Sunday, April 10, 2011

Hefeweizens - Paulaner and Hofbrau

Hefeweizen is a German wheat beer that originates from southern Germany.  The blend is typically 50% wheat / 50% barley, but more wheat can be used in brewing this beer.  This beer is also cloudy because of the yeast (Hefe) that is present in this unfiltered beer.  Hefeweizen is a popular style, especially in the summer, because it is light and refreshing with tastes of banana, cloves, and bubblegum.  Some people put lemon wedges in hefeweizen – do not do this if you are in Germany – this is an American thing.  I tasted two classic German brewers – Paulaner (5.5% ABV) and Hofbrau (5.4%), which is actually brewed in Kentucky (go figure).  Both beers pour cloudy gold because of the yeast in the beer and both had a large head.  I made sure to swirl the bottles near the end of the pour to get the yeast from the bottle into the glass. I liked the Paulaner best and it had a great taste of wheat, spice, bananas, and yeast – it is a very tasty beer.  There are many American brewers that brew Hefeweizen or similar styles of wheat beers.  I enjoy Belgian Wits too and these typically have flavoring of coriander and curacao orange added that give them a unique flavor.



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