Live Oak Primus Weizenbock - Live Oak Brewing Company

natelocc787

California

3.9/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Several of these scores could have went up actually. Nice ruby purplish color to the body with a very creamy beige head. Lots of bananas, clove and wheat grain in the nose. The flavors come together nicely in this one, score could have been higher but the yeast bite was a little sharp. Great wheat bock, nice and fruity and dark with banana, clove, coriander, cherry juice and candies plums. Mouthfeel is superb as I am finding a pattern here with Live Oaks offerings. Very creamy without being frothy, satisfying, well carbonated but with little bubbles. Very drinkable and refreshing for such a dark beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2009 01:36:22 | More by natelocc787

psujmatt

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

On draft at Flying Saucer.

A -- Looks very cloudy and a strange brown color. Had almost no head, though they may have poured it off.

S -- Fruit, almost like bananas and molasses, with a touch of raspberry or something else a little sharp.

T -- Light fruits, sweet with a tiny twang, topped with spices, especially clove. Reminded me a bit of mixing together Juicy Fruit gum with clove. That may not sound great but it tasted great!

M -- nothing out of the ordinary here.

D -- Very easy to drink. It was my first beer of the night and it went down very easily, leaving me wanting more immediately.

Very festive and was great both outside in the cold and inside in the heat.

Note: After having the beer a second time I decided that the look isn't that bad. I just wasn't used to it all, having been unfamiliar with the style. It originally looked like a dirty hefe to me, which was unappealing.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2009 19:26:45 | More by psujmatt

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.93/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a pint glass at the Flying Saucer. It's a very hazy, bordering on opaque, brown color with just a thin layer of light tan foam.

Nose is banana laden with a healthy dose of chocolate and cloves.

Lots of chocolate in the flavor with a prevalent wheat tang. Bananas and cloves are still there, but might be a little less prevalent than some of the German versions. It's also a tad thinner and not as creamy as some of the best weizenbocks. Maybe it is not quite fair to expect such greatness from Live Oak as their hefeweizen, but this one is not quite up to that standard. I like it enough and I would definitely buy it again, especially considering the lack of good draft weizenbocks around. Is this the first regularly produced Texas WB? If so, it's a good start.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2009 04:01:57 | More by twiggamortis420

israel

New York

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

Thanks to thickerfreakness for a growler of this, it was enjoyed at Dark lord by many...

A- Cloudy brown with an impressive white head that doesn't ever seem to go away.

S- Smelled so similar to their heffeweizen that I did a double take when I first sipped it. Lots of banana, clove and ripe apple aromas are all very evident in the scent.

T- Wonderfully delicious with more banana, clove and maltiness up front and being followed by some bubble gum flavors that round out this complex flavor profile.

M- Smooth and pleasantly sweet with the perfect amount of carbonation.

D- Really enjoyed this beer and could have drank the whole growler on my own without a problem...

Serving type: growler

05-08-2009 16:35:09 | More by israel

mjl21

California

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Ginger Man in Fort Worth. Poured into a pint glass. No abv info is given.

A-Pours a murky dark brown with a really nice one and a half finger off white head that stays around.

S-Very similiar to their hefeweizen with lots of clove, banana, and coriander. Sweet malt is very detectable and I picked up on some apple notes.

T-Sweet malt is the predominant flavor. Clove and banana definitely are present. This one has a nice level of bitterness at the end.

M-Thick, chewy, and sticky. This one tastes like a big beer.

D-The abv is well hidden but the sweetness limits this one. This is a prefect nightcap beer.

Another winner from Live Oak. Would love to see this one in bottles.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2009 21:02:59 | More by mjl21

joshuadlight

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Addison Flying Saucer.

Deep dark brown, minimal head, but its a clinger, nice lacing all the way down the pint glass. Roasty wheat and peppery smoke throughout the nose and very strong in the mouth. To me, its not the most pleasant taste, but I do think it fits the Weizenbock style. Goes down relatively smooth, and hides the 8% pretty well. I didn't try to drink more than one as I didn't particularly dig it. But, it is what it is, and I would encourage you to try it if you find yourself in Texas, especially if you are a Weizenbock fan. This doesn't taste all that far off Aventinus.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2009 14:54:18 | More by joshuadlight

thirdeye11

Texas

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served: On tap at the Addison Flying Saucer in what appeared likely to be a 22oz wheat beer glass.

A: Poured a very murky (maybe the murkiest beer I've ever seen) medium to dark brown with a light ivory/brown 2 finger head. This beer retained head for a decent while and had nice lacing on the glass as I drank it.

S: Lots of smells that reminded me of a hefeweizen. Banana and clove seemed apparent, bready yeast in the nose, no alcohol present but also a nice sweet characteristic.

T: This beer tasted absolutely delicious. Nice sweetness balanced with the malt sugars. I have to get to the Saucer to have this one again as it seems once Live Oak beers are gone, they're gone forever.

M: Somewhat thick and viscous I felt it was a little thick for a wheat style beer even though this is a bock as well. It may have benefited from stronger carbonation, but still nice.

D: I really only wanted one of the 22oz of these, even though the taste was off the charts (good) for me. I would definitely drink it again and hope I get the opportunity to do so. It was somewhat heavy which is what prevented me from drinking multiples of this.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2009 22:49:35 | More by thirdeye11

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at the Gingerman in Houston. The beer was dark brown and hazy, with a thick off-white foam that lasted forever. There was a strong aroma of bananas & cloves, rich and delicious, honestly this smelled like Aventinus. Same with the taste, the essence of Aventinus, right down to the slightly bitter aftertaste and hint of lactose. Live Oak seems on a mission to replicate the best German beers, I've been very pleased with the several I've tried (hefeweizen, Primus, Oaktoberfest).

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2009 12:16:22 | More by TurdFurgison

wagenvolks

Texas

4.18/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

REVIEW #600!

On tap at the Whip-In, Austin.
8oz pour into a stemless, over-sized wine glass.

Hands down, Live Oak's Primus Weizenbock is a beauty. The deep mahogany body shows an attractive murkiness and depth to its hue, while up top, the towering ocher head retains effortlessly and leaves speckles of foamy lace. The nose is equally as impressive, with rich aromas of clove, ripened banana, browned apple flesh, caramel malt, and baker's yeast.

The flavor is just as complex as the aroma, starting with sweeter notes of dark bread and banana-nut muffins. Finishes strong, with a smooth, boozy warmth that balances nicely alongside earthen notes of wood and peat. Near-perfect body to this brew, with its creamy, medium-thick consistency and gentle carbonation level. With their phenomenal Hefeweizen, impressive Pilsner, and a newly added Weizenbock to their repertoire, LiveOak seems intent on recreating the German beer experience here in Texas. And for that, I couldn't be happier.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2009 00:29:12 | More by wagenvolks

Bagman007

Texas

3.98/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a pint glass.

A- Very dark brown/reddish appearance with not a whole lot of head.

S- Has a very sweet, somewhat spicy scent to it.

T- Tastes very, very sweet. Probably one of the sweeter beers I have ever tasted. Slightly hoppy.

M- Excellent carbonation and feel. Very sweet. Very smooth.

D- Sweet, but not too sweet to hurt it's drinkability. Very smooth.

Overall a really great beer. Excellent Weizenbock from Live Oak.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2009 00:40:23 | More by Bagman007

Fnord

Texas

3.98/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Dark brown and very cloudy, with a thin white head. Looks delicious.

Smell - Dark fruit, sweet malt, chocolate, banana, and wheat.

Taste - Banana and clove take point, with a lot of wheat providing backup. A touch of alcohol and bubblegum flavors as well.

Mouthfeel - Very thick, almost chewy, leaving sticky residue on my lips.

Drinkability - Good for the high ABV. I wouldn't mind having three or four in one night.

Notes - An excellent Wezendopplebock. I get one whenever I'm somewhere that has it on draft.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2009 19:05:36 | More by Fnord

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a cloudy, dark mahogany-hued body with a thin, though lasting, white head.

Smell: Malted wheat nose with sizable notes of banana slices swimming in clove spiced caramel sauce. Maybe a handful of golden raisins on the side.

Taste: Dark wheat malt with a full taste of caramel and a pinch of brown sugar. Fresh-ground cloves. The bananas are even more prominent in the flavor versus the aroma. Hint of dark fruitiness. Light, spicy hops and bitterness. Final flavors of clove and caramel on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. Slightly chewy mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Well, that was pretty tasty and a downright joy to drink. Wheat [sic] else could you want from a weizenbock?

Serving type: growler

01-17-2009 20:01:21 | More by ChainGangGuy

BgThang

Texas

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Give this one its tenth review.

The appearance is cloudy and murky. Color is hard to describe. sorta like a murky tea maybe.

The nose is that of straight up roasted bananas.

Taste - Imagine taking a hefe beer and cooking it till its done per say. This is what you have a roasty, chocolate-covered banana.

This thing was very easy to drink although I found myself ordering a different brew because I have had alot of bananas lately due to a diet change.

Overall another dang good beer from Live Oak.

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2009 09:15:40 | More by BgThang

EPICAC

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Dancing Bear in Waco, TX.

This beer pours a very cloudy brow, and is topped by a thick, beige head that fades to a film leaving sheets of lace. Classic notes of clove and banana in the aroma with undertones of sugary malts, dark fruit, and a hint of acidity.

Sweet, dark malts quickly give way to banana fruitiness and clove spiciness. The sweetness and spice are nicely offset by a mildly roasty backbone with a light alcoholic spice in the finish. Smooth, creamy and medium bodied.

An extremely solid beer. I thought the mild roasty characters added a lot.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2009 20:34:22 | More by EPICAC

AChamberlain

Texas

4.15/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Solid. Poured beautifully murky, with lasting lacing throughout. Wheaty aromas. Fruit. Bananas. Delicious banana and clove flavor. Luscious mouthfeel, smooth. I am pretty close to saying this is live oaks best beer. Almost. We will keep the hefeweizen there. Excellent. Highly recommended

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2009 18:45:25 | More by AChamberlain

jujubeast6000

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed 1/3/2009 (Tap @ Flying Saucer, Houston, TX):

Pours a dark red brown color body. Smallish head, creamy and tan. Very strong ripe aroma, some spiciness. Almost all bananas. Creamy softly carbonated palate. A nice fruit cocktail and banana taste.. Strong banana taste, like in the nose.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2009 04:08:10 | More by jujubeast6000

gford217

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to slimchill for getting me this growler, shared with 50+ of my closest friends at the Brick Store HMoG.

Pours a hazy iced-tea brownish amber with a head that hung around for quite a while leaving good lacing.

The aroma was super sweet and dominated by bananas. It smelled like a hefe with the hints of cloves and chocolate malts, but the bananas were the main player here.

Tastes like a chocolate-covered banana. Very sweet with only the slightest hint of spices.

The mouthfeel is excellent for the style - pretty full-bodied but with lots of carbonation. Really goes down easy.

This is my first Live Oak beer and I was impressed. It was probably a tad sweet for me, but it's still a great example of the style.

Serving type: growler

01-12-2009 03:57:22 | More by gford217

LonghornBrewer

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on Draught at the Dallas Ginger Man.

A: Dark caramel color, with moderate head formation and retention

S: The smell is wonderful. Disclaimer, I'm quite a fan of the Hefe, and this has many of the same characteristics, so I may be biased.

Lots of banana and clove, with a touch of roasted malt letting you know you this isn't, in fact, the hefeweizen, but rather something delicious unto itself.

T: Follows the smell closely- clove, banana, a touch of roasted malt. Honestly, it tastes more like a Hefeweizen than a bock, but when the Hefe it resembles is Live Oak, all is well.

M: Creamy, with slightly above average carbonation.

D: Contrary to some of the other reviews, I found this ale to be extremely drinkable. In fact, I couldn't believe it was over 5% ABV, much less 8%.

Much like the LO Hefe, the flavor of this beer is not one that I grow tired of quickly- you could honestly session it if it wasn't for the higher alcohol content.

I had never heard of this offering prior to last night, but decided to try it based on Live Oak's track record of making great brews- boy am I glad I did! I would highly recommend this offering- especially if you're fond of the Hefeweizen Live Oak makes.

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2009 22:29:04 | More by LonghornBrewer

JonathanL7890

Texas

4.22/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Draughthouse.
A: slight head, Brownish black, cloudy
S: clovey, Malty - smells like cheerios.
T: clovey, chewey. Similar character to the Hefeweizen but richer, more body.
M: full, rich.
D: very nice beer. The richness kind of makes it less sessionable, though.
One of the best weizenbocks I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

01-06-2009 19:12:48 | More by JonathanL7890

pwsoldier

Texas

4.6/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sampled at the Flying Saucer, San Antonio

A - Pours a dark, cloudy mahogony with a weak head that dissipates into a thin layer of foam. Lacing is light.

S - Banana, clove, citrus, and spice, as expected.

T - Tons of banana and citrus flavors complimented by clove and spice. There were some sour lemon notes up front that complimented everything else nicely. Very tasty!

M - Full-bodied and exquisitely rich. Finishes medium-dry with some spice lingering on the palate.

D - A very enjoyable beer and a great representation of the style. However, the richness of it would make it difficult to have more than a couple. Once again, the guys at Live Oak have shown their ability emulate the finest styles of German beers.

Serving type: on-tap

01-06-2009 17:15:31 | More by pwsoldier

champ103

Texas

3.65/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a murky brown/ruby color. A one finger beige head forms and leaves light lace.
S: I detect some banana and spicy clove. A touch of roasted malt. Not much else.
T: Follows the nose. Banana and lots of clove. Really, not much else to note. Tastes like the hefe, but with just a touch more roasted flavor.
M/D: This has a full body that is well carbonated for my tastes. Easy and smooth to drink. I would not have a problem making this a session, even at 8% ABV.

There is nothing wrong with this Weizenbock. It was very enjoyable. I just prefer more of a roasted malt flavor, and a tad less fruity hefe flavor that is present here.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2009 06:35:22 | More by champ103

goatgoat

California

2.98/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

On tap from Flying Saucer, Austin.
A: Cloudy mid-brown with orange highlights. A finger head of cream that quickly dissipated to a thin film which persisted for the duration of the pint.
S&T: Dominated by banana. The strong banana smell and aftertaste obliterated the rest of the experience. This was my first Weizenbock and may be par for the style but for me the esters took over the beer.
M: Middling and appropriate.
D: Low for me but I hope some weizenbock or dunkel lovers review for comparison!

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2008 23:08:36 | More by goatgoat