Style: Hefeweizen
ABV: 5.3%
Presentation: Single 500 ml brown bottle
also available in 12-packs
Brewery: Erdinger Weissbräu
Country: Germany

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

The tradition of what we now know as modern wheat beers dates back to the 15^th century in Germany.  One misconception is that it is brewed completely with wheat malt, which in reality would produce a beer a bit too tart and acidic for most people’s palates.  Usually there’s at least 50% wheat used in the malt bill, the remainder of which is rounded out by good ‘ol barley.  This provides the best of both worlds:  the wheat offering a quenching citrus acidity, also more body and a tall, full head, whereas the remaining barley acts to soften up the potentially harsh edges.  On its own this combination serves up a quaint, inoffensive brew, yet what in reality it’s doing is functioning as a fairly neutral backdrop for the real superstar of this style….the yeast!  This specially developed top fermenting yeast has its own special flavour and aroma signature, each brewery eventually cultivating their own version of it, yet for the most to varying degrees expect notes of banana and clove, and at times some nuttiness and even bubblegum (old school style bubblegum that is).

With the unfiltered addition of this yeast it brings us to the topic of appearances.  And some linguistics.  In German “hefe” means yeast, while “weiss” is white and “weizen” is the word for wheat.  Any wheat ale with the word hefe on the label means it’ll be at least somewhat cloudy in appearance.  Weizen is a given, while weiss denotes that it’ll be a lighter variety, as opposed to a dunkel (”dark” in German”) which will have sweeter, caramelized and toasty flavours too.

Regarding Erdinger specifically, it’s been brewed in the town of Erding, Germany since 1886, and is disputed to be the largest producer of Weissbier in that country, and arguably on a global scale as well.

Now when it comes to hefeweizens, they actually do have their own specific glassware.  Similar to a lager glass yet larger in proportion, these glasses stand nearly a foot tall in height, narrow and skinny from the base up, and mushrooming at the top in a rounded, fluted finish.  This way it accentuates the quenching aspects in the flavour while leaving enough room around the lip to accommodate the trademark tall billowing head and highlight the aromatics from the yeast all at the same time.  In a pinch a pint glass will suffice.  You also don’t want to serve this Erdinger Weissbier ice cold, however slightly chilled is getting on the right track.  As it warms all that goodness from the special yeast will bouquet out in the aroma, adding to the overall experience.

Be prepared for a fairly vigorous pour, that extra yeast in the bottle means there’s a healthy amount of carbonation, and chances are you won’t be able to empty the whole bottle in one pour.  This isn’t a bad thing either, I’ll explain shortly.  There should be a tall billowing fluffy white head on the pour that may get a bit out of control.  This is normal.  Let it settle and pour again.  Once you’re down to the final inch or two of beer left in the bottle give it a gentle swirl before pouring the remainder into the glass, thus blending in the last of the yeast to add to the flavour.  Not only that but this yeast is also loaded with vitamins, especially B-Complex.  The appearance of this wheat beer itself is a cloudy pale gold in appearance, which turns to a cloudy straw when held to light.  On to the good stuff, the aroma should offer up some sweet grains and tart wheat, light spice and citrus, along with some clove warmth.  A few sips will reveal a flavour that starts out clean, builds with a bready and slightly tart malt, with a light quenching zip of citrus on the finish, and subtle candied banana throughout.  The texture of the mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium-bodied with enough carbonation to keep it quenching and clean on the finish.

This is a wheat beer that can multi-task.  Great on its own for patio sessions in hot weather, or accompanying a meal.  Of course German cuisine comes up first to serve this with, after all they’ve been cultivated side by side for centuries.  If you’ve been searching for something that will actually go along with Chinese food, then look no further.  Plus this wheat beer is a knock-out with the subtle, earthy flavours of Mediterranean dishes.  If you decide that this is a style to your liking a good idea would be to invest in the proper weizen glasses, Erdinger even has a gift pack that comes with one.

The next steps in the cooler:

Also From This Brewery:
Erdinger Dunkel
Erdinger Alkoholfrei

In-Style:
Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier
Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse
König Ludwig Weiss
Ayinger Bräu Weisse

Lateral Steps:
Duvel
Affligem Blond
Hoegaarden
Blanche De Chambly - Unibroue

For The Adventurous:
Aventinus
Chimay Blue
Orval