Wunderbar Weissbier closer to home

No need to travel to Munich to taste a classic German beer style

Story and photos by Kristin Owens

Ah, Munich … the city where you can find bratwurst, schnitzel, and freshly baked pretzels the size of your head. Plus it’s home to one of Germany’s most revered beer styles, Weissbier, also known as Hefeweizen. It’s pale, refreshing, and ends with a dry finish. The trademark clove and banana fermentation profile, along with its big persistent head, has set this beer apart for the last 600 years. 

A prefect Weissbier pour at Schneider Weisse Brewhaus in Munich.

Originally brewed in the 1500s for Bavarian royalty, German Weissbier became the preferred beer style, causing bakeries to squirm for wheat supplies. Entrepreneur Georg Schneider wisely bought the recipe in 1872 when it became too bourgeois for the ruling class. What a great investment! The Schneider family has continually brewed Weissbier for six generations and you can find it today in their Munich Bräuhaus on tap number seven. This golden beer honors the original formula by fermenting in large open tanks, allowing the yeast to breathe and providing soft fruit flavors. Typically unfiltered, you may see some wee yeasties at the bottom of the glass. Das ist Gut! Schneider Weisse has been dubbed the “traditional archetype of wheat beer” and now exports to 40 countries. 

Have wanderlust but can’t get to Schneider’s Munich brewery to sample? Fret not – we have fantastisch Hefeweizen brewed with age-old German tradition here in our beloved Colorado.

---

Westbound & Down

The original brewpub, located off Interstate 70 in Idaho Springs, screams modern on the inside but yodels traditional German-style dining on the outside. It has long tables for neighborly gemütlichkeit and stellar staff serving beers with a smile. Don’t Hassle the Hef is a cloudy gold color with a fluffy foamy persistent head. Lip-smackin’ good, it earned a 2024 GABF silver. Pair with their delicious green chili.

---

Prost Brewing Company

With five locations, we choose the spankiest at Northglenn. This jaw-dropping space houses the largest craft brew tanks this side of the Rockies and offers a superior outside seating area. Besides a terrific beer line-up, their multiple award-winning Hefeweizen is a show-stopper. Get ready for big time fermentation aroma, grainy signature taste, and lots of effervescence. Pair with their traditional textbook flammkuchen. Ja, bitte!

---

WestCo Brewing

Celebrating their one-year anniversary, this Grand Junction craft brewery has an old soul with remarkable beers that will span the ages. Their Hookless Hefeweizen has spot-on wheat characteristics with a smidge of citrus and light banana, classic carbonation, and a spicy clove finish. Pair with their delicious hand-cut fries plate with Sriracha mayo dip. And another glass. Awards? Just wait.

---

Pro Tips:

1. Serve Hefeweizen in its namesake glass (a narrow base and bulb-like top) to maintain and accentuate its big mousse-like head. 

2. Don’t float a lemon on top – that’s verboten. The fruit oils destroy all that luscious foam. 

3 Most importantly, drink at the source. Fresh beer from the tap allows you to experience optimum flavor and aromas. 

Kristin Owens holds certifications with Cicerone and the Guild of Master Sommeliers. She’s a contributor for Wine Enthusiast, 5280, and Writer’s Digest. Her debut novel “Elizabeth Sails” was shortlisted for the Gilda Prize and Killer Nashville’s Best Cozy Mystery. She speaks fluent German and will travel anywhere in the world for a tipple.

Double-click to edit...