Cape Ann Fishermans Bavarian Wheat Ale

Brewed by Cape Ann Brewing Company
Style: German Hefeweizen
Gloucester, Massachusetts USA

Serve in Weizen

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Clearish copper coloured body with a bright orange glow and almost no head at all to speak of - this doesn’t look much like a german hef, unless it’s a kristall. Aroma of citrus, wheat, sugars, pears, peaches, spicey yeast and a sour almost flemish smell. Medium-bodied; Assertive malt up front that fades immediately and leaves no backbone, a touch of the sour grapes/cherries then follows, and leaves a touch of alcohol, some minor spices and an effervescent taste. Aftertaste is very mild with only the wheat and yeast coming through - not much at all and not long-lasting. Overall, a drinkable beer, but not close to the style at all, and not showing much at all to what this should show. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased from State Line Liqours in Elkton, Maryland on 10-August-2011 for US$2.19 sampled at home in Washington on 13-September-2011.

Draft. Pours hazy amber with a white head. Yeasty and fruity aroma with light spicy notes. The flavor has fruity and spicy yeast with a wheaty base. Well balanced. Not bad.

22 oz bottle from Blanchard’s. Poured into a Weizen glass. A darker caramel like tones in the color, lightly hazy, with big frothy head to start and then it died down to a much smaller layer. Not much lace. The smell is fresh yeast (somewhat German yeast like) and a light citrus. Taste is caramel malts, mild wheat with clove and grass in the background. This is more of a nice wheat ale, I wouldn’t call it a German Hefeweizen. BUT it is pretty good for wheat ale. Very fresh and vibrant on the palate. With some thicker body. A fresh bottle during the summer is nice, it would decline rapidly if the bottle was old. Overall if you can get a fresh bottle, I say try it!!

It had a copper-straw yellow pour with a thin to no head and on the cloudy side. The aroma was vibrant with wheat and a little fruitiness but I do not know if there is any difference between Bavarian wheats and any other wheats. The body was thin. The wheat was evident in the taste but that was offset by its dry finish. Pleasant enough but nothing extraordinary.

Bottle: Pours a clear deep copper orange with a thin-lacing ring of white head. Has a lightly sweet wheaty nose with a touch of tart fruits, subtle funk, banana, and clove esters. Starts with a mild light wheaty sweetness and some estery character with a touch of tartness and biscuity malts before a thinner, blander finish. The yeast profile is pretty true to style, but there seems to be some kind of mild infection that’s detracting from the drinkability.

Special thanks to Big D for this beer! Poured a burnt orange color, with a white 1-inch foam head that disappeared after first sip. Aroma definitely fruity. At first taste I did not think I was going to enjoy this beer, but I have to admit it, the, more I drank of it, the more I enjoyed it. The color and taste was darker and heavier than I’m used to in a wheat beer, but again, an enjoyable beer. I was disappointed when I finished the beer, I didn’t have a second one in my fridge.

From a bottle. This site says hefe but I don’t think so; probably like some wheat ale, like the label says. . From the start its a little darker and not as cloudy as a hefe. Smell is a little ale-ish, not really hefe. Stronger than hefe on the first tast but not as rude as many wheat ales. Some fine creamy CO2 in there. Rather well behaved with very little if any rude bitter ale attributes. However well behaved, this stuff lacks any of the real hefe attributes that I have become so endeared to; no bubble gum and no banana. Overall rather tasty and friendly. I think I taste some orange in the background.

Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this beer poured a dark copper color with a large foamy orange-white head that lingered and produced minimal lacing. The aroma was sweet with moderate notes of nut, caramel and bread though there was a light vegetal undertone. The flavor was nutty with caramel, toasty malts and bread on the front and undertones of clove and tangy citrus. The finish was long with nut, caramel and bread lingering. Moderately full bodied. Solid.

Key Food, Flatbush Ave 12oz ($2): Pours a barely hazy amber color with very minimal head. Aroma of banana, apple, and a tiny hint of spice. Taste is pretty weak, but standard hefeweizen. No real ambition with this beer. Ends up with a slightly sour finish. An overall underwhelming beer experience.

UPDATED: JUL 27, 2010 On tap at Seasons on Martha’s Vineyard. Fairly lite wheat brew, with a surprising amount of sweetness. This made me think of a wheat Corona or cream style. Not bad.