What’s good for the goose is good for the gander; I’ve reviewed the beers of many other brewers, so I offer my own two most recent as blog fodder. I will try and be as honest and forthcoming as possible. Please have mercy on me – I am but a padawan homebrewer. Here is the first. Let’s call it Beantown Brews’ Bavarian Hefeweizen.
Style: Hefeweizen
Serving type: Bottle, about one month old.
Recipe:
6.6 lbs of mutton’s wheat malt (half/half wheat and barley)
3/4 ounces of tettnanger hops for the boil
one packet of WYeast – 3638 Bavarian wheat strain yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar for priming
Appearance: Pours a very hazy orange. A few floaters (suspended yeast clumps) certainly too unsightly for commercial beer, but it is homebrew. Two fingers of think white head. Nice lacing.
Smell: Fruity esters with distinct bubblegum notes.
Taste: A direct creamy sourness that fades to bubblegum sweetness.
Mouthfeel. Lighter bodied but with a bit of stickiness. Carbonation cuts the creaminess at the end.
D: refreshing and light. The sour/sweet makes for a refreshing Summer’s brew.
Overall Grade: Let’s go with C/C+ I like this and it is a great first crack at the hefeweizen style. This is my favorite style of brew and I have had many great beers. This isn’t one of them, but a nice basic weizen nonetheless. Cloudiness is consistent with the style, but the clumping issue is a bit unsightly. A nice creaminess. Sour notes prominent.
Most tellingly, I would call this presentable. I would hand this to someone who came in my house. In fact, I am saving the whole batch for Kristin’s Farm day bonanza.
My first foray into a summer style I love with lots of room for improvement.
Next up: Beantown Brews’ German Hefeweizen
July 14th, 2009 at 7:32 am
I can't wait to try some of your hefeweizen. I know you're trying to be impartial, but homemade always gets bonus points in my book.
July 14th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Bubblegum notes?
July 15th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Just to clarify – this beer does not taste like bubblegum. it has a very subtle bubblegum flavor toward the end. It is VERY subtle…a sort of sweet candy taste reminiscent of bazooka joe or big chew. Very light.