Monday 12 June 2006

Review: Erdinger Weissbier Kristallklar

Erdinger Weissbier Kristallklar from Erdinger Weissbräu
Rating: B

Appearance: served in a 500 ml bottle at an Italian restaurant in Johannesburg, South Africa. Pours a pale gold, big head, very little lacing. "Crystal clear," as sold, but to be honest very average looking. According to my prejudices, any beer that smells and tastes like this one should be cloudy, but I understand this is a Kristal Weizen, not a Hefe. No yeast at the bottom of the bottle.

Smell: citrus fruit, but not particularly strong. Taste is fruity at first, then vinous with a touch of acidity, and finishes with a hint of bubblegum. The bitterness that shows up in the aftertaste reminds one that this is, indeed, beer, and I think that's the right place for hops in a wheat beer.

Mouthfeel: highly carbonated! I understand that Bavarian wheats are typically more carbonated, but this seemed excessive - it was hard to taste until it had sat in the glass for a bit. Mouthfeel is like semi-sweet white wine (carbonated).

Drinkability: This was a solid beer, with certainly nothing objectionable in the taste department, but the high carbonation and my preference for taking my wheats "hefe" detract a bit. That said, this could be an excellent gateway beer for someone accustomed to drinking highly carbonated, crystal clear AML's.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 06-12-2006 11:13:43

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