Sierra Nevada Wheat Beer
February 18, 2007 – 11:23 am
I am not a huge fan of Sierra Nevada. I find their beers too hoppy. The Sierra Nevada brewery is one of the best known and most respected microbreweries in the country, though, so I find it hard pressed not to try one of their beers when I haven’t done so before. The wheat beer recently fell in this category.
This beer pours a nice dark, golden yellow color. It immediately looks like it has some body, some complexity to it. The head is thick and foamy with a lot of large bubbles immersed in it. The smell is mostly grainy, with a hint of a grassy component. Just from looking at the beer, I could tell the carbonation was very active, and my tongue verified this prediction.
The taste was disappointing in that it was bland. It had a bitter finish to it, but the finish dominates this beer. There is just a hint of grain in the taste, but I would not call this a well-balanced beer. This one, like the others I have tried from Sierra Nevada, definitely leans toward the hoppy end. I was disappointed because I like a little citrus in my hefeweizens. It seems like the grain and the yeast take a back seat to the hops in this one. So I’d say it follows the trend of what Sierra Nevada likes to do with their beers, for better or worse.
4 Responses to “Sierra Nevada Wheat Beer”
I agree that there is a bitter component to this beer, but I think you’re being a little bit unfair. The wheat beer is nowhere near as bitter as most other Sierra Nevadas. I rather liked this beer, and while it does follow the trend of hoppy beers, it’s to a much lesser degree. So, unless you can’t stand to have any bitterness, I think this beer would be an okay choice. It certainly isn’t the best wheat beer in the world, but I don’t think most people would be as down on it as you are.
By adam on Feb 18, 2007
I agree that the wheat beer is not as bitter as other Sierra Nevadas, but I feel like they’re trying to feature the bitterness in this beer, and the bitterness is not the reason I reach for a wheat beer. That doesn’t mean bitterness isn’t the reason other people reach for wheat beers, and in that sense Sierra Nevada may be making a brilliant move with this beer.
But I like other things from my wheat beers (just like I like other things from my porters), and thus Sierra Nevada’s offerings tend not to align with what I like best in these styles.
By jjk on Feb 21, 2007
Hi Jeff, just reviewed Sierra Nevada’s Wheat Beer myself. I’m not a gigantic wheat beer fan personally (tend to go more for IPA’s and Imperial Stouts as favorites) but I had to try this one for the sake of it. I’ve had multiple Sierra Nevada products with generally favorable opinions.
While this isn’t my favorite microbrew from this brewery, I’d rank this beer in my top 10 wheat beers that I’ve tried so far. I’ll check out a few more wheats this summmer but am already looking forward to more fall/winter style micros again already. Nice blog by the way. I’m adding your link if it’s okay with you. If you ever have suggestions for mine at microbrew review, I always appreciate the feedback! Cheers!
By David James on Jul 19, 2007
Hi David. I just read your review of this beer. Very comprehensive…well done. Many beer loves I meet seem to have tastes that “conflict” with mine, in the sense that we tend to gravitate toward different ends of the beer spectrum, but we appreciate a small, but significant, overlapping middle.
I’m very much a wheat ale man. I really like the citrus notes, and they’re hard to beat in terms of being refreshing. Craftsman Brewery out here in Pasadena, CA, makes a really nice hefeweizen that has a hint of banana, which is great.
And I added your link to my blog. I’m looking forward to reading your future reviews. Take care.
By jjk on Jul 19, 2007