Beer of the Weekend #590: Ebel's Weiss
I have long bemoaned the lack of quality domestic wheat beers. Nothing I have tried (as far as I can remember off the top of my head) compares to the hefeweizens imported from Germany, which are all likely compromised due to the long trip. That means that impaired and less-than-fresh hefeweizen from Germany is better than fresh domestic wheat ale from down the street. I obviously have not tried every domestic wheat beer out there, but that has been my experience thus far.
So imagine my skepticism when someone recommended Ebel’s Weiss, brewed by the Two Brothers Brewing Company of Warrenville, Illinois, because it is just like a German-style hefeweizen.
German-style hefeweizen, eh? Let’s see…
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. “BEST BY: 10/22/14” is written on the bottom of the back label.
Appearance: Poured into a 300 ml weizen glass. The color is hazy, light gold. A finger of loose foam dissipates quickly and leaves a skim and thin ring around the edge.
Smell: Mostly pale malts, but there is also hints of banana, apple, clove, vanilla, and a little lemon zest.
Taste: Much like the aroma. Pale malts with the noticeable addition of wheat for a creamy, thicker mouthfeel. Light banana, apple, clove spice, and a hint of zest.
Drinkability: Light and drinkable, but it still does not compare to an imported hefeweizen.
Fun facts about Ebel’s Weiss:
-Style: “German Style Hefe Weizen” is listed on the beer’s webpage.
-Price: $8.99/sixer at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 4.9 percent ABV.
-Listed on the beer’s webpage in the “Format” table is “american sanke.” Having never seen the term, I Googled it and learned that an American sanke is a type of keg tapper.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
So imagine my skepticism when someone recommended Ebel’s Weiss, brewed by the Two Brothers Brewing Company of Warrenville, Illinois, because it is just like a German-style hefeweizen.
German-style hefeweizen, eh? Let’s see…
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. “BEST BY: 10/22/14” is written on the bottom of the back label.
Appearance: Poured into a 300 ml weizen glass. The color is hazy, light gold. A finger of loose foam dissipates quickly and leaves a skim and thin ring around the edge.
Smell: Mostly pale malts, but there is also hints of banana, apple, clove, vanilla, and a little lemon zest.
Taste: Much like the aroma. Pale malts with the noticeable addition of wheat for a creamy, thicker mouthfeel. Light banana, apple, clove spice, and a hint of zest.
Drinkability: Light and drinkable, but it still does not compare to an imported hefeweizen.
Fun facts about Ebel’s Weiss:
-Style: “German Style Hefe Weizen” is listed on the beer’s webpage.
-Price: $8.99/sixer at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 4.9 percent ABV.
-Listed on the beer’s webpage in the “Format” table is “american sanke.” Having never seen the term, I Googled it and learned that an American sanke is a type of keg tapper.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
