Beer Revisited: Ayinger Bräuweisse
In case I could not find Stiegl Lemon Radler at “Drug Town” last week, I brought a carrier to grab a few bottles of hefeweizen. Not only did I find Stiegl Lemon Radler, I grabbed a few bottles of Ayinger Bräuweisse, brewed by the Brauerei Aying of Aying, Germany, anyway.
Poured into my Paulaner weizen glass, the same one I used when I first tried this beer in August 2009. The color is cloudy, medium gold. Three fingers of dense, off-white head dissipate very slowly, leaving a frothy cap throughout the drinking experience. The aroma is spicy and zesty, bordering on sharp and astringent, which is unexpected from a hefe. Underneath the clove and lemon zest are scents of fruit like banana and apple. It also has that unflavored bubblegum aroma. It’s bready, too, and smells like whole wheat bread or pancakes. Clove spice is prominent in the first sip. The mouthfeel is full and bready. Fruit is not as noticeable at first, though. There is a small amount of zest and apple slowly emerges after the beer has warmed. Banana is absent. It’s wheaty, too, but overall lacks flavor compared to other hefes.
Comparison to 2009 tasting: The reviews are very similar, but fruity aromas and flavors are lacking this time around. The appearance is much the same, including the thick layer of head that lasted throughout the beer. (In my previous review, I misused the term lacing. Lacing is the foam stuck to the sides of the glass.) Banana and fruity bubblegum was much more prominent the last time, but both the aroma and flavor were subdued.
Interestingly, the beer’s name has changed from “Bräu-Weisse” to “Bräuweisse” since my last tasting. It’s not a big difference but I’m curious to know why the change was made. Those crafty Germans and their love of compounding words!
The A- I gave it back then seems way too generous now. This tasting deserves a B-.
Poured into my Paulaner weizen glass, the same one I used when I first tried this beer in August 2009. The color is cloudy, medium gold. Three fingers of dense, off-white head dissipate very slowly, leaving a frothy cap throughout the drinking experience. The aroma is spicy and zesty, bordering on sharp and astringent, which is unexpected from a hefe. Underneath the clove and lemon zest are scents of fruit like banana and apple. It also has that unflavored bubblegum aroma. It’s bready, too, and smells like whole wheat bread or pancakes. Clove spice is prominent in the first sip. The mouthfeel is full and bready. Fruit is not as noticeable at first, though. There is a small amount of zest and apple slowly emerges after the beer has warmed. Banana is absent. It’s wheaty, too, but overall lacks flavor compared to other hefes.
Comparison to 2009 tasting: The reviews are very similar, but fruity aromas and flavors are lacking this time around. The appearance is much the same, including the thick layer of head that lasted throughout the beer. (In my previous review, I misused the term lacing. Lacing is the foam stuck to the sides of the glass.) Banana and fruity bubblegum was much more prominent the last time, but both the aroma and flavor were subdued.
Interestingly, the beer’s name has changed from “Bräu-Weisse” to “Bräuweisse” since my last tasting. It’s not a big difference but I’m curious to know why the change was made. Those crafty Germans and their love of compounding words!
The A- I gave it back then seems way too generous now. This tasting deserves a B-.
