König Ludwig Weiss (Royal Bavarian Hefe-Weizen) - Kaltenberg International / König Ludwig International GmbH & Co.KG

CanuckRover

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Looks quite beautiful. Nice peach colour, medium haze, and big snow-white head. Chunky lacings to the finish.

Perhaps a bit restrained on the nose. Light cloves with a touch of fruit, not necessarily banana.

Interesting. Pretty clean malt at first, slowly gives way to a wheatier taste and feel. Spice is slow to kick in, but eventually you get a touch of cloves. Light banana mostly in the finish.

Flavour lets it down. Certainly a great beer garden brew, but you'll get a bigger punch from some other hefes.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 19:02:16 | More by CanuckRover

drabmuh

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle poured into a hefeweizen glass. Beer is amber and hazy with a medium white head of medium and small bubbles, minimal lacing but high carbonation. Looks good.

Aroma is mildly weak but grainy and mildly banana.

Beer is light in body and wet on the palate. It is a little sweet, mild yeast character on the whole thing and I really enjoyed it throughout. I would have it again but it is not my favorite hefeweizen. Not by a long shot.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 14:13:11 | More by drabmuh

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.55/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy, golden yellow appearance with a large, creamy white head with pretty good retention, leaving some nice lacing.

A combination of banana & wheat blending with hints of clove and a light, summery citrus aroma. Very well balanced & one that improves each time you smell it.

An excellent mix banana & clove that works well with the light spice flavour in the background and a nice sweet bubblegum like taste & the faintest of coriander.

Smooth and creamy with very good carbonation. There was just the right amount of fizz in the drink, making it exceptionally easy to drink. Light bodied and very refreshing with a mild tang, light bitterness & a crisp finish.

Without a doubt one of the best beers I have ever drank, it was wonderful. An excellent beer with almost nothing wrong with it & one that I highly recommend.

1001 Beers to Try:
http://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 17:51:44 | More by flyingpig

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had a bottle with my pizza at Little Ortino's. As a fan of the style, I'd been meaning to get around to this beer for some time. Having previously seen the B rating, I wasn't too excited. But the Ludwig Weiss turned out to be a fine stab at the style.

Yes, the flavor is a bit simple and dull compared to the giants of the style, like Weihenstephaner. However, I wasn't disappointed. There was a bit of banana under a creamy wheat bread and spicy clove. The flavor had an unfortunate watery edge to it, but the beer was also fairly drinkable. I also found a slight, but odd earthy almost metallic note in the background. Eh.

Overall, not the best hefe, but not a bad option when others are unavailable.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 18:47:59 | More by tempest

bump8628

Oklahoma

3.4/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Standard hazed goldenrod color with a thin cap of white foam.

Light hefeweizen aromatics, mostly banana with subtle clove, nutmeg, and vanilla. Some bread and soft grain form a soft base and hops are light even for the style, actually they are almost absent.

Not my absolute favorite of the commonly imported German examples, but drinking this far from the source isn't a fair judge.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 16:22:32 | More by bump8628

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Devil's Backbone weizen glass.

I remember enjoying this beer a lot in the past, so let's see if it's as good as memory tells me it is. It pours a hazy orange-tinted straw topped by two fingers of white froth. The nose comprises orange peel, orange zest, coriander, and a light tinge of lemon zest. The taste comes in with these same elements, but things taste sweeter and blander. (I'm not really sure how that works, but it's how my mind thought at the time.) It's still tasty, just not as tasty as I believe it could have been, if that makes sense. The body is a sorta hefty-feeling light, with a light moderate carbonation and a rather light grainy feel. Overall, a very nice hefe; though not the best in its field, I will gladly partake of this beer any time.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 09:53:45 | More by TMoney2591

Jinholic

Arizona

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Hazy orange/yellow on the brighter side 2 finger head, some nice lacing on this one.

Smell - Banana and yeast.

Taste - Banana with very light spices some hops in the after taste but not very strong.

Mouthfeel - Little creamy, nice and smooth all the way not dry at all.

Overall - Great beer just not blowing my mind to get the perfect score but its up there, go grab a few of these for a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 08:16:57 | More by Jinholic

bjlovers68

British Columbia (Canada)

2.93/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from 500ml bottle into a pint glass.

A-Poured a rich yellow, almost orange colour. Very cloudy, reminds me of pineapple juice. A soft, white 3 finger head that dissipates after a short while.

S-can definitely smell yeast. Hints of citrus
and spice. Sort of a dank, wet smell.

T/M-taste the Yeast again as in the smell, hints of banana and citrus fruit. Tart and very dry. Medium bodied and very minimal aftertaste.

D-I will have to try more hefeweizen beer in the future, maybe it is a sort of acquired taste, but I didn't enjoy it as well as i'd hoped.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 00:52:56 | More by bjlovers68

atomicbeer

New Mexico

3.85/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330 mL bottle poured into a straight pint glass. Pours a very hazy bright gold-yellow with a two finger bright white head that settles to a 1/4 inch foam blanket. Aroma is banana bread, clove, and nutmeg. Taste is clove and bubblegum. Mouthfeel a bit creamy with a slight spice bite and a little astringency. An easy drinker than leaves me wanting more. Ranks with the better hefeweissens.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 02:08:44 | More by atomicbeer

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle poured into my Schneider Weisse glass mar5 2011

A cloudy pale golden orange with the expected shitload of bubbles feeding a large but not massive hefe head that retains reasonably well but average for the style and leaves no lace

S some bubblegum, faint banana, lemon and dry cereal

T not far from the smell, mellow flavors nothing really stands out, decent but nothing wonderful

M plenty of bubbles, a little creamy and pretty light in the mouth, no issues here

D didn't take long to see the bottom of my glass so that says something, could use a little spice but no reason to complain

I liked it but I'm not in love, there's better versions of the style on the shelves here in Alberta so it's a hard sell. Perhaps I'd like it a little more if it was plus 25 outside opposed too minus 25 but hey what can you do

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 02:58:28 | More by wordemupg

desiderius

Greece

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

Appearence: Light yellow color at the slim part of my weizen glass, light golden at the wide one; the usual weissbier haziness; medium head that doesn't vanish completely or too quickly, not bad lacing at the slim part of my glass.

Smell: Not breathtaking but satisfying; wheat malt, banana, citrus, hints of clove, and do I smell flowers?

Taste: Superior to the aroma. This beer's bread taste is soft and delicious, not (too) sweet, not peppery, just... very nice; vanilla biscuits come to mind; hops are rather fade.

Mouthfeel: I love this beer's creaminess; medium body, carbonation on the low side; my mouth is left refreshed after swallowing.

Drinkability: I reached my 500 mL glass' bottom very easily, and this was refreshing.

Overall not mind-blowing, but I will drink this again. Loved how soft and creamy it was. Just combined it with a dish with greek egg and lemon sauce (staffed zuchini avgolemono) and it was just fabulous! - try it if you're into greek cuisine.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 13:25:55 | More by desiderius

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Another bottle from my local trader, tone77, helping to keep my bottle numbers in alignment with my CANQuest (TM) numbers.

From the bottle: "Brewed according to the Bavarian Purity Law"; "Naturally cloudy Wheat beer"; "Why are the Bavarian Royal Family and King Ludwig so important to brewing history? The Bavarian Royal Family had sole rights to brewing of Hefe-Weizen in Bavaria for 200 years. No wonder they are leading experts on wheat brews."

This historical beer produced two fingers' of bone-white head following my aggro pour, but it quickly fell to wisps, leaving behind a good bit of lacing. Color was a cloudy orangish-yellow, reminiscent of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice. Nose was full of banana esters underlain with a clove spiciness, not my bag, but true to style. Mouthfeel was medium-to full with a big banana flavor on the tongue. Finish had an odd twang, slightly metallic. I am not a fan of the style, unless it is clove-forward, vice banana and coupled with its odd finish, I will not be coming back to this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 16:18:18 | More by woodychandler

bubseymour

Maryland

2.78/5  rDev -27%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

For an authentic Bavarian Hefeweizen, I was not overly impressed with this one's flavor or drinkability. I usually like my Hefe's light, crisp and easy to drink. This one had alot of flavor and was rather hard to get down. Perhaps I'm still too "green" on sampling this style as most I've had have been American brewer Hefeweizen's (Sam Adams, Shiner etc.) and I need to explore more German ones. For now I'm giving this a lower grading but perhaps in a year or 2 down the road I may return and like this one better.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 17:24:32 | More by bubseymour

ThaCreep

Belgium

2.95/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3

Nose of ripe banana. Blonde color but rather cloudy. Little spice in the body, giving a mouth enough light or watery but supported by a base water may be relatively high (limestone?) that communicates the force to a low bitterness, however, that even despite the small taste security that is in aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 13:46:55 | More by ThaCreep

fostachild

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

pours a cloudy yellow/golden colour. good amount of lasting head, eventually turns to lace for the remainder.

smells of yeast, oranges peels.

taste is also yeasty. lots oranges/citrus, and some wheat in there. has a sourness/bitterness to it - well carbonated. okay drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2011 16:36:29 | More by fostachild

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to janlud for sharing the bottle.

A: The hefeweizen is a golden straw color, a bronze shade. For a weizen mit hefe, the ale is remarkably translucent. A finger of white head insulates the beer but quickly disappears, leaving lace behind.

S: The nose has biscuity grains, lemony citrus and a dash of clove. The weizen flavors need some time to come out of their shell, gradually banana aromas do emerge.

T: Clove, banana and citrus define the ale. The flavors mesh well together, though the citrus side has ample wheat tartness supporting it. The banana flavors sit nicely on the palate although they are very light and don't stick around for long. What remains is the wheat's tartness.

M: The mouthfeel is moderate, a serviceable hefeweizen that remains sweet but won't amaze you.

D: Very drinkable, the weizenbier delivers just enough of what you want. It could be a little stronger, more flavorful to really zing.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2010 01:54:24 | More by akorsak

fsimcox

California

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap last night at Alpine Village.

Pours a cloudy opaque yellow. Thick white foamy head that dissipates quickly leaving a thin layer of foam for the remainder of its time in the glass. No lacing.

Smells of ripe banana, and some orange. Some hints of sweetness.

Tastes creamy up front, a little citrus, with banana. Some carbonation at the end

Mouthfeel is creamy up front, very full body. Bananas linger a little bit.

I've been back from Germany for 2-years now, and this was a pleasant surprise.
I very solid example of this style.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2010 14:09:11 | More by fsimcox

Sachsenfreude

Germany

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of the better Weizenbier, meaning the taste is slightly more advanced than the others. Beautiful white head and lacing, with moderate stickyness. Typical cloudy yellow body with a hint more of orange than others. The smell is beautifully yeasty and bluntly like wheat sourness. Taste is where this beer really does it for me, all the typical flavors of the style but more advanced and mature tasting. The banana taste is quite sweet but is countered by a mild sourness that is at first hard to detect but is only hidden by the sweetness, really a great balance. The yeast really is the star here.
On the palate this beer is thick and creamy, yet goes down smooth making a quite tasty drink, a solid example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2010 19:32:16 | More by Sachsenfreude

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

11.2oz (330mL) bottle poured into a milkshake pilsner glass. Best by 8 April 2011.

Appearance: Completely cloudy yellow-light tan beer with a 1/8" dense white head. Strands and sheets of lacing. A good looking Hefeweizen.

Smell: Yeasty with cloves and hints of banana. Very nice.

Taste: This beer is well on the sweet side of Hefeweizens. Clove flavors strongest up front, followed by a solid banana at the end. It's a little cloying at times.

Mouthfeel: Mild carbonation on the tongue. Not real thick - maybe even a little on the watery side.

Drinkability: Normally I like a solid Hefeweizen experience such that I'm having an entire 500mL bottle. For once though I'm glad I just had the 330mL bottle instead. Great look and smell to this beer, but it's unbalanced towards the sweet side of things such that by the end I had enough. I had this before 2 years ago and thought it was more balanced. Oh well - maybe my tastebuds have changed. Maybe with the right meal this beer would be better.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2010 22:37:37 | More by damndirtyape

2roosters

British Columbia (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Really good example of the style, drank this one all summer.

Pale golden,hazy colour. Light lace on white head.

Lots of grassy wheat and mild citrus on the nose, not much spice in the smell but that comes through in the taste.

Dry finish with long after taste, great with spicy food or just on it's own on a hot day.

Try it if you find it, you won't be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2010 03:17:53 | More by 2roosters

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I was surprised to find a beer I had never heard of at Marché in Toronto. It didn't say what style, only König Ludwig, but it was served in a branded glass that said it was this.

Pours a murkey orange colour with thick white head. No real lacing, but nice read rentention down the glass. Smells of banana, mild orange, yeast and wheat. Flavour is fairly sweet, but a little bit tart as well. Ok carbonation level. I was a bit tired of drinking this by the end of the glass, but an ok Hefe.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2010 13:39:12 | More by kwjd

dasenebler

Maine

3.55/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

.5L, Germany, best by 2/11.

Pale, cloudy orange with a pillowy two-finger head. Good retention, but chunky yeast floaties are apparent.

Nice ripe fruit aroma with the typical banana, and also vanilla.

Sweet, bready and yeasty. Definitely one of the sweeter German hefes, but still nice and quaffable. Aftertaste is oddly herbal, bitter and phenolic. Lots of yeast and lots of banana. Strangely, the mouthfeel was simultaneously creamy and grainy, with aggressive carbonation. Still pretty smooth overall.

Solid Hefeweizen here, just a tad too sweet for me, and also lacking a good wheat beer mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 22:13:01 | More by dasenebler

DoppleJock

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

10/07/2010
12 oz. bottle poured into a .3L Weihenstephaner glass.

A: Pours a perfectly cloudy lemony-yellow with a full, two-finger off-white head. Definition of an unfiltered hefeweizen.

S: Lots of lemon-citrus up front with a mild yeastiness.

T: Tastes like biting into a lemon creamsicle. (Don't even know if that's a flavor but it should be).

M: Blends big taste with a crisp feel.

D: Could be my new go-to for a hefeweizen. Definitely rivals Tucher. Like chewing into a lemon candy!

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 01:01:48 | More by DoppleJock

jss38

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A: A cloudy copper. No significant head. Was impressed by the darkness.

S: Spicy sweet clove. The alcohol hides behind it a little.

T: Wow. Once it poured I was intrigued and it followed through. I was a few beers in at this point but it still stood out. Clove and malt that balances the wheat wonderfully. People describe the sweetness as fruity but I don't know, I taste cinnamon or coriander was been suggested.

M: Little on the heavy for a hefe, alcohol and carbonation tingles

D: Very high. I grabbed this beer on a chance at D's 6 Pack Shop in Regent Square because I love wheat beer (plus the bottle is kick ass) and its something I might seek out now. It tastes almost exactly like Franziskaner, which is one of my top 5 if that tells you anything.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2010 06:23:05 | More by jss38

philbertk

Washington

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Konig Ludwig Weissbrau Brauerei--Furstenfeldbruck, Germany--Konig Ludwig Weissbier. 5.50% ABV. 10 IBU's? Rich lacy foamy head. Cloudy bright pretty lemon yellow color. Rich Bavarian yeast banana fruit ester front. Tangy sweet citrus banana wheat body. Crisp refreshing end. Nice Bavarian Hefe. (4.0 / 5.0) 5 oz. Tastr @ Fremont Oktoberfest in Seattle on 9/25/2010.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2010 01:01:19 | More by philbertk