Augustiner Bräu Weissbier - Augustiner-Bräu Wagner KG

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle from World Wide Spirits
Best before 06.12
Poured into a Weihenstephaner weizen glass

Augustiner's weissbier is a fairly solid example of the style, full of banana esters, tart wheat, and bubblegum flavors. What it lacks in overall complexity, it makes up for with intensity and robustness of aroma and flavor. It would be nice to see this distributed in North America, where it would be in my regular rotation with Weihenstephaner, Ayinger, Franziskaner, and Schneider.

Pours, as expected, a huge, billowing head, slightly off-white in color, that descends to leave some modest streaks of lacing. Head is viscous enough to form some interesting cobweb-like formations with itself, such that it literally sticks like a membrane across the sides of the glass attached to the main body of foam. I'm not sure of the chemistry or physics behind it, I've never encountered this before, but it's pretty cool. Eventually, the head collapses to a 0.5cm cap atop the beer, and the "cobwebs" are displaced when swirling the beer for aroma. Body color is a dark golden orange away from light; a bright, but hazy orange-yellow when held to a lamp.

Fairly substantial aroma of heavy banana bread and bubblegum, unfortunately a bit one-dimensional in this regard. Other, less noticeable scents, are of cooked wheat/barley cereal and brewer's yeast, with a bit of creamed corn on the back.

Tip of tongue tastes cooked wheat/barley cereal with a slight yeasty edge. Front of palate picks up primarily wheat malt sweetness with a bit of tanginess, alongside strong banana esters and some bubblegum. Mid-palate continues the banana tastes, along with a slight bit of lemon citrus and bubblegum. Back of palate picks up wheat malt and yeast flavors. Aftertaste of lingering ripe bananas, mild tartness, and slight graininess.

Solidly medium-bodied with a slight light or watery feel around the edges. Carbonation is moderate, foaming the beer a bit on the palate, but leaving the beer feel primarily creamy and smooth. Finish is semi-dry, with a bit of stickiness around the lips, which is satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 03:58:35 | More by falloutsnow

kojevergas

California

2.42/5  rDev -38.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

500ml bottle served into a mug/stein hybrid glass in Berlin, Germany. Reviewed from notes taken in June, 2011.

A: Six finger head of nice cream and thickness, darkened white colour, and good retention. Lovely orange-copper colour.

Sm: Orange citrus ester hops. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Hoppy fruit orange citrus esters ride atop a pleasant wheat body. Nicely complex for the style; it's usually more simple. Built well for the style. Standard ester choices. It'd be nice overall, but it's almost watery.

Mf: A bit stale, or at least old. Doesn't match the taste. Very awkward to the point of ruining the beer. Smooth and wet enough, but a bit bland. Could certainly be improved.

Dr: Fairly priced, average quality, and almost a bit watery. Try it, but don't expect too much. The mouthfeel needs serious work.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 13:36:23 | More by kojevergas

dasenebler

Maine

4.18/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

.5L, best before the end of October 2011.

Nice and cloudy orange-brown, not quite as dark as the picture above indicates. Creamy and copious head, which rose about half an inch above the rim after a careful pour.

Aroma is bright, yeasty and banana-like, with a spicy and clovey background.

Good flavor, very smooth and reserved. It's not as lively or sweet as some Hefeweizen, in fact, it's a little more bitter and a tad medicinal. Nice bready aftertaste, and pretty rich flavors for a Hefeweizen. Not a whole lot of fruit -- a hint of orange in front of a mellow banana backdrop. Very creamy and coating mouthfeel, with refreshing carbonation.

This is one of the classics. Just revisited it, so I'm re-reviewing and upping the score. Great stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 17:26:27 | More by dasenebler

thierrynantes

France

3.73/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer bottle (50 cl.), tasted in 2010.

Appearance : golden color, with white foamy head (nice lacing).
Smell : wheat, banana and yeast aromas.
Taste and moutfeel : caramel and wheat flavours, spicy notes.
Drinkability : a good beer in the style Hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 17:56:37 | More by thierrynantes

Augustiner719

Connecticut

4.97/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this at the tattenbau several times in Munich. Poured from a 500ml bottle properly swirled into an augustiner weissbier glass each time.

This is my perfect hefeweizen. Only the look gets points taken off because it was just a bit to clear and the head receded a little faster than normally found on other wheat beers. Really nice hazy orange yellow color with a nice foamy head. Great lacing down the glass tracks each swig. The aromas were unbelievable clean and focused. Easily the best smelling hefeweizen I have experienced. There was a great light banana and bubblegum flavor that was similar to it's aroma. Fresh cut lemons and some thyme came through also. Mouthfeel was spot on the the style for me. Also had a nice crisp finish despite it's juicy flavors. Drinkability was perfect, and again, what a shame you can't get this in the states.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2010 20:14:18 | More by Augustiner719

czfreeman

Michigan

4.72/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Really dig one of Munich's finest Breweries, but this one is a first for me.
Poured into my Andechs Weizen glass, Augustiner is beautiful to behold. Light banana-golden hay color, light brown hints around the edges, medium carbonation. This brew is capped by a simply spectacular head that is textbook Hefe. Thick, creamy, foamy slowly settling into to lacy pock-marked perfection.
On to aromatics, rich on the banana-clove, orange, sweet candied citrus, a touch of hay-like mustiness, nice Hefe tartness, light peppery esters add into the mix. This gives Weihenstephan run for it's money.
First sip--Sweet, creamy-like banana, apple, bread, orange,pepper, musty, yeast adding a nice twist of spice. This brew begins sweet, creamy, thick and full, ends a bit sweet as well but a light peppery zip and a full blast of clove and perfect carbonation really add a whole level of complexity. This Hefe is quickly becoming one of the best I've had, as I search through the mental files for comparasion. It is surprisingly warming in both the throat and stomach with subsequent sips for a relatively low ABV, the peppery-citrus finish is really a fantastic high point for this brew.
Mouthfeel is perfection. Creamy, sweet, yet tart and biting in one mouthful. What begins as sweet banana-cream ends with clove-pepper orange tartness and spice. The carbonation is perfect. Not too biting at first, yet plays a background role, accenting the flavor at the finish. This beer i light, fresh and tart and full and robust all in one. Milky creamy-and biting? I really can't go on enough about the balance at work here.
It is a shame this is such a rarity, as I believe I had discovered one of the world's great Hefe's. My score reflects my satisfaction and impression of a truly fantastic beer after seemingly no end to the monotony I find sometimes in German brew. Seek this out and drink it!

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2010 21:36:21 | More by czfreeman

leighton

New York

4.18/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Delicious. I had this beer on my first night in Berlin. Although I was drinking alone (during this wanderlust I'm travelling solo), the Augustiner more than made up for it. A tasty weissbier with a cloudy, golden color. Taste is smooth - and stays that way from the first sip to the last - with a hint of caramel.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2009 14:04:39 | More by leighton

TheSarge

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Augustiner's Hefeweizen offering pours quite easily, and produces a fair amount of head retention. The foam is brilliantly white. The body of this brew is among the haziest of weizen beers, with lots of carbonation vividly displayed through the murky caramel colored body.

Aroma qualities are a bit faint. I detect an arid peppery fragrance, with a slight sweet balance of a banana undertone.

The taste is pleasantly banana dominant, with a kick of an ashy peppery essence.

With the slightly potent amount of CO2 in this brew, it has a biting feel; however, finishes off smooth with a slight oily slickness.

Augustiner's beers are either very exceptional or they miss the mark sometimes. This offering of hefeweizen from them is above par and I highly recommend you all give it a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2009 17:16:50 | More by TheSarge

atis

Finland

4.2/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500 ml bottle from Munich

Pours cloudy orange with huge rocky head. Aroma is perfect - fresh and rich - juicy, fruity, slightly spicy. The usual banana with some cloves and considerable amount of orange, maybe some lemon. Taste is good as well, but not too typical - it somewhat felt a bit too strong or intense - not sure if it is the bitterness or it is too spicy. Aftertaste is milder and much more pleasant. I also had a feeling that it has slightly too much carbonation.

Overall, quite good Weizen. It is a pity I did not have enough time to try it on tap when visting Munich the last time.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2009 19:31:47 | More by atis

Jeffo

Netherlands

2.78/5  rDev -29.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Got this at Bert's Huis in Utrecht.

From a bottle into my Weizen glass.

APPEARANCE: Golden orange in colour. Very clear for a weizen, closer to a kristallweizen but not advertised as such. Medium carbonation evident. Pours a medium white head that is relatively thin and doesn't retain overly well. Levels out to a film and leaves some lacing. Looks okay, but not like a top weizen.

SMELL: Mostly wheat malt in the nose. That's it. Not overly strong and not as complex as I've come to expect from the style. Pleasant, but not worth writing home about. Below average.

TASTE: Some wheat malt initially and a bit of sour bread in the aftertaste, but nothing overwhelming. No off flavors, but nothing worth noting. Could be stronger and more complex. Again, slightly below what is expected for the style.

PALATE: Medium body and slightly creamy. Goes down smooth, no bite, and finishes with an appropriate amount of stickiness. Carbonation is on the lower end of the spectrum. Nice feel.

OVERALL: A decent weizen, but nothing special. I'd expected more from this brewery, which makes some great lager beer. Actually, their weizen seemed to be influenced by their lager beer, which made it less of a great weizen. There are better out there. As a final note, the oddly shaped bottle made it impossible to do the traditional weizen pour. That took something out of the experience as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2008 19:23:05 | More by Jeffo

swizzlenuts

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A Orange color with a good sized head. It has decent retention and looks good.

The beer has a banana smell with the usual bready yeast smell. The beer is quite carbonated and has a fruity taste to it. The taste in the wheat beer seems to be rather lacking. There is a bit of bitterness that I wasn't expecting. It tastes alright, but I'd choose many other German Wheat beers over this.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2008 18:54:02 | More by swizzlenuts

Ungespundet

Germany

4.3/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Weißbierprobe 2008! Whos the best in greater München? Augustiner vs. Unertl vs. Schneiderweisse vs. Erdingers fresh on the market Ur-Weisse!!! Too close to call between two of the Weißbiers. Augustiner and Schneiderweisse were the strongest but offer the drinker two very different Weißbiers. Highly recommended of course are both. The new offering from Erdinger(since Jan/08) was good and much much better than than usual offering of less than worthy Weißbier! Unertl was a disappointment and I will have to test them again at a later date due to there reputation here in Bayern. It happens...maybe I got a bad one....

What more can you say about Augustiner? Their Weißbiers way underrated only by those who have never had it. Guess what..the people in München know the difference. This aint no Franziskaner blah blah Weißbier..This is the real deal! Head was absolutely perfect! Aroma is of Fruit, bananas, and pears. The malt is wonderfully toasted and this Bier evens feature hints of citrus! The flavor is malty and citrusy with a twang. The bitterness is wonderful. Damn well made! Tough to decide between this and Schneider

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2008 17:47:09 | More by Ungespundet

HappyHourHero

Indiana

2.65/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Light aroma of apricots and banana. Tall, dense, off-white head leaves some nice strands of lace. Hazy, glowing tequila sunrise colored beer. The flavor is just missing. A touch of citrus flavor and a hint of banana on my breath afterwards are all the flavor there is. The most dominant flavor is the carbonic acid. I didn't think it was possible to make a bad Hefe Weizen, but this one has me thinking otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2006 21:08:35 | More by HappyHourHero

SuperSpy

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Orangish-brown and very cloudy with a huge rocky head.

S - spice dominates with clove and just a hint of coriander.

T - This flavor is all about the clove. It follows all the way through with a slightly bitter finish.

M - Medium bodied and a bit tingly from the carbonation. Overall the mouthfeel contributes very, very well to making this a refreshing beer.

D - Up there with some of the better Weissbiers to come out of the area. I will drink this one again.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2006 04:12:23 | More by SuperSpy

bruachan

Rhode Island

4.1/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

i'm not entirely sure why some of their beers were only available in bottle when the brewery is next door

it's not weienstephan, but there's no beating the original

this brew is entirely opaque with an orangish caramel color and a bone-colored head sitting up top. spicy aroma mostly coming from clove and coriander, while the spices dominate the flavor, leaving banana in the dust. it's fairly bitter, actually

it feels both spritzy and medium-bodied at the same time

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2006 03:54:11 | More by bruachan

paterlodie

Belgium

3.78/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

BB 01-06. Nice head that's lasting well and a amberbrown and very foggy beer. Nose is good wheatcaracter with sourness and lots of banana yeastester. Caramellic touch also completes the nose that's overal fresh and clean. As is taste that's dry but with caramellic sweethint, good sourness, lots of wheatmalt and only low bitterness in aftertaste. Good& high carbonisation makes together with the taste a fine mouthfeel and is overal very balanced. Yes this is a great beer to enjoy on a hot and warm day and will refresh you all the way.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2005 14:21:11 | More by paterlodie

mobyfann

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Paid .85EUR + .08EUR glass deposit for a 500mL bottle.

*Reviewed on 24.04.2005

Pours a hazy golden-brownish base with a huge fluffy white head, very impressive head retention and lacing with ever gulp… near perfect! Classic smell for a Hefe, but this one is loaded with wheat, the malts really come out to play in this beer.
The taste is great for a Hefe, but the wheat and malt combo comes off way too strong, even here in Bavaria. The aftertaste was the first thing I noticed as being a little odd, sorry that I can't explain it - however the beer is a winner in terms of smoothness. Sure it's a little heavy since it's a Hefe, but this is one you can drink throughout the night and be very content. Big ups!

Final Thought: Augstinier has the best beer in Muinch, maybe of the best in the world…

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2005 15:29:44 | More by mobyfann

KarlHungus

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a nice solid, deep, cloudy, orange color. Looks powerful and majestic. The head is enormous and white. The smell is as rich as the appearance. Juicy and spicy. Orange peel and other citrus fruits. Beautiful. If they made a perfume that smelled like this it would drive beer loving men crazy. The taste is juicy and refreshing (the way a hefe should be). The aftertaste is slightly spicy, but a nice pleasant spicy. The mouthfeel is very good. Medium-bodied. The only thing i can find wrong with it is that it is a little too much carbonation, which is probably hiding some of this beer's great flavor. Overall, this is very good beer. One of the best hefes I've had. This is the second beer I've had from Augustiner Brua, and they have both been excellent. I do believe it to be one of the most overlooked breweries in Germany.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2005 17:36:08 | More by KarlHungus

stcules

Italy

3.33/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Amber-orange colour. Classic weizenbier foam.
The smell is typical: banana and cloves. Even orange, and light spices.
The taste it isn't so typical, like the colour... It's more "dark" and winding. Wheat, yeast, but even a light note of caramel. And a litlle astringency in the finish.
Medium body, good drinkability. Quite good weizen.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2004 20:57:20 | More by stcules

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

3.28/5  rDev -17%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Clove and banana, like any good German Wheat should have, tart, with a dry-ish finish, also got a bit of vanilla or something, pretty nice, easy to drink, nothing over the top. Definitely not one of my favoured German whaets but very drinkable anyway, pretty nice stuff.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2003 02:51:53 | More by rastaman

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

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

500ml Weizen glass enjoyed @ Augustiner restaurant @ Munich Oktoberfest 2012.

A: Pours a dark orange color. A bit cloudy but definitely filtered Weissbier. Huge creamy and viscous head is formed leaving many small chunks of foam in the glass

S: Great banana esters in the nose. Spicy in the Weiss style, with notes of cloves, honey, wheat, bread and finally the yeasts. No hops so far...

T: Sweet upfront with notes of honey, sweet malts, some caramel malts. Banana bread, cloves, wheat and yeasts. In overall, a sweet beer. Smooth. No noticeable hops bitterness

M: Very smooth mouth sensation, a light to medium creamy body and low retention. Sweet bread aftertaste

O: Excellent drinkability. Good example of an authentic German Weissbier

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2012 00:29:01 | More by eduardolinhalis

MrIncognito

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Hazy brownish body with a huge sticky white head that lasts forever. Tremendous lacing all over the glass.

S - Big and yeasty with a great clove sharpness. A bit of biscuity malt and bready wheat.

T&M - So much clove in this beer. What a great mix of clove, wheat, malt, and powdery yeast. Moderate carbonation makes this a little dry but nice and smooth. A touch sweet in the end.

D - I could drink a bunch of these. Goes down so easily and has a wonderful taste. One of my new favorite hefeweizens. Why didn't I bring any home from Munich?

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2009 19:56:51 | More by MrIncognito

seanyfo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a 500ml serving vom fass at the Augustiner Großgaststätte im Marienplatz.

A - Cloudy amber orange, with a creamy 3 finger head that holds well throughout, super lacing

S - typical weissbier smells, banana, cloves, sublte spice and some fresh bready malts.

T - Cloves very apparent and the bready malts come through well, balance between these 2 flavours is good. No uncomfortable medical aftertaste as you get with some.

M - High carbonation, and maybe slightly watery in the finish, but this is associated with the style.

D - one of my favourite weissbiers no doubt, and a privelege to drink it from the source!

p.s i watched the guy pouring the beer, it took him 3.5 secs! wouldnt mind having that pump system in my house!

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2007 20:17:57 | More by seanyfo

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at the Augustiner Grossgaststatte beer hall on the Marienplatz in Munich. Not only that, but it was for breakfast with weisswurst (white sausage). Aah, the little things.

The beer was dark straw color, very hazy, with a thick frothy foam. The aroma was near perfect for the style, bananas and cloves all the way. The flavor was very good at first, but a bit of buttery aftertaste made me pause. Maybe that's intentional, as this is truely an authentic and fresh weisse bier. The mouthfeel was thick and coating, absolutely a stunning breakfast.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2007 00:49:54 | More by TurdFurgison

Andreji

Colombia

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a tan coloured and opaque liquid, a normal to south german weissbiers. The smell hints hops alongside a reduced amount of wheat. The taste is exactly that: a certainly bitter but full flavour with a good amount of wheat. Its not a bad beer but may get heavier than usual when drinking one too many.

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2002 17:22:21 | More by Andreji