Far Göhn, Culpeper, Va
Ferhoodle Hefe
- * Skip It
- ** Good Craft Beer
- *** Well Above Average
- **** Exceptional
- ***** Top 1%
Hefe Weizen beers have surged in popularity in both Germany and in North America in the past several years. In both countries most share a few characteristics – spicy and fruity esters—but can vary enormously. Strong banana flavors, common in Canadian and many US versions are relatively rare in Germany. Most manifest some clove, but German versions often show as much black pepper. One of the pleasures of exploring beer in Bavaria is to note the widely varying interpretations of the style from one small town to another.
Other than the punch of Magnum hops at the end, Far Göhn’s Ferhoodle Hefe would be right at home in Southern Bavaria—maybe a small town not too far from Regensburg. A full spice shows a vibrant yeast and the pepper in the initial taste give it the Bavarian accent. Some lemon from the wheat is expected; the slight metallic tang as it drinks is distinctive. We wouldn’t have blinked had we found this in Hoodlesdorf; in Culpeper it was a nice surprise.
Post 0021 April 3, 2016 It’s officially Il Birrificio di Como, but it markets beer under the name of Malthus. The beers are pretty good, and sometimes truly excellent, but a trip to the brewery is worth the hassle of the train trip from Milan.
