Good use of a sideboard - click the images
A real surprise was in store when I hit the LCBO the other day preparing for a dinner party on a stinking hot summer Saturday. They had actually brought in a bunch of extra hefeweizens, southern German wheat ales with a measure of yeast left in.
Rogue Half-E-Weizen: a loose rich white head falls to a white skim leaving generous lace over a slightly cloudly yellow straw body. Corriander and hops balance well, their bittering leaving some astringency while the lightly creamy yeast with its presence of banana intercedes. A medium light version of the style without the German committment to full bore clovey creamy goodness. $5.05 for a 22 oz bottle.- Erdinger Weizen: I am a little unsure if this
is a real hefeweizen as the labelling is "weissen" but the little neck sash says "mit feiner hefe in der flasche gerfeift" which in my hack German I take as "with fine yeast left in the bottle". Even with that the nature of this beer still leaves me wondering a bit. White foam over cloudy yellow leaving no lacing. Light body without the phenols of banana or spice that indicate the style. A clean cream yeast without complexity but very refreshing. 
Schneider Weisse: This is the business. One of my favorite beers that for some reason screams "lunch" with a cold cut sandwhich. How many things scream that in life? It is rich and creamy good with lots of cloves and banana. A fine white head over medium brown with almost a greyish tinge. As befits the style, very moreish and heat-wave cutting.
Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen: this hefeweizen pours a tall egg white meringue over cloudy straw ale. A layer of hop astringency cuts and to a degree hides the yeasty phenols of banana and clovey nutmeg. Not as rich as others from Germany in the style though richer than the American cousins here. Lemony grapefruit in the finish.
Edelweiss Weissbier Hefetrüb: white foam over dark yellow or light brown cloudy ale. Simply lovely. Lighter than the Schneider Weisse with a lemony brightness it does not share. Clove aroma and banana-clove in the mouth. The brewery has had only 530 years to get it right. Clean finish with a nice drying hop astringency.
Saranac Hefeweizen:I am quite surprised by the quality of this beer. Not as creamy a yeast strain as the others but much truer than the other US version of the style from Rogue above and Harpoon's version tasted in April. It would be worth comparing to Paper City's Cabot Street. White fine rocky head over cloudy straw coloured beer. Quite pronounced clove over banana. Worthy yet the label says limited edition.
Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse: The last of this set, perfect on a summer warm evening with a game from Fenway on the tubes, soothing to aches and pains from old timers soccer. Niether lemony or particularly creamy, this is quite a grainy rendition of the style with both banana and clove as supporting class. Massive rich white head over cloudy dark straw beer verging on orangey. There is something savory as well in the palate, making me thing of soaking a pork roast in this one. Of the selection above, most like the Rogue with that beer's untraditional use of corriander but the notes of spice here are in the yeast. Another amazing expression and, for what it is worth, one of the best logos in all of commerical trade.
Comments
Knut Albert Solem - June 29, 2005 5:17 AM
I might be wrong, but the Edelweiss is from Austria and not from Bavaria, isn't it?
Knut
Alan - June 29, 2005 8:00 AM
Yumpin' Yoikes! The bottle says:<blockquote><i>Brewed by Brau Union Österreich AG, Hofbräu Kaltenhausen, 5400 Kaltenhausen, Austria.</i></blockquote>You are right.
Knut Albert Solem - June 29, 2005 9:56 AM
And the Rogue beer is from Oregon, right?
I picked up a few bottles of their ales in London, so I recognized the design.
Knut
Alan - June 29, 2005 10:11 AM
That is it. Which of theirs did you pick up?
Knut Albert Solem - July 1, 2005 5:37 AM
A smoke beer and a bitter, if I remember correctly. I liked the retro design, and I though they were British brews until I looked closer after I came home. I may try them over the weekend.
Alan - July 1, 2005 10:25 PM
This comparison concludes after a week of <i>Munichertrüblichnicht</i>...ok, I made that up. Yet, still a loverly assignment I posed to myself.
fletcher - March 24, 2006 8:45 AM
jesus, 5 dollars for the american beer? how much for the german ones? i'm surprised to hear that they are carried at all in the states. i've been in europe for the year and i have fallen in love with german weisse beer. the two best that i've had were the schneiderweisse (that you reviewed) and paulaner dunkel. i really cannot imagine beer getting any better than that.
but for some reason, where i'm living, erdinger is the most popular. it's most definately a true hefeweissen but i agree, there's not much to it. but if you ever see the erdinger dunkel anywhere, definately try it. it's a really nice beer.
Alan - March 24, 2006 8:51 AM
Send reviews, Fletcher! You must have access to some micro-ish hefes. BTW, I am in Canada so the five bucks for the Rogue bomb is not out of line. I think it is not far below that when I pop south to CNY.
Chris - March 24, 2006 7:46 PM
"five bucks for the Rogue bomb is not out of line. I think it is not far below that when I pop south to CNY."
Don't feel bad, even at the brewery they charge $4.50-$5.00/bottle for their beer.
Brodie - March 25, 2006 9:49 PM
Ok, so a friend of mine says "quite cruising the site and post" - so here I am. I have just recently been introduced to the german and belgian style beers (thanks Alan) so often reviewed here. I'm enjoying the Schneider Weisse as I post this comment and have also tried the Hacker-Pschorr earlier this week - which I loved. I haven't noticed any of the others at the LCBO but will definitly pick them up as I come across them. Do I need to make a road trip across the border for the American beers in the group or were they purchased at the LCBO as well?
Alan - March 25, 2006 10:15 PM
[Alan to himself: <i>Excellent...my plan is working...now I get to make fun of Brodie in front of the entire planet...</i>]<p>Umm...err...only the Saranac was from over there. The LCBO had a special purchase of hefes last summer like they had Belgian whites the year before. But there would be a better selection in Ithaca. But that is true of most things.
Steve - March 29, 2006 4:34 PM
Hi, I found this site while looking for info on ways to brew hefe beer. I was stationed in Germany years ago and also fell in love with the hefe's. If you ever get a chance, Maisels Weisse is very good ( my current favorite ) I've tried many other local ( South Carolina ) hefe's but they don't compare to Maisels. I havn't seen any of the beer listed here but if I do find them I'll have to try. Thanks and have a great day.
Rob - July 26, 2007 5:09 PM
Maisels! now there is a name I've not heard in nearly 20 years, Great Hefe Weizen. I was reminiscing about my days in Bamberg today and thought to do a search on Erdinger as I remember enjoying it quite a bit back in the day and was hoping I could find out some info on getting some stateside. But I digress, I found your beer blog and would have to agree that both the Schneider and Edelweiss are great. Now, if I could just find one of these four around Nashville, I'd be all set!
Alan - July 26, 2007 5:32 PM
Have you checked the shops listed at the Beer Advocate for Nashville?
Mike stationed in Bayreuth 1st sqd 2nd ACR 85-87 - August 3, 2007 1:34 PM
I lived in Bayreuth GE 85-87, traveled all over Europe particularly Germany and Austria - and had the terrific opportunity to try several Hefe's and Crystaals (I am a little portly) and the thought of putting a Maisels against my lips almost makes me quiver! I wish I could find it here CONUS side. I've been back to Germany 7 times, never stationed in Bayreuth again (Maisels factory is in Bayreuth) and each time I brought a rack back with me and it was gone within a week and I was back to near beer. I got a buddie who moved to Germany - said it was because his wife was German - but I know better ;-)!
Robert - July 21, 2009 5:43 PM
Try Pauliner's Hefeweissen. Very good balance and is my favourite. When I was in Germany, I often bought Stuttgarter Hofbrau ..having a terrible time finding that in the US though.
marc - March 26, 2012 5:15 PM
I was stationed in germany and had shofferhoffer weizen and loved it since being back in the states i have been looking for that and only that with no luck any ideas on hwere i might be able to find this awesome weizen in massachusetts ????