Ramstein Blonde Wheat Beer

[Beaver]

I sampled this Hefeweizen tonight. It wasn't as good as I had hoped. Almost no carbonation which was kind of weird. Here are my notes:

The Ramstein Blonde pours a cloudy golden color. It had a very small fizzy head, that disappeared very quickly.

Its aroma is some bananas, yeast, and spicy cloves.

The taste is sweet malt and some subtle banana and other fruitiness initially. It has a slightly spicy clove finish, with an almost sweet aftertaste.

The beer is medium bodied, but I was surprised at the total lack of carbonation.

Overall, it is a nice, easy drinking wheat beer. The low carbonation hurts it some. I don't like the banana / beer combo, but it was pretty subtle in this beer.

[threecb]

Well, that's a bummer. But I assure you that the low carbonation issue is more the exception than the rule, and on tap you'd wonder if you were drinking a German beer or not!

[steveh]

I was going to ask if they consider this a Bavarian style Hefeweizen, or if it is supposed to be more along the lines of an American Wheat - such as Widmer's. That might explain the low carbonation.

I remember the first Widmer I had from the tap and I was pretty astonished at how flat it was.

S.

[threecb]

I'm not sure if this link will work, because the site works in frames, but here's (http://www.ramsteinbeer.com/about.html) the description.
I'm pretty sure the brewer trained in Germany and uses a German yeast strain.

[steveh]

Interesting that one review (as well as its own description) calls it a "German" style wheat beer, and another calls it the "...best American wheat."

In Germany there is Berliner (and Bremer - in the same style) Weisse and Bavarian Weizen - 2 different styles using wheat malt along with barley malt in their recipes. So calling a beer a "German Wheat" is somewhat misleading.

I wonder what the wheat to barley ratio is in their recipe. An "American style," such as Widmer, usually has less than 50% wheat, whereas a Bavarian style should have 50% or more. I've read somewhere that the American style is based on a recipe that sort of crosses the Berliner and Bavarian styles (less wheat, yet still unfiltered).

S.

PS - "American style wheat" isn't a sanctioned category by the AHA, so I've been adding the quotes.

PSS - also interesting that High Point makes only wheat beers.

[threecb]

Leave it to you to get technical, steve! ;)

Their website is really outdated, and they now do more than wheat beers. They have a pretty decent Marzen/Ofest and I've just missed the Maibock. A couple of other styles, too.
AFA the "American Wheat" thing, I'd be inclined to think that the Blonde Wheat is probably thought of as a German Wheat brewed in America, though they have another version that's more of the American interpretation.
The Blonde Wheat is definitely Barvarian in style.

[steveh]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by threecb
Leave it to you to get technical, steve![QUOTE]

So - ree. ;)

[QUOTE]Their website is really outdated, and they now do more than wheat beers. They have a pretty decent Marzen/Ofest and I've just missed the Maibock. A couple of other styles, too.
AFA the "American Wheat" thing, I'd be inclined to think that the Blonde Wheat is probably thought of as a German Wheat brewed in America, though they have another version that's more of the American interpretation.
The Blonde Wheat is definitely Barvarian in style. [QUOTE]

Their beers certainly look intriguing - all of that German influence is rarely seen in a micro. Now, who do I know in Jersey...

S.

[threecb]

You wanna wait til next winter so you can get your hands on a Ramstein winter wheat! No, really, that can be for another trade.

If you're interested, I think we can set something up!

[Stodbrew]

[i]Originally posted by steveh


PS - "American style wheat" isn't a sanctioned category by the AHA, so I've been adding the quotes.
[/B]

Actually, for the GABF, there is an American style wheat beer category. They have it for both with and without yeast and for light and dark styles. Just fyi.

Steve

[steveh]

Originally posted by Stodbrew
Actually, for the GABF, there is an American style wheat beer category. They have it for both with and without yeast and for light and dark styles. Just fyi.

Cool. With all of the different factions split off the AHA, it's difficult to keep up with what's current. I'd remembered hearing the term "American Wheats" some time ago, and quite a few brew-pubs make what they call an American Wheat, but the BJCP Style Guidelines I refer to most often doesn't list it.

S.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by steveh
I was going to ask if they consider this a Bavarian style Hefeweizen, or if it is supposed to be more along the lines of an American Wheat - such as Widmer's. That might explain the low carbonation.

I remember the first Widmer I had from the tap and I was pretty astonished at how flat it was.

S.

It tastes more like a Bavarian Hefe (which I prefer ) They were at Stouts fest last June and I imagine they will have a table there again this June. I have never been that fond of Widmer Hefe and I do not like the lemon wedge on my glass.