Sunday Night Suds - Kirkland Signature Hefeweizen

This week's beer review looks at Kirkland Signature Hefeweizen.

It occurred to me this evening while I was drinking the Kirkland Signature Hefeweizen that although I have reviewed a few Hefeweizen on these pages such as those produced by Shiner (http://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2008/11/sunday-night-suds-shiner-hefeweizen.html) and Saranac (http://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2008/08/sunday-night-suds-saranac-hefeweizen.html) I had never actually taken the time to define Hefeweizen.

As I usually go to the experts at BA for beer classification, I have produced their definition of Hefeweizen below:

A south German style of wheat beer (weissbier) made with a typical ratio of 50:50, or even higher, wheat. A yeast that produces a unique phenolic flavors of banana and cloves with an often dry and tart edge, some spiciness, bubblegum or notes of apples. Little hop bitterness, and a moderate level of alcohol. The "Hefe" prefix means "with yeast", hence the beers unfiltered and cloudy appearance...

Often served with a lemon wedge (popularized by Americans), to either cut the wheat or yeast edge, which many either find to be a flavorful snap ... or an insult and something that damages the beer's taste and head retention.

Now that I have reaffirmed my understanding of the Hefeweizen, I turn to the Kirkland Signature Hefeweizen which while quite drinkable is anything but a Hefeweizen. The beer is perfectly clear and without the slightest bit of "floaters" which are the hallmark of the normally unfilted style of beer. There is a slight taste of cloves, but it does not hit you over the head like most other hefeweizens I have tried.

Bottom line - the Kirkland Signature Hefeweizen is a good tasting beer, its just not a hefeweizen.

Kirkland Signature Hefeweizen is under the Kosher Supervision of the Va'ad of Detroit and bears the Va'ad logo on the bottom right corner of the front label. To see what the experts on Beer Advocate think about Kirkland Signature Hefeweizen, please follow this link http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/21516/48519.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.

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