Review: Sauer Weizen

So for my first review I decided a home brew was called for. Also a nice celebration of kicking off this blog live today! This is my Sauer Weizen, basically I took a straight forward Hefeweizen that I brewed and soured a gallon with the dregs of a Jolly Pumpkin beer. The inspiration for this was actually Jolly Pumpkin's Weizen Bam. The base beer is as basic of a hefe as you can get, 63% Wheat, 37% Pilsner and about 11 IBU's of Hallertauer hops. The yeast I chose was Safebrew WB-06, I know a lot of folks aren't into brewing hefeweizens with dry yeast but I've always had good results with this yeast in my hefe's. It has leaned a little more toward clove than banana and for me that's a good thing. 

Now this is the part that will show how much improvement I am going to need as a blogger. The actual review! I've always loved good food, beer and wine but have not been able to conjure up the essence of a dew soaked tobacco leaf from southern Virginia on a summers day. So for me I hope that this is going to help me get better at identifying positive attributes as well as flaws in my own beers and others. I do have a copy of Randy Mosher's  Tasting Beer that I'm looking forward to reading. This however is just one of many great books in the queue. Well here goes nothing.

Appearance: Straw yellow with a classic hefeweizen haze. As it's poured the head is brilliant white and about a 1/4". It dissipates quickly but can be brought back with a quick swirl. There's no lacing in this beer as is typical with sours.

Smell: The aroma is very faint on this one. I can pick up some yeast and a light lactic note with just a hint of fruit. I really couldn't pick up on any specific notes.

Mouthfeel: The body is nice and thin, moderate carbonation that goes down smooth.

Taste: This is where the beer got interesting for me. On first impression you think hefe but after your first sip you instantly think Berliner Weisse. There is a definite lactic presence in this one but not overly so.

Overall: Although Berliner Weisse comes to mind while drinking this it has much more complexity in all arenas. This beer weighs in at 6.5% ABV but drinks as though it were much lower. This would be a great intro to sours for the uninitiated as well as something enjoyed as an easy thirst quencher on a hot day.

Introduction

Hi, I'd like to take a minute to introduce myself and the future of this blog. First off my name is Rob and I am an avid home brewer. I am also a family man and a passionate home cook. The purpose of this blog, like many others, is more of a self record. If it helps out and informs others then all the better. You will see post of my brewing exploits, home cooking adventures and perhaps a little about myself and family.

I've been brewing since January of 2010 and started with extract and specialty grains. My first batch was an ESB recipe picked up from my local home brew store. In retrospect the experience was a disaster. No real instructions and no one to show me the ropes. I put the grains in the sack, brought it up to the boil, left the grains in the brew pot, added the malt extract and continued the boil adding the hops as called for. I let it ferment at room temp and stuck to the primary for X number of days then transfer to secondary. I recall the gravity not being where "it was suppose to be" so I topped off with water. When I figured it was time to bottle my capper crapped out on me and luckily I had some swing top bottles on hand. The resulting brew was a cloudy, protein floaty, over carbonated mess. I had all but given up just with the brew day struggles. But it was just good enough to make me want to try it again.

Since then I have made the switch from extract to all grain brewer. I'm glad I went with the extract and grains to get the hang of the fermentation and boil functions first. But being the control freak that I am when it comes to food and flavors I am glad I transitioned to all grain. To me all grain brewing gives me a sense of greater understanding and control over the brewing process. I know for a fact that great beer can be made with extract. Every brewer transitions in their own way to a style that works best for them. You may see me transition a little more from post to post!

I enjoy brewing a variety of styles. I tend to favor farmhouse ales, malty brown ales, wheat beers, sours and wild brews. Don't get me wrong, I like to brew other styles too. I like to brew things that will stand the test of time as well. I love IPA's and hop forward beers, but I just don't tend to go through the whole batch while it's at it's peak. I like to play with "wild" brewing, brettanomyces and the like. I feel these yeast strains add great complexity and make beers with long term aging potential. The whole evolution of a "living" beer is a beautiful thing in my eyes. Today it's hoppy, tomorrow it's fruity, the next it's funky!

I truly hope that this turns into a positive experience that we can all walk away with something gained. Cheers!