Piece Top Heavy Hefeweizen

Brewed by Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
Style: German Hefeweizen
Chicago, Illinois USA

I must confess I’m not a big fan of the hefeweizen style but I did like this one. Rather than reeking of banana this one had a subtle clove character that I found quite appealing. Thouroughly thick and luxuirous, it’s definitely a beer that could just as easily warm you in the winter as it can refresh you in the summer.

Draft: Opaque light apricot. Dense, entirely lasting, consistent layer of white foam. Textbook aroma of sherbet, banana, phenols, and clove. Vibrant hoppiness and lightly toasted malt hulls beneath the surface. Brisk crackle to the carbonation. Beautifully conditioned. Balanced display of clove, bubblegum, and mint. Freshly mashed bananas and doughy malt flavors thicken the body. Flavorsome segue of lightly chalky yeast elements backed with fresh mint, lemon pulp, and a firm spicy phenolic snap. Fairly gritty pear texture. Bright, explosively juicy hop backbone is shadowed by subtle notes of honeydew melon and pureed bananas. Perfectly tart with a quenching apple acidity that gives way to a tongue-numbing crushed clove smattering. Lingering notes of mashed bananas, lightly toasted malts, and juicy noble hops. Definitive session brew, regardless of its vast complexity. Befits the style to a "t."

On tap at the brewpub. It is served in a bigncurvy glass. Hazy yellow with a frothy white head. Traditional spicey banana clove nose. Lots of pepper, clove, banana and some orange juice as it warmed. Excellent American version of this German style.

Curvy 22oz, glass. Cloudy orange/yellow Sulfery, bubblegum and banana nose. Dry and peppery at first sip. Huge hefe. A Monster!! Thick, rich and tasty!
Earlier Rating: 4/6/2003 Total Score: 4.5
Move over Oberon, here is my new favorite American Wheat!!! Piece Pizza is a peculiar spot in the mixed up Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. The cast of MTVs Real World worked here, the decor is mostly Cheap Trick photos and guitars, and the pizza isn't Chicago- style, but East Coast old school thin crust with a wide variety of toppings and sauces. Back to the beer, this bright yellow/gold and cloudy Hefe is a beauty to behold (and served in a great weisse glass that needs to be printed with their quirky logo!). The nose is fruity, mostly banana, clovey, wheaty, cereal like, fresh, inviting. The beer is thick, but not overly so. The body is stout enough for big beer lovers like me, but can easily be sessioned on a hot Summer day. Huge fruity esters, massive banana floats, clove dust, and vanilla are all wonderful.. I can't wait to get back and enjoy another one!!!!!!

Pours hazy yellow. Nose is big of banana, cloves and yeasty esters. Typical of standard hefe. Flavor much of the same. Very drinkable. Great example of the style.

Also as the Big ’n Curvey, though I wonder if it is the same thing based on other reviews. At any rate, this had nice bold orange/brown color. Smelled of yeast, bubble gum, cloves, bananas, citrus? I was pleasantly surprised by this beer, as I did enjoy it. Still, not a converted wheat drinker, but I found the taste pleasant. Breads, cloves, bananas, fruits. It was all there. A nice, smooth experience.

also draft "big n curvey" at piece. beautiful hazy orange color. classic banana and clove taste. easy drinking thick and silky mouthfeel. i am starting to really like this pizzera/brewery. great pizza too.

Draught: (BignCurvy version): Fleshy mango with a thin, white head. Orange-clove aromatics with a light alcohol effervescence. Orange flesh and bitter lemon rinds. Honey-butter cream plate with a light bitterness. Spicy black pepper dust and a bit chalky. One of the better Hefeweizens I have had in Chicago. . .