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| A pint of Summer Lemon Hefeweizen |
It is great!
Aroma: The aroma of this beer is what you'd expect of a hefe - yeasty, with a bit of fruitiness. I was hoping for a bit of lemon on the nose, but sadly, it is lacking. None-the-less, the aroma is pleasing and dead-on for a hefe.
Appearance: The picture is somewhat misleading - this beer is cloudy, just as a hefe should be. The cloudiness has faded as the keg has aged, but it retains a nice white haze that typifies most wheat beers. This beer is a hard pour - a thick, creamy head forms as quickly as you can pour the beer. If I'm in a rush I sometimes end up spooning off the head so I can to off the glass! This thick head does something I've never seen before - it condenses into thick "islands" of almost clumpy head - it looks almost like kraussen. I'm not sure what to make of that.
Flavour: The flavour of this beer is very refreshing - a perfect pint for a summer afternoon. The American Hefe yeast imparted a modest banana flavour, but not nearly as bold as a conventional hefe yeast. Unlike conventional hefe yeasts, there is no clove flavour. As you would expect, the high amounts of wheat give a bit of body to the beer. Behind the banana and wheat flavours is a subtle bit of lemon. The one thing I would change with this batch is the mount of lemon I add - I'd double-up and use two lemons + their zest.
Mouthfeel: Silky, like a wheat beer should be.
Overall: I love this beer - easy to brew, quickly maturing, and a real refreshing brew to enjoy on a hot summers day. As I said above, the only thing not as I'd prefer it to be is the degree to which the lemon comes through - so brew it with 2 lemons, or add a slice of fresh lemon to each glass!
