Good evening all. I'm back with another beer review after taking a brief hiatus to dabble in modern music assessment (which, if you're interested, can be found here). The problem with a degree course winding down is that the stress levels are at the highest they've ever been and I never seem to get enough sleep to prepare myself for the next day, so I invariably end up shunning beer reviews in favour of simply relaxing and drinking the stuff. Today I wanted to get back into the swing of things, so I took a quick trip to Tesco which furnished me with a few new offerings, including the subject of this post- Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier Naturtrüb, a hefeweizen from Paulaner Brauerei (Munich, Germany). I've tried this beer once before but can't remember it very well, so let's give it a proper review and see how it fares. Which, as always, is after the pic....
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| Yeah, I know it's not in a weizen glass. Just read the review! |
Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier Naturtrüb (5.5% ABV) pours a cloudy golden colour with a thick white head that retains itself well throughout drinking- classic hefeweizen appearance, always a pleasure to see! The aroma is quite subdued, with banana, yeast, some bittering hop aromas and a light sweetness in the background. Less of the herbal or spicy quality that hefeweizens can possess- the banana is the predominant aroma that comes through on face value, with subsequent draws unveiling more of the yeasty aspects and the malt-derived sweetness, which is very reminiscent of honey. There are also some faint orange/citrus tones that cut through the rest of the aromas just enough without being overpowering. The taste is more dynamic than the nose, with yeast, banana, cloves, orange and a sweetness similar to honey in the background. The finish is light and not particularly imposing, with some grape flavours residing in the aftertaste and the yeast adding a slightly dry element. However, this dryness does not command frequent sips of the beer, although the flavours certainly do! This beer is definitely not the most malty/yeasty hefeweizen out there, but it still brings along enough characteristic flavour to impress the palate. The mouthfeel is quite thick and the beer is well carbonated, with the odd bit of lacing present during drinking. Overall, a more subtle hefeweizen compared to equally popular examples of the style (Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse, Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen), but don't let that assessment imply that this beer shouldn't be spoken of in the same revered tones. It's very well-balanced and still has enough characteristic flavours and aromas to please any wheat beer fan, and would be perfect during the warmer months when, considering the atmosphere, yeastier hefeweizens or even a spicy Belgian Witbier would seem cloying. Definitely recommended!
Until next time....
