Beer of the Weekend #249: Hofbräu Hefe Weizen
Disappointed by John’s selection of authentic Bavarian hefeweizens last Thursday, I checked out the beer section at the “new” Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits (or whatever Hy-Vee calls its liquor stores) on Waterfront. Since the store receives beer from the same set of local distributors, I did not expect anything different.
The selection was, for the most part, the same — which is not a bad thing; all the usual suspects were available. While snagging a sixer of Franziskaner for enjoyment during my upcoming Adjunct Adventure, I noticed a sixer of Hofbräu Hefe Weizen. Unsure if I ever tried it, I took it to the counter, too. After browsing The Quiet Man archive, I discovered I had yet to sample it.
The beer of the weekend is Hofbräu Hefe Weizen, brewed by the Staatliches Hofbräuhaus of Munich, Germany. (Actually, I think it is brewed by the Hofbräuhaus Newport in Newport, Kentucky. It is licensed to brew the exact same beer as its Bavarian counterpart, but I do not think Hefe Weizen is the same as the hefes they brew in Munich.)
Serving type: Six 330 ml (11.2-ounce) bottles. There is a cryptic batch code on the back label, but nothing discernable as a freshness date.
Appearance: Is this hefeweizen, or did the brewer mess up the labeling? I say that because the beer — “Hefe Weizen” — poured a clear straw into my 300 ml weizen glass; the only kind of clouding was a slight chill haze. Even in the green bottle it looked way too clear. Three fingers of white head developed and dissipated to leave a spotted lacing and ring around the edge. There is yeast sedimentation at the bottom of the bottle, so it has to be part-weissbier.
Smell: It kind of smells like a hefe, but, as with the appearance, it is much more helles-like. There is a little banana, apple, and bubblegum, but the dominant aroma is the classic barnyard hay of helles.
Taste: It kind of tastes like a hefe, too, but it is way too watered down to convince me there is not something strange with this sixer. Banana, apple, strawberry, bubblegum (maybe strawberry bubblegum), and just a hint of clove. Besides that there is the helles hay. Very weird.
Drinkability: The carrier label depicts a waitress in a dirndl serving half liter glasses of cloudy, wheaty goodness. Whatever beer that is, it ain’t this. I have yet to try kristallweizen, but I assume this is very similar. However, as strange as this beer was, it was pretty good stuff. If this truly is the unfiltered hefeweizen they are brewing in Kentucky for the American market, Hofbräu should be ashamed of itself. It’s good, but, oddly, is only halfway there.
Fun facts about HHW:
-Style: Hefeweizen.
-Price: $12.99/sixer at the Hy-Vee on Waterfront Drive in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.1 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends German cuisine, tangy cheeses (Brick, Edam, Feta), salad, poultry, fish, and shellfish.
-Verbage from the beer’s Hofbräu America webpage:
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
The selection was, for the most part, the same — which is not a bad thing; all the usual suspects were available. While snagging a sixer of Franziskaner for enjoyment during my upcoming Adjunct Adventure, I noticed a sixer of Hofbräu Hefe Weizen. Unsure if I ever tried it, I took it to the counter, too. After browsing The Quiet Man archive, I discovered I had yet to sample it.
The beer of the weekend is Hofbräu Hefe Weizen, brewed by the Staatliches Hofbräuhaus of Munich, Germany. (Actually, I think it is brewed by the Hofbräuhaus Newport in Newport, Kentucky. It is licensed to brew the exact same beer as its Bavarian counterpart, but I do not think Hefe Weizen is the same as the hefes they brew in Munich.)
Serving type: Six 330 ml (11.2-ounce) bottles. There is a cryptic batch code on the back label, but nothing discernable as a freshness date.
Appearance: Is this hefeweizen, or did the brewer mess up the labeling? I say that because the beer — “Hefe Weizen” — poured a clear straw into my 300 ml weizen glass; the only kind of clouding was a slight chill haze. Even in the green bottle it looked way too clear. Three fingers of white head developed and dissipated to leave a spotted lacing and ring around the edge. There is yeast sedimentation at the bottom of the bottle, so it has to be part-weissbier.
Smell: It kind of smells like a hefe, but, as with the appearance, it is much more helles-like. There is a little banana, apple, and bubblegum, but the dominant aroma is the classic barnyard hay of helles.
Taste: It kind of tastes like a hefe, too, but it is way too watered down to convince me there is not something strange with this sixer. Banana, apple, strawberry, bubblegum (maybe strawberry bubblegum), and just a hint of clove. Besides that there is the helles hay. Very weird.
Drinkability: The carrier label depicts a waitress in a dirndl serving half liter glasses of cloudy, wheaty goodness. Whatever beer that is, it ain’t this. I have yet to try kristallweizen, but I assume this is very similar. However, as strange as this beer was, it was pretty good stuff. If this truly is the unfiltered hefeweizen they are brewing in Kentucky for the American market, Hofbräu should be ashamed of itself. It’s good, but, oddly, is only halfway there.
Fun facts about HHW:
-Style: Hefeweizen.
-Price: $12.99/sixer at the Hy-Vee on Waterfront Drive in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.1 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends German cuisine, tangy cheeses (Brick, Edam, Feta), salad, poultry, fish, and shellfish.
-Verbage from the beer’s Hofbräu America webpage:
Back in 1602 Weissbier could only be brewed by ducal privilege. It was Munich’s first Hefe Weizen. Hofbräuhaus enjoyed this exclusive right for nearly 200 years, thus holding a monopoly on Weissbier in Bavaria.
But even without a monopoly, Hofbräu Hefe Weizen is a really special kind of beer. Characterized by its sparkling rich foam and distinguished by its unforgettable refreshing and fruity taste. It is brewed according to an ancient tradition and offers an alcoholic content of approximately 5.1% by volume. Savor the pure, refreshing enjoyment!
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
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