Ramstein Winter Wheat - High Point Brewing Company

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I don't want to demean the beer by labeling its appearance "cola-like" but this is a case where that really would be the best way to describe it. It has a deep russet colour with a dark crimson hue and glints of cherry. Its head is a crackling collection of tiny, prickling bubbles, of which most of the original patch quickly sizzled out. Unavailingly, a steady stream of carbonation tries to ensure constant resurfacing.

The aroma places itself somewhere between candy coated cough drops and vintage sherry. Quite a contrast, I know, but it's ultra complex. Finely matured notes of long-ago fermented fruits are dusted over with a sugary sweet glaze. It can border medicinal - and certainly always potent - but it packs the nostrils so full of fruity esters and spicy phenols that it distinguishes itself foremost as one thing: deliciously appetizing.

I failed to mention all the banana, weak coffee and dark chocolate truffles I noted - good thing they're even more present in taste! These flavours (especially the banana) exist alongside damp, grainy whole wheat breads and earthy, over-ripened stone fruits. Being more specific: I taste plums, apricot, dried cherry, figs, dates, raisins - wow, this is insanely fruity in a very dark, rich, complex way; its resemblance to sherry can be uncanny at times.

Mostly because it offers a strong, complex, and quite dry persona. The most significant departure from fortified wine, of course, is the 4th of July like fireworks like display of fiery, spicy phenols. This is rampant with clove-like taste that leaves the tongue inundated with a peppery fragrance. Luckily, syrupy sweet caramelized malts and crisp, farm fresh wheat keep that spice well in check.

Despite all the beer's strong qualities (of which it has many) none of them ever become overwhelming. I haven't yet had anything else from High Point Wheat Beer Co. but I'm willing to believe they really know what they're doing. To brew a beer this strong and mighty and not compromise on any character and still have it come out eerily sessionable - that's the sign of a talented brewer. It's also a sign I should seek out more his brews!

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2009 23:10:43 | More by biegaman

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hallelujah, at long last I have a bottle of Ramstein Winter Wheat. Those in NJ/NY wouldn't understand my obsession with finding this, but I've been looking for it ever since my first weizenbock. Now I have it and it's almost gone.

The beer is way darker than any other weizenbock I have had before, blackish brown with a dark tan foam, kind of stouty looking. The beer smells of bananas and a little chocolate. The taste is more chocolate than you'd expect but with all the banana and clove it should have. And no lactose. I like it a lot.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2009 01:44:32 | More by TurdFurgison

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.3/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle served in a weizen glass.

L - deep, dark brown color with a creamy tan head that was huge before settling down to a layer.

S - spiced wheat beer aroma.

T - oh my, what a flavorful beer. roasted malty taste with hints of dates, figs, black cherry and chocolate. Finish is sweet and slightly dry.

F - full bodied with a creamy, smooth feel.

D - goes down easy, just remember it's 9.5% abv.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2009 00:00:08 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

goatgoat

California

3.8/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thick dark pour, nearly opaque black. A thick fluffy coffee head, about 3 fingers, slowly diminishes to a slight cap. No lacing. Dark fruit aroma with lots of malt. A little heavy with alcohol but not overpowered. The flavor continues this with an opening dark sweetness with a hint of clove. Ends with more dark fruits and a bit of chocolate, reminiscent of my mother's cherry fudge. There's a slight crispness that is a bit overwhelmed by the body of the beer but then comes out in the aftertaste as a nice dryness. It works very well.
A good treat but I wouldn't grab more than one of these at a time.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2009 22:29:06 | More by goatgoat

Bigjay1584

New York

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I was pleasantly surprised to find this at a local distributor since I heard good things about Ramstein beers. I was not disappointed. It was a tad on the expensive side, but considering the cost of ingredients, the big taste of a big Weizenbock easily warrants a few extra bucks.

A: Very very Dark, with a generous dark tan 2 inch head. About as handsome as they get. Surprisingly though, there was no lacing at all as I got through it.

S: Bananas, cloves, rich toasty caramel malts. Highly inviting.

T: Those full rich caramel malts hug the palate, and linger and linger. Weizenbocks and double bocks are so hard to beat. This one is no exception. Outstanding.

M: Well carbonated, nice and sticky, yet smooth.

D: Extremely drinkable considering the high ABV. I think it tops Sam Adams double bock as far as drinkability (that's pretty good considering it has a higher ABV than the Sam's). I could definitely spring for another one immediately. (maybe a cigar too...?)

A delightful beer. Awfully good. I highly recommend it. And made relatively locally to boot! Germany would be proud.

Prost!

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 22:12:34 | More by Bigjay1584

BeerTruth

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This one came from Beerloco, thank you sir!

12 oz. bottle poured into a weizen glass.

Pours an oily black with a gigantic three finger light brown head that takes quite a while to die down. With how big the head was, I was expecting a good amount lacing...but there wasn't. Metallic aromas, chocolate, and banana at first whiff. Underneath that is some clove, helium, and a dash of pepper. Taste is very similar. Hearty wheat bread, chocolate malts, and raisins up front on the tongue. Midway the clove emerges with some banana and brown sugar. Aftertaste is slightly metallic with some molasses and a touch of smokiness. Medium body but a touch thin with a fairly high carbonation that stings the mouth. One thing that seems to stand out with this beer is the 9.5% abv that can't be found. A very solid weizenbock, but the overall feel of the beer seems a bit off.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2009 01:21:49 | More by BeerTruth

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: near opaque, surprisingly dark
S: traditional wheat beer with cloves, banana, spritz
T: does not taste like 9.5%, very good, nice roasted quality, weizen and hint of alcohol
M: lively, refreshing, not overly sweet or cloying
D: very (too) drinkable, wish I had more

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2009 23:29:54 | More by wisrarebeer

DavidSeanNJ

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

A- Dark black/ruby brown color with a nice big creamy carbonated head, however, after the first sip you are left with nothing. No lacing to speak of. Looks oily and thin in the glass. I wish the beer could keep up with the head it had when I first poured.

S- The smell has to be the best part of the beer. The nose on this one was outstanding. Figs, chocolates, banana, apples, smoke. My first whiff made me very curious to try the beer.

T- Banana esters, spices, fresh wheat, sliced green apple, chocolate, cocoa...yup. I could go on and on. This has some SERIOUS flavor going on. I did find it to be a little too sweet at the end. The ABV was well-hidden.

M- Silky smooth and oily. I thought it was a little thin and lacked some carbonation though. Warming sensation as it goes down.

D- I drank a few of these in a sitting on a cold snowy night. Very enjoyable. The body does need work though.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2009 14:28:32 | More by DavidSeanNJ

birchstick

Missouri

3.83/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - dark brown, almost opaque with absolutely zero head. Looks more like a stout than a wheat beer.

S - very assertive smell - dark fruits and caramel malts with a zing of bubblegum and molasses. Smells sticky, if that makes any sense.

T - starts off with very dark fruits and sweet malts up front. However, I was very surprised that it leaves a lingering roastedness to it...this is a wheat beer!?

M - too thin and very little carbonation. However, the abv is extremely well masked.

D - this is the most interesting wheat beer I have tried. I was shocked a little bit by it, I guess I was expecting something a little different. If I could get this in Missouri, I could see myself purchasing it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2009 04:47:24 | More by birchstick

whitestag

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Growler purchased at the brewery.

Frothy, tan head, breaks down fairly quickly to thin layer of foam. Coffee color.

Roasted sweet and slightly smoky aroma with a bit of yeast; similar taste with significant wheat flavors and a touch of alcohol

Mouthfeel slightly thick but not syrupy; to be expected for a double bock.

Very pleasant, quite drinkable; best if you take it slow.

Serving type: growler

01-01-2009 03:32:57 | More by whitestag

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

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

I grabbed this beer as part of a mixed six at Half Time in Poughkeepsie. Its definitely a case of NOT judging a book by its cover.

Pours a deep dark brown with bubbly head that quickly fades away leaving a few bubbles skating around.

Smells sweet, sour and then a little smoky. That was not quite expected. It is definitely an enticing smell.

Taste is very is rich. Sweet dark fruit with a bit of that smokiness in the background. A beer with such a high ABV that is this smooth is a rare treat.

Carbonation is very good for this dark wheat beer and it really goes down smoothly. My first impression of Ramstein is a good one!

To think a German style beer like this is coming out of New Jersey! Good on you Jersey folks!

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2008 01:26:39 | More by indiapaleale

jwhawkins81

Ohio

3/5  rDev -28.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

After reviewing this beer and looking over the previous reviews I wonder if I got the bottom of the barrel on this one. Seemingly I may need to revisit this one some day.

Smell: A sweet wheat malt aroma was all I was able to pick up.

Appearance: Poured dark a brown with a hint of red. Light brown head that quickly dissipated and provided no lacing.

Taste: Sweet alcohol taste upfront that gave way to a sour finish.

Mouthfeel: Thin with no carbonation.

Drinkability: Became almost tedious without any carbonation. Again this was on-tap so I may have had the dregs.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2008 18:06:49 | More by jwhawkins81

ThirstyBird

Germany

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to timmush for the opportunity to try this one in our trade.
12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass
Pours very dark brown light barley penetrates but does show a slightly reddish hue. Head is light tan which falls to a ring.
I get dark bread, wheat, toasted malt, fruit and some molasses.
Sweet and fruity in flavor. I get prunes as well as the molasses malt with a little bit of spicy hops on the finish
Medium body and quite smooth with a little carbonation tingle.
This is a very nice wiesenbock - great for a cold weather drink. Has similarities to a dopplebock in it's richness and fruitiness. Interesting take and delicious. It's hard to believe that it's 9.5%!

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2008 02:08:10 | More by ThirstyBird

Beertracker

Oklahoma

4.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Ramstein Winter Wheat pours up vigorously with a neat creamish-tan head that tops a slightly cloudy deep russet-dark brown body. The slightly roasty nose has a lightly spicy/phenolic (allspice, cloves, nutmeg) character with a low-moderate fruitiness (apple, banana, pear). No bubblegum, some notable chocolate roastiness underlying the sweet melanoidins. The flavor starts off with some caramel sweetness that is supported by a moderate roasted barley/wheat graininess that's marked by just a touch of bitterness to balance the richness. The underlying spiciness also helps to carry this one along to a slightly dry, surprisingly roasty & warming finish. This medium-full bodied weizenbock has good complexity and creaminess, but is overly roasty for my tastes. Here's to Gemütlichkeit & the Reinheitsgebot which are obviously alive & well in New Jersey.

PROST! Beertracker

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2008 03:59:51 | More by Beertracker

Oxymoron

Colorado

2.75/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Not what I was expecting but ok. Pours a mostly cloudy coca-cola brown color. The pour needed some help but did provide a off white head that was surprisingly soft. Limited retention though and not much lacing.

The nose has a mix of malt and phenolics. To start, there is a nice malt essence with some kettle caramel and hints of chocolate and toffee. Not much on the wheat end though. There is a huge phenolic nose that is really off setting and distracts from the maltiness of the beer. There are hints of metallic and white pepper, but both are light.

The taste is not as phenolic but still off. The malt backs off a bit, which is a bit hinder from the carbonation. The malt is limited with more of a base malt taste. Chocolate comes out as well, but again, no really wheat flavors. Had to double check the style on this one. There is more of a yeast character as well, with some darker fruits, plums and a touch of raisins. Some minor hints of banana and cloves but light. At first I didn't pick out the metallic but as it warmed, the blood flavor came out.

The body is moderate to big. The carbonation was too big even if you don't consider style. I distracted some of the maltiness of the beer. Overall there were a lot of distractions in this beer to really enjoy. I wonder if it is better fresh.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2008 16:47:57 | More by Oxymoron

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

3.88/5  rDev -7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours opaque mahogany with crimson edging. Barely a trace of spritzy head rose up before instantly dissapearing. Zero lacework or retention.

Aromatics are full-on malty, with a trace of chocolate and a good whiff of alcohol. Quite clean and caramel-stuffed.

On the thick side of medium bodied, sticky and slick. Low carbonation adds some cloyness.

Rich malt, caramel, and chocolate lead off the pallet. Alcohol follows through with some substantial warmth. A slight tang from the wheat but otherwise a very clean lager.

Finishes with lingering caramel, chocolate and some faint wet paper.

This one is tasting a bit stale, or maybe it was never too spectacular to begin with?
The lack of carbonation and poor retention is not a good sign, regardless.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2008 00:39:35 | More by brewandbbq

brdc

Wisconsin

3.83/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks yobdoog for this one.

Small capped bottle, poured into an Aventinus glass.
It is a very dark brown brew, with a voluminous tan head that shows very little retention and some lacing.
Nice aroma with bubblegum, some malty sweetness and fruitiness.
Limited carbonation, somewhat thin on the palate, it is mostly sweet and fruity, but has a hint of acidity that was unexpected and a little out of place.
Nice, but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2008 02:32:07 | More by brdc

sloejams

California

4.15/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

part of Top 100 BIF - thanks to PEBKAC for this one

The pour looks a bit like a root beer though decidedly less carbonated. In the nose, I caught some clove, some raisin and roasted malt. The flavors were nice, adding a fruitiness like chardonnay masked ny a malt foreground. Very interesting and complex.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2008 23:43:00 | More by sloejams

number1bum

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Part of NEPA BC split #13.

This pour was truly perplexing...what started out as a very dark brown, slightly reddish around the edges brew with a very nice two fingers of coffee colored head almost instantly changed to something that looks like flat cola. The head looked initially nice but was very fizzy and receded in about 15 seconds to absolutely nothing. I've never seen anything like it. Didn't leave even a trace, which is very disappointing.

Smell is musty and earthy, but not in a good way. Smells sort of metallic, too. So far I am not getting how this is rated so highly by so many. There's some sweetness there and some wheat, maybe a little bit of spice, but really not much going on and nothing very good going on.

The taste, luckily was not nearly as disastrous as the smell, but it still isn't my thing. Has a bit of caramel or brown sugar like sweetness, some spice and wheat, but there is a big anise/black licorice flavor that I don't really care for. Some dark fruit too, and maybe even a bit of yeast. Mouthfeel is pretty close to full bodied, yet it tastes thin. The carbonation is pretty active, which is a good thing in this case to keep it moving down the pipes.

I have a hard time believing there was anything wrong with this batch because it was part of a case split and no one else seemed to share my sentiments. Both bottles I had were equally lousy. I think I just plain don't care for it. Too bad. I won't be back for more.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2008 22:36:52 | More by number1bum

alexgash

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark maple syrup amber brown. Slight haze. Small, ringy, light khaki head disappears early on. Nose of rich chocolate chip banana bread malts, spicy carrot cake, faint coffee roastedness, clove, anise, and Gerber banana baby food. Very nice!

Light roasted malt and a flash of noble hop bitterness up front. Chocolate malt with a sweet edge leads to rich banana bread. Sweetish and yeasty and delicious. Dark notes of tobacco and vanilla mix with yeasty cloves. Small amounts of noble hop bitterness in the yeasty finish. Lingering chocolate. Full-bodied protein-rich feel. Creamy and maybe slightly undercarbonated. All in all a great weizenbock.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2008 02:17:42 | More by alexgash

Greenlabel

New Hampshire

4.35/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Purchased a fresh 6-pack in Boonton, NJ on a recent trip. Noted that the bottles were freshness dated - kudos to Ramstein for that.

The pour was a gorgeous black with a contrasting white lasting head. I thought the smell to be a bit syrupy but the taste quickly eliminated any concerns about that possibility. Hard to describe the taste due to its complexity. Strong malted wheat character, sweet yet also hoppy and dry. Plenty of body yet, despite its high ABV, it goes down easy - probably dangerously so. It would never be mistaken for a session beer.

An intriguing and enjoyable product - definitely the best of the Ramstein bottled items I've tried. Hope I can acquire it again next winter.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2008 23:55:48 | More by Greenlabel

BadBadger

New York

4.4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ramstein Winter Wheat from High Point Wheat Beer Company is a pleasant taste treat. It pours a brown color from the bottle. There is a nice sized tan foamy head (short lasting). The smell is a mixture of grassy notes and a few hints of citrus coming through. The taste brings to mind thoughts of cloves, grass, and fruit (put together this is a very nice sensation for the palate). There is no indication of the ABV in either the smell or taste. A pleasant mouthfeel. A highly recommended weizenbock and a new favorite. Seek out and enjoy one!

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2008 23:00:46 | More by BadBadger

malcontent

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Holy crap! I read "winter wheat" on the bottle but didn't expect this imperial stout-looking liquid to pour into my glass. Absolutely pitch-black body with a great two fingers of head. Streams of bubbles rocket up the glass' sides to the top. NOTE: although there isn't a category for it, this is a LOUD beer. Think Rice Crispies in a glass. Will that hurt mouthfeel? Stay tuned...

Interesting. A definite theme of bubblegum and clove competes with slightly sour fruit and dark roasted notes.

Yeah, it's a weird mash-up of flavors. On one hand, there are absolutely all the hallmarks of German weisse brewing; bubble gum and lemony zing really hammer that home. However, a strong roasted character shifts toward a mildly fruity and then into full-on tart raspberry territory. As I drink it, though, I go from kind of liking it to flat-out craving more. Mmm...

The sound that seemed to have betrayed over-carbonation turns out to be a false alarm as the mouthfeel is never fizzy. In fact, it borders on slightly tired. Still, what a fun and, as winter brews go, refreshing beer. Thanks to Emerge077 for the sample.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2008 17:24:43 | More by malcontent

dsa7783

New Jersey

4.68/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

12 oz single bottle purchased from Buy Rite on Oak Tree in South Plainfield for $2.99...
First thought - this tastes exactly like a Dr. Pepper or a Cherry Cola...
Exceptional dark-black, opaque colored hue with an immense five-fingered frothy head that displayed impressive staying power...
Sublte malt-like smell replete with cocoa, espresso, and dehydrated-fruit nuances....
As mentioned before, tastes very similar to a Dr. Pepper or Cherry-flavored Cola, with noticeable caramel, mocha, espresso, toffee, creamy vanilla, and latte flavors combining to produce a magical-tasting and exceptional brew...
Great rich, thick, filling mouthfeel full of flavor and quality...
Good drinkability as well despite the hefty ABV and rich conglomeration of flavors...
Excellent stuff... Definitely recommended...

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 19:44:36 | More by dsa7783

ncvbc

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown chestnut color. A nice light tan head that is enormous on the first pour, settling after a minute or so. A careful second pour produces a nice head that fades within a few minutes to a ring. Smell is sweet with moderate spice. Raisin, light caramel and chocolate, clove. Good taste that begins with darker fruits and ends on the spicy side. Light yeast and a sour character in there. Mouthfeel is a tad light but so silky smooth with good carbonation. No hint of alcohol. I can't believe it's so big because I detected it nowhere while drinking this beer.

Thanks to Lupe for the extra!

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2008 01:12:56 | More by ncvbc