Beer of the Weekend #160: Weihenstephaner Vitus
I decided to drink one last weizen before closing out Wheat Beer Season 2010. In honor of Oktoberfest, which begins Sunday, I will begin sampling märzens and Oktoberfestbiers next Friday.
The beer of the weekend is Weihenstephaner Vitus, brewed by the Brauerei Weihenstephan of Freising, Germany.
On recent visits to Dirty John’s, I’ve noticed a glut of Vitus and other Bavarian wheat brews in the beer grotto. There are literally boxes stacked on boxes of half liter bottles of Weihenstephan and Schneider weizens. I have no clue what’s going on; the stuff sells year-round, so I don’t doubt they will sell it all eventually. Perhaps they are moving boxes upstairs to make room in the cellar below. But regardless, the fact Vitus was in such abundance influenced my decision to buy a couple bottles: it must be good stuff if the folks at John’s have so much of it.
Plus, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the name piqued my curiosity. Vitus. Sounds very antiquated and Roman. And Catholic.
On a side note, I was debating whether or not to make Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen, the brother of the famous smoked märzen, my last weizen of Wheat Beer Season. However, I highly doubt it is a true weizen: it will likely be more of a rauchbier than anything else, much like the märzen. Basically I can try it whenever the hell I please. Frankly, I can try whatever beer whenever the hell I please, but I’m way too much of an organization and planning freak to do that. The smoked “weizen” will be coming soon.
Serving type: Two 500 ml bottles. I didn’t splurge this weekend like I usually do because of the late kick-off of the Iowa-Arizona game tomorrow night; Saturday eve this weekend is totally reserved for PBR.
Appearance: Poured into my half liter Weihenstephan weizen glass. It’s a very attractive brew. The color is a cloudy gold with a minor orange tint; it looks like lemonade with a little orange juice mixed in. A lot of white, dense foam developed and dissipated very slowly to leave a billowy lacing. I was expecting this to look more like a dunkelweizen for some reason.
Smell: Dominated by the classic hefeweizen clove spice, and a nip of pepper adds to the kick. There is also overly ripe banana and Granny Smith apple at play to make for a very fresh and invigorating aroma.
Taste: Heavenly. The flavors pass by almost single file. First in line is the clove spice that is complimented by a dash of pepper; then comes fruity bubble gum; overly ripe banana, lemon zest, and apple come next; and after the sip has been swallowed, a slightly hoppy aftertaste follows. Overall the taste is pretty tart, but I have no problem with that. The alcohol remained hidden.
Drinkability: High quality. This is superb beer, and it proudly showcases the craftsmanship of its brewers. Vitus is a testament to Weihenstephan’s longevity in the beer world.
Fun facts about Weihenstephaner Vitus:
-Style: Weizenbock.
-Price: $3.99/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 7.7 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: German cuisine, chocolate, and grilled meat.
-I had no clue what Vitus means, so I Googled it for possible answers. According to Wikipedia, the Weihenstephan Abbey was originally dedicated to Saint Vitus in the 9th century. Saint Vitus “is considered the patron saint of actors, comedians, dancers, and epileptics. He is also said to protect against lightning strikes, animal attacks and oversleeping, and is the patron saint of Bohemia.”
-By the way, Vitus was also the name of a French bicycle manufacturing company. Also according to Wikipedia, Vitus is “best known for its steel cycle frame tubing, and its frames built with aluminium tubes joined to aluminium lugs by bonding — a construction method the company pioneered in the late 1970s.”
The Quiet Man’s grade: A.
The beer of the weekend is Weihenstephaner Vitus, brewed by the Brauerei Weihenstephan of Freising, Germany.
On recent visits to Dirty John’s, I’ve noticed a glut of Vitus and other Bavarian wheat brews in the beer grotto. There are literally boxes stacked on boxes of half liter bottles of Weihenstephan and Schneider weizens. I have no clue what’s going on; the stuff sells year-round, so I don’t doubt they will sell it all eventually. Perhaps they are moving boxes upstairs to make room in the cellar below. But regardless, the fact Vitus was in such abundance influenced my decision to buy a couple bottles: it must be good stuff if the folks at John’s have so much of it.
Plus, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the name piqued my curiosity. Vitus. Sounds very antiquated and Roman. And Catholic.
On a side note, I was debating whether or not to make Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen, the brother of the famous smoked märzen, my last weizen of Wheat Beer Season. However, I highly doubt it is a true weizen: it will likely be more of a rauchbier than anything else, much like the märzen. Basically I can try it whenever the hell I please. Frankly, I can try whatever beer whenever the hell I please, but I’m way too much of an organization and planning freak to do that. The smoked “weizen” will be coming soon.
Serving type: Two 500 ml bottles. I didn’t splurge this weekend like I usually do because of the late kick-off of the Iowa-Arizona game tomorrow night; Saturday eve this weekend is totally reserved for PBR.
Appearance: Poured into my half liter Weihenstephan weizen glass. It’s a very attractive brew. The color is a cloudy gold with a minor orange tint; it looks like lemonade with a little orange juice mixed in. A lot of white, dense foam developed and dissipated very slowly to leave a billowy lacing. I was expecting this to look more like a dunkelweizen for some reason.
Smell: Dominated by the classic hefeweizen clove spice, and a nip of pepper adds to the kick. There is also overly ripe banana and Granny Smith apple at play to make for a very fresh and invigorating aroma.
Taste: Heavenly. The flavors pass by almost single file. First in line is the clove spice that is complimented by a dash of pepper; then comes fruity bubble gum; overly ripe banana, lemon zest, and apple come next; and after the sip has been swallowed, a slightly hoppy aftertaste follows. Overall the taste is pretty tart, but I have no problem with that. The alcohol remained hidden.
Drinkability: High quality. This is superb beer, and it proudly showcases the craftsmanship of its brewers. Vitus is a testament to Weihenstephan’s longevity in the beer world.
Fun facts about Weihenstephaner Vitus:
-Style: Weizenbock.
-Price: $3.99/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 7.7 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: German cuisine, chocolate, and grilled meat.
-I had no clue what Vitus means, so I Googled it for possible answers. According to Wikipedia, the Weihenstephan Abbey was originally dedicated to Saint Vitus in the 9th century. Saint Vitus “is considered the patron saint of actors, comedians, dancers, and epileptics. He is also said to protect against lightning strikes, animal attacks and oversleeping, and is the patron saint of Bohemia.”
-By the way, Vitus was also the name of a French bicycle manufacturing company. Also according to Wikipedia, Vitus is “best known for its steel cycle frame tubing, and its frames built with aluminium tubes joined to aluminium lugs by bonding — a construction method the company pioneered in the late 1970s.”
The Quiet Man’s grade: A.
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