Beer of the Weekend #885: Braupakt
The beer of the weekend—Braupakt, brewed by the Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan of Freising, Germany, in collaboration with the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company—allows me to not only use one of my Weihenstephaner weizen glasses but also acknowledge the beginning of the FIFA World Cup.
The color is cloudy amber. A lot of head develops; it’s been a long time since I poured a hefeweizen. The head is beige colored with an amber or orange tint, is very thick and meringue-like, and dissipates very slowly. A thick cap remains and sticks to the bottom of the glass when all the beer is gone. It’s too legit to quit.
The aroma is an inviting mélange of fruit sweetness, citrus, and spice. The usual suspects are there: apple, banana, clove, bubblegum, yeast, wheat, spice (which I think is pepper). It has citrus notes of grapefruit and orange—courtesy of Sierra Nevada, no doubt. There is also an element of caramel malt.
The flavor is heavenly and features a spicy bite. The bitterness really works the taste buds but allows the other flavors to come through. There are flavors of apple, banana, clove, spice, bubblegum, orange, grapefruit, caramel, yeast, and wheat. It becomes fruitier as it warms.
Fun facts about Braupakt:
• Style: Hefeweizen.
• Price: $2.99 for a 500 ml bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 6 percent ABV.
• Serving temperature: The brewery recommends 7–10 °C (44.6–50 ºF).
• IBUs: 35.
• Calories: 165 per 330 ml.
• Since the U.S. did not qualify for this edition of the FIFA World Cup, I’m mostly impartial. I would like to see a team outside of Europe win, but I plan to enjoy the games without an allegiance to any team.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
The color is cloudy amber. A lot of head develops; it’s been a long time since I poured a hefeweizen. The head is beige colored with an amber or orange tint, is very thick and meringue-like, and dissipates very slowly. A thick cap remains and sticks to the bottom of the glass when all the beer is gone. It’s too legit to quit.
The aroma is an inviting mélange of fruit sweetness, citrus, and spice. The usual suspects are there: apple, banana, clove, bubblegum, yeast, wheat, spice (which I think is pepper). It has citrus notes of grapefruit and orange—courtesy of Sierra Nevada, no doubt. There is also an element of caramel malt.
The flavor is heavenly and features a spicy bite. The bitterness really works the taste buds but allows the other flavors to come through. There are flavors of apple, banana, clove, spice, bubblegum, orange, grapefruit, caramel, yeast, and wheat. It becomes fruitier as it warms.
Fun facts about Braupakt:
• Style: Hefeweizen.
• Price: $2.99 for a 500 ml bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 6 percent ABV.
• Serving temperature: The brewery recommends 7–10 °C (44.6–50 ºF).
• IBUs: 35.
• Calories: 165 per 330 ml.
• Since the U.S. did not qualify for this edition of the FIFA World Cup, I’m mostly impartial. I would like to see a team outside of Europe win, but I plan to enjoy the games without an allegiance to any team.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.
