Frankenmuth Brewery The Hef

The Hef

 

Frankenmuth Brewery in Frankenmuth, Michigan, United States 🇺🇸

  Weizen - Hefeweizen Regular
Score
6.52
ABV: 5.2% IBU: 13 Ticks: 11
Classically brewed German-style wheat ale, fermented to naturally draw out delicious notes of banana & clove. Unfiltered and lightly hopped, producing its distinct cloudy appearance and smooth, refreshing flavor.

*2016 World Expo of Beer - Gold Medal Winner - German Wheat
 

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7.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 7 Overall 8
Reviewed from notes.
On tap at the brewpub.
Appearance: cloudy burnt yellow to cardboard orange color with a bar pour's kind of slim white head which dissipated but didn't leave any lace
Aroma: banana, clove, sweet wheat, light bubblegum then a subtle grassy edge underneath
Flavor: blends the prior noted aromas together in a sweet to light spicy tone underneath; finishes wheaty to vanilla to banana-like
Texture: light to medium bodied, sessionable, smooth along the tongue then a lighter than expected wheaty kick
Overall: seemed to have mostly everything until the wheaty kick which seemed to be somewhat weak as to compared to top tier hefeweizens. Still, I gotta admit this is a better stab at the style than many other American brewers.
Tried from Draft on 24 Feb 2026 at 18:08

4.8/10 Appearance 4 Aroma 6 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 4
Bottle from Trader Joe's. Pours a slightly hazy copper with no head. Banana and clove aromas with a bit of oxidation present. Good banana esters on the palate, but watery and very little carbonation. This feels totally oxidized and/or old at this point. Hope to get up to the brewery at some point but this was not in good condition unfortunately.
Tried from Bottle on 12 Aug 2020 at 16:00

7/10
Tried on 15 Aug 2016 at 06:30

8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
12 ounce bottle into weizen glass, bottled on 8/10/2015. Pours hazy bright golden yellow color with a 2 finger dense and fluffy white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of big banana, bubblegum, clove, lemon, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, bread, herbal, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, pale malt, and light earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big banana, bubblegum, clove, lemon, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, bread, herbal, grass, and yeast earthiness. Light herbal bitterness and light-moderate yeast spiciness after the finish; with lingering notes of banana, bubblegum, clove, wheat, cracker, bread, and herbal/yeast earthiness on the finish for a short bit. Very nice robustness, complexity, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, pale malt, and light earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness after the finish as well. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a very smooth, fairly crisp, and creamy/bready mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with zero warming present after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice hefeweizen style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, pale malt, and light earthy hop flavors; and very smooth and crisp to drink. A very enjoyable offering.
Tried from Bottle on 22 Oct 2015 at 21:12

4.6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 4 Flavor 5 Texture 4 Overall 4.5
Bottle sample at a tasting at Levi’s place. Thanks Levi’s friend. Cloudy yellow. Aroma of graininess, vegetables, overripe fruits, a smoky note, a bit of spiciness. Slightly swetish flavor, with bread, yeast, graininess, some spiciness, fruitiness, and a vegetal touch. Quite light-bodied.
Tried from Bottle on 31 Aug 2015 at 06:06

7.4/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Refrigerated 12 oz. refrigerated brown bottle from clownoiseur poured into a weizen glass. The bottle is labeled as the hef with a red minature dauchsund dressed as Hugh Hefner. Slightly hazy golden with medium bright whtie head. Aroma is rainy banana, medium body, medium/well carbonation, and good small-bubble lacing. Taste is banana and some clove. Pretty solid.
Tried from Bottle on 11 May 2015 at 20:11

5.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 5.5
bottle - Pours lightly hazy yellow with a small white head and a yeasty, banana aroma. It has a light, mild, sweet flavor of wheat malt with a little yeast spice and banana. Okay.
Tried from Bottle on 10 Jan 2014 at 10:12

6.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Hazy honey gold coloured body with a thin white head. Aroma of wheat, yeast, citrus and some light sweetness - very nice! Medium-bodied; Creamy light citrus and curacao flavour with a good wheat backbone, some yeast and a lot of citrus. Aftertaste clean and smooth as well with a good citrus and yeast flavour which is the only thing noticeable. Overall, a very nice beer and great to sample here on tap in Grand Rapids! I sampled this pint on draught at Hop Cat in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 06-November-2010.
Tried from Draft on 04 Jun 2013 at 22:01

4.8/10 Appearance 4 Aroma 5 Flavor 4 Texture 6 Overall 5
Pours clear fora hefe. Smell is a little citrusy. Taste is stronger for ahefe, more like a wheat ale. Good sizzle on the palate. Yes, that ale attribute is really getting on my nerves. Yes, starts out a little citrusy then has a slight processed ale finish. Does have some bubble gum and banana notes.
Tried on 16 Dec 2012 at 14:22

7.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Bottle. Sweet banana, apple, clove and wheat malt aroma. Cloudy golden yellow color with moderate head. Sweet banana, orange, clove, and wheat malt flavor. A very nice Hefe.
Tried from Bottle on 10 Jul 2011 at 19:26