Weihenstephaner Kristallweissbier - Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A different type of wheat beer. Wheat smell, taste but not creamy on the tongue, rather drops and powder texture. Malt, lemongrassy and cloves and banana and yeast. Light gold and white head that settles in. A natural carbonation.Lightly bitter. Not my flavours.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2004 03:41:13 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lucent yellow-amber with a few healthy streams of bubbles. As the style dictates, there's not a yeastie in sight. The eggshell colored cap is huge, pillowy soft and is a dead ringer for meringue. Unfortunately, there's very little lace; the only part of this classic kristal weizen look that could be considered a negative.

The word classic applies to the nose as well. One sniff is all it took to remind me how great Weihenstephaner beer is. At first I thought the aroma lacked the power and immediacy of a true, yeast-included hefe weizen, but either the beer is beginning to open up or my nose is. Sweetened grain, lightly zesty clove and creamy banana are on display.

I think kristal weizens are the poor man's versions of hefe weizens. Kristallweissbier does nothing to change my mind. That said, it's one of the best (along with Tucher's) that I've had yet. It's sweet, soft and tangily wheaty, yet possesses a ramrod stiff, unyielding malt backbone. The mouthfeel is a study in contrasts since it's firm and creamy at once.

Clove is remarkably prominent for the style and outpaces banana by a fairly wide margin. Monkey fruit is still noted, although it comes in at a rather understated 2.0/5.0 on my (hefe) weizen banan-o-meter. It may be my imagination, but I think I appreciate a glimmer of spicy alcohol. I blame the lack of palate-swamping flavor that would be present if the yeast were allowed to stick around.

I don't have much to add in the mouthfeel department, except to say that I would like to see the carbonation toned down a bit. The beer feels a little chaotic in the mouth, while I prefer sedate in most cases. To be fair, it settles down some by the midway point.

Kristallweissbier is the last of the (commonly available) offerings from 'The World's Oldest Brewery' to enter my glass. It occurs to me, as I look forward to finishing the last several ounces of this one, that this brewery may just be my favorite in all of Germany; assuming that top to bottom quality is the overriding criterion. If it says Weihenstephaner on the label, then I know a quality experience awaits.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2005 20:44:58 | More by BuckeyeNation

womencantsail

California

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The pour from a 500 ml bottle is a clear, light golden color with a fluffy white head.

S: Strong aromas of clove and banana are the primary aromas. A hit of wheat and yeast to give off a bready aroma is also there.

T: A very clean, crisp wheat beer. The clove is the strongest flavor with a bit of banana, yeast, and an ever so slight bitterness. While this is a "lighter" beer, there's plenty of flavor.

M: Quite light on the tongue with very lively carbonation.

D: I've really been missing out with these German wheat ales. Such an easy drinking and flavorful beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2010 09:00:14 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Union in Clarkston, Michigan in August 2009.

Pours a straw color with a nice white head and a good amount of lacing as it goes down. The nose has a slight sweetness from the malt and hints of clove, banana, and bubblegum coming from the yeast. The taste is quite similar with the yeast's characteristics really shining through. Light body with good carbonation--this one is quite drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2009 18:09:56 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a clear, bright yellow body beneath a monstrously huge head.

Smell: Sweetish malted wheat aroma with supporting, though somewhat restrained notes of clove, citrus, and banana smoothies.

Taste: Slightly tangy, somewhat sweet wheat malt flavor. Subtle flavors of bananas, clove (though this ramps up upon warming), and sweetened lemon juice. Very low bitterness. Ultimately finishes sweetish with a lingering clove spiciness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: A fine, refreshing kristal.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2008 21:18:17 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours out a clear pale yellow body with a billowy white head that eventually settles down into a ringlet; no significant lacing

Smell: Light banana and bready bouquet

Taste: Light banana wheat beer taste; somewhat bready, but no hop profile; finishes clean

Mouthfeel: Light bodied and well carbonated

Drinkability: Refreshing and cleansing on a very hot day

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2005 21:13:33 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

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

Pours a crystal clear light yellow with a huge 3 inch stark white head that fades to a small puffy cap. Nice rings of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smells of wheat, spices, and slight banana. Taste is of wheat, spices, and a subtle banana flavor. There is a nice spice aftertaste with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp and clean mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer from the world's oldest brewery.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 02:21:26 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a clear golden color weizen with a huge pure white foamy head with good retention and excellent lacing. Aroma of light banana ester and light sweet wheat malt note is pleasant enough. Taste is dominated by banana ester with a light wheat malt backbone and medium sweetness. Body is a bit light with great carbonation. Refreshing and well brewed though not as tasty as its bigger cousin.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2010 03:22:22 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I have typically steered clear of Kristalweizens because I go for full-flavored / bodied wheat beers when I crave those esters and phenols. However, this beer truely impressed me. pours like a very strong Pilsner underneath a froathy head-stand and great retention. Standard straw in color with soft carbonation in appearance. Very fresh, fruity aroma rounds out the hearty pilsner malt flavor. Low on the bananna-clove character but bold with a lemony, orange, pineapple note that allows the herbal hop flavor to rise a bit. The filtration has lessened the intense hefe flavors, but balance well. Textures are also less creamy, but very easy to drink-- far from watery, grainy, or vegetal. Finishes very clean with a soft grassy hop dryness. I will certainly buy more of these during the hot summer months.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2008 18:21:38 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A great brewery making a great kristall.Brilliant gold color,nice clean looking,fruity with a little mineral in aroma.Nice kind of herbal mineral quality in the flavor,goes down incredibly easy.There is something about the house yeast that imparts a tropical flair to their beers.A great summertime beer but just happened to drink one here in winter,good year around.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2003 11:44:57 | More by oberon

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pint bottle.
Appearance: crystal-clear pale yellow color, with a large, looming chalk-white capper of foam.
Aroma: fresh and airy, a trifle citric and sour, but mostly lacking in vital weissbier aroma characteristics.
Nice, light, crisp, tangy texture/ mouthfeel, very light-bodied, good malty flavor, practically no hops that I can taste. Good flavor.
Have to admit a prejudice, though: I just can't get behind filtered wheat beers, especially when they come from an excellent producer such as Weihenstephaner. That wheat texture is so refreshing and rewarding in the best examples of the style, when I taste a non-HEFE weissbier, I can only think of what I'm missing.
There's a plasticy, bubblegum taste, too, just to the left of the vanilla/clove combo we find in great (and not-so-great) Bavarian weissbiers.
In this heat, though, it'll so, but it will be largely forgotten, especially as I down it quickly in order to get at the Weihenstephaner Dunkel Weisse in the fridge!

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2003 17:22:53 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a pale gold color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades. The aroma is a good. It has a dry, yet sweet wheat malt scent with some clove and banana hints and a fruity aroma. The taste is good as well. It has a very light, yet flavorful feel. It boasts of pale wheat malts and a fruity yeast finish. This is a good beer for the casual wheat beer drinker. It would be great on a hot day with some lemon. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a low/medium bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a great drinking wheat beer. It's light and flavorful. How can you go wrong?

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2005 22:20:26 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.8/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'm going to start this review by saying that if you haven't had this beer on draft in the summer on a hot day, you haven't drank a beer yet. This is one of my favorite beers of all time, a complete homerun.

This is one of the best session beers available on the planet, especially on a hot day. I've had this beer both of draft and in the bottle and draft is better so that's what I'm reviewing today.

Beer served on draft at a local beer bar, served as 0.5 L in a Weihenstephaner wheat beer glass. Beer is CRYSTAL clear, get it? Light yellow, super clear, nice steady moderate carbonation of medium sized bubbles. Tight white head forms over the beer and falls away leaving lacing behind. It looks like a light pilsner or something, its just so pretty. It belongs in a commercial.

The aroma is the only place that I can think of decent criticism. This beer does not really smell much of anything. There are subtle tones of banana esters, some sweetness, some wheat. Its not its strong suit.

This beer is thin, easy drinking, light, finishes cleanly, has nice sweetness on the front and carries to the back with the wheat flavors. No hop bitterness or aftertaste at all. Drinkability is as high as a beer can beer. It is excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2009 20:52:12 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very clear yellow color with a large white head. The aroma is biscuit malt with some banana and bubble gum. The flavor is more of the same, with pronounced banana, bubble gum and citrus notes. A very flavorful beer. The mouthfeel is medium and is very soft. The carbonation is low-medium.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2010 04:37:55 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured crystal clear yellow into a weizen glass with a large, bright white head. There's a very high level of carbonation.
S: It smells like a muted version of a hefeweizen, with faint aromas of bananas and bubble gum.
T: It has lots of taste for a beer that was filtered. There are flavors of banana and bubble gum that follow the aroma.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and very crisp, clean, bubbly and smooth.
D: The beer is very refreshing and easy to drink; it's both crisp and thirst quenching.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2010 01:08:36 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a golden yelow color with a foamy, white four-finger head. It left small traces of lace.

S - It smelled of clove, yeast, wheat and some banana.

T - It tasted of wheat, banana and some clove. Overall, it was a fairly sweet beer.

M - It was crisp and sharp. A light-bodied beer.

D - This is a very good Kristal Weizen. Nice flavors and a good aroma.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2007 02:40:07 | More by zeff80

MasterSki

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Grabbed one of these at Armanetti's. Served in my weizen glass.

A - Five fingers of pillow-y off-white foam that dissipates slowly with tons of lacing. Transparent straw color with lots of bubbles racing up and on the sides of the glass. I'm a little lukewarm about the color, but otherwise this is gorgeous for the style.

S - Wheat, Belgian-style yeast, clove, loads of banana and bubblegum, and some floral hoppiness. The yeast and spice is a little overwhelming and makes the nose a touch too sharp. It's really potent.

T - Sweet malt, bubblegum, and floral notes - the yeast and spice are much more subdued in the taste. It's a little bland, actually - nowhere near as rich and complex as the nose. There's a little bit of spice in the aftertaste.

M - Thin with lively carbonation, but not overly so. Very soft and refreshing. Finish is very clean, with little residual feel. It's style-appropriate.

D - I like the 500ml serving size, as this brew goes down quick and easy. It's been an afternoon of lighter brews in preparation for DLD parties, and this was the best of the bunch. I just wish this had a little more depth in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2009 01:35:23 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.68/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A careful pour produces a frothy, initially four-finger thick, pale tan colored head. The beer is brilliantly clear, with lots of carbonation bubbles streaming through a bright, yellow gold colored beer. The aroma has the characteristic notes of clove, a touch of banana, a hint of spiciness, some dusty crushed malt aromatics and soft bread-like notes. It seems to be missing a tart wheat component to it and leaves me wondering if this is enhanced by suspended yeast in the traditional Weizen mit Hefe. As a substitute though there is a spicy note that I don't usually get, really it is a black pepper note that is both slightly woody as well as spicy.

Sweet tasting and well carbonated, the beer foams up as it hits my tongue. Smooth flavors of clove, a touch of banana up front, noticeable sweet (almost honey-like) grain, touches of peach. The carbonation combines with other notes to produce a peppery finish to the beer; in the near finish it competes with the sweet grain and clove notes, but in the long finish it becomes much more noticeable. As the carbonation subsides the feel of this beer becomes much more creamy; it is still quite easy drinking and most definitely quite quaffable.

The Hefe definitely adds some complexity (whether you pour in the sediment or not), but this is a pretty nice beer. I definitely like that the clove and some of the banana flavors are easily noticed and I find that that interesting pepper-like note adds a bit of intrigue to what might have been only a decent Weissbier.

Purchased: Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2008 02:08:26 | More by Gueuzedude

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.83/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours clear, golden to honey with tons of bubbles. 4 fingers+ white fluffy head. Slight lacing and minimal head retention

Smell: huge banana notes, some cloves, estery

Taste: Banana peel, slight vanilla notes, wheat malt and a very clean finish. Just not a huge fan of this flavor, but true to style

MF; Effervescent and well balanced

Very drinakble once you get past the bananas, but a good summer-time quincher. Fans of the hefe genre will love it

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2006 03:55:01 | More by russpowell

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.8/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 16.9oz bottle into a weizen glass.

A: The beer is a light gold color with a large white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is full of yeast, wheat and bananas along with lemon, light malts and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts with a strong flavor of yeast and wheat, which is quickly followed by a nice bite of spice and hops. Flavors of bananas and citrus are also present throughout each sip. The malt character is light but provides just the right amount of sweetness. The after-taste is bready and slightly sweet.

M: Very smooth and very crisp, light-to-medium body, medium-to-heavy carbonation, finish is very clean.

D: Very tasty, goes down quite easily, not filling at all, decent kick, it’s the first Kristal Weizen that I’ve tried, but this beer has certainly made me look forward to trying more of them. This is a nice refreshing beer that I could drink several of, no matter what the situation. I’m also looking forward to trying more stuff from Weihenstephaner since I’ve now had two excellent beers from them.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2007 22:40:35 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This brew pours out as a clean and clear looking yellow color. The head was fluffy and had a pretty good retention. The smell had a pilsner-ish aroma, a little earthy too. The taste was pretty good, some malts and a hoppy bitterness in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel was on the lighter side and had a crisp feel to it. Overall not a bad brew, worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 02:18:47 | More by Knapp85

Halcyondays

California

3.75/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

16.9 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a clear yellow, with a soapy white head, good retention, good lacing, looks like your standard pilsner.

S: Heavy on the banana ester side of things, light clove, and actually what smells like a bit of smoke.

T: Definitely has the requisite Bavarian weissbier profile. Clove bite starts out the flavour, quick but provocative, light banana, with a great taste of bubblegum in the aftertaste.

M: Lacking, really felt like a light lager in my mouth, it's that fizzy.

D: Aside from the mouthfeel that could be beefed up a little bit, a really tasty weizen beer from Weihenstephaner, would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2008 04:35:27 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.45/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Clear pale yellow in color with a 1" head. The aroma was nice as wheat, banana, and yeast were clearly evident. The flavor was of wheat, banana, clove, and yeast. Light citrus tones hid in the background.

The mouthfeel was crisp. Some wheat and yeast lingered for a moment after swallowing. Very drinkable as this is extremely light and refreshing with a nice flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2004 11:04:22 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into Weihenstephan weizen glass.
Poured golden with slow, steady streams of tiny-bubbled carbonation that produced a large, fluffy white head that eventually became a thin, solid, well-retained lace.
The smell was of citrusy lemon and banana/clove. It was a clean, crisp aroma.
The taste was of malty banana/clove - but not thick. It had a subtle but sharp wheat bite. The alcohol came out a bit. Overall, it was pretty basic, but good.
The mouthfeel was fluffy and fairly creamy. Some of the flavors thinned a bit, but they, esp. the wheat, stuck to the tongue.
It's a good brew from a great brewery. Personally, I would choose the hefe-weiss over this if given a choice, but this one is certainly worth drinking!

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2006 20:12:49 | More by jwc215

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A 500 mL capped bottle pulled from the cellar.

A: The ale is a pale yellow color, somewhat but not quite goldenrod. The filtering has rendered the ale crystal clear with now sign of impurities. The head near a finger on pour and has reduced to a thin white band atop of the beer.

S: The nose is full of esters, giving off a bubblegum, banana and clove profile that is as sweet as it suggests.

T: The flavor is a continuation of nose, sweet and soft. Banana and bubblegum dominate the taste throughout. As the ale warms a bit in the mouth, the sweeter flavors cut through some wheat tartness to really shine. The banana flavors re-emerge long after the sip is gone to provide a reminder of the strong body.

M: The wheat tartness and yeasty esters create a mouth that never disappoints.

D: The moderate abv and strong flavor profile make this a great choice in the authentic German wheat beer realm.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2007 00:06:21 | More by akorsak