Weihenstephaner Kristallweissbier - Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ah, what a nice fresh tasting beer this is. Pours golden with good clarity and a very nice white head that fades to a thin cap and leaves some spotty lacing. Smells of fresh wheat, and lightly of banana and clove. The taste is wonderful. Not grainy at all, and slightly sweet with banana and pear and with a lightt wheat flavor with sweet banana on the finish. Very lightly spicy and fresher then their hefeweisen in flavor but perhaps a bit less creamy. The clove is definitely more restrained. Crisp and smooth and a pleasure to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2008 17:03:05 | More by Georgiabeer

Dogbrick

Ohio

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

Sample at Whole Foods Market. Pours a clear pale gold color with a thin white head and fair lacing. Wheaty aroma along with a noticeable banana smell. Medium-bodied and smooth with flavors of wheat, banana and light spice. The finish is clean, wheaty and a little watery. Light spice and wheat aftertaste. Fairly enjoyable overall.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2006 19:32:02 | More by Dogbrick

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Color is a light straw gold, paleish yellow - tall, billowy, paper white head of tight soupy foam that fades slowly to a thin hazey top always present; leaves some spotty lace.

Aroma of lemons in front, with wheat, banana esters, and a light sweet malt in the backing. Quite a fresh and spritzy nose.

Taste of light but favorable malt and banana ester start, nice fluffy breadyness on the tongue, swallow brings in wheat textures that are lemony sweet and smooth, clean, clear, with a very slight hint of yeasty spiceyness and vanilla.

Feel starts out kinda spirtzy and full textured with a gradual turn into a light bready crisp and clean dry finish. Very drinkable and easy, excellent summer wheat brew to quench down.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2003 00:33:03 | More by tavernjef

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

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

The beer is a crystal clear light golden hue. The beer is moderately effervescent. The head is thick, fluffy, white and generates a decent amount of lacing on the glass.

The aroma is very similar to that of Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, with scents of wheat, banana, and clove.

The taste is quite nice, and again, similar in many regards to the unfiltered version. The flavors are there, but perhaps a bit more subtle than the Hefeweissbier. The beer is not as refreshingly delicious either, as the unfiltered version packs such an enormous flavor punch that it completely masks any hint of alcohol.

The feel is smooth and clean, with a slight hint of alcohol in the very back. Carbonation level is medium to high.

A great beer overall. I definitely need to do a side by side compare and contrast session with this and the Hefeweissbier. Weihenstephaner just might be the best brewery in Germany.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2010 03:30:57 | More by Huhzubendah

ccrida

Oregon

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

On draught served in a large mug (.75L?), Weihenstephaner Kristallweissbier is a clear gold with a small white head leaving scattered, foamy lace.

Smell is fairly estery, nice banana note, some graininess as well. Always a sucker for Weihenstephaner's yeast.

Taste is similar, more clove then banana esters on the palate, nice little spiciness complemented by the wheat, on the clean side, a bit toned down compared to a hefe.

Mouthfeel is on the crisp side, medium light bodied.

Drinkability is high. A tasty summer quaffer, the dialed back esters crank the sessionability up a notch regarding palate fatigue and quenchability.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2011 00:51:47 | More by ccrida

RoyalT

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance – Light yellow in color and clear with strong carbonation and a beautiful head that foamed up nicely and had some good retention.

Smell – Big, fluffy wheat characterizes this nose. The yeast and light fruiting make up the typical Kristal Weizen aroma.

Taste – Wonderful example of the style. The yeast and light fruits, predominantly bananas and peach, make up the delicate yet distinctive taste.

Mouthful – This also was very authentic. IMO, the mouthfeel of a weizen is the most important aspect of the style and that which is most often missed. Here though it is terrific. The body is light yet fluffy in the cheeks. The carbonation dances around the tongue.

Drinkability – Great for in between meals, especially on this Christmas Day. I will definitely buy again.

Update – I love a good Kristal Weizen and this is the only good one that I’ve had in the US. I decided to re-rate it with a 2004 vintage since my original review was in 2003.

This nose is just huge. I don’t remember it being this big. It’s gorgeous, really, and heavy on the yeast which is how I like it. It’s the same at the taste. This is a solid 4.5 overall and by far my favorite example of the style that I’ve had in the US. Nothing else that I’ve sample even comes close.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2003 22:33:48 | More by RoyalT

largadeer

California

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Perfectly clear golden amber with a nice chunky white head. Good head retention, a bit of lace. Nice looking stuff.

Smell: Mildly phenolic, a bit of banana and mango, some pale malts.

Taste & mouthfeel: As the aroma suggests, this is like a lighter, crisper version of their hefeweizen. Barley malt is more prevalent, giving a biscuit-like backbone to the banana and clove at the forefront. The light body, dryness of the finish and crisp texture make this ideal for quaffing, though it's not as interesting as Weihenstephaner's hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2008 19:07:06 | More by largadeer

avalon07

South Carolina

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

Poured from a bottle into a weizen glass. Produced a decent amount of head and an amber color.

Had a sharp, wheaty smell. The head allowed much time to examine the smell.

Like Weihenstephaner's Hefeweissbier, the Kristallweissbier has a subtle yet well-defined taste. You get some wheat, spices and maybe a little fruit when you drink it. Very tasty.

The mouthfeel was pretty solid. I wished it had a little bit more carbonation for just a little bit more of a bite. This is a very minor complaint against this beer.

This is an immensely drinkable beer. It goes down easy and has a taste that never takes over your palate.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2008 16:43:38 | More by avalon07

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

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

Weihensthephaner Kristall Weissbier

Appearance: 16.9 oz bottle into its proper branded weizen glass. Clear and filtered gold with a simply massive pillowy white foamy cap. Lace coats the glass, and overall this is an impressive looking brew.

Smell: Similar to the Weihenstephaner Hefe, this aroma is full of fruity yeast esters (banana, bubblegum, clove) and some wheat malt backing it all up.

Taste: Light flavor overall, wheat and spicy Saaz/Tettnang hopping combines with a clove like yeast character. Mild lemon and tea like flavors also come from the oily hops. Filtering this brew mutes the banana and bubblegum elements that were apparant in the nose, which lets the hops come through a bit more than they normally would. Mildly bitter, some wheat flavors, very easy on the palate.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, carbonation levels are good, clean, crisp albiet thin.

Overall: This is the lighter alternative to the standard Hefeweizen and a kindred spirit to the American Pale Wheat Ale style. Light wheat elements and pleasing overall character makes for excellent drinkability. Still, something inside me is saying "they filtered the good stuff out", but that is because their Hefeweizen is nothing short of amazing. This is good, however, and a solid choice for a summer session beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2011 07:01:26 | More by Stinkypuss

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.3/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: Half-litre, Teutonic brown glass bottle. White crown cap with a dark green logo seals the contents. Generic Weihenstephaner main and neck labels have a dark green background as well. Listed at alc. 5,4% vol. Reverse label has the Code ‘5045’ if that means anything.

Appearance: A tremendous pure white head rises rapidly and billows upwards from the clear golden pour, albeit a rather clumsy one. The massive pillowy white head looks fantastic, it slowly collapses but it never reduced below a solid and tight 1” covering. Fizzling carbonation but seemingly a medium level of conditioning which was a little lazy when gently swirled. Excellent presentation!

Nose: Pear drops and mashed bananas with the merest hint of cloves. Luscious water-melon and cantaloupe mix with light malts, all of which give body to the subtle but gorgeous aromas.

Taste: The flavor profile is a delicate but fiendishly well balanced affair. Clean toasted malts are feint but the fresh hop character and soft spicy-herbs make up for that. Fruity fleshy bananas mingle with some acidic lemon traits in the clean finish. Lingering after taste was a surprise, but a nice one.

Mouthfeel: Deceptive and hard to mark. On one hand I immediately plopped for a 4.0, yet on closer examination and as I worked through the half-litre, it felt like a dependable 3.0. I’m going for a middle of the road, sitting on the fence, 3.5, and that does not seem unfair.

Drinkability: Slides down, oh this one slides down…..just so easily. Slick, clean and incredibly refreshing!

Overall: I always expect less from Kristall Weiss brews, but this did not disappoint, clearly one of the very best examples of the Teutonic variant for sure. Superb stuff, and very tasty. Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2005 04:14:44 | More by TheLongBeachBum

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

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

I purchased this beer at State Line Liquors in Elkton MD. Poured from the 1/2 liter bottle into a wheat glass

A - A very transparent golden straw w/ visible carbonation and a pillowy whipped snowy head. The cap has an ultra fine bead and strings fo lace collect as the head compresses

S - A very clove scented nose w/ a sweet overripe banana under the spiced yeast ester. A sweetened wheat cereal note and mild pepper w/a gentle nutty odor and very crisp aroma of banana balances the aroma

M - A moderately highly carbonated, crisp feel w/ subtle fruit-like sweetness and mild nutty texture w/ silky smooth middle and mildly spiced finish. The pepper and malt is resonating with mellow yeast creaminess after the taste

T - A very flavorful brew w/ banana that has ripened combined w/ a mild wheat creamy taste w/ light nuttiness and spice, but the flavor is very gentle and nuanced by the mellow yeast profile which hints at banana w/ out giving the beer a tangy sugary taste, more cream of wheat smoothness into the light clean finish

D - A very drinkable wheat beer which would be great for a hot day or not, creamy smooth and refreshing qualities. Lighter feel than that of a Hefe w/ all of the flavor of wheat - I find this to be very drinkable wheat - Prost!

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2009 12:03:39 | More by Slatetank

cokes

Wisconsin

4.53/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Krystal clear goldenrod with an explosive white cap.
Nose of white pepper, clove, banana and W'stephaner yeastiness (lime and vanilla)
Taste is archetype of what beers of the style should be yet so rarely achieve. Tempered banana lathered in cream. Doses of potent cloves. Yeast that suggests one of Germany's western neighbors. Pricks of lime sorbet. sprinkled with granulated wheat. Dashes of spiced hops provide closure.
Soft and supple in the mouth. Nearly powdered in texture.
Delicious. Best of class.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2003 14:24:52 | More by cokes

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a .05L bottle into my Kloster Andechs weizen glass. My first kristalweizen (I think) and the last of the easily available Weihenstphaner beers for me to try. I guess I've enjoyed hefes so much that I was predisposed against the clear version, but this beer proves itself. The beer is golden colored, good clarity, lots of bubbles and a thick creamy poofy foam. The smell is classic German weizen, bananas and so forth, very nice. The taste is the same, with a creamy mouthfeel. As I drink it the glass shows thick lacing of dry-looking foam. A very good beer overall, as are all the Weihenstaphaner beers. Some of the best from Bavaria.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2008 19:08:14 | More by TurdFurgison

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16.9oz bottle into my hefeweizen glass

A: Crystal clear golden yellow with a massive 4-finger head with excellent retention. Tons of carbonation. Very pretty!

S:Wheaty with a good dose of cloves and a mild banana note. There's a very pleasant bready smell as well, with just a hint of pepper.

T: Not as impressive as the nose but still good with a pleasant wheatiness to start things off with a very mild tartness that's very pleasing. There's a touch of clove and a hint of banana. Still very tasty

M: A little thin but pleasantly silky. The carbonation is great and the finish is refreshingly dry

D: I'd DEFINITELY drink another!

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2008 16:53:20 | More by DefenCorps

francisweizen

Australia

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

Crystal clear gold with a nice white straw cap head of foam.

Aromas of spice, fresh baked banana bread, and malt.

taste is clean, not overly yeasty, bright and vibrant and citrus

mouth feel is clean crisp and refreshing

drinkability is excellent.

Who needs the yeast?

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2010 19:37:28 | More by francisweizen

nickfl

Florida

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

A - An inverted pour yields a three finger head of loose, white foam on top of a clear, yellow body. The foam settles a bit quickly and leaves spotty lace.

S - Strong clove with a bit of banana and some bready malt. Light herbal hops and a hint of toffee.

T - Banana esters and graham cracker like pilsner malt up front with just a bit of tangy wheat. More smooth, sweet malt in the middle with just a hint of herbal, German hops. The yeast character finishes strong with more banana, some vanilla like malty notes, and a bit of clove. A nicely balanced finish of creamy malt and light, refreshing hops.

M - Medium body, high carbonation, and a slightly sweet finish.

D - The malt and hop balance of this beer is reminiscent of a nicely made German lager, but on top of that we have a world of wheat beer yeast character. There is a nice balance between banana and clove here with some creamy vanilla and spicy wheat thrown in to round things out. This is an excellent and very drinkable wheat beer with the added bonus that the lack of yeast prevents the gaseous side effects that the little buggers can have for some of us.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2009 04:39:51 | More by nickfl

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

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

500 ml bottle poured into a weizen glass.
5.4% ABV, Store dark and keep cool 46° - 52°F, 8201 on the back, "Brewed under the purity law of 1516"

A - LOOK OUT! We got a gusher! Kristall pours -whaddya know?- crystal clear pale yellow straw with abounding carbonation (shit, it almost looks like a Miller Lite!) feeding a four-finger, snow-white head. The dense bubbles even sparkled like snow. Fantastic retention was only slightly hindered by the tip of my nose barely touching the overly fluffy top. No lace left over from the head until I took a sip, at which point thick clumpy lace remained caked to the glass.

S - Despite the beer's clarity, the nose is full of weissbier aromas; big banana Runt yeast esters, dry, soft wheat, pale malts, and the crisp clove spiciness with a light citrus pinch to it. Dare I say, "orgasmic"?

T - The flavor begins very wheat and pale malt driven. Dry and crisp with a light honey-like sweetness complimenting the flavors, it progresses quickly to a yeasty flavor that's bold but not overpowering. Clove spiciness and bold banana Runts blend with clay and white pepper earthiness.

M - Though there is heavy carbonation, it's a smooth drinking beer with a fair level of crispness to the finish. Looks can be deceiving; this one is medium-light bodied despite it's shimmering straw yellow color. Filtration has removed some of that softness the wheat imparts into the mouthfeel, but I'll be damned if this beer doesn't remain smooth as hell.

O - Another Weihenstephaner winner, Kristallweissbier removes the "unsightliness" of the yeast sediment and wheat proteins but keeps the core essence of the beer intact. Plenty of yeast characteristics have been infused so deeply into the beer they can't be taken away; earthy spice and boat-loads of bananas. While the wheat still plays a roll, the pale malt is more pronounced in this crystal clear wheat. Fantastic to the last drop, just make sure it doesn't erupt all over your table!

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 22:36:49 | More by BeerFMAndy

twiggamortis420

Texas

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

Poured into a 0.5L Hefe glass. Clear straw color with ungodly amounts of head. Took 2 gentle pours to fit the whole bottle in the glass! Mad bubbles continuously rise to greet the cumulo-nimbus looking head on top.

Bright, sweet citrusy nose. I get bananas, lemons, oranges, fresh hay and sweet cream. Tastes similar to the nose.

This beer somehow manages to be crisp and refreshing while maintaining a medium body and substantial sweetness that is very fulfilling.

This beer is damn good. Perfect with beer brats and kraut. I would love to hang in Freising with a big ass 2L stein of this...or 2...or 3. Git 'cha some of this if you have not tried it yet.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2008 19:45:10 | More by twiggamortis420

tpd975

Florida

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

A: Pours crystal clear bright and yellow. Nice tall foamy head that exhibits excellent retention along with tons of lace. Non stop stream of tiny tiny bubbles rise to the top for the duration.

S: Subtle banana, wheat, and bread. Very light bubblegum with clove notes.

T: This one is a hefe light. Clove up front, with hints of banana and bubblegum. A lighter in flavor version of a hefe.

M: Very light, zippy carbonation, crisp finish.

D: Good, I like bolder beers so I would take a hefe over this one, that being said this one is solid.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2009 15:22:08 | More by tpd975

FosterJM

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

754th Review on BA
Bottle to Weizen
16.9 oz

Bottle code 3081

App- It's clear, yellow, bubbly from the bottom up and has a huge head on it. The head falls with a hockey puck down the glass. Nice lines and cling.

Smell- Exactly like I thought it would. Just a lighter Hefe from this brewery. Yeasty, banana, clove, spice.

Taste- This is a really light hefe, but still really well done none the less. It was over 100 here in So. Cal last night and this was light, yeasty, crisp and refreshing. A nice balance of wheat vs yeasty and the banana vs spice notes.

Mouth- Almost a light body with a high carb feel. Lots of banana and yeast residual flavors.

Taste- A very good light crisp clean beer for 5% I really enjoy all of Weihenstephaners offerings and cant beat the $ point.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 17:01:33 | More by FosterJM

smakawhat

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a wheat ale style glass.

Crystal clear golden body with a heavy bubble carbonation from the bottom. Good bit of classic white foamy head equal pin sized for the bubbles. Looks highly drinkable, especially on a super hot day today.

Big brown clove smell, almost kind of burnt. Mild floral and herbal grassy sense as well. Maybe a sense of coriander/cilantro.

Big mix on taste of several things but one doesn't dominate over the other. Gaseous carbon dioxide first, quickly giving way to a sweet grain, then banana. Very light bodied and hint of crispyness, but I really like this very dry clove finish on the swallow and aftertaste.

Refreshing drink, I appreciate it, but it's probably not a favorite style for so I can't rank it much higher personally.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 22:15:09 | More by smakawhat

bluejacket74

Ohio

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

Served in a Weizen glass, the beer pours a clear light gold color with an inch and half white frothy head. Head retention is very good, lacing is OK. It smells like wheat, yeast, bananas and cloves. It tastes pretty much the same way it smells, too. The beer has a nice sweetness which isn't too strong, along with a slight bitter finish. Mouthfeel is light, but very fizzy with a lot of carbonation, but in this case the carbonation fits the beer pretty well and doesn't take anything away from the beer at all. Drinkability is good, it's smooth and dry, and finishes clean. I think this is a pretty decent beer, I'll have to pick one up again soon!

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2007 00:56:32 | More by bluejacket74

dgilks

Australia

4.63/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Crystal clear, gold colour. Big white head. Good retention.

Lots of banana in the aroma. Some clove and a hint of vanilla. I would like a touch more clove but there is good balance. Some wheat comes through too.

Big banana and clove yeast esters. Crisp, refreshing wheat. Realy well balanced. A hint of bubblegum.

A creamy, silky medium body flows into a light, spritzy finish. Classic weizen and it really works.

A great beer with lots of really nice flavour. I prefer the hefeweizen but this is still something special.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2010 02:27:48 | More by dgilks

Brent

Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a light golden, perhaps a little pale for the style. Aroma is bright wheat malt and a suggestion of clove. Very active, tight carbonation, sharp and tingly on the tongue. Broad wheat malt, a little sharp and acidic, tempered somewhat by the yeast, not strongly phenolic, but suggestions of clove and allspice. Pleasant, but next time I'll reach for the hefe and the additional depth of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2003 14:03:59 | More by Brent

blackie

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch # 9054 indicated on bottle.

Pours a huge, white, frothy three finger head with the consistency of egg whites. Color is a very light straw with a steady stream of bubbles rising. A half inch head remains throughout.

Initial smell is a banana like aroma with some wheat malt hiding in the back. There are some subtle notes of yeast and spice.

This beer is higly carbonated with a light to medium light body.

Banana like esters up front with flavors of clean wheat malt. Some hints of yeast and phenols are hiding in there. Finish is clean with some esters and spiciness lingering. Small hop presence in the middle of the sip.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2005 05:50:27 | More by blackie