Friday Booze Review: Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Hell

I once read that the Pope, before he was Pope, was known to order Franziskaner at dinner back home in his native Bavaria. Of course I had to try it out. I had the Dunkel variety a couple of months back, and it was amazing, so I had high hopes for the Hell.



Allow me to preface further by saying that I absolutely love drinking Weissbier. I would venture so far as to say that it's my favorite type of beer. As any self-respecting drinking man should know, the key is in correctly pouring it. That's hands down the best part of the experience. The little swirl and dump at the end... oh goodness I get a little feeling of joy every time. See here for details if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

Once the beer has made the transition to glass, proper time must be taken to appreciate its aesthetic appeal. The Hell is a rich amber color and completely opaque. It's clouded by the yeast floating around in it (which is also where it gets its amazing flavor). The kicker though is the soft, abundant head you're left with. I had a little dream about taking a bubble beer bath in this stuff. Just think, how awesome would this be:



Smell was pleasing, but rather insignificant, but the flavor was very appealing. All wheat beers have that distinctive taste, but this one had a zesty streak in it - fruity and tangy. It definitely contrasts with the more boch-like qualities of the Dunkel. The carbonation was minimal, and it was very easy to drink. In fact, I was amazed at how quickly I slurped them up. The aftertaste was unexpectedly spicy, but after a one beer, I couldn't imagine it being any other way.

The main drawback to the Franziskaner line is their alcohol content. The Hell is only 5% ABV (oh yeah, and good chance to mention that it was $6.99 for a sixer). Five percent just doesn't cut it these days, and I wasn't even close to buzzing after finishing. Still, I had a great time drinking this beer. I was scrambling to figure out what sort of mood it put me in, and I finally came up "jovial." That's a good thing. Anyhow, great beer, pick up a six pack next time you see it.

Appearance: 10/10
Taste: 8/10
Enjoyability: 9/10
Overall: 9/10