THE MARKETING information for König Ludwig’s Weissbier emphasizes that its owners and producers are direct descendants of King Ludwig himself. A card worth playing, given that brewing Weissbier was once the exclusive right of royalty in Bavaria. But today König Ludwig is less recognized than other more ‘pedestrian’ producers, from Ayinger to Weihenstephaner, and frankly falls short of its pedigree. Still, Ludwig’s beer still boast an appealing brightness and clean wheat focus while shunning the sweeter pitfalls of many Weizens outside the top tier.
A full finger of white head subsides rather quickly atop a traditionally cloudy yellow-gold body with some continuous bubbling. The bouquet opens with moderate wheat, setting the grain foundation first before building up overtones of fully ripe banana (that low, earthy sweetness instead of bright and fruity). The aroma also has touch of grassiness and minerality, too, which the flavor readily backs up with moderate alkalinity. Dry cereal grains are quite prominent, slightly sweet, with only a touch of smokiness and little in the way of phenolic spice; bitterness is mild, albeit a touch higher than expected, countered by touches of breadiness and yeast that appears in the aftertaste. Carbonation seems moderate at first, not quite bursting upon the tongue, but its pinpoint prickles spike from the midpalate through the finish and leave a centralized impression on the roof of the mouth. Phenols have a limited role in this beer, but its overall presence remains balanced and readily satisfying.
Served: 33 cl bottle
Rating: 86
ONE HALF OF THE MIGHTY MONK throwdown of German Hefeweizen (the other half being Paulaner), Franziskaner Brauerei lays claim to a centuries-old tradition of wheat beer-brewing in the Teutonic capital of beer–Munich. In other words: a fairly typical profile for a German brewery concern, but one we should still never take for granted. To wit, in 2003 Franziskaner and parent company Spaten-Löwenbräu-Gruppe were acquired by InBev (then still Interbrew), and could well have led to a 21st century facelift that would have erased all the wrinkles of character only time can accrue. Thankfully, the conglomerate largely contended itself with revamping their marketing–finding an actual human to supplement, but never supplant, the avuncular monk in the logo–while leaving the brew itself alone.
PRETTY VACANT. Looks well—straw blonde, a little but not too murky, plenty of head and lacing to spare—but vanishes from recollection after a few efforts at banana esters in the midpalate and a general impression of the same in the aroma. No spice, cloves, or long-growing sweetness to distinguish it or make it especially refreshing. Takes up space and then leaves without bubble or fuss. Imitation that misses the point but avoids being offensive, at least.
A CUSTOMARY HEFEWEIZEN in all outward appearances, from the slightly cloudy yellow to the fulsome head (truly massive, though lacing is minimal). Aroma overpoweringly of banana at first, then cloves, then grass, then banana again in successive dips into the nose. Flavor considerably sparked up with phenols, however, nearly sharp on the palate and less sweet than the aroma suggests. Alcohol is discernible in mid-to-late palate. Expected fruity esters do eventually swim up a bit, powdering down the initial mineral bubbliness, but the yeast strain is quite mild, and lacking a firm malt backbone begins to diminish in impact throughout the bottle, leaving the ultimate mouthfeel a bit flat and verging on the watery. Still refreshing and could would serve well with lighter dishes, but don’t ask it to contribute too much to the experience. Downgraded upon reflection, frankly, as the first sips were far and away the crispest and zestiest.
FROM APPEARANCE AND POUR(golden and copious but lightly frothed head), certified-organic, the designed-for-spring Tap 4 has everything to be expected from top-flight German Weiss. Its first differences come in the aroma: faintly metallic, alcoholic, and with hints of bubblegum surrounding the expected springy, banana esters. Almost enough bitter hop oil notes to imply dry-hopping, though Schneider has actually only done so in a collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery. The Grünes’s body is slightly stronger than usual, too, with an OG of nearly 14 degrees and an increased kick from its 6,2% ABV. Flavors also hoppier than most Weissbiers, along with clove and enough yeast tang and drying phenols to almost pass for Belgian pale in some respects. It would likely be a winning formula for American palates but throw more traditional Hefe fans for a perplexing loop. Either way, Mein Grünes shows the breadth of creativity still allowed within the Reinheitsgebot—provided one has the vision and craft of Schneider to achieve it.
FROM BINDING-BRAUEREI, one of Germany’s preeminent brewers of non-alcoholic beer in Clausthaler, comes another brand slightly off the beaten path: the Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen. Unusually dark for the style, its color is closer to amber than gold and its flavor more aligned with traditional malts than wheat or zesty yeast. The body and overall impression are still lighter than what’s prototypical in this style, though, despite its color and sweeter malt side. Alcohol of 5% is smack-dab unremarkable. Yeast esters are a little subordinate to citric hops in the back end, diminishing the role of banana even further in the (admittedly modest) interplay of flavors. Clean and light finish supported by the distinctively German mineral clarity, leaving little of the typical hefe yeast impression behind. Perhaps it ought to have.
Constructive Consumption 