Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen
Bottle purchased from Leura Cellars. Wonderful that there is now a steady supply of Sierra Nevada beers making their way to Australian shores. Pours a suitably cloudy and light-coloured yellow, with a fine, but rather effete head of white. Lacing is patchy, but looks like the classic examples. The head is a bit of a disappointment, but otherwise it looks good. Nose is crisp and clean, with some lingering underripe banana characters. The acidity of the wheat is very present here, giving a tone I associate more the the American wheat ale, than the bursting and redolent esters fo the German examples. Still, pretty good nose. Taste is where this takes off. Clean, smooth and wheaty with slight weizen-yeast tones on the finish. Clear palate, excruciatingly refreshing and with just enough of that light touch of acidity to prove that you need no slice of orange with it. Very refreshing and very clean, and almost indistinguishable from one of the best German examples. A great American beer, brewed amazingly close to style. Apart from the lack of oomph on the nose, I'm sure the Germans would very happily claim this as one of their own. Crackingly refreshing brew.