
Hefeweizen literally means (in German, of course) 'wheat beers with yeast', and this is a good basic description of this beer style. Originated in Bavaria, the Hefeweizen beer style is rather unique among German beers for three reasons.
First, unlike most German beers, Hefeweizen beers are top fermented ales and not lagers. As a result of being fermented by ale yeast (which work at warmer temperatures), much of the essential characteristics of a good Hefeweizen are derived from the yeast, and from the fermentation process itself.
Secondly, unlike most German beers, a sizable percentage (usually 50 to 70%) of the 'grain bill' (or grain recipe) used to make these beers comes from malted wheat. Hence, the typical 'grain bill' for a Hefeweizen beer might consist of 60% malted wheat and 40% malted barley.
Thirdly, as hinted at previously, the prefix "Hefe" means "with yeast". Therefore, beers made in this style are unfiltered and should be cloudy in appearance.
The warmer, ale yeast fermentation of these beers, along with the use of a sizable percentage of wheat malt in the recipe, and the yeast left in the finished beer, all combine to create a beer with some unique characteristics. In general terms, these characteristics include: high carbonation; a highly retentive, white head; a cloudy or turbid appearance; the presence of very distinctive, fermentation-related esters (such as banana, clove, and bubble gum); and a dry finish.
Generally, the hop presence in these beers is very low. Usually just enough hops are added to the recipe to balance-out the sweetness of the malts used.
Without further ado, here are the beers which scored in the 'top ten best of the tasting', listed in ranked order:

Weihenstephaner - Hefe Weissbier (12 oz brown crown-capped bottle): Best of Tasting. Dark straw colored with a magnificent white head, which displays exceptional retention and fine Belgian lace. Massive and eruptive aromas of clove, nutmeg, banana bread, citrus rind and vanilla, with undertones of hay, minerals, and toffee. The palate is huge and rich, with wonderful balance and expansion. The malts, hops, and alcohol are in perfect balance here. Dominant characteristics on the palate are vanilla malt, clove, and banana bread. Finishes clean and dry, with truly remarkable length and class. An exemplar of the style. Magnificant! Rating: A+
Schneider Weisse - Hefe-Weizen ‘The Original’ (500ml brown crown-capped bottle): Very dark amber, with a golden hue (quite dark for the style). Explosive carbonation, with a fine, white head. A remarkably expressive and complex aroma profile, which features notes of banana bread, clove, baking spices, and an undercurrent of minerallyness. The palate is rich, full, and dry, and is characterized by notes of banana, caramel, clove and minerals. The finish is remarkably long, with notes of alcohol and brown sugar. Gets an added dimension from the dark malts. Rich, huge, expansive and very complex. Outstanding! Rating: A+
Paulaner - Hefe-Weizen (12 oz brown crown-capped bottle): Golden colored, with a beautiful white head. Excellent head retention. Very turbid. Displays a very complex aroma profile which features notes of: white pepper, bubble gum, orange rind, and a very pleasant earthiness which manifests itself as freshly bailed straw. The palate is very expansive, with a distinct and clean attack. There are notes of orange rind on the attack, and notes of clove, vanilla custard and wheat malt on the midpalate. The finish is long and expansive, with hints of malt and a slight nuttiness. Overall very complex, yet clean, crisp, and eminently drinkable. A Classic example of the style. Rating: A
Ayinger - Bräu-Weisse - Bavarian Hefe-Weizen (500 ml brown crown-capped bottle):
Straw colored with a white head and excellent retention. Plosive carbonation, with noticeable yeast turbidity. Citrusy noble hop aromas are accented by notes of baking spice, vanilla, and bubble gum. On the palate there is a mild hop presence, balanced by vanilla-like malt and undertones of citrus and baking spice. This is all supported by a creamy mouthfeel, and a clean, well-defined finish. Overall, a beautifully made and memorable beer - very rich and full-bodied for the style. Rating: A-
Flying Dog Brewery - 'I

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - 'Kellerweis' (12 oz brown crown-capped bottle): Lemon-straw colored, with strong carbonation, a slight white head, and dense turbidity. Very complex and sophisticated aromas of banana, cinnamon, clove, and wheat. The nose also displays a strong, yet pleasant undercurrent of spice, with a medicinal phenolic character. Raw wheat is highlighted on the palate, and is supported by clove, white pepper, and baking spice notes. The finish is very clean and refreshing. Overall, this is a complex, dense, and substantial beer. At the same time it is accessible and drinkable. Bravo! Rating: A-
Hofbräu München - Hofbräu Hefe Weizen (12 oz green crown-capped bottle): Golden-straw colored, with copious, white head. Fine, beaded carbonation and retention - Good turbidity. The nose features spice, bananas, clove, lemon rind and a distinct earthiness manifesting itself as fresh-cut hay. The palate features wheat, nutmeg, and green tea, supported by very strong carbonation and a rich and full malt character. Overall, this beer is fairly malty for the style, but has enough noble hops to balance things out. The beer's complexity, combined with its clean earthiness, make it an exceptional choice to match with a wide range of foods. Rating: B+
Franziskaner - Hefe-Weisse (500 ml brown crown-capped bottle): Golden-straw colored with distinct turbidity, and an elegant meringue-like head composed of a multitude of tiny bubbles (very beautiful!). The nose features distinct spiciness, with strong aromas of clove, nutmeg, white pepper, cinnamon, ripe bananas, and a heady vinosity - Very complex! The palate is very clean and dry, and features somewhat subdued notes of banana, clove and white pepper, with sourdough in the background. The finish is crisp, clean, dry and very long, with lingering notes of wheat, banana, and baking spice. Overall, very drinkable, clean, and true to style. Rating: B+
Stoudts - 'Heifer-in-Wheat' - Hefeweizen (12 oz brown crown-capped bottle): Straw colored, with strong carbonation, a thin white head, and light retention. The nose features banana, clove, and shredded wheat aromas, and also displayed a pleasant hint of noble hop citrus character. The palate reveals ‘lager-like’ character, features pleasant wheat and hop crispness, and displays notes of clove and baking spice. Overall this is a very well made beer, and is quite memorable due to its complex aroma profile; its clean, dry finish; and its hybrid-like Pilsner/Hefe character. Rating: B-
Der Hirsch-Bräu - Bavarian-Weissbier - Hefeweisse (Privatbrauerei Höss Sonthofen) (500 ml flip-top brown bottle): Yellow-amber in color. Very clear for a hefeweizen. Light white head, with medium retention. Nose of baking spice, clove, under ripe banana, and just a hint of orange rind. There are also some vinous esters apparent. Fairly low carbonation for the style. The palate is very dry, with a refreshing acidity. A slight maltyness is present on the midpalate, but all of the characteristics are quite subdued. The finish is clean, and of moderate length. Overall, this beer is very drinkable, and another good beer to match with food due to its fairly neutral palate profile. Rating: B-
Allow me to close with five observations gleaned from this remarkable tasting:
- The Hefeweizen style is truly one of the great beer styles, and is responsible for some of the best beers produced.
- Brewers tend to take to this style with great passion, often resulting in beers which display remarkable finesse and complexity.
- The Germans still carry the day for overall quality (almost certainly because of their long tradition of making these beers, and because of their proprietary yeast strains).
- American craft brewers are making great strides forward with this style. Special kudos go to Flying Dog Brewery and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. for their impressive showing in this tasting!
- All of the beers in our top ten are quite good, and are certainly worth a try. Why not try them all in these waning days of summer?