Gumballhead - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

Zach136

Georgia

4.9/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Got a 12 oz. bottle in a trade from Casedogg43. Poured into a weizen glass.

A - Very light and translucent with an inch and a half white pillow on top that left a great lacing. Carbonation running constantly throughout.

S - Grape fruit esters and strong piney hops. Based on this I imagined this to be a very hoppy beer.

T - Wheat upfront with just a touch of hops. Less taste than I was expecting from the nose, but really a perfect amount. Not just a hoppy beer. Maybe a touch of lemon in the after taste.

M - Very soft. Leaves a very mild and refreshing after taste.

O - I love hop bombs, stouts and sours but I give alot of love to American Pale Wheat's. This one has been on the want's list from the beginning of my craft beer obsession and when I finally got it I was afraid it wasn't going to live up it's top ranking, but that simply wasn't the case. This beer is truly in a league all it's own. Do your self a favor, get one and enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 04:31:48 | More by Zach136

ndepriest

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Excited to finally give a Three Floyds beer a try.

I really didn't know what to expect from this, but it's just delicious. It sort of tastes like a sessionable version of little sumpin. It pours a pale straw color. The smell is just sweet wheat. Super sweet. Very light body. I could take down a whole bunch of these. Will seek out again. Well done. My first FFF beer did not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 01:28:39 | More by ndepriest

JCaweinstein

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Crystal clear and golden yellow in color. This is very well carbonated which means the one finger white head had some staying power. This is a very attractive beer.
The aromas coming from this beer are very strong. I smell grapefruit and wheat and these aromas linger till the beer is gone. As it warms I'm able to pick up some ester aromas which I assume is coming from the yeast.
First is bitter grapefruit hop flavors followed by the wheat flavors which are more toasted and bitter than sweet. It does finish with a nice lemony note which is quite pleasant.
The beer is thin bodied and crisp. I've got the bitter hops up front with the toasted wheat to follow. As it warms it seems to sweeten just a little and then I get the dry lemony finish.
This is an amazing beer. It took me awhile to finally get a taste and it was worth the wait. There is no doubt in my mind that that I will pick this up again and again, if of course I'm able to find it.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 01:41:38 | More by JCaweinstein

rlee1390

Indiana

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Clear orange yellow, not much carbonation, but it does try and leave behind some lacing.

S-Grassy hops, wheat with citrus and floral hops as well. Nicely balanced together.

T-Wheat, grass floral and citrus hops, ends with a mild bitterness with balances with the malt and hop flavors.

M-Medium bodied, some carbonation, very crisp and refreshing.

O-A great beer, I need to have it again as having it after Zombie Dust did not do this beer any justice.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2012 23:49:10 | More by rlee1390

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.23/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Momar42 for the bottle, and double thanks for providing me with my first Three Floyds beer!! About 6 oz poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a golden yellow color with nice clarity - something I'm not used to in wheat ales. The head is a one finger eggshell shade with some nice lacing down the glass.

S: Fairly tropical, with that distinctive Amarillo hop aroma. Tea leaves, mango, papaya, and grapefruit all come across, but perhaps not quite as vividly as I hoped. Still, it smells like it will be up my alley...

T: Much like the aroma, it's hoppy; but with the focus on tropical fruits, rather than pine/herbal notes. It's very citrusy to start (like I expect out of a good IPA), but the wheat that comes through in the mid-taste smooths things out like a baws. What catches me off guard is the subtle complexity featured, transitioning from slightly sweet to slightly bitter in different stages (and this isn't even a full bottle!) Not quite as drinkable as expected, but surprisingly joyous to savor.

M: Slightly heavy in its texture, which is my only real beef here. It's dry, crisp, and drinkable, which is what I want out of my hoppy beers, with the strong carbonation I expect out of a wheat beer.

O: I normally don't like plain wheat ales, unless they're hoppy. This fits said criteria nicely, so it's plain to see that I enjoy this a whole lot. This was my first from FFF, and needless to say, it lived up to the hype for me. I would drink the shit out of this in hot weather - if only I didn't live in Maryland...

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 22:13:15 | More by ThisWangsChung

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.83/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at Crazy Horse

Pours hazy straw with a finger of white soapy head.

Smells like a cross between wheat and hops. Bright citrus hops especially grapefruit along with a little of that "wheaty" aroma.

Taste is very similar to the aroma. Lots of citrusy hops up front and finishes with good grapefruit bitterness.

Creamy mouthfeel with lively carbonation. Retains some body despite the low ABV.

The gold standard for this style. Deliciousy hoppy yet still light and drinkable. I just wish I could find it in bottles more often.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2012 19:01:33 | More by jmarsh123

kpclemens

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured on tap at the brewpub.

A - a hazy gold den color. a little clearer than most wheat beers. about a finger and a half sized bright white head.

S - what a great smell for a wheat beer; a little bit of your expected citrus but mostly hops. Hoppier than any other wheat beer I've smelt, like a mild IPA.

T - First thing I taste is hops right up front. Then in the back of the mouth there's grapefruit and some other citrus flavors. Some people say they taste bubblegum in the end but I think that's all mental with a name like Gumballhead. No alcohol taste as expected.

M - The mouth feel of this beer is fantastic. Its creamy and smooth and you just want to keep drinking it. There's nothing quite like having a beer on tap at the actual brewpub.

O - This is in my top 3 favorite beers. Wheat beer helped me get into craft beer and this a perfect breakaway. You get the wheat beer name I used to love plus the hops and flavors lacking in a lot of wheat beers. Its more like a Wheat IPA. If you can find this I definitely recommend getting a case of it. You wont regret it.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2012 14:55:57 | More by kpclemens

andrewjraab

Michigan

3.61/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Golden yellow / orange cloudy hue. Three fingers of foamy white head. Bubbles racing to the top.
S- This beer smells amazing = floral, fruity, extremely citrusy - grapfruit, lemon zest.

T - This brew packs a big punch of hops and drinks more like a more potent beer. It is a nice crisp and refreshing brew and I can see why it started as a summer seasonal. It is hoppy throughout - a small amount of sweetness tries to come through, but it is domated by the hoppy presence.

M -Dry, sticky, and more than medium bodied you would expect.

O - This is a great session brew, I could drink these all day on a summer day. I find it interesting when people compare this to oberon as I don't see the two similar at all. I think when Founders made ALL DAY IPA, they tried to copy this one - only they didn't do as good of a job.

Glad I tried this - swung by a bottle shop in Porter IN to get this on my way back from Chicago.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 22:27:49 | More by andrewjraab

BeerBuckeye

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a clear yellow/amber color with puffy 2.5 finger white head.

S - Smell is very good. Fruity citrus, orange peel, honey, and light malts. And yes, even a hint of gumball.

T - Quite fruity again, sweet and sugary in a way. A bit of bitter pine hop, light wheat malt taste, and touches of grapefruit, rind, and lemon.

M - Clean and crisp.

Overall - Very good beer here. An incredibly body and taste for an APWA.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 17:17:16 | More by BeerBuckeye

YumYumGumGum

Virginia

4.78/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2012 12oz bottle

Thanks to a great trader, bauermj, for an extra.

A: gorgeous golden body, almost like a big ipa but without any typical caramel character. Very light white half-finger head which disappears with almost no lacing.

S and T: this is an ideal session beer, the complexities are not overstated but every sip leaves you with a different impression. Really cool application of amarillo hops. Slight bitterness but big taste with citrussy notes that come from elsewhere. The hops must've been FWH, because they are all taste and tiny aroma. Not too dry and not a sweet fluffy wheat beer.

M: perfect, more carbonation appears from each sip than the original pour.

O: i want more of this and would pay twice the listed price for a sixer.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 18:26:27 | More by YumYumGumGum

minterro

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

GF's sixer from brewery, drink one.

A&S: very pungent grapefruitty hops accompanied by some light and rye-like grains along with lemons and peaches. Very lively looking light copper transparent looking beer. Fizzy head the hangs on the surface.

T&M: Let me preface this by saying I would consider myself at least for the most part a hop head. So of course I liked this beer because it extremely hopped for the style, but I also think it works well with this beer. Slice of bitterness in the middle but fades to being very mild in the finish. Similar to the smell with the fruityness and light grains. Carbonation is high maybe a bit too much but hells its a summer beer, body is I believe medium but its hard to tell.

Overall: Good for the style, another great beer from Three Floyds have only tried like 5 or so of there beers but I would say they are still one of my favorite breweries. They are like Founders in the sense that they just dont make bad beer period.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 03:57:10 | More by minterro

Ri0

Wisconsin

4.39/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured 12oz bottle into Duvel Tulip

A - Pours hazy straw/gold with nice white two fingers head; moderate retention and minimal lacing.

S - Floral hops, citrus and tropical fruit. Kind of sweet, wheat is subtle but overall really great aroma.

T - Hops are tropical and citrus, grassy wheat is noticeable with some sweet malt, touch of bitterness in the finish.

M- Good amount of carbonation. Smooth and creamy.

O - This beer is one of my favorite summer thirst quenchers. Fantastic taste and very drinkable. Very well done!

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 00:34:41 | More by Ri0

zac16125

South Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a pint glass
no born on date

Thanks to Mark000 for sending this want over as an extra

A: Crystal clear pale straw yellow with just under 1 fingers width of white head, which dissipates down fairly quickly to just a thin film.  Looks like a Bud heavy, boo.  Leaves a few small patches of lacing on the glass.  

S: Light citrus aromas including tangerine, peach, and refreshing lemon lime. A touch of spice.  Noticeable wheat sweetness backbone.  

T: Taste is wheat, a bit of spice, some citrus zest.  There is an American Adjunct-like flavor at first but luckily that dissipates as it warms in the glass.  Rather bland IMO.

M/D: Light and thin, with a refreshing crispness.  Drinkability is good.

O: Overall, Im not impressed.  I know its a summer style, and its meant to be crisp and refreshing, but it falls short in both aroma and flavor for me.  The wheat presence is not heavy, which I could happily deal with if the hops were kicked up a notch.  But as is, as I said above, it just comes off as pretty bland to me. If Im going to drink a pale wheat, give me Lil Sumpin Sumpin any day of the week!   This is not something I would likely drink again, but Im glad I got to try it.  Also happy to try the #1 rated beer in a given style.  

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 01:13:17 | More by zac16125

Megahertz

Missouri

4.68/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12 oz bottle with no freshness date slowly decanted into a Perfect Pint glass.

A - Bright blonde with a moderate white head. Haze is very minimal. Carbonation appears high. Good head retention.

S - Grapefruit & peach with grassy undertones.

T - Complex flavor profile. Initial carbonation bite mixes with a sweet citrusy hop flavor and refreshing bready maltiness. Middle is citrusy hop flavor - intense! Becomes more complex in the fruitiness (tropical fruit salad) with a bread-like wheat flavor in the background. Finish has a pine-like hoppiness, very dry.

M - Medium body with high carbonation. Works well together.

O - Exceedingly complex, beyond my high expectations. Just because a beer is refreshing doesn't mean it's not complicated. World-class.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 01:03:59 | More by Megahertz

GonzoHomebrewer

Massachusetts

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

Have been dying to try this for a long time!

A- Very light golden color with minimal head. Wasn't what I was expecting going in, though I was aware that this was a very American interpretation of a wheat beer.

S- Smells fantastic! The hops mingle very well with the wheat and yeast notes, not simply just an overhopped wheat beer, there's actually more balance than I expected here.

T- Same as the nose; yes, there is an assertive citrus hop quality to the beer, but you never forget you're drinking a wheat beer. Drinkability is through the roof

M- a little thin, but I noticed when entering the review that it is listed as a pale wheat beer, so I guess that's to be expected, but I still like my wheat beers with a tad more body, but at the same time, the thinner body leads to insane drinkability...which leads to...

Me having to bump up the overall mark a bit because if I lived anywhere near FFF, I'd have a case of this in my fridge at all times! awesome thirst quencher while also not lacking any flavor. NEED MORE

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 17:48:50 | More by GonzoHomebrewer

cfrances33

Illinois

4.54/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle served in a Three Floyds pint glass.

Pour: Nearly clear yellow orange with two fingers white head, that recedes to a film and leaves decent lacing. Some carbonation bubbles come up from the bottom of the glass.

Smell: Grassy, floral hoppiness, mixed in with a nice citrus hoppiness. A definite wheat breadyness comes through in the backbone,

Taste: Really nice grapefruit bitterness up front, that intertwines with a honey breadyness. A nice clean sweetness.

Mouthfeel: I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I think this is the most drinkable beer of all time. Bitterness makes you savor every sip, but its so light and refreshing you immediately want more.

Overall: The first American craft beer that made me get into all of this. An amazing beer I wil always come back to.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 23:26:15 | More by cfrances33

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Received as an extra in a trade, poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a nice almost crystal clear strawish hue with a nice one finger one head that faded to leave light lacing but a nice nice head retention.

S - Aromas are lots of hops, nice light tropical and pine with light sweetness and floral aromas.

T - More of those great hop notes, bright citrus and pine, some subtle flowers. Super delicious. Wish I could give this a 4.75, but I'd like some more wheat with this to give it a 5.

M - Mouthfeel is great though, very nicely done for a pale wheat, great hop finish.

O - Yeah, Three Floyds really makes some excellent beers. You've got Russian River on the west coast, Hill Farmstead on the east coast, and Three Floyds in the central. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 21:08:23 | More by rudzud

merc7186

New York

4.23/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this poured on tap at Fat Heads Saloon in Cleveland OH, poured in a pint glass.

A: Golden Straw Hue, Passes Lots of Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Wheat, Grapefruit, Mild Floral

T: Wheat, Grapefruit, Floral

M: Decent Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Mildly Bitter, Mildly Drying

Overall...a great hoppy wheat ale, so well done and highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2012 19:14:29 | More by merc7186

kylehay2004

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed at the brewery.

A: Single finger head with nice retention and lacing on a clear golden body.

S: musty wheat, pale malts and breads. Subtle spiciness.

T: very nice combination a wheat and maltiness. The hops are really nicely added to this one providing citrus and slightly floral notes.

M: light body and moderate to high carbonation. Crisp and refreshIng.

Overall: very flavorful almost like a sessionabke pale ale. Very unique for the style. Certainly a memorable brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2012 21:29:09 | More by kylehay2004

ginemesis

North Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- for a wheat, it's very clear

S- apricots and lemon

T- Citrusy, taste the apricots...an interesting flavor I can't pinpoint. Slight bubblegum flavor - like a stick of Juicy Fruit

M- creamy, wet and smooth

O- An unexpected delight from a wheat category: light, refreshing and great clarity.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 01:43:43 | More by ginemesis

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

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

12 oz bottle
Served into a tulip

A: Clear honey amber colored body with an impressive white head that retained a nice cap and moderate lacing.

S: Pale malts, wheat and some tropical fruits - peach, mango. Touches of bittering hops dance around but never become overbearing. Faint yeast character brings some breadiness, too.

T: Peach, marmalade, wheat and a flick of bitterness from the hops. Middle of the palate washes with the pale malt and wheat base becoming more pronounced. Finishes fruity with some noticeable yeast esters.

M: Carbonation is nice without being too high or too low. Almost medium-bodied, if so it's on the low end of the spectrum. Fruit in the linger but not dry, stale or off.

Once again, Three Floyds angers me they're not available in my area. Honestly if I could get them, this is one beer that would constantly be in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 15:52:11 | More by ShanePB

joefuzz

New York

3.3/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours straw gold with a decent sized head that sticks around for a while. Smells slightly of hops, the usual wheat base and some sort of lemon peel. Taste is much more malty than hoppy but I think that might be due to this bottle being a little bit older. The taste is not bad by any means but I just remembering it being alot more flavorfull the last time I tried it. Mouthfeel is light and carbonation is fairly high. Overall decent beer but im pretty sure this bottle is fairly old.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 23:44:50 | More by joefuzz

raveskdr

District of Columbia

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've probably only had this 50 times in the last 18 months. Served in a tulip glass in my brand new beer dungeon.

A - Orangeish golden hue with slightly fluffy white head. Sticky carbonation that sticks to the edge of the glass.

S - Fruity hoppiness and a bit of wheat.

T - Very slighty dank fruitiness and crisp wheat. Finishes with slight pine and more fruitiness.

M - The wheat gives it a very nice light mouthfeel. The beer finishes dry and fruity on the back end with a good lingering hoppiness.

O - A quintessential summer beer. Lawnmower beer, food pairing beer, nerd beer. This has become an integral part of my FFF session summer (along with ZD, with a guest appearance from Alpha King).

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 02:20:52 | More by raveskdr

chanokokoro

Illinois

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

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Three Floyds branded pint glass

Pours a light straw-like gold. Pine and citrus rind on the nose. Opens with hops just like the nose citrus rind and pine but certainly not overpowering. A touch of sweet malt joins and makes its presence know, but not in a way that would weigh down this brew. Finishes light, fairly dry and crisp with a pleasant hop bite. Overall very light bodied, but the malt backbone certainly is detectable but not overly so, slick mouthfeel. This is a perfect session beer, especially in the summer.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 04:09:19 | More by chanokokoro

tdm168

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Dunn for bringing this one back from his travels.

A - pours a bright, translucent yellow with a thin lacing of white head

S - floral, faint wheat, a bit husky

T - husky, wheaty, floral hops, faint lemon

M - medium bodied, smooth, well carbonated

This is a solid wheat beer. It's well hopped which gives it some character that others in this style lack. It's easily drinkable, smooth, and incredibly enjoyable. I wish I could get my hands on more of this.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 22:39:28 | More by tdm168