Franziskaner Hefeweizen Dunkel Review

The Germans are known for a couple things, cars and beer. So not surprisingly they do them both pretty well, especially their beer. While they may be most well known for their classic Hefeweizen (or wheat) beer, they provide many variations on their classic staple.

The Franziskaner Dunkel can provide a very large head depending on how you pour, but disappears just as quickly as it came. With a dark brown color, this is not a beer that particularly shines in the light. The beer smells like a wheat for sure, giving off a sweet aroma with a little fruity twist that is very refreshing. 

The beer doesn't have a very distinct mouthfeel. There is no real tingle or sparkle on the tongue like some of the other beers I've reviewed which I find a little disappointing. The taste is very satisfying with hints of caramel and the fruit that was present in the smell. This is a very drinkable, refreshing beer with a smooth finish. So if you're looking for a good beer to sip on, this would be a good option. In my opinion however, I think the beer could benefit from a little more of a spark to the drink. It's just a little too smooth/bland for my taste.

Overall Franziskaner Hefeweizen Dunkel Review: B (84/100)

Beer Details:

ABV: 5.5%

IBUs: Unknown

Brewer: Franziskaner

Style: Dunkelweizen

Price: $2.99/22 oz bottle

Red Hook Long Hammer IPA Review

As I've said before, I love IPAs, so here's another one for you to try! Red Hook brewery does an elegant job of crafting a beer with all of the unique qualities of an IPA, while also making it a refreshingly sweet and different experience.

At first I was disappointed with the beer and was rather unsettled. For being an IPA it did not give a frothy head that most other beers in the genre provide. Possibly I just messed up on the pour but from my experience, it was an initial let down. I was also discouraged by the color of the beer. Not that it looked like nasty nuclear waste or anything, but that it didn't have that rich, red oak color that I usually look for in an IPA. While the beer did have some red tint, it was a very clear beer that would sparkle in the sunlight.

Now that I've beaten the beer down enough, I must give credit where credit is due. This is one tasty beer. As I drank, the hops provided just enough bite to tingle my taste buds while also giving off some zesty/sweet flavors I couldn't precisely pick out. All I know is that this was a beer that I wanted to drink slowly, let it swish around for a while to really experience the combination of bitter and sweet. It was a very appetizing 17 minutes to my day.

While I was discouraged at first, this beer came back to win me over. With a strong presence of a hoppy bite, paired with a light sweetness and a smooth finish, it is a great one-two punch out beer. I guess I should learn a lesson mothers have been saying for ages. You can't always judge a book by its cover.

Overall Red Hook Long Hammer IPA Review: B (85/100)

Beer Details:

ABV: 6.5%

IBUs: 44

Brewer: Red Hook Brewery

Style: IPA

Price: $7.59/6 pack