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Hefeweizens

john b

By john b
in Beer & Cider

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john b

john b

Posted
Posted

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.

John

"I can't believe a roasted dead animal could look so appealing."--my 10 year old upon seeing Peking Duck for the first time.

beergirl

beergirl

Posted
Posted
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.

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?

"There's a whole lotta things I ain't never done, but I ain't never had too much fun" Commander Cody

TongoRad

TongoRad

Posted
Posted

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.

aka Michael

Chi mangia bene, vive bene!

"...And bring us the finest food you've got, stuffed with the second finest."

"Excellent, sir. Lobster stuffed with tacos."

chardan

chardan

Posted
Posted

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

BonVivant

Posted
Posted

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 :)

2024 IT: The Other Italy-Bottarga! Fregula! Cheese! - 2024 PT-Lisbon (again, almost 2 decades later) - 2024 GR: The Other Greece - 2024 MY:The Other Malaysia / 2023 JP: The Other Japan - Amami-Kikaijima-(& Fujinomiya) - My Own Food Photos 2024 / @Flickr (sometimes)

 

 

John

John

Posted
Posted

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.

John the hot dog guy

Okbrewer

Okbrewer

Posted
Posted

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...!

Bob R in OKC

Home Brewer, Beer & Food Lover!

eje

eje

Posted
Posted

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.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

john b

john b

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
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.

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

John

"I can't believe a roasted dead animal could look so appealing."--my 10 year old upon seeing Peking Duck for the first time.

john b

john b

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

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

John

"I can't believe a roasted dead animal could look so appealing."--my 10 year old upon seeing Peking Duck for the first time.

John

John

Posted
Posted
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.

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

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.

John the hot dog guy

Scoats

Scoats

Posted
Posted

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.

  • 1 month later...
nr706

nr706

Posted
Posted
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

Nick Soapdish

Posted
Posted

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

There's nothing like a pork belly to steady the nerves - Fergus Henderson

nr706

nr706

Posted
Posted
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

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

Nick Soapdish

Nick Soapdish

Posted
Posted
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

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

ooops...

prince, not price

ha

ns

There's nothing like a pork belly to steady the nerves - Fergus Henderson

  • 6 months later...
Junior

Junior

Posted
Posted

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.

Dan Walker

Chef/Owner

Weczeria Restaurant

RobStagis

RobStagis

Posted
Posted (edited)

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 by RobStagis (log)

To paraphrase: There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worth doing as simply messing about with food.

  • 3 weeks later...
Graphix

Graphix

Posted
Posted

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

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