Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier - Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan

xare

Ohio

1.73/5  rDev -60.9%
look: 5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

I had heard so much about Weihenstephaner that I bought the only style available that I could find in my area and that was the Hefe Weissbier kind. It was a mistake on my part as apparently I do not like this beer.

Poured the beer had a lovely gold color and the head was huge so I was looking forward to drinking this beer. Honestly, the appearance is amazing.

Then I smelled the beer and it actually turned my stomach. I'll give it another chance someday but perhaps I may just have gotten a bad bottle. It has an aroma similar to a overhopped gin bouquet.

Taste has a wheat-orangish lemonish flavor to it. The wheat is overpowering and I definitely didn't enjoy tasting it as I wasn't able to taste very much of the subtler undertones.

The mouthfeel was pretty smooth but the taste and smell both overpowered the mouthfeel so that's why I rated it so low on the mouthfeel as well.

Overall, it was pretty hard for me to drink this beer and I ended up having to pour it down the drain. Such a waste of a beer that's probably exceptional for everybody else.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2007 23:43:45 | More by xare

jneiswender

Massachusetts

2.58/5  rDev -41.8%
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Had this beer on drought at the Tap Room in NYC and the Brewery in Friesing.

Served in a tall hefe glass.

Just looks like the prototype hefeweizen. Straw, cloudy color. Nice head that dissipates after a minute or so.

Lemon scent with a hint of canned corn smell.

The taste is not as good as I think that it was going to be. Strong canned corn taste. Everyone makes so much out of this beer but I have to say I am quite disappointed.

With so many good reviews for this beer I have my suspicions about the place I got the beer.

I had two of these and both tasted off. Sorry to disagree with the others. All I have to say is that if you are interested in this beer, don't try it at the Tap Room in NYC.

I had this at the brewery in Friesing and it tasted the same.

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2007 01:41:11 | More by jneiswender

dvb

Washington

2.63/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Golden and slightly cloudy with a meringue-like white head that mostly disappears but leaves decent lacing.

S - In my 500ml Weizen glass, I don't get much of an aroma from this beer. Odd.

T - This is unexpected. I'm getting smokiness and a bit of a Band-Aid flavor. No sign of bananas or pineapples or other fruits as mentioned in others' reviews. Bad bottle? Points off for Band-Aids.

M - Good level of carbonation. A bit thin.

D - Despite the Band-Aid flavor, which is pretty subtle, I think I could drink this again, if only to see if I got a bad bottle, but maybe just because the smokiness is not intolerable (I am normally not a smoke fan).

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 02:30:54 | More by dvb

DrinkingWithCruthers

Alaska

2.7/5  rDev -39.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Disappointment truly is a hard thing to swallow and in this case somewhat literally. As a lover of beer and all that it has to offer, I sometimes find myself at odds with my worldly and often better educated beer peers. While some revel in the rebel spirit, I find more often than not that rebels are simply ignorant of the point and rebel for the simple sake of rebellion. I like to think that with the years I've grown in both taste and the ability to see the positions of others. However in this case, I must simply disagree.

Weihenstephaner's Hefeweizen(for my peers outside of old Europe) is highly regarded and it appears to be seen as a genre defining creation. However I wonder, who defines this genre? Does it change with time? And finally isn't enjoyment ultimately the thing that matters most? Coming from the northwest region of the United States, I find Hefeweizens to be mostly defined as a cloudy citrusy affair with a bright white head. However recently I've found newer breweries bringing back more of those delicious banana and clove tones that I so adore. Which is why I am so disappointed in this genre "original".

Appearance is exceptional for the genre and quite appealing visually with its mysterious orange yellow body and glass clinging white head. The smell is quite good as well if not a bit subdued. When we reach the taste though, this beer goes south immediately with a strangely aggressive carbonation. From there one is reminded somewhat of a pilsner with a lemon wedge on the side and to top it off, it leaves with a hint of iron and bitterness drying your tongue. Where is the banana? Where are the cloves? I want my smooth mouthfeel and delightful characters damn it! Instead I'm left with a mediocre beer that languishes and slowly warms much to my disinterest.

To be fair though, where I'm at is nearly half way around the world from this beers origin and perhaps I may have gotten a bad bottle or two. I've always said, "fresh beer is best beer". Though to play devils advocate, I have had an exceptional hefeweizen from the same area, in the same bottle and stored in the same manner with nary a complaint. I don't know, all I do know is I don't get this beer, I don't want this beer and will not be having it again anytime soon when so many more exciting and satisfying options surround me.

Label - 2
I include this with each bottle/can review because I feel that for the average consumer to even approach an unknown beer, it's the packaging that entices rather than the actual end product. Points and half points are given for Style, Readability, Tasting Note, Brewers Notes and Ease of Bottle Reuse.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 11:13:45 | More by DrinkingWithCruthers

claspada

New Jersey

2.98/5  rDev -32.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The aroma is a wonderful concoction of wheat and banana, it smells a lot like banana bread, minus the nutty aspect. Some yeast and clove are detectable, with some earthy hops barely detectable.

The taste is actually a little lighter than I anticipated, really much lighter than the nose suggests. There's some decent wheat flavor in the beer and maybe a hint of banana and clove. I'm not in love with the flavor to be completely honest, it's nice and simple, but doesn't leave me wanting more or wanting to give a raving review. A good sessionable summer brew yes, one of the best in the world; I think not.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2010 19:03:55 | More by claspada

Kjos29

Illinois

3/5  rDev -32.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

The Appearance is the best part about this beer. Pours badass and the head stays with it the whole time of drinking. Smells like an average beer, except, for the very fruity smell but i would hardly care what the beer smells like if it tastes fantastic.
Taste is a little too hoppy and full of some citrus burst that i don't quite care for. I could drink a few but not something i would care to pay as much money as i did for a 16 oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2007 07:53:41 | More by Kjos29

heysuz

Indiana

3/5  rDev -32.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Dry and pillowy like the tops of clouds, yellowish wheat color, cloudy which is expected for an unfiltered wheat beer.

Smell: Sweet citrus smell with sour mash mixed in behind, not a rich smell, rather simple without any complexity.

Taste: It tastes more like a Belgium tripel. It tastes weak and one dimensional; there is no body or depth to this beer. It tastes like a vitamin enriched Coor’s Light

Mouthfeel: Little oily coating, but overall not much of an impact one way or another.

Overall: I can see on a hot, muggy, summer day it could be refreshing but it’s the same as putting a lemon slice in a glass water, very little impact overall. Don’t see what all the hype is, personally we could not even finish the bottle, admittedly it was my first example of the style and if this representative of the style, I’m not a fan. Maybe it would be good on a hot summer day, but it’s not summer, not hot and not even day, it’s Saturday night and I wanted something with punch, so I drain poured it.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 11:59:20 | More by heysuz

santoslhalper

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearence: Pours an oh so gorgeous creamy orange with a thin, sustaining nearly white head.

Smell: The smell is full of fruits. There is also a huge amount of sweet, almost woody notes.

Taste and Mouthfeel: The flavor is not quite as good as it's cracked up to be, in my opinion. There's just nothing special going on. The hops taste kind of artificial, and take away from the goodness of the fruits. The creamy mouthfeel helps render this problem a little but, but not enough.

Drinkability and Overall: What is that hop flavor? It's pretty disgusting. The more I drink of this beer, the less I want to continue drinking it. This is an overrated beer for sure. Even though you're the world's oldest brewery, that doesn't mean you're any better than the new ones.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2005 03:03:06 | More by santoslhalper

philphilphil

Australia

3.03/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

to begin this I'm going to put in that i'm no wheat beer fan.
Appearence was overwhelming head of 1 and a half inches with a cloudy beer coloured body.
Smell was banana and cloves.
Taste was similar, to be honest I was kinda disappointed, to much like witbier for me. Grew on me as I drank though.
Mouthfeel was good.
Drinkability, well expensive and has to be drunk slowly + i'm not a fan of the style, won't buy again, that said, not bad for this style.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 11:33:54 | More by philphilphil

callmeclemens

New Jersey

3.05/5  rDev -31.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

after seeing this listed as BA`s best hefe I had to try it. Open bottle and poured into a hefe glass. Beautiful head and sunburst orange. color. Immeadiatley upon pouring smelled clove. This beer feels nice, though it tastes overwhlemingly of clove, and just a subtle hint of citrus. Though I certainly wouldn`t call this the best, it`s certainly worth the 1.50 I payed for the single.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2010 22:12:19 | More by callmeclemens

Sixpack595

Michigan

3.08/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

I don't know why I keep punishing myself with wheat beers. I don't like them, they don't like me. Sickly sweet taste, way too fruity for me. Pours a nice cloudy amber with good head. Laces well, and smells only faintly vile. If you like wheats try it, as far as they go its better than the alternatives. If you don't like them, don't waste your time...it won't change your mind.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2003 22:31:22 | More by Sixpack595

silenius

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -30%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I realize it is a superficial gripe, but I don't like the labeling on this beer. The actual large label proclaiming Weihenstephaner in blue, white, and gold is nice, but I don't like the wrap around label on the neck. I don't particularly know why, though. Maybe it looks like a leg warmer on a beer, maybe it is becuase it looks contrived, or maybe I feel it is too slick or something.

Regardless, this beer pours a hazy yellow with brown and orange tints that glow in the light. The head is big, although I've seen bigger, and lasts a respectible amount of time. The beer bubbles like hell, too. Looking into the beer it almost looks like it is boiling.

The nose starts with equal parts slightly green banana and clove, but as it warms the clove predominates. A hint of bubblegum peeks through in the back. It smells rather sweet to me. Floral and nice.

A soft and light banana hits at first then is whisked away by the biting carbonation. This biting carbonation is a real negative in my book. A slight clove and sweet and juicy bubblegum sneaks in as well, but everything is dominated by the harsh tasting carbonation. This is like seltzer water. I'm gonna hafta knock points for that.

Mouthfeel is too biting and sharp for what I think should be a smooooth beer.

I'll drink what's in the fridge, but I'll be thinking about other beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2004 00:38:52 | More by silenius

jvillefan

California

3.13/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: A foggy yellow color that has a two finger head that quickly dissipates.

S: Not good at all. It has the aroma of mildewy wheat.

T: Better than expected but still not great. It has the wheat flavor that is expected with some other subtle smells in the background.

M: Average with average carbonation.

O: I imagine that this is a good hefeweizen but I am generally not a fan of this style.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 05:21:27 | More by jvillefan

rickyleepotts

Arizona

3.13/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I know I have had this beer before… I just don’t remember it. Oh, and sorry we have not written in a while. I was in Dallas on business, and have just been really busy lately. But we have some new motivation… before I leave for a week on another business trip! Anyway, tonight we are grabbing a bottle of Weihenstephan Hefe Weissbier. I wonder if anyone out there can pronounce the name of the brewery… not you German readers. Other readers!

Anyway, looking forward to reviewing this beer. I don’t have an orange. I hope I can still enjoy the beer!

In the Glass: It’s light yellow in the glass, and pours a two-finger head. The lace is weak, but the head stays strong when swirling the beer in the glass back and forth.

Nose: That is what a beer is supposed to smell like. It is filled with yeast and has a subtle dryness to it. I just want to take a big chug of this. Like I said, I know I have had this beer before… just not sure what it tastes like. Based on the style, I need an orange. But I hear it’s not cool to fruit your beer.

Flavor: This isn’t ice cold, as we just bought the bottle tonight. But I threw it in the freezer when we got home. It is at cellar temps right now. Perfect for most, if not all beers. The flavor is incredible. Never mind the bubbles, the flavors are that of a typical hefeweizen. I haven’t had one of these overseas yet, but the next time I go over there, I will be sampling one of these. By the way, did you know that Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan is the oldest brewery in the world?

Mouthfeel: There is a ton of carbonation. The beer sits nicely on the tongue, but as you swallow the bubbles really try to force all that flavor to the back half of your palate. The flavor is nice, but the mouthfeel, and I hate bubbles… is acceptable. I wouldn’t want to swish this one around in my mouth… as that wouldn’t give me any more flavor, only create more bubbles… but man, what an enjoyable beer.

Aftertaste: The aftertaste is decent. Nothing to write home about. The ABV is also pretty low, and what aftertaste I get is subtle, dry, and reminds me of why an orange would match well with this beer. I am not a huge fan of this style, but the hot Arizona summers might change me in a few years. The crisp flavor a beer like this produces will help cool down those hot summer nights nicely.

I am not a huge fan of this style, but I really enjoyed this beer. As my palate changes, I have to keep an open mind on beers that I might not always dig. For example, I HATE Brettanomyces beers… there is just something about that yeast strain that I can’t handle. Not sure of the yeast strain they use here, but man… I could get used to drinking beers like this. Beers like this might even taste better from DAS BOOT!!!

Weihenstephan Hefe Weissbier – The bottle says: “NA”

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 05:52:59 | More by rickyleepotts

TheDM

Indiana

3.15/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This brew pours a very large head of finely sized bubbles and a cloudy light yellow brown body. It has a nice wheat beer aroma not stoo strong though. Its flavor starts off with mild fruity banana lemon and yeast notes then mellows into a lingering soft mouthfeel. It is on the thick side which adds to the smooth mouthfeel. It is an easy brew to drink and is one that you could easily enjoy in a beer tent at the Oktoberfest! Prosit!

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2003 17:02:58 | More by TheDM

assurbanipaul

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a light translucent gold with a massive cloud-like white head. Aroma is yeasty, slightly citrus, and a slightly unfamiliar sourness. Took two pours to empty the bottle.

Taste is light and wheaty, barely sweet. Lots of toast and yeast going on in the flavors, the barest hint of lemon (although served sans), some more fruit and banana emerges as it warms. A slight lingering musty element, may be due to a bottle that's a little older than prime. Not quite as complex as I think it should be, lacks a lot of the strong clovey/peppery/banana flavors expected from a hefe.

Mouthfeel is chewy due to the wheat but not really thick. Has some texture to it. I understand the reputation but I've had some better hefes brewed in the US. (This may just be a fact of life, that this beer/style might not travel well in the slightest.)

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2006 02:40:24 | More by assurbanipaul

jrallen34

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

I drank this from the bottle into a chalice.

It pours a hazy medium gold with a decent white head. Light retention and lacing.

The aroma is light with notes of flowers, hops, and honey.

The taste is what you would expect from a weiss, not a big fan of this style, but saying that it was not the best weiss I've had. The taste was light, and it had a very unpleasant metallic finish that contriubted to a poor mouthfeel as well. You can this all because its so light despite its weird after-taste.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2009 22:15:43 | More by jrallen34

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This Hefe pours out as a cloudy yellowish gold, the head was fluffy and white. There was a subtle banana aroma with hints of spice in the mix. The flavor of the beer was slightly sweet and had a little bit of a clove taste in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel was smooth and slick, there was a light carbonation. Overall this brew isn't too bad, it's worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 02:55:15 | More by Knapp85

Mar02x

Netherlands

3.15/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I bought this at the liquor store Mitra in Flushing for 1 Euro! I'm not really a fan of the style but I do not want to miss a good beer.

A - I vaguely cloudy yellow liquid with a white head. Carbonated bubbles are not visible.

S - Barley malt, some lemon, not so special and / or fresh.

T - For a wheat beer it is nice and mild flavor, slightly acid with light lemon tones. Not really bitter and quite dry.

M - The carbonation is medium with a slight bitterness in the finish. Not sticky, a very drinkable beer.

O - Good white beer and good enough to try again.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2011 18:09:28 | More by Mar02x

SaltyLime

Colorado

3.18/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - hazy gold with a giant head to start, melted away slowly
Smell - sharp musty damp wehat, almost skunky

Taste - full flavor, citrus and a little sourness to it

Mouthfeel - OK, nice soft carbonation

Drinkability - easily drinkable, but better if you don't smell it as you drink it...

Bad bottle perhaps? Didn't meet the classic/traditional example on this sampling. Would like to try again, but, will have to call it as I taste it in the meantime.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2008 12:17:22 | More by SaltyLime

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.2/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Sweet fruity (mostly pineapple) aroma, very thick head. Light bodied and sweet flavor. I'm not normally a fan of the style but this actually wasn't too bad. I guess if you are the oldest brewery in the world you should be doing something right.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2002 08:08:20 | More by Dogbrick

Rastacouere

Quebec (Canada)

3.23/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A decent white head tops the slightly hazy dark golden hue. Big yeasty aroma contains notes of cream, banana and lemon. Nice toasted-bready malt foreground. Wheat comes through nicely, refreshingly without being overbearing. Nice enough and mostly crisp, serving its purpose, but I just don’t dig the style yet.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2004 03:14:24 | More by Rastacouere

earthboundagain

Colorado

3.28/5  rDev -26%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From Notes:

12 oz brown bottle was at the bar so I didn't look for a freshness date, (bad bad ba).

Appearance: This beer pours a deep golden orange color with lots of cloudiness. The head is fluffy and about an inch and a half, but quickly recedes, with patches of lacing remain on the sides when sipped.

Smell: Lots of clove in the nose, with light wheat smell as well.

Taste: Holy ham that's a lot of clove, it very powerful and pushes anything else to the back. There is a light banana bread flavor in the background, but clove is the predominate flavor.

Mouthfeel: Light and airy, even with all the clove flavor, this brew is still easy to drink.

Drinkability: Maybe I got an old bottle, but this is the cloviest hefe I have ever had. It makes me not like this beer as much as some other hefes. But I will try this one again, just to make sure it was just not a bad bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2009 19:46:19 | More by earthboundagain

ChugMan

Washington

3.28/5  rDev -26%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Food Pairing - (1) Fried eggs with steamed spinach on an asiago cheese bagel played well with the beer. (2) Medium-cheddar cheese was ok, wish I had some sharp cheese though. (3) Fresh banana was a surprisingly poor pairing, and gave the beer a powerful kale taste/sensation in the nose which was, not surprisingly, unpleasant.
A - Cloudy gold/yellow-orange. Glorious fluffy head left its mark after each swallow & never completely disappeared.
S - Nothing remarkable for the style, but certainly nothing off-putting
T - Similar to the taste, I was impressed by how seemingly unremarkable this beer is for the style- clove, wheat, yeast, all expected- with the exception of the fact that no one flavor dominates. There's a good balance here.
M - Sense of balance is especially present here. Nothing is out of place. Finishes a bit dry, but not parching, encouraging further tasting. Easy to drink.
O - I was excited to try this beer. Heck, it's the #1 rated Hefeweizen on the site after withstanding thousands of reviews. I can understand why, for this style, many consider this to be the best of the best: clearly there's an artistry to the elegance of this beer's execution. It's just very unfortunate that I don't find that terribly exciting.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 23:36:04 | More by ChugMan

BarrelBrother

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Hefeweiss style is one of my favorites, especially during the late spring and summer months. You can usually find Hacker-Pschorr or Paulaner Hefeweiss in my garage refrigerator while I'm working on the motorcycles getting them ready to ride as the weather starts to warm up here in the Chicagoland area. I was looking forward to trying this brew, but came away somewhat disappointed since it didn't impress me as I had hoped. Just came across as "average" and I expected more considering it's lofty position in the top 100 at BA. I'll surely give this one another go, but for now..

A: Typical cloudy straw yellow of a heffeweiss. More bottom sediment than I would have thought gave way to some chunky floaters. Not usual, I would think. Head was OK, but not like the wipped cream topping I usually see from my usual weiss beers.
S: I couldn't really get a solid aroma from this beer. Faint clove and banana fragrance, but not like the assertive nose banquet I'm used to from Hacker-Pschorr.
T: Pleasing, thirst quenching with a clean finish. Still the flavors were subdued compared to what I'm used to. Again I expected to be impressed.
M: Tartness lingers on the palate. Beer is smooth and has a crispness that is enjoyable. My favorite part of this beer. I really liked the finish.
D: I'm sure as with most beers of this style an afternoon session on the deck with the grill going and friends stopping by make this an easy drinking brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2006 03:11:21 | More by BarrelBrother