Hefeweizens

[john b]

Of the more commonly found hefeweizens (Paulaner, Hacker Pschorr, Schneider Weisse, Weihenstephaner), does one in particular stand out over the others? I'd like to pick up a case, maybe two, to have around for the summer.

[beergirl]

Of the more commonly found hefeweizens (Paulaner, Hacker Pschorr, Schneider Weisse, Weihenstephaner), does one in particular stand out over the others?  I'd like to pick up a case, maybe two, to have around for the summer.

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My personal favorite of that list is the Schneider Weisse though it's been a long time since of had any of the others. Why don't you pick up singles of each and try them all before investing in a case or few?

[TongoRad]

I'll second what beergirl posted for three reasons-

- you can't really go wrong with any one of them

- personal taste can be a factor: some (like Schneider) will favor the phenols (spicy clove-like quality) while some will favor the esters (banana- either Hacker Pschorr or Spaten Franziskaner)

- freshness trumps all. They are typically dated on the case box- well... I know that Hacker and Spaten are, but that's where you'd look anyway.

Buying singles should tell you the best of what's available, as well as what you prefer.

Personally, if all other factors are equal, I'd get the Paulaner which tends to give the best of all worlds, though I do know quite a few Schneider fans.

[chardan]

Tough to say if we are talking about bottled weissbier available in the US. Where I live, in Oregon, I can get several German hefewiezens and a few microbrewed ones.

I have not yet found a US weissbier worth drinking, to be brutally honest. I keep looking, though!! :)

Of what I can get here, Fransizkaner is probably my favorite. Smells fantastic. I agree with all that's been said above, though, I love Hacker-Pschorr, Paulaner, and Schnieder as well. :)

In Munich, it was Augustiner. There are of course more than I could ever taste... but I also liked Julius Echter from Wuerzburger Hofbrau, and my favorite Nuernberg microbrewery-- but I'm keeping that one secret. ;-P

[BonVivant]

besides those common ones that have been mentioned, which i drink all the time as i can get them by the crate here, there are also Meisel's, Loewen, Erdinger, Andechs ect. but i prefer the dunkels weiss type in most cases. superiorrrrrrr! i'm so grateful it's only a 30 minute journey to either German or Belgian border :)

[John]

Out of the German hefeweizens available in my area (northern N.J.), I like Franziskaner the best. So does my wife, and we have had taste tests. Stoudt's of Adamstown, Pa. and Penn Brewing make very good American hefeweizens. I don't particularly care for the ones produced in Oregon like Widmer and others because they use an American ale yeast rather than an authentic German yeast strain.

[Okbrewer]

I agree with what has been suggested already, get singles of all the ones available in your area and give 'em a try before plopping down some $$ for a case or two. All the ones you mentioned are good, but I would also suggest that you try Konig Ludwig Weiss if it is available to you. It is a clean, refreshing wheat beer, not as estery or phenolic as others, and usually less expensive than the ones you mentioned. It is one of my favorite summertime beers.

Of course, you could always learn to brew your own...!

[eje]

Agree with most folks above.

When it starts getting hot, I usually make it an annual project to go through all the big bottles of German Weiss bier I can find at local liquor stores. There is just something wonderful and old fashioned about those fat 16.9 oz bottles. And as Alton Brown said about 12oz beer bottles on "Amber Waves", "...let's face it, that's not a single serving."

I love Schneider Weisse; but, think the strong individual character of the beer almost takes it out of the classification as a true Weissbeer. I haven't had it since last year; but, I think of it as a heavier beer having a closer affinity to some Belgian ales or Bocks than a true Weiss.

I've also been disappointed with Weiss beers I've tried so far from the US. The only exception I can think of is a very nice Weiss Bock from Brooklyn Brewing I had while in New York in April. I don't care for any of those I have tried brewed here on the West Coast.

[john b]

Out of the German hefeweizens available in my area (northern N.J.), I like Franziskaner the best. So does my wife, and we have had taste tests. Stoudt's of Adamstown, Pa. and Penn Brewing make very good American hefeweizens. I don't particularly care for the ones produced in Oregon like Widmer and others because they use an American ale yeast rather than an authentic German yeast strain.

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You being the hot dog guy, what are your thoughts on hefeweizen with bratwurst? It's one of my favorite food/beer combos.

[john b]

Thanks for all of the thoughts/tips. It's off to the local liquor store(s) to see how many I can find...

[John]

Out of the German hefeweizens available in my area (northern N.J.), I like Franziskaner the best. So does my wife, and we have had taste tests. Stoudt's of Adamstown, Pa. and Penn Brewing make very good American hefeweizens. I don't particularly care for the ones produced in Oregon like Widmer and others because they use an American ale yeast rather than an authentic German yeast strain.

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You being the hot dog guy, what are your thoughts on hefeweizen with bratwurst? It's one of my favorite food/beer combos.

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It is also one of my favorite food combinations. In fact, whenever I have beer with my brats, it's always a hefeweizen. They are perfect together. Hefeweizen also goes great with weisswurst.

[Scoats]

Here in Philadelphia, Stoudts and Brooklyn both make fantastic hefes. All of the other locals (Victory (they make two), Sly Fox) are at the very least very good but the two above really stand out.

Paulaner and Franzikaner both travel well.

[AzianBrewer]

Schneider rocks! Brooklyn is horribly tart for a Hefe.

Edited August 3, 2005 by AzianBrewer (log)

[nr706]

I have not yet found a US weissbier worth drinking, to be brutally honest. I keep looking, though!!

I was in Portland over the weekend, and found two local microbrewed hefeweizens that were pretty good: Allagash White, and Sebago (don't remember what they called it). I think both are at least semi-available in the northern parts of New England.

[Nick Soapdish]

if you ever come to toronto find a bar with densons's weissbier. one of the best I've tried, the brewer got his yeast strain from the price of bavaria.

ns

[nr706]

if you ever come to toronto find a bar with densons's weissbier.  one of the best I've tried, the brewer got his yeast strain from the price of bavaria.

ns

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Just curious ... what is the price of Bavaria? (If it's under 10 bucks, I'll buy it.)

[Nick Soapdish]

if you ever come to toronto find a bar with densons's weissbier.  one of the best I've tried, the brewer got his yeast strain from the price of bavaria.

ns

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Just curious ... what is the price of Bavaria? (If it's under 10 bucks, I'll buy it.)

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ooops...

prince, not price

ha

ns

[malcolmwilliamson]

On the ratebeer website the weihenstephaner scores the highest ( see http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/weihenstephan...weissbier/1156/ for a description plus comments), although all the others also score highly.

[Junior]

Saskatoon has the smallest micro brewery in Canada and they make a fantastic Hefeweizen. Our local gastropub carries the Germain Hef and I haven't tried it yet, maybe I will. Paddockwood brewery introduced the Hef in the start of the fall, so I haven't been able to try during the summer months. I figure this will make a great beer for the summer months. We're paying $4-5 for a bottle.

[RobStagis]

They're all a touch pricey, and the SO, whilst browsing the weird-beer racks, came across a Russian wheat beer which, to my taste, was also good - and cheap. It's called Baltika Whear Ale and was 1/3 the price o the others. No, it isn't a 'name' (obviously) but it tasted great; much better than tha American versions.

Edited March 7, 2006 by RobStagis (log)

[Graphix]

out of the hefes weihenstephaner is my fav, i just picked upa few more bottles, its one of the hefes i will never adda squeeze of lemon to. It has a welcoming full bright flavor that you dont usually find in hefes. definatly wortha try.

B

[Kent Wang]

I like Pyramid but some beer snobs told me it is not a true hefeweizen, just a wheat beer. Is this true?