Know what goes down like magic on a hot summer’s day? A solid wheat beer. Know what goes down like magic on a dreary fall day? A solid wheat beer. Don’t believe me? That’s crazy talk. While most people look to bright, refreshing citrusy wheat beers in the hot weather, there is no reason not to drink them any time of year, especially with the right food (I’ll get to that). And Paulaner Hefe-Weizen is a great wheat beer, available year-round in Toronto. I talked about my love for Paulaner in my post on their Oktoberfestbeir, but in case you forgot, they’re an awesome Munich-based brewery. I’ve actually referenced them a lot recently, as there’s been a lot of talk around town, about what constitutes a “craft” brewery. Is Paulaner? I argue that they are, even though they produce a huge amount of beer (over 2 000 000 hectolires/year which is still within the Brewer’s Associations definition of craft) and are fairly mainstream in Germany. They make excellent beers, using high-quality ingredients and traditional methods. If that’s not craft I don’t know what is. Craft beer doesn’t just come from young hip brewers, it can come from breweries that are 400 hundred years old too!
Paulaner Hefe-Weizen — Paulaner Brauerei GmbH
From a 330ml bottle Paulaner Hefe-Weizen pours a solid opaque orange, touching on brown at the centre. A big soft 3″ head drops to about 1/2″ of foam by the half-way point, and makes it nearly to the bottom of the glass. Aroma is classic wheat beer, lemon and banana, nice spices that seem to touch on cloves and coriander, and a touch of grass. Taste is just lovely too. Citrus is less juicy than some German-style wheats, just nice and bright, with the banana adding a fresh sweet layer to the flavour profile. Spices are still present, but a bit less defined. There’s something a a little mineral-like to the finish, which I’m guessing is the hops, which I think also add the very subtle grass aroma and taste. Body is quite light, yet manages to feel a bit creamy. The carbonation is quite present and prickly, keeping things bright and effervescent. There’s a nicely citrus linger that is hugely refreshing, and is a big reason why people flock to wheat beers during the hot summer. A lovely wheat, and definitely a classic in terms of Munich beer.
Prost, Paulaner!
Buy This Beer
At the LCBO #577296, The Beer Store, and great bars around Toronto.
Drink It With
The bright citrus notes are going to absolutely make you cry tears of food-related joy, when you drink it with a San Francisco-style fish taco. The bright beer will compliment the baja sauce, and totally help cut through the fatty fried fish. It could well be the perfect pairing in the beer world. For cheese, a nice sharp chevre would work well, and I know for a fact that having one of these with some Pecorino Fresca from Monforte dairy is sublime.
About The Brewery
The Paulaner Brewery was founded in 1634 by bavarian monks, who originally brewed beer for their own enjoyment. Today, the Munich-based brewery employs nearly 700 staff and produces 2.2 million hectolitres of beer annually, making it a market leader in its native Germany and abroad. For more information, visit http://www.paulaner.com
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