New Belgium - Coconut Curry Hefeweizen

Is it just me or when you see a beer with "Coconut Curry" in the title, you just have to take it home?  I have to know what it's like!  I have to try it.  I also enjoy that I'm supporting creative brewers, but my motives are far from altruistic.  I want what others call "weird beers."  If it weren't for weird beers how would we know that we like beers with coffee or syrup or chili peppers or smoke or weasel poop?  Without creative brewing we'd all be drinking fermented honey or fruit juice or something.  So let's keep this progression going because if beer as we know it is this good, who knows what a few experiments might turn up over the next several hundred years!  It's our solemn duty (*wink*) as craft beer drinkers.  All right, </speech>, but seriously... rare ingredients are good things.  This beer seems to have them and the Lips of Faith series by New Belgium has turned out some pretty damn good brews.  How can I lose, right?  Let's pour!

This picture is not blurry.  My camera was drunk.

Aroma 10/12

This is a not a bruiser in the aroma department, but I will give it kudos for performing the seemingly impossible task of incorporating all of the ingredients of its namesake into the aroma.  At first this comes across the nose as a sweet-smelling hefe: gum-like Belgian yeasts and a a spicy clove note.  Then you start to realize that part of the sweetness is in part thanks to the coconut.  The coconut does not come across aggressively or über-sweet like some of the candies based on the same, but instead like the creamy, almost neutral sweetness of coconut flesh.  In the back is the curry that steadily grows stronger as the beer warms.  At first the spice is simply detectable as an overall spiciness, maybe an extra boistrous strain of Belgian yeast providing more-than-usual pepper notes or an especially zesty clove, however the curry slowly becomes more distinct to eventually take a seat as one of the predominant aromas.  We are left with a Belgian yeast sweetness, made to seem sweeter by a well-hidden coconut, and loads of spice.  Neither one overpowers, but both are strong.

Appearance 2/3

Despite not mishandling this beer, I was disappointed to see white floaties traveling around my glass like annoying insects that I could not shoo away.  Having not yet taken a drink, I'm unsure if they are pieces of coconut, sediment from the hefe, or some combination of both.  The beer is cloudy as the style should be and pours a dusty golden hue.  Its head is ivory in color and constructed of many tiny, distinct bubbles that are steadily replaced by line of their brethren rising from the bottom.

Flavor 19/20

There is no easing your way into this beer.  From the moment it hits your lips, it is upon you and greeting you as zealously as a long lost aunt during an surprise Christmas visit  Things begin as a very spiced version of a hefe, but quickly the curry takes over the flavor.  This is a bit scary since a curry flavored beer has been requested by approximately 1 person ever who was then promptly flogged - not a exactly a popular option.  With a little bit of patience and close attention to what is being tasted, the spiciness (almost bitter for a moment) combines with a wash of coconut sweetness and the flavor turns wholly into that of a delicious Indian meal.  The sweetness of the hefe was almost completely drowned out by the spices but is reborn in the coconut and the transition is surprisingly easy - huge kudos to the folks at new Belgium for spotting these complementary flavors in seemingly opposite corners.  Fascinating!  The finish, much like the food, leaves plenty of spice on the tongue and is perhaps partially aided by a lively carbonation.  This lingering spice not only muddies the remaining hefe sweetness into an earthier, darker version of itself, but also leaves the tongue tingling in a few distinct places.  The aftertaste is surprisingly non-existant or perhaps just seems that way after such unmistakable flavors.

Mouthfeel 4/5

The carbonation started out as extremely active, but halfway through the bottle mellowed to that of a frisky american lager.  It has a medium-heavy body which actually gains a nice smoothness as the carbonation shrinks.  There's no real warmth to speak of no matter what the curry tells you.

Overall Impression 9/10

This is an impressive brew.  Not only did they use such exotic and unconventional ingredients as coconut and curry, but they also missed all the pitfalls that can happen when utilizing such potent ingredients.  The hefe behind these large ingredients is quite good and not some sub-par version hiding behind flavors.  New Belgium found a sweet and lightly spiced beer and paired it with a sweet and spicy food.  This combination may be out of left field, but works together like the field of dreams.

Total 44/50

To say I'm surprised by how well this beer works would be an understatement.  I buy a lot of unusual sounding beers.  The constant experimentation and pushing of boundaries is something I find exciting in both food and drink and the ingredient list on this beer certainly satisfies that.  Not only do I find these things exciting, but new ingredients also pique my curiosity.  The beer has a good hefe base to it, which is only detectable in brief splashes.  After that, it's "The Coconut & Curry Show," and the beer excellently replicates the taste of those succulent Indian dishes.  If you like that, you're bound to like this beer.  If not, it still may have something to offer.  The spice and sweet, fruit-like qualities of a hefe pair surprisingly well with the same qualities of the Indian food.  Granted, the curry/coconut takes the spice and fruit levels and cranks them up to  a level beyond what we beer drinkers would call "imperial."  The coconut/curry is an exaggerated version of the style's calling card flavors, but the similarities are undeniable; I can see why they made it.  I like this beer.  Tasty, unique, well done, pronounced, an excellent pairing of style and new ingredients, and it's exactly what it claims to be on the label.  My only question is, if I order this in a bar, do I receive some naan instead of pretzels?

New Glarus - Unplugged Imperial Weizen

This beer already has a lot going for it and I have not even opened the bottle yet.  First, it is made by New Glarus Brewing company, a brewer that not only makes phenomenal beer, but is also enjoying an extremely high level of success.  Every time I hear about them in the news it seems that there are enjoying some new (deserved) accolade.  Second, it is a hefe.  Hefes are one of my favorite types of beer because they are one of two styles that started me drinking beer AT ALL, not just craft beer.  Needless to say, we go back a little ways and I always enjoy a pilgrimage to see this old friend.  Third, it is an Imperial.  Imperials are becoming a bit of a personal favorite as of late.  Their abundance of bold flavors combined with a high alcohol content make this style right up my alley.  Enough blabbering.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

 Aroma 12/12
A knockout punch!  It is debatable if one could add anything to improve the aroma of this beer.  An onslaught of banana esters, alcohol, biscuity malt, and appropriate spices.  In fact, a drinker could swear they had just put their nose into a bananas foster.  The banana appears to be paired with a spiced rum.  However, when broken down into the components of a strong warmth and spices (brown sugar, clove) it is easy to see how one could get that impression.  Do I detect some apricot as well?

Appearance 3/3
This brew pours a sediment laden yellowish-ochre with bright golden hues at the glass' edges.  Even a gentle pour produces an enormous ivory head which ascends as a meringue pillar in the glass.  Eventually the head turns to a soap sud texture and leaves copious lacing.

Picture is my own.

Flavor 19/20
Unreal.  It is everything a hefe should be.  The initial flavors are malty, banana, vanilla, and light touches of citrus.  This beer wastes no time and dives into a backbone full of more banana and brown sugary sweetness(!).  If held in the mouth the sweetness becomes dominant bit eventually a citrus hoppy flavor (grapefruit) to show itself.  The beer finishes in a slick banana warmth that finally begins to reveal the true hop bitter in this beer.  Hop bitter in a hefe?  You better believe it.  It only gets stronger in the aftertaste and encourages you to take that next sweet sip.  Amazing flavor!

Mouthfeel 5/5
Medium body with a high level of creaminess; both of which are excellent compliments to the flavor.  High level of warmth detectable especially during the finish, but less noticeable in the backbone.  Everything is to style and nothing is distracting.

Overall Impression 10/10
As just said in the last sentence, "everthing is to style."  Though I have never had an Imperial Weizen before it takes the absolute best from each and offers it in 12oz bottles.  Strong flavors from all the best parts of the hefe, yet the strong alcohol and bitter of an imperial make this brew unforgivable to miss if given the opportunity.

Total  49/50 (Outstanding)
This is currently my highest rated beer to date.  The only thing keeping it from being perfect was the detectable warmth levels.  The best imperials will hide it perfectly.  Granted, this beer did not have the dark roasted malt to work with that an imperial stout would, so it still retains high marks.  Some of you may be saying I went into this review a bit biased what with my intro paragraph and all which could easily be entitled, "Three Reasons to Love This Beer Before Even Trying It."  However, there have already been several blogs of various brewers which have left me disappointed despite my high hopes and I have not be afraid to "call it as I see it."  It is the double-edges sword of high expectations.  They can reconfirm your experience or leave you dissatisfied.

This beer somehow manages to showcase its strong, amazing flavors without trying to knock you down with them or becoming a one-trick pony.  It excellently exhibits everything that the style demands and adds nuances that improve it further still!  This not only goes down as the best hefe I've ever tasted, but also as one of my new top beers of all time.  Dan Carey can hang his hat high on this one.  Kudos again to New Glarus!  I only hope I can travel up to Wisconsin again before these bottles are off the shelves.

P.S.  Psst!  Dan & Deb... May I strongly suggest putting this out year round, even if at a premium?  Heck, if you decide to grow the brewery larger than just WI (yes, I know you're already bigger than you want to be), may I suggest that THIS be the flagship that you send to new shores.  The nation will not be disappointed.

Ayinger - Braü-Weisse

As with most folks, my first dive into craft brewery (or any beer with flavor for that matter) was a witbier, with weisse beers and hefe-weizens not far behind.  These are the styles of beer that I have drinking the longest and I am always excited to try a new one or revisit an old friend.  Today's sample was Ayinger's - Braü-Weisse.  I was a bit more excited than usual because this appeared to be a more authentic offering than most; there were proper (not popularized spellings), it is German-made, and (I cannot stress this enough) there were umlauts on the bottle.  It is also important for me to note that the 2 of the 3 english phrases on the label were:

1.  Brewed in accordance to the "Reinheitsgebot" Purity law of 1516
2.  Authentic Bavarian hefe-weizen

Those are good signs!  Let's dive right in.

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only

Aroma 9/12
The hops are the first thing to jump out at you.  They are, of course, citrusy and sweet; greeting the nose but not overwhelming it with sweetness.  This lack of sweetness, everpresent with the style, is to be the theme for this beer.  There was not the smell of "banana" or "bubblegum" with this beer, but instead a sweet more acidic aroma associated with apples.  This is the first hint that makes me think I may not have received a fresh bottle from my retailer.  An aroma is still certainly present, but not the rich, sweet smell of an authentic hefe-weizen.  For the style, its a bit thin and acidic.

Appearace 2/3
A lovely, golden cloud filled my glass.  What more could you ask for in a weisse?  A head, it turns out, is the answer.  The ivory-colored head was fair in size (1 1/2 fingers), but it disappeared extremely quickly (especially for the style) and I was disappointed.  For a good hefe-weizen I expect a thick, rich foam on the top which reeks of the aroma beneath and remains with me for at least half the glass.  This was not the case; there was no lace and no retention.  This is the second hint that suggests I may not have received a fresh bottle.  You can see it ranks about a 20 EBC.

Picture my own.

Flavor 14/20
I am conflicted on how to evaluate the flavor of this beer.  One part of me says, "Its not as sweet as the style should be!  Where is the smell you love?  Where are the distinct flavors?"  The other part says, "Wow.  This beer did not try to overwhelm you with sweetness.  Its very well-blended and a more 'mature' entry of the style."  While, I was able to detect some floral hops, fruity esters, and a nice even balance to me the entry was almost sour in the mouth.  This is the third hint that I may not have received a fresh bottle.  I understand if a beer of this style would want to try something a little less candy-ish and more toward other European styles of cloudy beer.  But sour?  That taste has no place in a weisse and has been dudected points accordingly.

Mouthfeel 3/5
A light-medium body with ample carbonation.  I should like a heavier body in this style (complimenting the creaminess of the head and the sweet flavors in the beer), but having it a bit lighter does add to its drinkability.  As it stands, I could have had several of these if exclusively based on the mouthfeel.  No real warmth, but a bit of astringency.

Overall Impression 7/10
While I still certainly would not mind buying another pint of this beer, I cannot help but shake the feeling I have been swindled.  I have been swindled out of the beer-tasting experience that I expected.  I expected the most from an authentic variety of this beer, however the taste was not only muted (subtlety can be nice) but incorrect to an extent.

Total 36/50
I have mentioned it several times in this review and I'll say it again; I feel I may have received a bottle that was not at its peak freshness.  Several factors from the aroma and head, to the flavor and mouthfeel were just not right for this beer or this style.  As it stands, it is still a "very good" beer ("Generally within style parameters, minor flaws"), but it could definitely be delivering more.  A good Paulaner would kick the tail out of this sample.  That said, I will be more than happy to give this beer a second chance.  I even look forward to it.  Be assured that next time I will be asking the date when the shipment arrived.