One fine day, two of the world’s best brewers had an idea.
The two, Garrett Oliver of New York’s Brooklyn Brewery and Hans-Peter
Drexler of Germany’s Schneider Brauerei decided to combine forces on two
very special beers, beers that would be a departure from anything brewed
before. They would share some basic characteristics, yet would feature local
hops to distinguish one version from the other.
Even the names would be variations one on the other: the American brewed
version bearing the prefix Brooklyner-Schneider while the German edition
would be Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse. Both would be a new
style to the brewing world: a pale weissbock, or pale wheat bock beer. To be
sure, wheat bock is not a new style, and the Schneider brewery produces one
of the finest in Aventinus Weizenbock. But that beer is styled on a dark bock, while
this concoction is much lighter in color.
Then too, Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse would feature hops (hopfen-weisse
means hopped wheat, after all). This too was something new and different,
since most wheat beers have relatively low hopping rates, and use the tangy,
tart character of wheat to balance off the sweetness of the barley malt.
Here, however, hops play a dominant role in the end product: glorious,
herbal Hallertauer Saphir hops burst forth from every sip. Schneider-Brooklyner
Hopfen-Weisse is dry-hopped to add aroma, too and is rated at an amazing 40
IBUs. The grain bill is not unusual at half wheat and barley malt. Alcohol
content is 8.2% by volume, giving this brew the kick that the bock name
implies.
As soon as I pop the cap off of my half-liter bottle of Schneider-Brooklyner
Hopfen Weisse, I get a whiff of glorious Teutonic-smelling hops wafting up
to my nostrils. I’m using a bulbous Aventinus Weizenbock glass to decant
into, and when I first pour a massive column of foam rises from top to
bottom of the glass. Allowing this to settle a bit, I pour some more and my
eyes are greeted by the classic murky yellow wheat beer hue topped off by a
thick head of soapy-looking suds.
The nose is almost as hoppy as the first concentrated whiff I got when I
popped the bottle cap, simply screaming fresh grassy hops and strongly
entreats a sip. And that’s where you really get assaulted by the very
phenolic, slightly grassy, very herbal minty hops.
Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen Weisse is like no other wheat you’ve likely
tasted before; it’s simply infused with hop flavor and aroma. Indeed, the
hop character is strongly reminiscent of Orval. Underneath all the hops lies
a refreshing crackery wheat body that is tart and delicious. The finish is
tart, too, warm with alcohol and although much more bitter than any other
wheat beer you’ve likely tasted, not as bitter as it might be: there is more
of hop aroma than bitterness here, although the latter is definitely
present.
A bargain at $4.50 a half-liter, and an absolutely phenomenal one at that.
Don’t miss it.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft