Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier - Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan

DoctorJoe

Ohio

4.84/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

If you could only have one hefe in your life, make it this one. I had this with a lovely fish dish at a restaurant on Ocracoke Island, and it has changed me. I always have this available in my fridge. Few other hefe's rival this one; most just look upon Weihenstephaner's work and despair.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 15:42:03 | More by DoctorJoe

tdm168

North Carolina

4.16/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - murky, hazy orangish yellow with a huge, soft, white cap of foamy head that has decent retention

S - bananas, straw, clove

T - bananas, faint bubblegum, straw, mild clove in the finish

M - light to medium bodied, crisp but well carbonated

This is a nice, refreshing beer with a decent flavor profile. The yeast imparts fantastic banana notes and some underlying bubblegum notes. The spice character is also nicely done. I really enjoyed this beer. It was an easy to drink, flavorful, refreshing offering. I'll definitely have it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 02:03:45 | More by tdm168

Moose90

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

From 500ml bottle into proper glassware

A – Big foamy head, bright chalky white. Very nice lacing is left. Beer itself is a cloudy yellow with some honey-amber darkness to it.

S – Bright lemon zest, some banana as well. Crisp cracker yeastiness to it as well. A little spice, coriander, clove.

T – Yeast, banana, cracker. Lemon zest and citrus. Light malt characteristic, but dominated by the lemon/banana notes.

M – Well balanced, somewhat sweet and sticky; very refreshing. Nice, crisp and smooth.

O – Very drinkable, great representation of the style. Quite impressive that this beer is always top notch. Better on tap, but the availability of the bottles is great.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 01:49:32 | More by Moose90

Resuin

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 50 cl bottle into a Golden Monkey Goblet.

Appearance: Pours an amber/gold color and leaves behind a big, fluffy head of several fingers. Looks like a terribly satisfying beer.

Smell: Banana hits the nose first, along with other fruity notes - maybe some pear, apricot. Cloves and maybe some light corn. Smells good.

Taste: The taste matches the smell surprisingly well which is very nice. Banana and clove notes mixed with some honey and wheat. The finish is what separates this from other hefes - supremely smooth and crisp finish. Delicious.

Mouth-feel: Perfect amount of carbonation, superbly well-balanced body, not too light and not too thick or sticky.

Overall: After trying a wide variety of hefeweizens, I find this one to be the top dog. This is one of the most refreshing brews I have had the privilege of tasting, and I consider it to be at the top of its class.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 01:36:56 | More by Resuin

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

3.69/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

At Jimmy the Greek's, South Portland, ME:

In a weizen glass:

A: a soft one finger white head appears and lasts for about a half minute before slowly dieing into the body. Typical cloudy body is seen

S: banana/esters up front with some yeastiness and graininess

T: sweet with previously mentioned flavors combined decently

M: light to medium with a decent creaminess all around.

O: ok, so I'm not much of a hefeweizen fan and rarely do reviews on this style, but I would say this is do-able for me. I'd come back to this.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2013 00:38:01 | More by kangarooAdam59

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500 ml bottle was poured into a large Omer chalice.

Appearance: This beer poured a crazy white billowy head that has finally reduced to a thin layer. It is a golden yellow cloudy mess that you traditionally see with most German here's.

Smell: Banana, clove, bready, grainy notes, yeastiness, and some pepper.

Taste: All of the above aromas blended well together.

Mouthfeel: Super creamy smooth, chewy, low carbonation, and medium to full bodied.

Overall: One of the top here beers on the world. Enjoyed in the past, now, and more in the future. Super delicious goodness.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 21:41:44 | More by Flounder57

BucannonXC5

California

4.46/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

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 orange, slightly hazy color with at least four fingers of soft rocky white head. Lots of head. Minimal lacing with great retention.

Smelled cloves, banana and honey up front, followed by some slightly corn and skunky malts with a whiff of vomit. Could smell the carbonation.

Tasted much better than the smell. Got cloves, spices and banana with a sweet aftertaste. Light lemon grass as well. Just fantastic.

Light body. Oily texture. Lively (above average) carbonation. Long finish.

Just a fantastic hefeweizen and another damn good beer by Weihenstephaner. I’m not too into hefe’s, but I’d be willing to reconsider after having this.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 05:12:55 | More by BucannonXC5

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 12oz bottle into pint glass at wine country in Shreveport. I ticked the appearance a bit low knowing it would probably look better in a proper glass. Pours a healthy orange with good foamy head. Amazing banana and clove yeasty aromas that follow through into the flavor. A nice punch of citrus in the finish. Its super smooth. This is another perfect example of how a hefe should be.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 23:44:16 | More by DrinkSlurm

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.99/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy light golden color with a huge bubbly white head that transforms into meringue on top. A steady stream of carbonation bubbly rise from the bottom causing a seemingly endless head. Smells of banana, bubble gum and a hint of pepper, nutmeg and allspice. A lightly sugary sweet malt provides a backdrop for the showcase of yeasty aromas. the flavor is lightly sweet malt with a bready yeasty taste. Medium to thin body with a spirited level of carbonation and a sweet spicy mouthfeel. This is a really nice beer! I guess if you've been doing this that long you are bound to get it right.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 01:32:19 | More by johnnnniee

ChrisKayler

Virginia

5/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Drinking one of these after a long rewarding day at work. Mmmm!

Glass: Samuel Adams Perfect Pint.

Appearance: A beautiful hazy yellow amber color. I stirred up the yeast at the bottom before my final pour. Watching the yeast drop down through the beer and slowly mix is one of the best parts of a hefeweizen! If poured aggressively, a huge head appears and sticks around for quite a while. I prefer to give it a gentle pour to keep the head in check (it's still substantial, even with a gentle pour) and keep a bit more of that refreshing carbonation around.

Smell: Bubblegum, RIPE bananas are the major smells here. A bit of breadiness and honey, perhaps. Delicious.

Taste: Just like a good hefeweizen should. This is my favorite hefeweizen that I have tried so far. The initial taste is like that of bubblegum. A bit of banana, but not as much as the smell would suggest. There is a tiny bit of breadiness in there. None of the "Wit" type flavors that found in some hefeweizens, particularly American ones. Very little alcohol noticed, which is to be expected.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with high carbonation. Really refreshing.

Overall: My first perfect 5 beer, and one that will always remain a favorite of mine. Nothing quite beats it as an easy drinking all around tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 23:31:49 | More by ChrisKayler

jibjib513

Ohio

4.76/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Serving Type: Bottle to Weizen glass.

Appearance (5.0): Unfiltered and to me, exactly like what a hefeweizen should look like.

Smell (4.5): Fresh and clean, with the banana like hint. Perhaps maybe it could be a little more pronounced.

Taste (4.75): Again, fresh clean. To me, this is what a hefeweizen should be.

Mouthfeel (4.75): Nice and smooth.

Overall (5.00): Though I've had many hefeweizen, this is actually my first and highly anticipated time having the celebrated Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier. It did not fail. There were no defects in the beer, it tasted great.

If you even remotely enjoy hefeweizens, you should try this out. If you're not a fan, but haven't tried Weihenstephaner, then give it a try!

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 22:24:09 | More by jibjib513

DmanGTR

New York

5/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Ah yes, the standard Hefeweizen to which all other hefe's are compared. The question becomes, should I review this to style? Or should I review this to my opinion? How do I question the paradigm hefe when it is so established? Well, I'll rate this to style, and of course it will be a perfect score. However, my review will reflect the fact that wheat beers do not appeal to me. Let us begin.

Poured from the bottle into a Weihenstephan hefe glass, complete with the twirl and twist at the end of the pour. Hazy golden hay colored, or perhaps even banana colored when held to the light. Beautiful foamy white head that piles up over the top of the glass. The aromas are of that characteristic wheaty twang, bananas (but much less than what some of my friends describe as "holy cow this smells like banana!"), bit of clove and spice, and a yeasty goodness that wraps up the aromas nicely. The flavors are very much like that of the aromas. A very slight hint of earth in the finish. Well carbonated and light bodied. Makes for a good summer beer.

Now, I must admit that I do not like wheat beers. The wheat twang kills it for me. If I were to rate this to my opinion, it would be 5/3/3/3/3, where my 5 would be given to the presentation of the beer. Take that as you will, I suppose.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 16:57:09 | More by DmanGTR

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from it's pint .9 bottle in to a legit hefe glass

A - significant foam head that is a chalky white in color; nice lacing; straw-yellow in color; some cloudiness present

S - smells like a dried biscuit; has some banana and clove notes; a little bit of Belgian yeast and just a hint of orange peel and fruit syrup

T - bananas; a touch of bubble gum; biscuit; wheat; lightly malty

M - really solid balance of flavor, sweetness, and carbonation; very light-bodied; crispy; perfect to enjoy in the summer

O - this is really one of the best 'globally' available hefes you're ever going to find; the balance, crispiness, smooth flavor profile, and general drinkability are all admirable.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 23:52:35 | More by SkeeterBoganski

Morpheus

Alberta (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Time to get started for New Years' Eve! Off comes the top of a 500mL bottle, and in to a heavy mug it goes. 3:1 foam - so far so good.

Smell consistent with good wheat beers, with a fresh subtle scent of hops, and fruit cocktail.

Taste was well balanced and refreshing. It is smooth like the golden color it exhibits.

This will pair well with the barbequed pizza I made from scratch (Sundried Tomato, Carmelized peppers and pepper chicken)

For me, a top 10 beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:49:37 | More by Morpheus

Rau71

California

3.98/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very light gold/straw color.

Some Belgian yeast traits hit the nose. Clovers and banana.

The taste follows suit with some very mild clover mixed with banana and fruityness. Crisp and very easy to drink. This is a perfect session beer. I am not usually big on the clover flavor profile but this is so mild that I can still enjoy this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 20:34:05 | More by Rau71

thlayli87

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Cloudy amber with massive soapy head; I had to pause mid-pour to allow the head to subside a bit; Moderate lacing on the glass

S - Biscuity with notes of orange peel

T - Biscuit, clove, orange zest. Hint of bubblegum. Yeasty tart finish

M - Fizzy, light body; pleasantly coats the mouth; smooth drinking; mild warming sensation from the alcohol

O - Pretty solid, but honestly I was expecting better based on reputation. I'd like to try this on draft sometime to see if it's markedly better. A solid hefeweizen that I will definitely drink again, but not the best I've had.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 21:12:51 | More by thlayli87

Everydayoff

Thailand

4.78/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had it on-tap at Beerosophy, Bangkok, served in a Weihenstephaner weizen glass.

The showcase is somewhat nearly immaculate with a hazy yellow amber color and a thick fluffy white head. When the head retention and lacing left are exceptional, the aroma and flavor drive forth so mellow, inviting, fresh yet balance with a big touch of fruity ester, citric/lemony zest and bubblegum that nicely parade with a sweet biscuity malt and clove with a spice while wheat with a twang. The feel is smooth with a velvety body and refreshingly crispness/dryness. No doubt this beer is cult, my veneration to the old Weihenstephan again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2012 16:17:20 | More by Everydayoff

Theshooster

Korea (South)

4.05/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The Weihenstephaner Hefeweißbier was my go to weekend morning beverage when I was studying in Allach, Germany, a small Bavarian town just Northwest of Munich.

A - Cloudy, milky, and golden

S - Sweet, sugary, balanced aroma

T - Perfect for pairing with typical Bavarian foods - Weißwurst und Breze, Sweet and refreshing

M - Not too overpowering, well balanced

O - A great true Bavarian Hefeweizen, possibly the greatest

** Claims to be the oldest brewery in the world - whether it is true or not is irrelevant.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2012 04:21:13 | More by Theshooster

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours much like the kristallweissbier, but with more pulpy appearance that slightly hints at pink as it pours into the glass. In the glass, the beer looks a lot like cloudy dehydrated piss, with a huge big, creamy, white head. The body is quite hazy, sitting somewhere in between the clarity of apple juice and the murkiness of apple cider. Lacing is fat and sticky on the sides of the glass, leaving puffs like the clouds in the sky. On the nose, the beer smells wonderfully of spicy banana breads, with nice clove notes, and some definite hints of mint in the afterlingerings of the scent. There is even a slight spicy pepper in the scent, sitting below the other rich scents. The smell is thicker and richer than the kristallweiss’s (obviously) with a much grittier and natural flavor.

The beer tastes richly of bubblegum banana with clove spice notes. The beer begins with bubblegum and spice; just as it is building in flavor a slight yeasty funk can be felt in the taste, but is quickly washed away by the big banana bread flavors that have been building in the mouth. This eventually wanes down into a banana aftertaste with light clove and bubblegum hints at the sides of the tongue. The mouthfeel of this beer is superbly creamy, with light carbonation and a medium to slightly heavy and leaves the mouth with a thick sticky feeling on the tongue while the mouth as a whole feels clean, but slightly coated in candied banana. Overall, this is a superb hefeweizen, as would be expected from the oldest brewery in the world. I hold this up there with Zero Gravities Weizenheimer as the best in the style. A superb beer that epitomizes and optimizes the style beautifully. This beer is a must try.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 20:09:59 | More by Maxwell

GeckoPunk

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wow! Easy-drinkin'...

Very sessionable crisp clean and smooth on the tongue.
Perhaps my next go-to hefe for the Summer.

A - Golden, hazy straw. 1/2 glass full of tiny white bubbles. Lots of fine lacing.

S - Banana bubblegum wheat...

T - Reminds me of Allagash Whte without the sour bite at the end... Absolutely delicious for someone looking for a lighter feel and taste. The banana is sweet and savory! Will DEFINITELY buy again...

M - Crisp and sweet... Light and refreshing

O - Almost in my top 10... I think it easily is a 4.5 beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 00:21:45 | More by GeckoPunk

scratch69

Missouri

4.45/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I poured a bottle into a weizen glass.

Appearance- Cloudy golden color with two fingers worth of lingering, foamy head. Fair amount of lacing.

Smell- Big aroma of wheat and yeast with some banana and bubblegum notes.

Taste- Wheat malt, orange, banana, and clove. Very well blended together.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied and very smooth. Perfect amount of carbonation with a slightly creamy feel.

Overall- Great beer. This is the best hefeweizen that I have had. I can't wait to pick up some more of this.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 21:33:21 | More by scratch69

UnderPressure

South Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Nice cloudy golden yellow. Lots of fizz. Thick, fluffy head lingers forever

Slight spice and yeast in aroma. Crisp and funky.

Awesome flavor. Yeasty, slightly spicy. A little bit of that banana flavor people get from Hefes.

Great, smooth mouthfeel. Creamy. Carbonation feels just right. So lingering bitterness.

Really great beer. Not as great after it starts to go flat, though.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 20:49:38 | More by UnderPressure

Treebs

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle served in a Hacker Pschorr Weiss glass.

A: Pours a hazy straw color with some amber hues in the body. I heavy white head forms on the pour and recedes very slowly leaving behind sheets of lace.

S: Big orange peel with some cracked wheat and spicy yeast. Coriander and banana with a slight sweetness.

T: Much more wheat flavors in the taste. Coriander, orange flesh, and sweet yeast.

M: Medium bodied with a little bit of chew to it. Medium-low carbonation. Sweet finish.

O: Very solid hefe. The taste was spot on, but it didn't quite live up to the complexity of the nose. Would enjoy again.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 01:35:06 | More by Treebs

merc7186

New York

4.38/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at MacGregors in Amherst NY, poured into an 11oz glass

A: Hazy Golden Straw/Orangish Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head, Some Lacing

S: Oranges, Banana

T: Wheat, Oranges, Banana

M: Decent Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Lightly Sweet

Overall, one of the top hefeweizens that are very true to style. So drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2012 22:20:56 | More by merc7186

AmitC

Indiana

4.53/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is one of the first beer in a 5 pack that i bought today. The ultimate Bavarian gift pack, with 1 traditional weizen glass.

Poured the hefeweissbier into the glass. Just wow. This glass and the beer in the glass in so enticing. A huge fluffy white head about 4 fingers thick forms and stays for a while, dissipating very slowly. Head retention is good. Pale straw in color. Totally cloudy and unclear as expected. Good amount of bubbles can be seen rising from the bottom of the glass. Very small sized bubbles here. Decent lacing as well. Appearance is near perfect.

Smell is more phenolic clove like, with a good amount of banana fruity esters. Fairly good balance here, just a tad more prominent on the phenol side. Good characteristic smell of wheat beer. You know you are going to encounter some sweetness.

Taste is very much the smell. Mix of clove and banana flavors. Sweet in taste. A good wheat presence. Some tartness due to high carbonation. Not exactly very dry finish.

Mouth feel: light to medium bodied. Refreshing effervescence due to carbonation, which is too much, exactly as per the style. Good chewy feel.

Style wise. It is the epitome of style, no doubt about it. A well deserved 4.75. Personally a good 3.75 for a wheat beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 00:27:10 | More by AmitC