PAULANER HEFE-WEIZEN (MUNICH, GERMANY)

Weizen bier is a top fermenting style made with wheat (weizen) as opposed to barley. The hefe is German for yeast, and indicates that the brew contains yeast sediment added to the bottle for a secondary fermentation. This sediment imparts the beer with a cloudy, opaque appearance. Weizens posses a spicy aroma and taste as well as a thick, foamy head above a rather spritzy, medium-bodied beer. The typical alcohol content is 3.6 to 4.5 or 5 – 5.5 % ABV, depending on who you ask. The predominant flavors of a wheat beer have little to do with hops, and are generally thought to be “sweet” and “citrus” with no customary beer bitterness (from hops). Some serve a wheat beer with a wedge of lemon to offset its sweetness.

Paulaner of Munich is a major Bavarian brewery and regarded by many to make a definitive Hefe Weizen. These beers can be purchased at your local store in 12 oz. Bottles by the 6, 12 and 24 pack or singly in a pint-sized bottle. As with all imports, there is always an issue of freshness. “How long has this beer taken to get to my eagerly smacking lips?” Paulaner seems rather efficient in getting quality and reasonably fresh brews across the Atlantic and onto shelves here in the States.

Pouring the beer out (I opted for the pint bottle) I was immediately struck with its fizziness. It assembled itself into the glass nicely as a pale yellow and cloudy beer with a full, frothy head. A sniff revealed only the slightest hint of spiciness, a touch of citrus and what can only be explained as a slight “bubblegum” aroma. The taste follows through on what the aroma had promised, a frothy, mildly spicy and citrus beer with a clean finish. I thought it a bit on the light side for what was advertised as a medium-bodied beer, and really missed the floral hops not present in wheat beers. After this cursory examination I opted for the lemon wedge to accompany the beer, with excellent results. It was the bitter kick this yeasty drink needed. I finished the glass with a grilled Italian sausage, and as I got further into the meal, the beer warmed up to me.

This hefe-weizen would compliment nicely any “heavier” or “blander” meats, but also stood up well to my mildly spicy sausage. Served alone and at the bar, it`s not for me. I thought it a bit too yeasty and not as flavorful as I`d like my beers, but recognize it`s lighter body and citrus notes would make for an excellent summer-time thirst quencher. This beer may be well suited for those that shy away from stronger or hoppier selections, but please don`t simply take my word for it; go give it a try yourself.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: Jim Clark