WEIHENSTEPHAN HEFEWEISSBIER: THE GOLDEN STANDARD

Abv  5.9  IBUs  14

There are many different strains of hefeweizen yeast; some have evolved from centuries of mutations in small villages in Bavaria, some work wonders around the world replicating a style that was rare even in Bavaria a generation or two ago.   The Weihenstephaner strain is a prime example of the latter.

Weihenstephan is the oldest brewery in the world.  It began as a monastery in 725 and there’s good evidence that brewing occurred on or near it by 760.   It received its official license in 1040, however and that’s the year they claim for their origin.   An agricultural school moved to the brewery campus in 1852 that today has evolved into the Technical University of Munich, the premier brewing school in the world.   It also maintains the world’s largest yeast bank and its weizen yeast is not only one of the best weizen yeasts, but also one of the most easy to obtain.

Among the golden beers served in the Weihenstephaner garden is the world’s best hefeweizen beer.

The brewery boasts of the clove and banana flavors in its Hefeweissbier, but we’ve always found the weizen esters to be commendably understated: clove is evident and the banana is very very subtle.  We’re pretty sure fermentation temperature is the key– just a bit too warm and the banana takes over.  The cliché of “it’s not what you’ve got but what you do with it” which applies to so many things in life, seems to fit particularly well to the use of the Weihenstephaner weizen yeast.

The Weihenstehpan weizen travels fairly well, but in our observations, perhaps heavily influenced by the drinking environment, even sending it down the road to the village of Freising leaves it just slightly less special that enjoying it on the brewery grounds.

Tasting notes:  It’s full bodied, creamy and yeasty.  Understated doesn’t mean wimpy.   We’ve been picking up as much black pepper as clove and we think that may be a slight change over 40 years ago – though it’s probably more likely we’re the ones who have changed.   A bit of soft lemon from the wheat grows a bit as it drinks.  Banana plays a bit part at best and the bubble gum that characterizes many weizens isn’t evident at all.

Food Pairings:  The Brewery recommends “fish and seafood, spicy cheese, and especially with the traditional Bavarian veal sausage.”  The latter, Weisswurst, is almost exclusively served with breakfast.  So is the brewery really recommending its Hefeweissbier for breakfast?  Selbstverständlich!  [Beer Review # 0116    20170910]

NEXT WE’LL FEATURE WEIHENSTEPHANER KORBINIAN DOPPELBOCK (Sept 12, 2017)

THREE NOTCH’D FANDOM OF THE HOPERA- AN OUTSTANDING RED IPA

Dry Hopped, 7.8 % Abv   90 IBUs

It’s hard to generalize about red ales.  In beer parlance, there’s not much difference between red and amber, for few “red ales” are all that red and many “ambers” are pretty ruddy.   A good many American breweries have produced a Red Imperial IPA and there is a world of difference between them.   Some darker malts, Crystal, for example, can give flavors of burned sugar and leather that we find downright unpleasant.

Three Notch’d’s spacious taproom is a great place to drink fresh beer.

Three Notch’d has hit the style out of the park with its Fandom of the Hopera, however.  The Caraamber from Weyermann, Germany’s premier specialty maltster, strengthens the malt foundation enough to hold up to an onslaught of American hops.   There’s little that’s revolutionary here—it won’t corrode your stomach and you can see through it, but it serves as a reminder that “beer that tastes like beer” can still be exciting and fulfilling if it’s done really well.

If you’re near Charlottesville, check out Three Notch’d’s new taproom and restaurant overlooking IX Art Park.   It will soon be the home of a new larger brewery, but already it’s pouring fresh and interesting beers.

Tasting notes:  The rich dark caramel color promises a ton of flavor and the taste does not disappoint.   A chewy dark caramel shows some sugar flavors, but they’re clean, and there are notes of chocolate by the end.   Hints of brownies –maybe the “good” ones— blend well with the tried and true American west coast hops.  Cascade and Amarillo bring spice, leaf and citrus to the mix.  All in all it’s a brilliant blend of flavors.  Our only complaint is that at 7.8%, we can’t drink as much as we want for as long as we want.

Food Pairings:  This huge beer could hold up to almost any culinary adventure, but we couldn’t help dreaming about a thick medium rare steak—lightly seasoned—while we drank it.

NEXT WE’LL FEATURE WEIHENSTEPHEN’S DEFINITIVE HEFE-WEIZEN: 

Mykonos Mikonu Blonde Saison –    5% Abv

A well-made saison is a work of art—a neat balance of pale malt and spices with a bit of fruit for interest.   We’re less thrilled about some of the directions that brewers on both sides of the Atlantic have taken the style.   Too many versions are over spiced and have additives no Belgian ever put in beer.

(used for educational purposes)

Worse yet, while traditional Saisons may have a bit of sourness and some funk from farmhouse yeasts, those yeasts were not the sort of aggressive Bret wild beasts of today’s breweries.   Sometimes the key to making a good saison is not what you do, but what you refrain from doing.

Mykonos’s saison refrains from most of the capital sins of more adventurous brewers.  It does include wheat malt, which is not traditional, but the yeast is credible and the beer is refreshing on a hot Athens afternoon.

We sampled it at the Local Pint in the Chalandra area of outer Athens.   The Local Pint is the best of several good beer bars in and near Athens, but not the easiest to get to.   We’ll have more on it later in a “Just Go” post.

Tasting notes:  The yeast dominates the taste of this golden not-quite-wild ale.   It’s chalky, somewhat sweet, with just a bit of an autolyzed edge.   Fruits, a touch of the tropics, and a bready malt lurk in the background.

Food Pairings:  The somewhat astringent edge to the beer helps it hold up well to a variety of foods.   Souvlaki is almost too easy a call, but it will do well with any grilled meats on a summer day. [Beer Review # 0114    20170906]

NEXT- SEPTEMBER 8– WE’LL FEATURE THREE NOTCH’D FANDOM OF THE HOPERA-  AN OUTSTANDING IMPERIAL RED IPA

Septem is pretty easy to find in beer stores and bars in Athens.

SEPTEM 8^TH DAY IPA  

7.0 Abv  65 IBUs

Septem is one of the easiest to find craft beers in Athens.  Located in Kimi-Aliveri on the island of Evia, the brewery produces an ambitious range of craft ales that runs from pilsner to sours. We never found a place that had them all in stock, but we managed to try most of them in our week in Athens.   This IPA was one of their best We sampled it at Athens Beer, the best beer bar within an easy walk of the major sights.

Tasting notes:  Mostly traditional West Coast IPA with plenty of flavor from Mosaic, Citra and Simcoe hops.  Lots of bright fruit that shows mostly as citrus, with some stone and a touch of mango ending.   Chalky, thick, and rich with some metal and salty booze.   Heavy handed in a San Diego way, but tasty.

Food Pairings:  Its full body and bright flavors will match a range of foods, but we found it went very well with a traditional Greek Salad.

We have just one caveat about Septem.   The beers are unpasteurized and need to be fresh and well cared for.  Unfortunately their easy availability makes them vulnerable to mishandling.  If you have a bad experience with one, you might need to find a better bar rather than a better beer.  [Beer Review # 0113    20170904]

NEXT WE’LL FEATURE Mykonos Mikonu Blonde Saison