Kapuziner Weissbier - Kulmbacher Brauerei AG

woosterbill

Connecticut

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

On-tap at Lord Hobo into a weizen glass.

A: Hazed gold body topped by an inch of frothy white foam that shows decent retention and leaves moderate lace (at best). Pretty standard for the style.

S: Rich, smooth aroma of wheat and yeast, with banana taking the preeminent spot over sweet bubblegum and light clove. Again, not bad, but nothing much beyond the ordinary.

T: Bright, fresh flavors of bubblegum and banan, with spicy, yeasty wheat in the background. Clean and refreshing, but nothing terribly memorable.

M: Light-to-medium body with tons of fizzy carbonation. Lively.

D: Easy drinking, but not memorable enough flavor-wise to keep me enraptured.

Notes: Solid, but not as good as Ayinger or Franziskaner, and nowhere near Weihenstephan. Not even close.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2010 02:02:18 | More by woosterbill

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16.9 oz bottle served in a weisse glass.

L - hazy yellow color with a fluffy white head that fell to a layer, carbonation bubbles were constant through the entire drinking session.

S - yeasty aroma.

T - wow! wonderful flavors, sharp tanginess, tropical fruits and malty sweetness.

F - medium bodied with a crisp, refreshing feel.

D - a most drinkable hefe. all around, a good brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2008 20:56:24 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

merlin48

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16.9 oz bottle served into a beautiful, Kapuziner Weizen .5L glass. First pours reveals a crystal clear, goldenrod body with a large, billowing white head. Exceptional retention and nice lacing on the glass. Second pour, after a swirl of the bottle, transforms the body into a murky orange/tan body, still boasting an attractive snowwhite head. Aroma begins very spicy, with clove, white pepper, and coriander. Citrusy orange and lemon quickly take over the nose, with wheat and yeast notes in the background. Mouthfeel is ideal for style, with a pleasant medium body and moderate carbonation. Taste is fruity orange and lemon on a background of white pepper and clove. Bready wheat and yeast add a nice touch of Weiss character. Very enjoyable and tasty, overall, but not the world beater I was expecting.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2005 02:35:39 | More by merlin48

Vancer

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Murky amber orange pour into my Corsendonk tulip, thick and creamy white head.

Loaded up with a malty and boozy aroma, with banana and clove lurking in the background. I guess the Bavarian style adds an earthy touch to the quaff, which finishes a fruity crisp and clean.

Freakin' Germans really know how to crank out the hefes. Bravo.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2008 23:47:28 | More by Vancer

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a hazy amber color with massive white puffy head, that very slowly feel to a thick ring and thin coating. Moderare attractive lacing. Smell is summer fruity, citrusy, spice, yeasty. Taste follows through on the smell with much light fruitiness, some citrus and a firm spiciness. String banana hints are also to be found. Finish is extremely refreshing. A very well done example of this style of beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2006 23:50:22 | More by tgbljb

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.68/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1PT .9FL swing-top bottle served in my Weihenstephaner weizen glass. Poured with a dense, creamy white cap that occupied 90% of the glass before it eventually dissipated into a solid skim - no appreciable lacing on this one. As the head gradually recedes, it reveals a tranlucent, orange liquid. Nose expresses a hint of cloves and banana esters, but not as bold as some more prominent examples of the style. Taste follows nose - definitely a nice German Hefe, but somewhat muted, as suggested by the nose. A little bit of lemon also comes out in the flavor profile. Mouthfeel is light-bodied with an even and pleasant carbonation and a little bit of acidity. Definitely an easy drinking and refreshing Hefe. I wouldn't pass this up as a draft option, but does not stand up to the likes of some of the better ones in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2010 17:57:40 | More by Jwale73

Gmann

New York

3.78/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a bright golden orange color with a fantastic pillowy white head that dissipated into a nice cap. This brew is very cloudy, kind of looks like dirty orange juice. The smell is sub-par for a German hefe, reminds me more of an American wheat. Strong wheat malt and lemon citrus aromas. The taste on the other hand is quite smooth. A nice banana flavor base with some light phenols and a light citrus touch. The feel is moderate with fizzy carbonation. Finishes slightly tart. It has the typical hefe crisp yet creamy texture. A good hefe but not a great hefe. The citrus like flavors cut into the banana/phenol flavors that should be center stage. I nit-pick a little, this is a really good hefe.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2007 05:16:20 | More by Gmann

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours hazy golden yellow with a head that you can barely contain and that lasts on and on. The aroma is banana and clove and when first poured has a huge bubblegum release. The flavor is subtle which is surprizing after such a huge aroma. It is clove spice and smooth wheat mouthfeel. The banana is just barely there and in the back. The finish is crisp and dries out with a long subtle clove finish.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2003 21:47:40 | More by GCBrewingCo

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.8/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A 500ml bottle. It was a hazy yellow with a medium head. Kind of nondescript aroma, couldn't get more than a sweet, grainy aroma out of it. Pleasant taste, however. Fruity/banana, with a light malt taste. Very light and bubbly. I rather enjoyed this, and I ordinarily don't care too much for hefes.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2007 21:59:56 | More by lordofthewiens

Suds

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

dark yellow color. The head is tall and rocky, leaving generous lace. The aroma on this brew is intense, and filled with esters and phenols: banana, clove, bubblegum. Also, there’s considerable yeast and citric flavors, wheat, and a bit of malt. The aroma is very nice. Taste is a little sweet, and more malty than I expected. Lots of banana and lemon come out in the taste as well. It’s fruity with a little clove underneath. Heavier than most hefe’s, but it’s pretty highly carbonated, which give a sprizy feel. This one is very well done, and one of the most enjoyable wheat beers that I’ve had in a while.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2006 09:39:53 | More by Suds

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle purchased at Premier Gourmet in Buffalo.

Pours a cloudy gold with a large cream coloured white head. A steady carbonation keeps the foam replenished for much of the drink, and as it descends it leaves a few streaks of lace along the sides of the glass. After about 15 minutes everything is more or less gone, but that aint bad retention for a home poured hefe. The final swirl deposits some lovely chunks of yeast, which gradually find a home at the bottom of the weizen glass.

The aroma is beautiful, and a bit heavier on malted wheat than I've come to expect. Beyond this you'll still find the standard banana and spicy clove notes, but its definitely the maltiness that makes this one stand out from the crowd and differentiate itself from its rivals.

So let's get the standard hefe stuff out of the way first. There's a wonderfully phenolic sweet banana presence, which is combined with a spicy clove flavour, and there's some light citric relief to cut through a slightly heavier than normal sweetness. Here's what distinguishes this beer though - there's a really heavy toasted, creamy wheat backbone that is far more prominent than usual in a beer which tends to emphasise the yeast. It really seeps through the flavour profile and makes it less refreshing in character and more filling. I also really like what it does for the mouthfeel, which is decadently smooth and silky. I'd even go so far as to say this is a touch chewy, as if I could actually feel the soft particles of yeast dissolve in my mouth. The deviation from the regular weisse body is so marked that I'm not sure whether to deduct points or praise them for the glorious innovation. I feel that the best way to serve justice is to reward the intense pleasure its given me by saying to hell with convention, this mouthfeel is top notch!

This isn't you run of the mill hefe. It has that little bit extra which makes it memorable, and a worthwhile experience. Those who think they've tasted everything in a hefeweizen and think that the template can't be broken should check Kapuziner out. I already want another one, and I'm kicking myself that I have to drive two hours to get it!

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2009 20:01:46 | More by bobsy

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle $3. Very nice looking golden, cloudy color, served in a pilsener glass. The smell was cloves and bubblegum with extra yeastiness. The taste starts out very nice with a strong bubblegum component but then finishes with a buttered popcorn flavor that I do not care for at all (diacetyl?).

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2009 19:18:29 | More by ArrogantB

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.33/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured on-tap and served in a weisse vase, the beer is a creamy, cloudy, opaque orange-gold coloring with a thin, foamy, dense white head. Aromas of banana bread, orange, and a hint of clove, with some pineapple and mango highlights, also. Pineapple and clove heavy on the forward tongue, with the spice giving off to a roasted character and bready backbone, all of which is kept light and crisp by an increased and steady flow of carbonation. Decent cling of thick, foamy lace. The aftertaste gives off more of the blended fruit sweetness, with pineapple, mango, peach, and orange abound. Like drinking the juice out of a fruit cocktail. The finish has a slight cloying feel, but that is broken up quickly by the carbonation. Flavors are a wee bit too fruity for me, but it's a solid beer, nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2012 18:20:08 | More by GarthDanielson

dsa7783

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Single, 1 pint, .9 fl oz bottle purchased from Buy Rite on Oak Tree in South Plainfield...
A steady pour yielded a great, hazy, straw-colored hue with an impressive foamy and frothy head that left a copious amount of lacing around the head of the serving glass...
Sweet, butter-filled, wheat-laden, ripe citrus aroma replete with pears and fresh, green apples...
Taste strongly complemented the smell, bursting with ripe fruit and fresh citrus, including, but not limited to, citrus, grapefruit, pears, melons, honeydew, canteloupe, and lemons...
Creamy, rich, thick mouthfeel along with a great level of drinkability make this an outstanding selection...
Recommended...

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2008 00:37:35 | More by dsa7783

ADR

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy rolling gold color, rising thick head and excellent lacing qualities on the glass. Nice esters to the smell, circus peanut candy (similar to bubble gum), spun cotton candy, and vanilla qualities. Nice body and full carbonation. Flavors of clove, sweet fruit, and a yeasty muskiness similar to an oakiness. Lots of "back flavors" of spice, particulary ginger. Finish is full and satisfying, exhibits a pleasant sweet orange sense. Nice complexity to the wheat characters, not overly citrusy -- a very good example of a style I often pass up when given many choices.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2003 19:47:07 | More by ADR

Crosling

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Hazy yellow color with a large froth. Vibrant clove, vanilla and banana aromas, with light hints of caramel, tart winter wheat, toffee and sweet tarts. Big body for a weiss, with a noticeable alcohol flavor. Rich and juicy flavor, doughy and loaded with malt and yeast flavors. Vanilla, caramel, toffee, clove and banana. It’s very soft and balanced and isn’t tart in the flavor at all, which I like. Very nice, probably my favorite hefeweizen thusfar.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2006 02:46:35 | More by Crosling

prototypic

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bavarian Hefeweizen pours a hazy light gold color. Backlighting gives it a slightly yellow look. It's topped with a vanilla colored head that easily stands three fingers tall. It held up fairly well and took its time receding. A light trail of lace followed along as it descended.

The nose is alright. Initially, it smells very yeasty and doughy. That's followed by a fairly strong grainy smell. It's nice and earthy. Clove emerges and really seems to take over the nose once it does. It smells a little too strong. A little banana is present. That's a little disappointing. It just doesn't seem to have a nice banana/clove balance. It's skewed too far in the spicy direction. Still not bad though. Just a little off from my preference.

The flavor profile isn't materially different. It's very spicy from the first sip. Clove and pepper flavors are a little too intense. Yeast and light citrus flavors follow. Light lemon and orange are the most notable flavors. I thought I picked up a little banana on the nose, but I'm not getting even that much in the flavor. That's disappointing. A world class Hefe needs to bring the banana. Grainy and earthy notes permeate throughout. It finishes grainy and spicy. To be fair, this is a pretty good Hefe. It's actually surprisingly good given its banana deficiency. Still a far cry from competing with the world's best though.

It has a lighter body that's nearly smooth. Carbonation is active, but doesn't hurt the feel in any way. Not bad. Drinkability is actually good. The flavor could be better, but is pretty good. It goes down easy and fast. I don't think I've encountered a Hefe that didn't have good drinkability. Knock on wood.

Bavarian Hefeweizen is a pretty good Hefe, but doesn't have nearly enough banana to be a great Hefe. The spicy aspect of it is just a little too strong and perhaps even masks some of the banana flavor. I don't know. Nonetheless, working out that kink would improve it quite a bit. Despite that shortcoming, it still manages to be pretty tasty. It won't displace any of the world's best Hefes, but it's definitely worth a try. Even a pretty good Hefe will suffice this time of year, no?

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2009 03:58:27 | More by prototypic

morimech

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a weizen glass. Cloudy, honey color with a sizable head that had excellant retention before settling to a thick cap. Aroma is what is to be expected for the style. A mixture of wheat malt, banana, and cloves. Good but does not really excite me. The flavor is a good example from a German brewer but it lacks the sparkle to set it into the highest levels. Not quite as tangy as I was led to believe, but more straight up mild wheat, bananas, and cloves. Nicely balanced. The body is good as well. I would of liked a little more pep from the carbonation, but it does offer a smooth texture. A good example but I was the slightest let down by the beer. Still better than 90% of American hefeweizens.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 19:43:43 | More by morimech

clayrock81

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a cloudy gold with a two-finger head that stays around for awhile and leaves little lace patches. Good smell of citric notes and spices -really prevelant. Heavier bodied than other hefes I had, and a little sweeter too. The spices seem to be more pronounced than most hefes, or maybe the citrus took a backseat. This is a very good hefe, and a little unique. Recommend to anyone.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2008 17:12:22 | More by clayrock81

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled on tap in Bamberg, Germany.

This hefeweizen poured a cloudy, golden tan color with white foam that left lace on the glass. The smell was very nice: fruity banana, yeast, and some wheat. The taste was first banana and clove up front, and then yeast and wheat followed. The finish was nicely tart. The mouthfeel was smooth and yeasty with medium body and medium-low carbonation feel. This was a very tasty hefeweizen.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2003 00:42:42 | More by UncleJimbo

RBorsato

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Hazy, cloudy orange-ish gold with a full white head and lasting carbonation. A fruity bubblegum aroma and a fruity taste but not really banana; More apple-ish maybe with a bit spicy finish. Light bodied, smooth, and refreshing.

[11.2 oz bottle]

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2002 11:24:45 | More by RBorsato

BretSikkink

Mexico

4.2/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Golden straw color with orangey highlights. Rivers of bubbles languidly make their way up the glass to the white, creamy, rocky head.

Heavier on the banana than the clove, this one has both in abundance. Impressive.

There's a pretty strong prick of alcohol here, which is interesting, it's a nice, peppery addition to the lightly toasted malt. There's also a nice sweetness from the banana flavors of the yeast, while the peppers are complemented by the clove.

Great creaminess in the mouth, not too carbonated so the liquid can dwell on the palate. Side by side with the Ayinger Brau, I definitely prefer the Kapuziner. I'm impressed very much by the drinkability and consistently strong flavor here.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 04:21:24 | More by BretSikkink

allengarvin

Texas

3.7/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This opened with a decisive POP, and a light spraying mist of beer--a good sign, since swing-tops often go flat. Poured into a traditional weizen glass, this beer presents a dark gold color with a dense, thick head, over an inch tall. Nearly perfect looking. The nose has a lot of wheat malt in, though fruitiness and phenols are light and not prominent. The flavor is disappointing... where are the essential weizen characteristics? you have to really hunt for them. There is a pleasant maltiness, with nice melanoidens, but it's only lightly fruity, and hardly a bit of clove to be found..

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2009 03:05:29 | More by allengarvin

wagenvolks

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml swing-top bottle into a Dogfish Head off-centered pint glass.

A murky, dull peach body with a yeasty haze fills the glass. Spittle-colored foam covers Kapuziner with a thin film that retains well but leaves no lace. Soft notes of clove and white pepper in the aroma with yeasty esters that suggest banana and dried pineapple. Faint floral hops and toasted wheat malt adds a solid background.

A bit more spice in the flavor (orange peel and clove), and the crisp carbonation level dries out the finish. Light sulfur minerals in the middle with semi-stale wheat malt and vanilla flavors. Light body is crisp and packs a tight carbonation level, but feels a bit thin on the front of the tongue. Overall, Kapuziner is a decent Bavarian Hefe, but I'd take Live Oak's Hefeweizen over this any day of the week.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2010 03:57:35 | More by wagenvolks

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Great aroma. It holds traditional cloves for style, but also has a great pils style malt with a bit of spicy hoppy quality. I like the mix of wheat and a good German pils.
Big full head just off white. Cloudy yellow gold. Just as it should be.
Flavor is less bold anddistincitive than the aroma. Spicy, tarty wheat flavor with bits of clove. Nice drying with a bit of astringency in the end. Bottom of the bottle takes on a nice citrus flavors (orange).
Nothing outstanding in the feel. A bit thin with a slight watery feel. Medim softness with adequate carbonation. Good enough in the refreshing department.
Solid, but not exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2005 13:59:56 | More by garymuchow