Schlafly Hefeweizen - Saint Louis Brewery / Schlafly Tap Room

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine June 2007.

Uh-oh, here we go. This will be the never-ending debate within the beer industry: Can you call an American Wheat a Hefeweizen? Purists will say no and cringe to see a lemon wedge on the glass. Others don't care too much and just ponder if the beer is good or not. We're with them.

After pouring out about two-thirds of the bottle and then swirling the yeast in, we could see huge flakes
of the yeast dissolve back into the beer, making for a cloudy yellow brew. Head retention was fine, with massive sticky chunks of lace from the initial pouring. Textbook aroma of dough malt, a faint fermented wheat twang and neutral yeast. Crispness is fine, with a medium level of carbonation and fluffy mouthfeel. Wheat malt flavor is simple yet sturdy, with a bit of a wheat twang and a minimal hop bitterness--showing a good balance. Finishes dry with an earthy yeast and grainy wheat taste.

Let's not even think the word "Hefeweizen"--for an unfiltered and unpasteurized American Wheat, this is pretty damn good. Simply put: Schlafly Hefeweizen = American Wheat Session Ale. Pairs well with a chicken kabob Greek salad with extra feta and hot peppers.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2010 18:50:43 | More by BeerAdvocate

dalepryor

Kentucky

3/5  rDev -10.2%

05-11-2013 23:37:34 | More by dalepryor

BRD14

Illinois

3/5  rDev -10.2%

05-11-2013 15:25:11 | More by BRD14

ToddHolder

Illinois

3/5  rDev -10.2%

05-11-2013 02:00:06 | More by ToddHolder

BlueMoon10

Mississippi

3.5/5  rDev +4.8%

04-22-2013 18:44:44 | More by BlueMoon10

BryanCarey

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

This hefeweizen pours to a yellowish color with a decent head of foam and a cloudy body. The nose on this beer is weak but it does contain the scent of wheat malt, as expected. There is a small amount of lacing, but it is slight and very spotty.

The taste of this beer is nothing terribly surprising. It offers flavors of wheat malt, bread, yeast, and a very small amount of lemon and clove. But the main flavors present are wheat/wheat flour and yeast. There is little or no hop presence and the body is light.
This beer offers a taste that is rather mild and tame, even for a hefeweizen and for that reason many may find it somewhat lacking. One thing I did notice is that you have to follow the instructions and swirl the last third or so of the bottle before pouring, in order to get the yeast. If you don’t do this, you will end up with a beer that is clear and devoid of most taste. I did this with my first bottle and couldn’t understand why the flavor was so bland. I then read the instructions on the bottle, poured it correctly, and noticed a definite improvement in flavor.

Still, even with the swirling, this is a very average hefeweizen that is fine for a craft beer newbie, but will likely prove dissatisfying to most everyone else. The wheat flavor is what you notice more than anything and the direct/non- complex taste is a little on the boring side. Try it, but don’t be surprised if you come away unimpressed.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 04:29:59 | More by BryanCarey

Arsenal0328

Indiana

3/5  rDev -10.2%

04-11-2013 01:26:49 | More by Arsenal0328

TastyAdventure

Kentucky

2.75/5  rDev -17.7%

04-09-2013 21:39:28 | More by TastyAdventure

Schlafly33

Missouri

2.75/5  rDev -17.7%

04-09-2013 17:19:28 | More by Schlafly33

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

2.84/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

12 oz bottle into a Samuel Smith pint glass.

A: Pours a hazy golden color. The head is a two finger white shade. I like the creamy texture, and the lacing as well. Don't know why, but I find it a bit more attractive than the typical hefeweizen, even if the head lacks staying power.

S: It's more of a regular APWA than anything. The most notable element is some earthy, zesty hops. No real sense of banana, clove, or bubblegum esters here.

T: This is not much of a hefeweizen. The wheat flavors and finishing, lemony hop qualities are pleasant...but the lack of notable esters really hurt this one. In general, it's not really flavorful. Good hop profile, though.

M: Too heavy for the lack of flavor presented on the palate. This should go down much easier than it does...though to be fair, most of it *is* due to the boring flavor. Carbonation is strong like expected.

O: Meh. Not a bad generic wheat ale, but it's not a hefeweizen. I'd be a lot more forgiving of it had it not been called that - yet alas, since it's advertised as such, I have to compare it to the ones from SN, Troegs, or Weihenstephaner. And it just fails in that regard.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 20:17:41 | More by ThisWangsChung

nmann08

Maryland

3/5  rDev -10.2%

04-07-2013 00:38:19 | More by nmann08

rlee1390

Indiana

3.23/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-Clear (isn't this "unfiltered?") yellow, not much carbonation one finger head that doesn't last long.

S-Wheat, bread but mainly a slightly artificial lemon flavor.

T- Some wheat, bread, malt, still an off lemon flavor and yeast.

M-Light and refreshing but not much carbonation at all.

O-Just a poor beer by Schlafly. The only dud of theirs I've tried but very off putting.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 20:45:05 | More by rlee1390

spants

Missouri

4/5  rDev +19.8%

04-02-2013 00:09:04 | More by spants

rfbenavi80

Missouri

4/5  rDev +19.8%

03-31-2013 19:03:07 | More by rfbenavi80

Dyerseve

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -2.7%

03-29-2013 01:51:04 | More by Dyerseve

alexknuckles

Ohio

2.75/5  rDev -17.7%

03-28-2013 07:05:55 | More by alexknuckles

Jamison85

Indiana

4/5  rDev +19.8%

03-24-2013 21:18:40 | More by Jamison85

grahamboudreaux

Tennessee

4.5/5  rDev +34.7%

03-20-2013 11:44:34 | More by grahamboudreaux

Tomhet

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev +4.8%

03-13-2013 17:00:33 | More by Tomhet

nlriehl87

Illinois

4/5  rDev +19.8%

02-27-2013 22:52:45 | More by nlriehl87

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -10.2%

01-31-2013 23:51:40 | More by RedneckBeerz

nick1427d

Illinois

3/5  rDev -10.2%

01-23-2013 21:57:18 | More by nick1427d

jadeal

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev +12.3%

01-20-2013 04:16:52 | More by jadeal

Sodenssuds

3/5  rDev -10.2%

01-18-2013 01:52:56 | More by Sodenssuds

ColSanders123

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +12.3%

01-17-2013 05:34:55 | More by ColSanders123