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

drtth

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served in a Weizen glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: The head is thin, with a small ring of foam around the edge of the liquid, which is a hazy deep gold or light orange. Sipping leaves thin trails of lacing and a modest amount of speckled lacing.

Smell: The aroma is fresh. soft and lightly fruity with hints of lemon, banana and clove.

Taste: The taste matches the aroma, with a sweet malt presence and with light tart fruit (banana and a hint of lemon) and a subtle clove presence. It starts out slightly sweet and is often ends in a light touch of dry bitterness.

Mouthfeel: The mough feel is smooth, creamy, light bodied and fresh. The carbonation is light and thin but persists for the entire ½ liter. The finish is medium length and trails off gradually.

Drinkability: This is light and refreshing on a hot day. It is easy to drink and so it would be easy to drink several more in an afternoon.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2009 01:01:45 | More by drtth

clayrock81

Virginia

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

Poured a light orange, almost gold body with a fluffy head that went down slow and left little lace patches. Contained some soft wheat in the smell for a little hint of sweetness, and contained some citric and spicy notes as well. A lighter tasting beer but still fuller-bodied and fluffy like a hefe should be. The wheat twang is subdued and a citricy, mostly lemon, taste with some clove on the backend comes out for a little spicier ending than I'm used to. Not my fave but still a good hefe.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2008 18:37:21 | More by clayrock81

nikosm

Greece

3.9/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted on tap in a beer house in Alimos, Athens, Greece.
Looked "royal" in its fancy weizen glass. The color was deep yellow, hazy as expected and the head lasted for a few minutes to leave a long lasting lacing.
The smell was gentle grainy and fruity.
The taste was also gentle, lacking excessive carbonation.
Mouthfeel was much better and it went well accompanying german sausages.
Even if it's 5.5% ABV, the alcool isn't apparent and you can drink more than expected!
An overall nice hefe weizen!

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2008 09:28:44 | More by nikosm

blakesell

Ohio

4.55/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured from the tap into a standard pint glass.

Appearance- Beer pours a hazed yellow orange with virtually no head, a mere island of foam towards the left hand side with the dutchy. Lacing is minimal.

Smell- Wheat is very pronounced with very little banana or clove although clove is there. Hops are nowhere to be found. Wheat is quite dominant in the scent here.

Taste- Creamy and spicy with clove and noble hops. This is a definition of a Bavarian hefeweizen through and through. Clove coats the tongue and leaves a pleasant aftertaste. There is a cereal mash flavor on the finish as well.

Mouthfeel- Creamy, light-medium bodied, medium-low in carbonation, very pleasant on the mouth.

Drinkability- Wonderful, an excellent example of the Bavarian hefeweizen style. i will revisit this again and again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-24-2008 18:34:18 | More by blakesell

cichief

Virginia

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

Had on draft at the Frisco Grille, Columbia, MD.

A- Pours a very hazy straw-yellow, with a thick white head.

S- Lots of banana and clove, very typical for a good hefeweizen.

T- Lots of good yeastiness, the beer has plenty of banana, nice balance, not too sweet.

M- Lots of small bubbles, carbonation is muted, medium body.

D- A damned good beer on a warm summer day.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2008 22:53:03 | More by cichief

champ103

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: A cloudy yellow color. It has a good white head with some fair lacing. Typical for a hefe.
S: Citrus, pine, and loads of banana. Again, not bad at all but typical.
T: The same as the nose. The banana/citrus flavor is very strong and enjoyable.
D: I find hefe's a bit hard to drink. They are a bit too carbonated for me.

I enjoyed this beer. That seems to be the name of the game, enjoyable, and that is what I want in a beer. Nothing out of the ordinary, but one that I will revisit.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2007 08:36:06 | More by champ103

basica

Singapore

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

Paul ordered this when we were at Marche at Vivo city; it was served from the tap onto a jug
which we all shared. It was a farewell dinner and gathering for Paul who's going to Melbourne
University for graduate studies. The Konig Ludwig poured into the glass a nice golden with a
large creamy head which quickly reduces to a minimal head. It smells of yeast, wheat malts,
some spices and a dash of banana. This was well translated into the taste which was yeasty like
any Hefes and I could also taste banana and spices. The unique thing about the taste was really
the subtle sweetness which Paul also agreed with. A pretty good experience. The after taste was
not really lasting but the yeast, malts and spices are evident. The beer had a good body,
somewhere more than medium body and that gave it a nice thickness. Carbonation was on the high
side and though I did not really mind it; it drops the drinkability very slightly. A good hefe,
a good beer and definitely a good experience. I will try the bottled version one day and try to
make some comparisons.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2007 17:34:54 | More by basica

DaveFL1976

Florida

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

On tap at Brewhouse Fussen

Pours a cloudy, dark straw/yellow colour. The same colour as the Golden Retriever sitting next to me here in Fussen. Decent white head with pretty good staying power.
Smell is nice and fruity. Citrussy. Actually, pretty great.
Taste is wheaty, of course. Sweet with hints of citrus, lemon. Nice finish. It begs another sip.
Mouthfeel is creamy and full.
A 500ml glass doesn't last very long. I'll have another, please.

Serving type: on-tap

07-12-2006 20:07:02 | More by DaveFL1976

dfried

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pretty standard, hazy, off-straw color typical of hefes. By the time this one got to me there was no head but a small ring, I could get it to come back for a little with a swirl or two, but it never stayed long. The smell was mainly bready/yeasty along with a obvious bubble gum scent. The start of this beer has the tyical fruity/spicy character of banana and cloves, but the finish is very heavy in grainy/bready and bubble gum flavor. Just when you think its not there a citrus zest comes to give it a tangy mouthfeel. This is a very good, but very standard hefe, great for enjoying just about anytime, especially on a warm summer evening.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2006 15:41:14 | More by dfried

beerphilosopher

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I have this one on tap all the time at my local pub ... they pour into a tall Ludwig flute glass ...

A - mirky golden color. Bright white, thick head with good retention and lacing.

S - Sweet banana, clove, yeast nose. Some citrusy character as well. Aroma comes alive when swirled in the glass a bit.

T - This is a good, solid Hefe ... a little on the heavy side, wheat and citrus with some discernable sweetness. Yeasty and banana flavors are predominant.

M - A bit thick ... yet clean. Finishes suprisingly dry.

D - Obviously, I drink this one all the time. It's a good hefe and quite drinkable. If you like wheat beers, give it a try.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2006 04:44:09 | More by beerphilosopher

JayQue

Virginia

3.3/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I tried this beer at the Virginia Beach Octoberfest along with two Warsteiner beers. Just like the other two, the Konig Ludwig was served in an opaque plastic cup so I really didn't get a great view of the color (orange amber) or cloudiness (it was there). This Hefe-Weizen had a small white head with some hanging in there for a while. The smell was pleasant and mildly fruit-like. The main problem I had with it was taste. Almost every sip started with a strong medicine-like taste. Almost like the taste of the anesthetic that the dentist injects before starting a procedure. I thought there was a problem with the keg, but I tried another Hefe last week (Weeping Radish Wheat beer) and experienced a much milder version of the same taste. I must just not like this style of beer and would rate the milder tasting Hefe's as the best, when what I see as a drawback may be a positive for a Hefe drinker. I liked the lightness of the beer and the mouthfeel, after the initial taste (I did get to experience the fruitiness and cloves). I do not rate this as high drinkability, but for fans of this style, the lightness and fruit taste would lead this to be a good summer session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2005 00:22:23 | More by JayQue

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Ok aroma of wheat, nice big initial head, Easy on tongue creaminess, medium mouthfeel. A good brew, a decent represenative of its style. Appropriately carbonated. Banana, cloves, good late afternoon refreshment.
Had on tap 1.75 years later and a bit astringent, nice peachy colour, big head as well. Mildly Sour. Mild aroma.

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2005 23:16:30 | More by northyorksammy

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.15/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Has all of the physical attributes that I expected from a German Wheat: solid straw color, dense white head, good lacing. Aromas are expected as well: fruity, tart, earthy, bubblegum, earthy. Tastes are quite normal, but solid. It picks up light maltness and sweetness from barley and wheat, but is very crisp with moderately high sourness and tartness. Good esters display grapefruit, oranges, and banannas. Body is quite light, but creamy. Finish is crisp and refreshing; not drying. All in all, its right in the middle. Not much to get excited about, but no obvious errors.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2005 12:49:11 | More by BEERchitect

Toddv29424

District of Columbia

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

Pours a murky gold with little head. Smell is slight, like bananas and wheat. Taste is pretty sold. First sip is of sweet hops and citrus with a touch of wheat and banana. In the second and last part of the sip the banana really takes hold and turns sweet like sugar. Other non-Belgian weissbiers often have trouble getting the amount of flavor right and make them water-heavy, but this seems to be perfect.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2005 21:59:26 | More by Toddv29424

malty

Michigan

3.78/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from an 11.2 oz. bottle - best before Oct. '05

Poured a soapy golden straw color with a timid white head.

Scent of citrus (pineapple) along with a faint clove, banana and a typical yeastiness you'de expect from a bavarian hefe.

Flavors held a nice balance of yeast, banana & clove - but it all was attenuated. Nice cripness with a semi-dry chalky finish.

Light body that swells in your mouth due to it's persistent fine carbonation.

Drinkabiltiy is good due to it's light body and middle-of-the-road appeal.

Overall a great quenching wheat beer, but not the solid, sustaining hefe I was hoping for - the packaging and folklore was a little over-the-top for. A great choice for beginners who are curious about bavarian hefes, or for somone who is into dry wheat beers.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2005 15:00:31 | More by malty

granger10

Wisconsin

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

Had this one on-tap at the Grand Rapids Germanfest 2004. The pour leaves a hazy golden color with a one inch thick creamy egg white head. The smell is extremely fruity with the most dominant fruit being banana. This beer has a real fruity flavor upfront but the most dominant flavor seems to be the yeasty undertones which stand out towards the finish. The clove aspect is a little overwhelmed by the banana and yeast but comes through towards the end. The yeast makes for a really dry, bready finish. There seems to be a bitterness in here as well. There's lots going on here. This beer isn't sweet like the Paulaner or tart like Pax but somewhere in between. I really enjoyed it on this hot summer day.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2004 00:30:54 | More by granger10

yemenmocha

Arizona

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

Good traditional hefe qualities in appearance, nice hazy straw color, pearl white head. Good retention.

Nose is a little tepid compared to other weissbiers I've had. Has a very citrusy aroma with some banana. I don't detect any clove.

Taste has a malty toasted cracker component alongside some banana, but overall it's a very "cracker" tasting beer. Ritz? Wheat Thins?

Finish is rather short. Perhaps I have an old bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2004 03:47:05 | More by yemenmocha

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This looks cloudy and pale yellow and smells like bananas and cloves. The taste has the right balance but what this Hefe lacks is the punchy fresh taste that the best German Weissbier have. I have no problem drinking glass after glass of this beer on a hot day but I cannot put his on the same level as Schneider Weisse or Hacker -Pschorr.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2004 03:59:56 | More by canucklehead

genaro

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The color was light cloudy transluscent gold. The small bubbled head was okay. The aroma was grassy, metallic, and spicey with some floral bouquet. The taste was mediciney and citrusy ( orange peels and hints of lemon) and slightly sweet. The finish was dry, mediciney and metallic. Even though this review is lacking in positive adjectives and modifiers I did like this beer even though I am not a wheat beer fan.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2004 20:50:27 | More by genaro

Globetrotter

Virginia

3.33/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Tall brown half liter bottle with a yellow and gold label featuring the Bavarian coat of arms and the proclamation: Royal Bavarian Beer. Purity law applies, versteht sich. Best before 7/3/04, I opened it on 2/15/04.

Pours a decent cloudy yellow under just a one finger white head that settles quickly to less than 1/2cm (1/4 inch), but then lingers. There's very little lace on the glass. The nose is mild, with the necessary spices and yeast, but all quite subdued. The mouth is very prickly and light. The opening is candy sweet and coriander spicey, with touches of yeast and malt. This opening is followed by a surprisingly hoppy bitterness. The aftertaste is mildly bitter. While unusual for a wheat, this hophead has no complaints about the bitterness. My wife, the Weissbier lover, thought it was quite good.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2004 20:43:46 | More by Globetrotter

TAMU99

Virginia

2.83/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Well, I was a little disappointed in this one.

A: Looks ok, like a Hefe should, though it was yellow, not golden. appropriately cloudy.

S: minimal, very light malty smell

T: I should hedge here. At first, I was not really impressd. Very strong, sweet wheat that almost overpowers you and this lingering bitter background. But alas, in comes the Hefe savior - the lemon -and it really helps. A lemon balances the sugar and alcohol making it a fairly enjoyable beer.

M: Whoa, way too carbonated, reminiscent of the swill called Bud Light I used to drink as one of the ignorant unwashed. (i.e. Before BA.com!)

D: Eh...too fizzy for me.

I much prefer other Hefes to this one. Not recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2003 20:19:57 | More by TAMU99

Bierman9

New Hampshire

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

Enjoyed a glass of this at the Hirschgarten in München...

This Hefe poured a golden/yellowy color. It was naturally cloudy, with a white head which was thin and short. Minimal lacing as well.
Nose is very heavy on the clove (though that's not a bad thing...) along with banana. Quite pleasing! Body was a bit less than medium, and it passed somewhat roughly across the tongue. Lots more clove in the flavor upon quaffing. Also banana, wheaty hints, and crisp and dry. Pretty good, actually, but a small kick in the butt would do it some good! Could be more complex than what it is... Zum Wohl!!

overall: 3.8
appearance: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 3.5 | drinkability: 3.5

613

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2003 19:11:54 | More by Bierman9

clvand0

Kentucky

3.03/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Had this on tap at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati. Poured a yellow color with a tall head that stuck around for a while and left some lacing on the glass. The aroma was mostly wheaty with some malty hints and a hint of lemon. The carbonation stuck around in the flavor, making it a fun drink. The main part of the flavor was wheaty with some spiciness to back it up. It is a very smooth drink and the taste is pretty enjoyable, but being at Oktoberfest, I strongly preferred the Warsteiner.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2003 18:08:44 | More by clvand0

EagleTalon

Arkansas

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

All around good hefe-weizen. pours cloudy and yellow-white. Aroma is mostly of the clove variety--banana aromas are minimal. Flavor is sweetish with a tart finish with lingering cloves. Delicious beer for all occasions and for all beer drinkers...and non-beer drinkers. Very good choice. A traditional bavarian beverage. Wife likes it a lot.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2003 01:36:22 | More by EagleTalon

avylover

Virginia

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

Nice cloudy straw yellow with a decent white head. Tiny yeast particles are visible suspended throughout this brew. There is a good banana/fruity scent here that is right on for the style. There's a good cloves & lemon kick. Taste starts off slightly spicy, then body has a good strong lemony wheat taste that is very refreshing. Cloves show up big-time in the aftertaste, lingering for minutes at time. There is a tons of carbonation here too. Easy drinking brew.

Summary: Good, clean german hefe. I fine example of the style fairly inexpensive to boot

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2003 01:34:48 | More by avylover