Gumballhead - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

mattcrill

Ohio

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

Served from a 22 oz. bottle. Cool looking smoking cat on the front. Not sure I understand why but it's kind of funny. Just read the side of the bottle...apparently, it's a comic hero.

Appearance: Pours a clear pale golden color with a slightly clouding middle section. A crusty white head caps the top of this lovely looking beer.

Smell: Fresh flowery hops smell is the dominate characteristic. A little hint of alcohol is noted as the beer is agitated.

Taste: Just a flash of wheat/yeast taste before the hops start to take over. A nice, lightly hopped pine presence throughout the sip. Hints of orange and grapefruit bounce around but don't dominate. There isn't much in the way of wheat going on here which is good for me. I'm definitely enjoying the piney and citrusy aspects of this beer.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with a nice crisp finish. A nice balance of carbonation that makes the palate dance.

Drinkability: I can see this being a nice summer beer. It's loaded with character but not so dominating that it couldn't be a session.

Notes: Not a big fan of wheat beers but I don't think this one quite fits the bill. It seems more like a straight up APA to me. That being said, it's a fabulous beer that I would recommend to anyone. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2005 20:45:41 | More by mattcrill

Quaffer

Nevada

3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle. Not available here in Wichita.

Appearance: This beer was a glowing, hazy amber-orange color. I was quite a bit darker than I was expecting it to be. The white head rose up easily and became dense as it quickly dissipated. There was a very heavy bead that sustained a nice, thick cap of sticky foam over the beer for most of the drink. Tons of lacing.

Smell: Juicy, citrus hops dominated the aroma. Not something that I am used to smelling in a wheat beer. There were some light undertones of wheat, lemon, and roasted malts, but the hops by far overpowered these.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a bit of chewiness to it. Very smooth for the style.

Taste: It took a few drinks to get used to the idea of a hopped up wheat beer. Sour lemon and citrus hops kicked in first. The hops were present more in the flavor than in any bitterness, though they did provide some of the latter. Sweet grasses and roasted malts arose in the middle. The finish was when the wheat really kicked in. Big and chewy, it lingered well into the aftertaste where it mingled with a mild hops bitterness and the aforementioned sweet grasses.

Very nice and very different. It took some time to wrap my head around the concept of a wheat beer with this much hops presence. Not much time, though :-)

Thanks for the bottle, Rob!

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2005 23:04:32 | More by Quaffer

ALESwhatCURESya

Wisconsin

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

so this is what wheat beer should taste like...


I cracked a 22oz of this while brewing a batch of belgian trappist ale. This beer is so freakin cool it is scary. The whole time you are drinking it, you think that it is an APA but then you switch back to thinking it is a wheat beer. The hops definatelymix well with the wheat and produces a wonderful sweet finish. The appearance is golden and there is tiny particles of pulp free-floating in the glass. I had some spicy chinese while drinking this and it was a perfect compliment. This beer is by far, one of the best session beers that I have had. And by the way, the label is so bad-ass!

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2005 01:34:02 | More by ALESwhatCURESya

GClarkage

California

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

01/08/05- Received in trade from fellow BA member Meathookjones.

Presentation- 22oz bomber with no date. Possibly my favorite bottle design to date. Funky looking cat or something smoking a cigarette. Then there is a cartoon of a cat riding a motorcycle on the side. Hysterical! Poured into my Red Tail Ale pint glass.

Appearance- Almost DIPA appearance. Semi-cloudy yellow-orange color. Nice thick creamy 1 inch head and better than expected lacing.

Smell- Huh? I smell hops! Hops in a wheat beer?!?! Damn, it smells freakin good! A bit of spices and some muted fruit scent in the background. Overall it's mosty pine hops though.

Taste- Wow! Is this an IPA/Hefe? Whatever it is it's pretty darn phenomonal. A hoppy wheat beer, who'd have thought? Not a heavy hop presense, but more than enough to throw your taste buds for a loop. A nice added touch of candied sweetness also. And at the same time that typical bit of nice yeast flavor that most wheat beers are known for.

Mouthfeel- This beer keeps getting better. Because of the sweetness, it feels fairly creamy. Almost mouthwatering. The carbonation is much lower than normal wheat beers. Thus it makes it oh so easy to drain.

Drinkability- If I had easy access to this beer I would have a case on hand at all times. A true taste experience. So much flavor in this beer. Thank you so much Meathookjones for this sample. Truly an all time great one.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2005 21:25:22 | More by GClarkage

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A top 10% beer for me. An easy drink with lower than average alcohol. Just a great taste and wonderful grapefuit aroma. The wheat, some nice complementary spice and beautifully hopped. Too big a bottle to finish on my own, but I can drink this anywhere anytime. Medium mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2004 03:39:43 | More by northyorksammy

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

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

This beer poured a hazy, peach-amber color with white foam that settled. The smell was fruity and aromatic with some spice and peppery hops. The taste was spicy and hoppy and peppery and fruity (melon?) with hints of wheat and a hoppy finish. A taste like no other American Wheat beer that I have tried. The mouthfeel was smooth with medium body and moderate carbonation. The hops lingered in the finish. This was a very nice wheat ale!

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2004 03:50:49 | More by UncleJimbo

lungboy

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

As a general rule I would not choose a wheat beer. I usually taste circus peanut and fake banana even in the most subtle of brews. Gumball head, however, is like a punk rocker in a Laura Ashley mall-outlet store when it comes to this category. I want to watch it rip the living hell out of the pastel bunting and fling poo on the marbled wallpaper facades.

This beer has a sturdy astringent backbone sinewed with sweet and hearty muscle that has been arrived at honestly. No high-altitude/HGH treatments here. I drank a 22oz. bomber and really look forward to the next. This is not a wheat beer. Yeah, it was made with wheat, but if you put a lemon in it, I wouldn't be surprised if it gave you a black eye.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2004 02:25:22 | More by lungboy

RBorsato

Virginia

4.88/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Clear bright gold with a nice off white head and subdued carbonation. Huge citrusy flowery hop aroma and flavor. A very nice American Pale Ale with lots of fruits: mostly apples with grapefruit and lemons. Light bodied and refreshing with a lightly bitter finish and a bit lemony.

An awesome hoppy wheat !!

Per label: "Red Wheat and boat loads of Amarillo hops"

(22 oz. bottle)

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2004 18:54:02 | More by RBorsato

clvand0

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This one was aged only a few months. It poured an amber color with a fluffy white head that dies off after a few minutes. The aroma was very hoppy - some kind of a grapefruit character in the hops. The flavor is quite a bit hoppy as well, with a pine feel. There is a bit of malt character, but this doesn't really fit the category that it's in. Not a bad beer, but it's not what I expected.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2004 13:03:42 | More by clvand0

Dogbrick

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On draught at Barley's Smokehouse: As with the bottled, this beer definitely does not fall within the normal the definition of the style, but it is still one of the best Wheat beers I have ever had. The draught version is a golden yellow color with nice effervescence (tiny bubbles). The head is medium thin milky white and did not last long. Nice aroma of floral hops, wheat and a touch of citrus. Light-bodied and very easy to drink, with less hops in the flavor than in the nose but still a great amount. There is also a nice wheat presence along with some lemon and grass. Overall, the wheat overlaid with the hops texture makes this pretty close to the perfect summer beer for me. I will enjoy this beer as long as it is around.

Serving type: on-tap

10-25-2004 20:40:38 | More by Dogbrick

PatandDavid

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Well, fellow BA Goz was kind enough to share a bottle of this with us yesterday at our BA fest meeting, and I finally got to try some. This is the least wheat beer like wheat beer I have ever tried, but the aroma seemed pretty consistent with what can be expected from Three Floyds. And I Iike that abv! Anyway clear golden when poured, no head (I didn't see any in anyone else's glass either). Heady hop aroma, full of spun sugar and cinnamon. Taste wise, it starts out as a typical hoppy 3F's (I am thinking about dreadnaught)...the one thing that reveals it's wheat moniker in my opinion is that it finishes light, as opposed to bitter or syurpy. Very enjoyable, especially if you appreciate candied hops.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2004 17:35:53 | More by PatandDavid

karengarys

Indiana

5/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'm glad they are finally bottling this stuff...

Pours rich amber, slightly hazy. Leaves a very fluffy rocky white 1 finger head. It LOOKS like it has a lot of character.

Smells great. Crisp, hoppy, perhaps grapefruit rind, with a slight sweetness I can't place.

Mouthfeel: The epitome of what I think mouthfeel should be. Very dry and crisp and fizzy and creamy. It remains crisp throughout the drink.

Taste: I'm not a wheat fan, but I love this stuff. I'm not a hophead either, but this is very hoppy - but the hop is of a style that isn't bitter, but rather very dry. It gives it a very clean taste. The flavor then includes more grapefruit rind, other citrus. A few other hints I can't make out. Spice? Bread? Grass? I can't tell, but it is faint.

Finish: Clean. The bitterness fades into a dry sweetness that leaves no aftertaste, and a slight thirst (for more!).

I could drink this all day. If I could afford a kegerator, I would get it soley to have this beer on tap at my home. Yes, it is a summer beer, but I like it so much I would drink it year 'round. ....I guess it isn't available in the winter, though - so robert the bruce would have to fill in that gap.... I'll stop dreaming now.

If you are lucky enough to see this beer on the shelf, please try one. If you want more, hurry back because I understand the supply is limited.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2004 00:36:26 | More by karengarys

Boilermaker88

California

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

Presented in a 22oz bomber and poured into one of my hefeweizen glasses. Gumballhead had a lightly hazy honey color with a rapidly diminishing white head and some random large clots of carbonation.
The smell had a dominant lemon and pine aroma that was really appealing. It clearly outpaced the modest wheat and malt nose lurking underneath all that citrusy scent. The taste was definitely an American wheat beer, just amped up on hops. The juicy citrus flavor and more moderate pine taste melded with a lightly honeyed malt and spice for a delicious take on wheat beers. There was a nice perky tartness I couldn't pin down that further added to the brew's complexity. The feel was medium/light in body, dry, crisp and clean.
Gumballhead is far and away the best American wheat beer I've tried. It had just the right balance. I've got one left and I doubt it will survive the first quarter of tonight's MNF game. Big thanks to qarre for the hook-up!

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2004 18:40:54 | More by Boilermaker88

IrishRedRock

Pennsylvania

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

22oz bomber. A dreary golden color with a fantastic white head atop that refuses to die. The aroma is powerful, complex, and simply put, great. Just a touch of wheat in the nose, yielding more of a piney hop aroma and fresh citrus fruits. This is a wheat beer right? Upon sipping it, I am reminded of this fact. The aroma is deceiving from the flavor, and I must say I did expect a bit more complexity in the taste. Wheat malts and a pleasant, lingering sweetness are the story here. Mouthfeel is slightly dry, crisp, and extremely refreshing. One of the best session beers ever I am guessing, and one of the most unique beers of its kind. Very impressive.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2004 01:24:47 | More by IrishRedRock

blitheringidiot

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a big ole double duece bottle that touts an odd humourous cartoon character cigarette smoker.

Odd hazy unfiltered pour with plenty of yeast scrod chunks suspended in the brew. THe head that settles quickly to a halo ring pour into a pint glass. Ivory white scattered lace is left over.

Stringent "make my nose pucker" hops dry aroma, lemon hard candy malt twinge.

First swigs: Lemon Starburst candy dusty bitter malts & hops shiver pucker. Medium slick finish lemon rind. Dry aftertaste. Honey in the middle of the finish.

Light to medium body rather drinkable.

Last swigs: A bit one dimensional, but over, a malty pucker lemony hops brew that is extremely flavorful.

Beer is good. Happy beering.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2004 04:49:29 | More by blitheringidiot

proc

Michigan

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours out to a bright and satin colored dark gold in the glass with a moderate head. The aroma is wonderful and gives of hints of pine, wheat and citrus. The taste is very good to near exceptional. It starts off like a Pale Ale, with hints of pine, spruce, citrus and hops and weaves its way into honey, wheat and spice. I've never experienced a wheat or summer beer with such a range of tastes. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2004 03:20:49 | More by proc

shapudding

Pennsylvania

4.72/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Been waiting to try this, what with all the hub-bub and all.... finally had some sitting at the Drafting Room, and Steve was nice enough to chuck this on ice so we could finally have at it!

Clear, golden honeyed. The head came and went quick... after only a minute there was just a bit of creamy white froth in a ring at the edges and a slight dusting left in the center. Sharp hoppy and sweetness float from the glass... Juicyfruit gum and grapefruit as an aroma... hmmmm.... Such an interesting taste... Honey taste and honey feeling. Sweet and wheaty, yet hoppy. Lemon hard candy in the background, -not the good LemonHead ones, the crappy ones you find in the doctor office candydishes (my Dad is a Psychologist, I know them oh-too-well) Fills your mouth with a medium bodied, almost smooth but not really creamy texture. I'm not seeing the carbination but I can feel it a bit on my tongue. I'm really liking this one, great session. Such good flavors, and like I said, interesting. The body makes it an easy drinker. Nothing is too overpowering to make it annoying, just nice and yummy.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2004 00:30:02 | More by shapudding

HappyHourHero

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big froathy white head leaves a scattered islands of lace as it slowly to a thin coating. Transparent straw colored beer with dozens of tiny carbonation streams rising from the bottom. Beer is at cellar temp and there is a mellow bubblegum flavor to the beer, not much else, a light malt base. Nice soft mouthfeel carries the flavor to the tongue. Resinous hop aroma. A nice tasting, simple beer that's easy drinking. I

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2004 01:51:16 | More by HappyHourHero

donnebaby

North Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I haven't had a wheat ale that tastes this good ever I don't think. A nice layer of mellow cereals and another of peachy (iced tea) sweetness add character, while the aftertaste is just awesome and unique, of toasted wheat and oats and cereals busting out with flavor and texture. Almost like eating a chocolate wheat bar, if that's possible. Good stuff. Some hop touches as well, not to be remiss.

Besides the taste, the looks are funky, slightly opaque rich amber body and bizarre ice crystal lacing and spotchy head are cool. Nose is weak I thought, but more or less normal for the style. Sweet, sharp malts, which developed into a citric tropical orange/grapefruit. Nice.

Mellow taste and addictive aftertaste, combined with the awesome body, make this brew exceptionally drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2004 03:19:48 | More by donnebaby

Crosling

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Light Orange.

Heavily aromatic, mainly passion fruits (peach, tangerine and lemon. The grains bring forth biscuits and caramel in the aroma.

An interesting, unorthodox approach to the style but I don't find this to be all that different from loads of others. It is hoppier, no doubt, but whatever the hops bring they take away equally. Notes of lemon and other citrus fruits.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2004 19:31:38 | More by Crosling

cerevisiaephilus

Michigan

4.6/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had this on tap at BW3s in Indy. Really much better on tap than from the bottle. Not a great looking beer...almost neon yellow and a bit hazy with just barely a head...but the nose is incredible!! Straight up Oranges and grapefruit!! Really nice. Not overpowering, not harsh, but just right. The hops really shine on the palette as well. Nice mellow citrus flavors are really great.

Very very very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

09-12-2004 20:41:44 | More by cerevisiaephilus

soper2000

Texas

4.6/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Might as well stick to 3Floyds brews, right? I am lucky enough to have an ample supply of Gumballhead available to me at the Village Bottle Shop in Lafayette (no, I won't complain about the price here). This is a truly great brew which brings me pride when thinking of it's Indiana origins. It pours a golden/orange color with a magnificent white head which has good retention. Aroma is nice and hoppy, very citric for a wheat beer. Finally some grassy notes seep through. Taste is extremely well balanced. A little bit of hoppiness backed up by some nice sweet malt flavors. Mouthfeel is nice and thick. If only I had the money to make this my session beer (ok, i did complain). This is a marvel of brewing and I have yet to have anything similiar. One of my favorite 3Floyds beers. Try it if you can.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2004 01:49:13 | More by soper2000

Winter

Wisconsin

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

Pours golden amber with a white head. Thick aroma of piney hops bubble gum, lemony citrus and tropical fruit (papaya and pineapple). The mouthfeel is medium bodied and soft. Straight-forward wheat malt upfront. Some caramel flavors emerge also. Bitterness from the amarillo hops pops about about midway and introduces the lone piney finish. Excellent! The hoppiness for a wheat beer is unique and fits the 3F's profile to a tee.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2004 01:22:01 | More by Winter

TastyTaste

Minnesota

4.72/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bomber into a August Schell weiss glass. Copper rust in color, with a moderate sized foamy head. Smells mainly of hops, with some bubblegum sweetness. Taste is hop dominant, with a sweet carmel flavor that is very reminiscent of bubblegum. Aftertaste is very dry, but very appealing. Defintely a tribute to it's style.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2004 21:37:27 | More by TastyTaste

mzwolinski

California

4.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Big whiff of slightly lemony Amarillo hops open opening. Light copper in color with a slightly uneven, big white head. Juicy orange hop flavor dominates without contributing much bitterness. Slightly piney in the finish with a bit of wheaty tang. A mild sweetness waxes as the beer warms, and lingers a bit in the aftertaste. Quite "big" in terms of flavor but fairly light in the mouth. A terrifically drinkable summertime ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2004 18:59:37 | More by mzwolinski