Muskoka Hefe-Weissbier - Muskoka Brewery

Stonepot

Ontario (Canada)

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

Very surprisingly delicious. Pours a great cloudy orange color into my dimpled pint glass, and had a good strong head that stayed most of the way down. Nice aroma and a fruity smell with a sweetish aftertaste. I will be trying more from Muskoka Brewery.

Serving type: can

09-27-2009 13:53:32 | More by Stonepot

Molson2000

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

09-18-2012 22:48:59 | More by Molson2000

kelvarnsen

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +5.8%

11-30-2011 16:38:42 | More by kelvarnsen

TheHammer

Ontario (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Disappointedly clear for the hefe as the body is not very cloudy, however it boasts ample carbonation. It produced a finger's worth of head that sadly didn't lace or retain.

Smell: I'm looking forward to this as ample banana scent is dominating the beer. There a little bit of light cloves, wheat and citrus in the background but banana is certainly dominant. Clearly present and didn't require much warming to come out.

Taste: Mmm...Banana, it just doesn't stop coming. Seriously, I'm almost wondering if artificial flavouring is at work here. Light wheat malt with banana notes start us off as the banana builds with the barest notes of spice and citrus ending with a spice accent with, you guessed it banana. It just barely squeaks in at 4.5. I would give it a 4.25 given the lack of diversity in the beer and the almost suspicious universal banana. However, except for Denison's I haven't had a better Hefe.

Mouthfeel: One guess at what the aftertaste tastes like. You guessed it a nice light Banana. A very nice buildup with this beer to a light end, and a pleasant aftertaste. Carbonation is good too, but the head disappearing early keeps it from a perfect score.

Drinkability: This beer went down incredibly quick. Smooth, refreshing, light bodied and flavourful it does just about everything right. It's only flaw is sadly it's greatest strength and that's the overwhelming banana, which I could see getting old. I'd give it 4.75 if I could, but honestly I think it deserves the 5 with how easy it goes down and how nicely it sits down.

Final Thoughts: I think I made it very clear just how much banana flavour is present in this hefe. There isn't a whole lot wrong with this beer, and what is wrong can be overlooked. If you want a hefe with banana flavour, this is it. If you are looking for a bit more complexity, maybe not. However given this is clearly marketed as a summer, cottage country brew complexity is probably not what you wanted when you bought this beer. Thumbs up on this one.

Serving type: can

01-05-2011 06:03:59 | More by TheHammer

Swedes21

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

473 ml poured in a chilled pint glass...

Appearance - beer pours with a great amount of carbonation and a nice fizz noise. The head is a white foamy head that produces minimal lacing. The beer is a solid ale colour with a decent amount of carbonation appearing.

Smell - Can smell a hint of citrus, possible orange. As well, it kind of smells like dried banana's, different for sure. Not a strong hop smell coming from this beer.

Taste - I am totally taken back by the taste, based on the appearance and smell, i was not expecting this strong of a showing. Solid zest presents as well a hint of the banana flavour. Minimal aftertaste as well. Very clean tasting beer.

Mouthfeel - not a lot of carbonation occurs in the mouthfeel. The flavour would represent the same amount as in the tasting. The mouthfeel does not add an overall impact to this beer. Beer is light on the palette.

Drinkability - I liked this beer and was taken back as i did not expect as strong as a showing in the taste department. I would like to have this beer in stock to let others sample it.

Serving type: can

10-22-2010 01:43:03 | More by Swedes21

grac1970

Ontario (Canada)

2.63/5  rDev -30.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A = a dark orange or amber looking colour with a medium sized head
S = a blend of orange/fruit with spice scent
T = taste of orange and other fruity accents with an overwhelming spicy taste
M - a somewhat dry bitter feel
D = This was the first Hefeweizen I've tasted. I think I was caught off guard by the spicy taste and therefore I'm not sure if my review is completely fair because I only drank half the glass (interrupted by activities that needed my attention and not having gotten the chance to finish the glass). Perhaps a second taste of this beer or another Hefe would help me decide whether this type of beer is for me.

Serving type: can

10-11-2010 23:21:48 | More by grac1970

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +4%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Fizzy head gone in less than 2 minutes. Looks filtered. Yellowy/orange in colour with medium carbonation. Probably the worst LOOKING hefe I've ever poured.

S - Yeasty, orange notes, not much beyond that which I can pick up.

T - Lot's of orange. The taste blows away the previous two fields. Banana and peach possibly in there too. I want to say bubblegum too. Nice stuff.

M - Medum to full body. Medium carbonation. Flows well.

D - Quite high, a nice surprise. This beer has tons of flavour and a respectable ABV.

Serving type: can

10-11-2010 13:26:35 | More by tbeckett

a74gent

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Based on 7/9/10 tasting:

Very, very original flavor. Not much in the way of head, but a darker than normal color for a hefe. This one was I should admit 4 months past the best by date. A tasty, banany treat...too much banana I'd say. With every drink I take, I say way too much banana flavor.

Serving type: can

08-30-2010 00:57:33 | More by a74gent

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hazy, not cloudy, caramel colour with a nearly non-existent head -- just a thin collar and skim of bubbles on top of the beer. This really misses the mark for me. Caramel and banana aromas hit first, followed by more subtle spices, bubblegum, and grain husks. Fruity banana up front in the flavour with the same grainy character. Caramel sweetness, slight sourness, mild spice and citrus. Appropriate low bitterness. Medium to light bodied with medium to high carbonation. Refreshing and lively on the palate. Not a bad effort, but could use some refinement -- particularly in the appearance but also in removing the grainy, husky character.

Serving type: can

08-28-2010 02:08:48 | More by DrJay

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I've tried this before, but have yet to review it. More from the tasting notes on my BlackBerry from my trip to Ontario.

A - Pours bright golden colour with the slightest haze, no real head and no real lacing.

S - Cloves dominate the scent with some citrus zest (orange and lemon) coming through on the finish.

T - Bubble gum is probably the best flavour description I can think of. Cloves and bananas also make and appearance. Pretty tasty, but nothing mind blowing.

M - Light and bubbly with a bit of a champagne feel. Big bubbles fill the tongue, leading it to be a bit too light.

D - QUite nice and tasty. Was a little disappointed with the appearance and scent, but the flavour offered some unique characteristics and pulled it over the finish line.

Serving type: can

08-25-2010 04:07:06 | More by andrenaline

IllNate

British Columbia (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Courtesy of Liamt07, cheers!

A - A cloudy golden yellow hue. Fizzy head that disappears immediately.

S - Usual clove and banana smell. Leaning towards the banana side. Not detecting any hop aroma.

T - Wheat, banana and clove. Tiny bit of orange. Slight tangy aftertaste.

M - As it warms in the mouth the carbonation comes out, creating a nice mouth fell.

D - Good. I would probably move to something else if given the choice in a pub though.

Serving temp: 8c (46f)

Serving type: can

07-23-2010 23:07:43 | More by IllNate

decimator

Ontario (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From the OCB Discovery Pack Summer 2010.
473ml can poured into a Weizen glass.

A - Poured a cloudy orange-gold with a 1cm head that quickly vanished. No lacing either. Weak looking for a hefeweizen.

S - Wheat, yeast, orange peel, a bit of bananas and a bit of spiciness.

T - Typical hefeweizen taste of wheat, bananas & spices but just all around light. The banana flavours were more apparent as the beer warmed up.

M - Creamy with a light tang. Low carbonation for a wheat beer.

D - The lack of carbonation really weaken the aroma & taste. It's not a bad beer just very underwhelming for the style.

Serving type: can

07-03-2010 01:29:16 | More by decimator

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a pale orange colour with some white head. Not enough of a cloudy head for the style though. I seem to remember more head in cans I had last year, but I could be remembering wrong.

Smells of lemon, cloves, banana and I think cantaloupe. Taste is what you'd expect in a nice hefe, with the clove, banana and some lemon, but with the sweetness of the melon.

This is very nice hefe. A little bit too thin as there is a lot of carbonation in the mouthfeel without the thick head. While Denison's is clearly the king of this style in Ontario, this is a respectable 2nd place in my opinion.

Serving type: can

04-20-2010 21:43:05 | More by kwjd

cratez

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

473ml can from the LCBO. Pours a dark and cloudy mango orange with golden yellow hues and a super thin ring of bubbly white head. Smell and taste are light floral hop, sweet resin, orange peel, wheat malt, cream, mild nuttiness, clove, subtle suggestions of banana and yeast, and a grainy, malted finish. Exudes some unusual flavours and aromas for the style, but lacks the boldness of the better hefeweizens. Mouthfeel is creamy, spicy, thinnish medium, average carbonation, chalky wheat/clove aftertaste. Tasty, drinkable, and inoffensive, though not much more. I will re-evaluate the draught at Chancey Smith's. However, as of now I'm disappointed by this well-regarded brew.

EDIT: this is a completely different beer on tap. Way more citrus, lemon, and banana in the nose and flavour, with lots of yeast coming through. I've upped the score as a result.

Serving type: can

04-17-2010 05:11:28 | More by cratez

Ralphus

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Lately I find myself becoming more interested in wheat beers and I was somewhat surprised that a decent one had been sitting under my nose for a long time. I generally overlook canned beers but this one came recommended so I gave it a shot.

It looks ok. Darkish gold colored beer with a soft white head or in some cases no head at all. Some lacing may be left down the side of the glass. I prefer my heads to be quite a bit more wheatish and poofy on a hefeweizen.

Smell is good. Fresh, lemon citrus, melons & banana. This continues into the taste with the same and an added bit of clove. Its easy on the palate without finishing overly sweet.

Mouthfeel is solid. Light and refreshing and this aids drinkability.

Serving type: can

02-27-2010 23:29:20 | More by Ralphus

Mora2000

Texas

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

Thanks to bu11zeye for sharing this can.

Pours a somewhat hazy golden straw color with a white head. The aroma is what is expected, strong banana and cloves. The flavor is wheat, banana and clove, with the cloves being pretty subtle. High carbonation, thin body.

Serving type: can

02-02-2010 17:31:28 | More by Mora2000

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Haven't had this since the summer; thought I'd see if the beer does well in cooler climes.

Poured a typical opaque light golden. About an inch head that quickly disappears to a thin circle, only a few scattered bits of lacing.

The smell is nice: coriander, citrus, banana.

Actually, a very drinkable local hefe. More on the sweet side of the hefe scale, very smooth. Usual suspects are there: banana, cloves, spice and citrus. Quite tasty.

Mouthfeel needed a bit more carbonation, but the texture was about right.

Well worth a pickup; as tasty now as it was on my patio in the heat!

Serving type: can

12-10-2009 01:45:13 | More by JohnnyBarman

ZorPrime

Quebec (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Received from Bobsy as a trade. Cheers Bobsy!

The color is golden yellow. The head is nice but disappear quickly. Nice looking but nothing out of the ordinary or special about this beer. On the aroma I get the typical smell of Hefeweizen. Banana and spices (probably cloves). On the taste side, fruits with spices notes. Not bad, this is a very refreshing beer. This would be my go to beers during the summer if I had something similar in Quebec.

Thanks Bobsy!

Serving type: can

10-28-2009 00:50:49 | More by ZorPrime

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pint can from the LCBO, pours an orangey yellow with a nice haze, only about a finger of foamy head with poor retention, though there's some streams of bubbles rising from the bottom.

Nose is full in banana and apples mixed with a nice amount of spice. Balanced, mild and yet all there.

The taste is all there in this one to make for a delightful flavor. Bananas, apples, a light graininess, a faint grassy/herbal note, long finish. Unfortunately, it is brought down by a serious lack of carbonation for the style. The flavors are left hanging and you're left wondering how good this could be. A little more body, a little more carb and this one is a serious hit.

Serving type: can

09-20-2009 00:32:54 | More by ritzkiss

ecoastman

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Drinkability - I was surprised at how good this beer smelled and tasted. If they improve on the carbonation and the creaminess of the mouthfeel then they will have an international winner. If the price is right, I'll use it to subsidize my expensive german import habit.

Appearance - a straw coloured orange hazy glow in a hefe-weizen glass. Starts with a creamy head and recedes to a thin layer with little lacing.

Smell - a very nice representation of the style with clear banana, bubblegum and clove aromas.

Taste - very good and again, representative of the style. Like the smell, it actually compares well with some of the better german hefes. There's a nice lemon/orange citrus in the background.

Mouthfeel - smooth and refreshing but the carbonation is too low and not sustained. This may take away from the creaminess of the beer.

Later I noticed other reviews comment that the carbonation was good - I look forward to reassessing...

Serving type: can

09-09-2009 02:16:18 | More by ecoastman

nokes

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This went into my Saskatchewan Roughriders Hefe glass, and it filled it nicely. Hazy apricot with a 2" frothy head and a few (but not many) bubbles rising. Looks wicked! Wait! Where's that beautiful head going? It's dying quickly (looks nice as it goes)...and it's gone. Faint ring and almost no lacing. What a shame.

Smells nice. Bananas mostly, but citrus, too. I guess maybe some cloves.

Taste...hey! Nice beer! This is good! Quite fruity with a wheaty tang. Lots of banana and orange citrus there, tropical fruity (no, not fruit punch...good tropical fruity) and a moderately dry finish.

Mouthfeel is really pretty good. Much better than their Dark and Cream Ales. Still could be fuller, bolder, but it's good. There is more carbonation than I expected having looked at it, but it's nicely balanced.

This is very drinkable. I could quaff these all day. Refreshing, happy beer for warm summer (or early fall, or late spring, or wishful winter) days.

I'll be back for more of this some day, and it's an Ontario beer, which makes me happy. I regularly drink Muskoka's Premium Lager, and this one I like even better. Pity it's not on the Beer Store's discount brands list, but I understand why. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

Serving type: can

09-07-2009 19:43:02 | More by nokes

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

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

Another pint from those taps that I stare at every morning whilst having breakfast at my hotel bar...

This beer pours a slightly hazy medium golden hue, with two fingers of soapy white head, which leaves a decent ring of lace around the glass. It smells quite nicely of banana, lemon, orange, and soft yeast. The taste is mild white grain, yeast, more banana, and light cloves. The carbonation on the low side, the body fairly solid, if a bit clammy and clingy, and it finishes consistently, with some more floral, yeasty, fruitiness.

This is one of the better Canadian Hefes that I've had, as I will admit freely that I'm not particularly thrilled by the style; moreover, this hit the spot on a quiet Friday night in the Big Smoke.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2009 20:57:06 | More by biboergosum

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A sunny and softened shade of clementine with a stream of white gold that seeps up from the bottom. The characteristic weissbier haze is in good form. The only thing lacking from this appearance is the large, pillowy pillar of white plaster that beers of this style are typically topped up with. This surface is as flat as early-antiquity's perception of Earth.

But it certainly does smells like Muskoka has hit the Nagel on the Kopf. A super-phenolic yeast is most prominent and espouses spices the likes of clove and coriander with a rich vanilla. Hints of over-ripened fruits are also present, banana leading the way (as usual). The malts are toasty and lightly grainy. This is shaping up to be ausgezeignet!

And the taste confirms it. This phenolic, fruit-filled yeast, so characteristically defining of the style, is on the beer like a pit bull on a poodle. Every sip is a mouthful of creamy vanilla and peppery, clove-like spice. It is surely responsible for all this bubble-gum and banana flavour that improve upon the simple, but pleasantly toasty malt bill.

The yeast strains of hefe-weissbiers are untypically flashy and flamboyant for anything of German heredity but they are absolutely requisite for the style. The fruity esters and nuanced phenolics - more so than the big fluffy head and amped up carbonation - are the indispensable qualities of this wonderful style. I'm glad Muskoka understood that.

As far as the specifics, Muskoka has done an excellent job. The mouthfeel is full and incredibly creamy, yet appreciably light at the same time. The beer is quenching, if not to say downright quaffable. Low bitterness affords a light zestiness to spruce up the palate and prop even more life into an already lively, highly carbonated mouthfeel.

Hey Muskoka: This is sehr gut! Wheat beers are incredibly refreshing and enjoyable, never more so than in the hot weather, and I'm glad I discovered this one in time, before summer came to its end. I bet I'll be enjoying a few more of these too, even if I do have some of the all-time classic (and my favourite) German weissbiers also at my disposal.

Serving type: can

08-06-2009 22:09:42 | More by biegaman

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dirty straw, pours with a white head, absolutely no retention or lacing.

S: Big clove aroma, with some nice banana bread.

T: Pleasant banana & clove spicing, bready maltyness, pineapple & hints of vanilla. It tastes surprisingly good... and is well above most new-world hefes.

M: Moderate body is well carbonated.

D: A decent drinker.

Serving type: can

08-06-2009 22:02:49 | More by Derek

mintjellie

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pale orange and slightly hazy. Massive billowy white head is well retained and leaves behind a few small patches of thick lace. Beautiful beer.

Pleasing aromas of banana and bubblegum. A little bit of spice in the background. Faint grassyness.

Sweet bubblegum is the dominant flavour with some banana flavour present as well. Nice wheat tang midway through with vanilla in the finish. Bubblegum character really intensifies as the beer warms. Very mild bitterness in the finish is overwhelmed by everything else going on.

Between light and medium bodied, with smooth carbnation. It's creamy and easy to drink. A lot of people say that Denison's is better, and I would agree. I don't think this is that far behind it though. I'll be making this a staple beer.

Serving type: can

07-21-2009 01:19:42 | More by mintjellie