloves, and slight bubble gum. The banana flavors are more over ripe than in other wheat beers I’ve sampled. The beer begins with light spicy clove and faint banana before opening into bready banana flavors with slight bubblegum/mint hints and a creamy banana smoothie note. The aftertaste is light with banana. On the mouth this beer feels chewy and creamy, of a medium to thick viscosity, with creamy carbonation on the tongue that really starts to remind me of a banana smoothie. The mouth is left clean, save for a slight creamy ichor of sweet saliva. Overall this is another terrific wheat beer from Weihenstephaner, similar to their hefeweizen but a bit thicker and heavier in the stomach. A classic for sure! Drink this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 23:13:43 | More by Maxwell