Denison's Weissbier - Denison's Brewing Company

Jeffo

Netherlands

2.17/5  rDev -45.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

In a very generous trade with peensteen this summer. Thanks for coming by man!

From a 500ml can into a weizen glass.

APPEARANCE: Pours a very fizzy, thin, bubbly, soapy looking, white head with lousy retention. Cloudy amber orange in color with lots of carbonation, even for a weizen. Head quickly fades to a thin, bubbly film with loads of fizzing carbonation all over the top. Only a ring remains until the end leaving zero lacing down the glass. Looks like an ugly weizen really.

SMELL: Mild nose of wheat malt, bread, with some nice banana and lemon esters as well. Some spicy clove notes play a roll as well. Nice, but too mild to be any better than average for the style.

TASTE: Some wheat malt with light bready notes and clove flavors. Mild lemon and wheat notes, but it's relatively empty and watery through the middle and into the swallow. Aftertaste is mild but lingering, with some wheat, lemon and hints of clove, but is also unimpressive. While not off-putting or anything, this is certainly a little watery and bland.

PALATE: Medium body and higher levels of carbonation. Only semi-creamy on the palate at best. Goes down watery and finishes slightly dry on the palate.

OVERALL: The nose showed some promise, but the taste and feel, while not off-putting per se, were certainly not up to standards to be called a Bavarian Style Wheat Beer. The look also sucked. This brew gets a lot of praise around here, so I can only hope this was a lousy can. As it stands now, however, this is not nearly as good as touted, and is nowhere close to the Bavarian standard. I’ll give it another go if I see it though. Every brew deserves a second chance. Thanks again peensteen.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 15:28:57 | More by Jeffo

NV9

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

very cloudy yellow beer, not a ton of foam and it dissipated pretty quickly.

Smell is citrus, banana, hops and wheat, very appetizing.

wheat and yeast in the taste backed by some nice citrus and just a hint of banana.

very light body, but a fair amount of carbonation, very smooth but a bit of a slick aftertaste.

overall, great tasting beer, reflective of the style and on par with a lot of the european hefe's definitely worth a taste.

Serving type: can

04-27-2013 20:53:12 | More by NV9

Kremlock

Ontario (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

A: Cloudy straw colour with orange hues in it. High carbonation is visible. Head is a solid inch and is white and frothy.

S: Wheat, Spices, hints of cloves and banana.

T: Flavours are a bit soft. Cloves and banana are in the background while the wheat takes over.

M: Thin, a bit watery and carbonation feels low.

O: Appearance and smell are good but the flavour disappoints and mouth feel even more.

Serving type: can

03-29-2013 01:22:27 | More by Kremlock

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance: It has a nice cloudy orange color to it. It has a nice white head that dies down moderately slow and leaves nice lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of citrus, wheat malts, cloves and yeast.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has some citrus, banana notes from the yeast, cloves, some breadiness and some wheat malts.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2013 19:00:41 | More by SebD

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Hazy golden orange one finger white head, little retention and lace. Smell is full of banana and cloves, a bit of spice, yeasty, fruity almost citrus like notes as well. Taste is like the nose lots of banana and clove, bubblegum and a light sweetness, yeasty with a big malty presence mid palate into the finish, a little more banana there as well. Medium crisp carbonation, lightish-medium feel. A nice hefe that can hang with some of the better ones, certainly a beer that I have enjoyed on tap a little more than in the can but something I will still pick up now and again.

Serving type: can

10-09-2012 18:16:39 | More by peensteen

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks liamt07!

Appearance. Pours a golden-straw with just a bit of haze and a half finger of bubbly white head.

Smell. Cloves, toasty wheat, a little bananna.

Taste. Again, cloves and toasty wheat but less bananna than the smell. A little bit of nice sour lemon that is actually the highlight in flavours for me.

Mouthfeel. Medium-low in body and medium carbonation. Seems a little bit thin and carbonation isn't as smooth as others of the style.

Overall. Heffe's are'n really my thing, but that being said it smells and tastes great for the style.

Serving type: can

07-17-2012 01:53:03 | More by Rutager

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

473ml can received in trade from Jason - thanks!

Appearance – Hazy amber colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. I can't make out the amount of carbonation and there is some faint lacing. The head lasted for around 3-4 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Grains/wheat, banana, lemon, spices

Taste & Mouth - The beer has an above average amount of carbonation. I can taste grains/bread mixed with lemon and lots of banana. There is also a nice mix of spices - coriander/cloves and a touch of a honey sweetness. It ends with a mildly spicy yet fruit sweet aftertaste.

Overall – Wow, this is surprisingly good stuff. It can compete with some of the well known European hefe's. I really like the banana flavour and it has a fantastic balance. I'd drink it again anytime.

Serving type: can

07-10-2012 00:48:29 | More by spinrsx

Groulxsome

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A 500 ml can from the LCBO, bought relatively close to the date reviewed. Poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance: A very cloudy, very hazy yellow color - almost white at the bottom of the glass when held to light. The head quickly fizzed away, leaving only a little around the sides.

Smell: It has the strong clove banana smell, with maybe a little grassy hops. A little citrusy and, I don't know how to put this, beer-y. It reminds of how I remember the liquor store smelling when I was young: slightly sandalwood, wine corks, oak, stale beer, and paper bags. That might not sound appealing, but it's really a rich, complex, smell.

Taste: I get the banana, clove - but they are subdued. A really nice wheat taste, a little bready that transitions into a really clear body with a little citrus kick. No real bitterness, just a mellow finish almost like a champagne. Again, I'm getting that wine cork and oak flavour, which is unusual, but nice all the same.

Mouthfeel: It's got a great effervescence, but it's pretty light bodied. I'd like a little more fluffiness maybe, but it's really nice.

Overall: A nice Hefeweizen and the more I drink it the more I like it. A little off-kilter with some oak notes, but with the effervescence it almost tastes like a wheat beer turning into a champagne at the end. I could see buying this again or ordering it on tap as a local alternative to the German giants. Overall, refreshing is the key word.

Serving type: can

05-06-2012 00:22:41 | More by Groulxsome

Stocean1

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

At c'est what, poured one finger into a pint glass, cloudy wheat orange colour, creamy patchy lacing. Decent retention as it dwindled to a creamy collar.

Smell is wheat malt, citrus, a little earthy

Taste is wheat malt, orange and a hint of banana, peppery, mild hops.

Light to medium body, sour and dry and mildly bitter.

Very good, true to the style, however slightly disappointing given the hype, does not stand up to some of the german wheats I can grab down the street anytime, nevertheless, damn close to world class.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2012 03:59:57 | More by Stocean1

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.08/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to TheSevenDuffs for the CAN!

Pours a very nice hazy, light sun color. Bright white finger of head, nice lace. Big clove and banana aroma, with a slight spiciness and a touch of citrus. Smells damn good. Less clove and banana on the taste, but it's there. More citrus juices and breadinesss. Crisp feel, nice carbonation.

I have my favorite styles, but a well made beer is a well made beer, and this is definitely a well made beer!

Serving type: can

10-20-2011 00:20:49 | More by EgadBananas

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got my pops to haul this back from Toronto a few days ago. Of a list of 3-4 beers this is the only one he could find there so bottoms up!

A - Really cloudy with a few floating chunks and heavy carbonation. Initial head gone to nothing very fast. Dark orange sorta colour. No lacing or retention.

S - Good banana and mild sweet spice. Seems fairly subdued.

T - Banana, yeast, and sweet spice combo. Not bad. Balanced and no one element takes the cake.

M - Strong carbonation and a light/medium body. A slight sweet finish in the back. Very smooth.

O/D - I was expecting alot more from this sucker. It was refreshing but it lacked the punch that alot of other Hefes bring.

Serving type: can

06-18-2011 23:34:03 | More by tbeckett

allergictomacros

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Cloudy yellow with a big billowy head. Very effervescent.

S - Wheaty, yeasty. Light orange and some cool spices.

T - Dry with a crisp wheat and background orange. Hints of banana and something anise-like.

M - Light body with a touch of slickness. Nice zip in the carbonation isn't too strong.

D - Very drinkable, refreshing summertime brew.

Serving type: can

06-13-2011 23:33:00 | More by allergictomacros

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at C'est What?, in Toronto.

Even for a style that is notoriously murky, Denison's is cloudy. The high protein content of the wheat has impaired clarity the same way a few pints of this impairs my ability to dribble a basketball. Its colour is like that of pulpy, blanched orange juice. While I've always associated Denison's with a thick, moussy head, this sample is flat as a prairie mile.

No actual spices were used - unless you consider bona fide German yeast a spice - but you could easily imagine coriander, perhaps even subdued clove. That phenolic zest, however, doesn't lay so much as a single glove on the beer's effervescent, citrusy fruitiness. Fresh-cut wheat and grain also stack up, imparting vivid images of rural farmland.

The taste might seem straightforward enough but it is a cathedral of holy German hefeweizen flavours: crisp, sun-kissed wheat enveloped in mushed bananas, citrusy tang and a candy coating of bubblegum. A generous splash of vanilla turns out an angelic match for the beer's herbaceous notes. It could easily acquire EU citizenship.

"Smooth" is a term best used in a relative sense; this weizen is nowhere near as fluid or neutral as the lagers most people consider 'easy drinking'; if anything, the beer's coarse graininess, fiery phenols and tongue-splitting acidity might prove too pungent for some. Still, the beer's refreshing and pleasant disposition give it definite mass-appeal leanings.

Denison's Weissbier is certainly deserving of its cult following here around the greater Toronto area and as a staple of hometown pride for Ontario beer geeks. For those who long to go to Bavaria, it's a far more affordable way to stamp your passport and, absent the alps, harsh vowels, city squares and castle cathedrals, actually seems a little out of place here.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2011 14:51:49 | More by biegaman

3.25/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - cloudy yellow-orange with a thin off-white head that quickly fades to a lingering ring.

Smell - Spicy cloves and vaguely citrusy hops followed by bready malt sweetness, and just a hint of characteristic banana and vanilla.

Taste - Surprisingly thin. Echoes of the armoa, but somewhat watery. Not bad by any means, just lighlty flavoured. Very refreshing and very drinkable.

Serving type: can

05-02-2011 23:38:16 | More by

paxkey

Ontario (Canada)

3.13/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Fresh, Authentic and Far from Ordinary printed on can.

5.3% abv.
Toronto's Wheat beer since 1990..more on can.

a-cloudy pale orange, honey yellow on edges of glass. two finger bone white head. fluffy head.

a-very grassy smelling. spicy yeast aroma. citrus hops. a little on the fizzy cardboardy side of things overall. its in the malt i'm getting the cardboard smell. not a big fan. smells avery ascerbic.

fresh in the mouth. slightly more acidic fizzy then i like but not terrible. and the aftertaste brings the cardboard back. not strong and offputting but its there.

there is some interesting stuff going on here overall but for me its that malt profile that is knocking this down a bit for me. not sure i'd seek this one out again.

Serving type: can

04-16-2011 00:03:28 | More by paxkey

MattyV

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I was excited to see that this beer finally made the long trek down the 401 to a Kingston LCBO.

Pours a hazy golden yellow with a surprisingly unimpressive half-finger white head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is a pleasant mixture of banana, wheat, and a hint of bubble gum. Very little spice evident in the taste, but I am picking up banana, sweet bready malt, which lead to a crisp, slightly tart and citrusy finish. Nice carbonation, but comes off feeling a tad watery.

I was glad that I finally got the chance to try this Ontario hefe out, just in time for summer. It may pale in comparison to Weihenstephaner (as most other hefe's do), but I will definitely revisit this over the next few months as long as it's available.

Serving type: can

04-13-2011 05:25:13 | More by MattyV

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured in to pint glass.

A - Cloudy yellow colour with one finger of bubbly white head that quickly disappeared.

S - Belgian yeast, cloves, light citrus notes, bready malts.

T - Cloves, bready/grainy malts, belgian yeast, banana, coriander. Very clean and crisp.

M - Light body with a slight chew. Lightly carbonated.

D - Not a preferred style of mine but I really enjoyed this one. Clean, crisp and very enjoyable.

Serving type: can

03-19-2011 23:26:34 | More by TheSevenDuffs

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Can from the LCBO, 473ml into a pint glass (didn't have a weizen glass available!). Born on date L2610 (Nov. 26/2010).

Poured a golden orange, with a predominantly fizzy head the disappeared immediately (similar to that of a cola). No lace or retention, but a helluva lot of carbonation evident here. Wheat and banana dominate the nose, with a light spice and bubblegum to be found a bit deeper. Same flavours come through on the palate, but feel somewhat muted compared to the nose. Some alcohol felt here which is a bit surprising, and the carbonation is a bit high for my liking. Still maintains good drinkability, but the can is far inferior to having this on tap.

Serving type: can

01-22-2011 17:35:00 | More by liamt07

Mit

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a beer that has been talked about alot. I was really excited to see it for sale.

Pours a nice cloudy gold colour...very little head.

Nice bread and banana smells with some spicey smells more characteristic of a wheat.

Mmmmm very nice the banana and coriander really mellow out into a very inviting flavor

Mouthfeel is on point for the ABV.

Drinkability is very high for this beer. Can't wait to have more.

Serving type: can

01-14-2011 03:48:49 | More by Mit

ZorPrime

Quebec (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This one was sent graciously to me by liamt07, an awesome trader. Cheers buddy!

Yellow color beer with some orange notes. Head is white and disappear quickly. Hazed and very opaque.

Aroma is fruity (cloves and bananas). Typical of a Hefeweizen. Inviting.

Taste shows notes of orange and the typical hefeweizen taste (cloves and bananas).

Smooth and very effervescent. Almost no bitterness too. Very drinkable and refreshing. A nice hefeweizen.

Serving type: can

10-03-2010 23:57:30 | More by ZorPrime

beerpirates

Belgium

3.45/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Can 473 ml poured into my tripel karmeliet glass

A: unfilterd golden colour , head of 1 finger that comes down in seconds leaving no head at all , no lacing at the glass

S: aromas of banana, wheat and ?? I cant find anything else

T: was just like it smelled only more; bananas, cloves, and wheat, taste is to soft and watery , aftertaste disappears very fast and only leaves some wheat taste behind


M: little carbonation , watery , not very smooth ,

Overall, its à good brew , but not wow

Serving type: can

09-06-2010 19:11:00 | More by beerpirates

uno99

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Can from the LCBO.

A: Might be the muddiest and most opaque hefe I've ever seen. I can just imagine a whole heap of wheat going into every glass of this. Head isnt sticking around long, I'm gonna go ahead and blame the dirty glass at my inlaws on that account

S: The usual suspects for a hefe, lots of banana and clove, some citrus as well. A powerfull aroma for the style.

T: more banana and clove, some apple cider enters the mix as well. orange zest on the finish. very refeshing. nice yeasty zap as well...

M: quite thick and grainy. again, the image of a huge amout of wheat being used in this comes to mind.

D: Not the most drinkable hefe, but certainly one of the best. Ive had this on Tap alot, and I think I prefer the tap version. I'll get around to reviewing that in the future.

Serving type: can

08-27-2010 17:53:38 | More by uno99

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

It's been ages since I've had Denisons - used to be on tap in KW but the bar closed. Some cans picked up on a T.O. road trip will have to suffice.

Poured into a hefe glass. A slightly opaque golden brew, leaves about a half inch head that receded all too soon. A few flecks of yeast sediment make their way to the bottom of the glass.

Nose is typical hefe: banana, cloves, citrus, wheat.

Tastes like a hefe should; all the proper pieces are in the puzzle box. A slight apple taste and a mild graininess distinguishes Denisons from other major hefes. Cloves take second fiddle to the banana esters. Other than that, it's pretty damned good. Finishes dry.

Tart, aggressive carbonation at first, but a more appealing equilibrium is hit after a moment. Medium bodied.

If this were available more outside of T.O., I'd drink this all the time. Good local hefe. Went down incredibly smooth, no strangeness or funky flavors to be found. Just a good, solid hefe. Would love to have this on tap again.

Serving type: can

08-19-2010 22:06:38 | More by JohnnyBarman

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.88/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Devin shared this the other day. Thanks, bud.

Mildly hazy yellow orange with a dense white head with decent retention and lacing, this is a good looking beer. The nose is very good. Less intense than the best, there's a ton of wheat, rather raw, making this smell really like banana bread. A little spice is present as well, and there's just a little bit more fruit (mango and a little citrus). Rather understated, but nice. The palate opens prominently wheaty with moderate bready flavors and rather delicate array of bananas and clove. Delicately flavored, I do get a little tropical fruit on the finish. Light in body with medium-high carbonation, the finish is dry with a little spice. Excellent stuff, I'd love to try it fresher, though.

Serving type: can

07-31-2010 19:13:14 | More by DefenCorps

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a slightly hazy, golden honey color, with good head retention and lacing. The nose is fairly spicey, and shows a considerable amount of clove, nutmeg and "wheatiness." The clove is not overdone, and overall I thought this beer smelled pretty nice. Flavors replicate the nose pretty closely, but with a hint of citrus in the finish that helps to balance the spice and modest sweetness. The beer is quite smooth and a bit slick on the palate, and finishes well. Drinkability is very, very good. Always appreciate seeing low alcohol beers (relatively speaking) with this amount of flavor.

Quite enjoyable.

Serving type: can

07-30-2010 15:17:44 | More by johnmichaelsen