Origin: Germany
Type: Weissbier
Color: Light orange
Alcohol content: 5.4%
Recommended serving temperature: 7ºC/45ºF
Brewery: Bayerische Staadtsbrauerei Weihenstephan
I have decided to write today about one of my favorite weissbiers, the Weihenstephaner Heffe Weissbier, in a long overdue post which will also help to rectify the appalling lack of representation of German beers in this blog.
Weihenstephan brewery, being as it is the oldest standing brewery in the world, is a testament to the history of beer.
It was started in the year 1040, when the benedictine monks obtained a licence to brew beer in their monastery in the City of Freising, in Bavaria. Later, in the year 1803 it was secularized, seized or expropriated, however you may wish to call it, by the Bavarian State, during the times when public authorities, having realized the potential for revenues the breweries presented, decided to make brewing a public prerogative. From the second half of the nineteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth, the brewery saw a school open on its grounds, which was later transformed into an academy, first, and a University, second, where the art of brewing was taught.
Today, it is still owned by the Bavarian State, but now in the form of a regulated enterprise, following private company criteria. That's what I call a public service.
Their Weihenstephaner Heffe Weissbier is a very pale amber, almost dark yellow colored wheat beer with a very slight haziness. It has a big fluffy head, which is however more bubbly than that of other Bavarian wheat beers like Paulaner or Franciskaner.
Its aroma is of cloves and herbs, with a citrus background that give it a very refreshing feel. The wheat is also pretty noticeable, giving it a grainny, cereal like touch.
The taste is also clovey and herby, but it is not as citrusy as one would expect from the smell. Instead, it is more similar to white fruit, such as apple or pear. In fact, it has a slight bitterness which in some moments reminds me more of apple cider. This particular mix of flavors gives the Weihenstephaner a certain more tastiness than your average weissbier, a bit more pang for your buck.
The mouthfeel is quite spritzy, showing a lot of carbonation, in keeping with the bubbly nature of its head.
However, other than that, it has a pretty round end, which makes it highly drinkable.
In terms of pairing, I would suggest trying it with a delicious Portuguese style baked cod, a soft fish dish still savory enough to stand up to the clove in a beer which, despite the traditional smoothness of weissbiers is a festival of flavor.
The taste is also clovey and herby, but it is not as citrusy as one would expect from the smell. Instead, it is more similar to white fruit, such as apple or pear. In fact, it has a slight bitterness which in some moments reminds me more of apple cider. This particular mix of flavors gives the Weihenstephaner a certain more tastiness than your average weissbier, a bit more pang for your buck.
The mouthfeel is quite spritzy, showing a lot of carbonation, in keeping with the bubbly nature of its head.
However, other than that, it has a pretty round end, which makes it highly drinkable.
In terms of pairing, I would suggest trying it with a delicious Portuguese style baked cod, a soft fish dish still savory enough to stand up to the clove in a beer which, despite the traditional smoothness of weissbiers is a festival of flavor.
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