Beer of the Weekend #779: Feel the Bernsteinfarbenes
The beer of the weekend is Feel the Bernsteinfarbenes, brewed by the Iowa City Brewlab of Iowa City, Iowa.
The color is, as promised, cloudy amber-caramel. Two fingers of light tan, dense, bubbly head settles slowly and leaves short trails of lacing behind. It smells like a hefeweizen but has a toasty, darker, maltier edge. Oooo! There are scents of clove, banana, wheat, yeast, touches of apple and bubblegum, and that slight caramel/toasted edge. However, the flavor is very green. I can’t remember the exact, better term for it, but it has that bitter, unripe, green banana taste. I think it’s a yeast thing. Anyway, it overpowers the other flavors for a while, and even evolves into something reminiscent of the spicy and funky character of a saison. It is a touch peppery, even. As its dominance decreases — but not fade entirely — minor flavors of caramel, clove, bubblegum, and strawberry peek through. Apple and banana are not noticeable. It smells great and I wish the flavor would mirror it.
Fun facts about Feel the Bernsteinfarbenes:
• Style: The Brewlab calls it Bernsteinfarbenes weizen. “Bernsteinfarbenes” is German for “amber-colored.”
• Price: $14 for a 64-ounce growler fill.
• Alcohol content: 4.5 percent ABV.
• IBU: 14.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+/B-.
The color is, as promised, cloudy amber-caramel. Two fingers of light tan, dense, bubbly head settles slowly and leaves short trails of lacing behind. It smells like a hefeweizen but has a toasty, darker, maltier edge. Oooo! There are scents of clove, banana, wheat, yeast, touches of apple and bubblegum, and that slight caramel/toasted edge. However, the flavor is very green. I can’t remember the exact, better term for it, but it has that bitter, unripe, green banana taste. I think it’s a yeast thing. Anyway, it overpowers the other flavors for a while, and even evolves into something reminiscent of the spicy and funky character of a saison. It is a touch peppery, even. As its dominance decreases — but not fade entirely — minor flavors of caramel, clove, bubblegum, and strawberry peek through. Apple and banana are not noticeable. It smells great and I wish the flavor would mirror it.
Fun facts about Feel the Bernsteinfarbenes:
• Style: The Brewlab calls it Bernsteinfarbenes weizen. “Bernsteinfarbenes” is German for “amber-colored.”
• Price: $14 for a 64-ounce growler fill.
• Alcohol content: 4.5 percent ABV.
• IBU: 14.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+/B-.
