Saranac Hefeweizen

This traditional style German wheat beer remains unfiltered to preserve its natural smooth flavor and aroma. Don't be alarmed by its cloudy apperance or noticable sediment. The slight banana and clove aroma comes from authentic German Hefeweizen yeast. Crafted from winter wheat, two-row malt with Mittelfrueh and Tettnang hops. It has a light and refreshing finish

2.9

268 reviews

Utica, United States

Community reviews

3.0 Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Less than a finger of head. Color was golden orange, slightly hazy. Minimal lacing on the top that dissipated almost instantly. No film on the sides. Smelled a big whiff of hops up front. Banana, wheat, grass, slight lemon and Circus Peanuts. Tasted pretty close to the smell, but with the addition of buttery hops. Banana, wheat, grass, honey, light caramel and still the Circus Peanuts. Reminded me a bit of the taste of Vegas. Light body. Thin texture. Very carbonated. Somewhat long finish. This beer started out pretty good, but became pretty average by the end. Refreshing and nice for the summer, but that’s it.

3.1 From the 12 fl. oz. bottle. The pour is a cloudy golden yellow with a fizzy head that dissolves into a ring. The aroma really brings out the banana and clove over the wheat. The body is light and moderately smooth. The taste is has just as much banana and clove as the aroma and slightly tart at the end. I am drinking this on an 80 degree day and it felt right.

2.9 Bottle from craft beer outlet. Pours hazy golden, with aroma and flavor of bananas/clove. This is pretty good for what it is.

3.0 Appearance is a medium white with hazy amber. Taste is a little bland with slight wheat and citrus. Overall not the best.

3.3 Bottle. Pours a hazy light gold with a small white head that leaves plenty of lacing on the sides of the glass. Aromas are lightly grassy with a little bit of banana to them and maybe some cloves if I think about them and then take a sniff. Flavor is odd... both thin and full... at times it seems awfully watery, but then a split second later and it is a full mix of bananas, cloves, hayfield and something bubblegum-like. It’s refreshing and light on the palate, making this perfect for lawnmower season.

3.3 bottle poured into a weizen glass a: light straw yellow, 1/2" head that quickly reduces to a lacing cap. Like the rest of Matt FX’s beers I have had, it has a boat load of carbonation. s: tart wheat scent, slight clove. slightly more fragrent than the usual from Saranac t: sweet when it hits the tounge, it becomes balanced with clove and slight flower pedals. m: Medium bodied, I like my weizens to be a bit lighter in the mouth.

3.2 Mildly subdued banana and yeast in aroma and flavor. Not an exceptional hefeweizen, but a decent one though.,

3.0 After rousing the yeast, pours cloudy gold with a thin and fading white head, Aroma of cloves with faint hints of lemon and banana. Medium body, fine carbonation. A bit of banana and bread on the taste. Light and somewhat dry finish.

3.4 Bottle courtesy of adneilsen (thanks AAron) poured a cloudy tarnbished gold with a lasting ivory head. Aromas of wheat, yeast, banana and clove. Palate was medium bodied and crisp. Flavors of wheat, yeast clove and light banana with a crisp lingering yeasty finish.

3.8 Bottle @ home. Moderately hazy, yellow-orange appearance with a fluffy, cream colored head. Spicy yeasty, fairly strong banana and clove, nice wheat malty nose. Pretty creamy sweet wheat malty, moderate citrus fruits, strong banana, moderate clove, spicy yeasty flavor. Yeasty, bready aftertaste. Pretty solid German Hefeweizen from an American brewer.

3.1 Hazy yellow color with a white head. Yeasty and wheat like in taste and aroma. Not bad

3.5 Poured from bottle. Aroma of lemon cream pie. Cloudy gold, frothy white head. Flavors of citrus, banana, yeast, clove and floral hops. Could probably use a bit of a boost in flavors, but has a nice drinkability on this hot summer day. Good finish. Very pleasant brew.

2.9 Pours only somewhat cloudy from bottle. Nice banana and clove notes on the nose. Some banana notes on the tongue. Finishes clean. Decent but not great.

1.8 Fruchtiger, etwas künstlicher Geruch. Wässrig, die Fruchtigkeit muss man wirklich suchen. Kaum hefig, wenig bitter, absolut charackterlos! Test vom 30.12.2006, Gebinde: Glasflasche Noten: 5,5,6,5,8,6 - 5,70

3.3 Orange brown pour, nice foamy head. AromaIs bananas yeast and spice with citrus notes. Banana spice and mild hoppiness in flavor.

3.9 Tasty light beer with a light brown/golden/amber pour with a white head. It doesn’t smell like anything special. It starts off hoppy, with some barley malt that adds some sweetness. However, the aftertaste distinctly tastes of bananas (without being overpowering)! Very pleasantly surprised. Would enjoy to have this one again.

3.9 Nice cloudy, substantial, appearance. Nose is bananas. Taste is bananas with a good malt and hops taste -- somehow these blend together with neither overwhelming each other for a very balanced drink. Maybe the best "straight" hefeweizen (i.e. without any fruit or additives added by the brewer) I’ve had (Though I haven’t had many). Usually hefes seem to need some lemon or something to balance out their sweetness, or simply don’t include much of a banana wheat taste in the first place, but this hefe manages to be balanced and flavorful on it’s own. Part of the affordable (by craft standards) Saranac summer mix pack.

3.6 Traditional nose of banana, bubblegum and wheat. Slightly hazy in color. Light, smooth, clean and refreshing. A very well-done wheat beer, with the classic German yeast and hops present in the brew. They did a good job with this Hefe. Very easy to drink. I wish I could find this in a six pack and not just the 12 beers of summer mix pack.

3.0 Bottle. Pours hazy yellow with a bit of white head. Aroma is banana and yeast, fruit, wheat. Taste is fairly bland. Dry, not terrible.

2.6 smells great, spicy. taste is surprisingly bland based on the smell. cloudy light color. definite hints of banana especially in the after taste. decent but about average if not below average compared to other hefeweizens

2.6 Pretty bland example of a hefeweizen. Taste is wheaty with a touch of citrus and banana. Not as crisp as I prefer my hefes, but it’s certainly not terrible either.

3.3 It’s a tasty light hopped hefeweizen. Pours a cloudy, almost pilnerlike color. Nicely spiced. Rated 11/16/02

3.6 I poured a 12oz bottle into a German wheat beer glass. Appearance: Bright orange hue, mostly cloudy body with fine carbonation noticeable. Forms a large, white, soapy head which leaves minor lacing. Smell: Quite authentic aromas here with a banana bread and clove scent, only much milder than a German brew might be. Doesn’t smell cheap at all. Taste: Saranac Hefeweizen is indicative of the entire Saranac lineup - Americanized versions of niche brews. With a surprisingly strong flavor of banana bread and clove, this beer definitely has a lot of authenticity to it. The only problem is these flavors are a little tame for my preference. Considering the brewery and their target audience this is understandable, but I still have to call it as a see it. There’s a slight bitterness on the finish, but a pleasant, light aftertaste of clove and some other spices as well. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a soft edge despite the massive carbonation. A slight tingling sensation as it slides across the tongue (it tickles!) Drinkability: The flavorful, but restrained palate and gentle mouthfeel make for a very smooth, easy-drinking beer. It weighs in at 5.6% ABV, but this is actually understandable as the beer definitely has real mass and isn’t some macro wheat beer knock-off made in the dark by rookies. Overall, a good beer and a surprisingly good American hefeweizen. A great gateway beer to introduce newbies to the style.

1.5 Why can’t any American brewers (not including Allagash) brew a good hefeweizen? Way to much of a spicy flavor, bad aftertaste.

2.9 Pours cloudy caramel color with thin off white head. Lemon and wheat aromas. Flavors of wheat, citrus and bubble gum. Medium body with soft cabonation.

2.8 Overall Impression: Typical of the style, but not really good or bad, banana and clove, a beer you always see in the Saranac mixer as well.

3.0 Bottle. Pours a hazy copper body with a white head. Wheat citrus a hint of lemon grass and a light spicy note. Banana esters and a tangy finish. Eh.

2.9 Poured a cloudy orange with very little head. Nice taste of banana and easy to drink. A decent beer.

1.8 Bottle. Smells fruity and spicey with alot of banana. Tastes wheaty sweet with too much banana for me. Not very pleasant. Too sweet.