(Photo: M. Schweisguth)

With the summer solstice just around the corner and the sun gracing Ashland, OR fully, we thought it was time to bring back Hefeweizen!

This summer seasonal is always a hit, and customers have been clamoring for its return.

It’s received even more notoriety since it garnered a gold award in the Lallemand Brain of Brewers contest in 2010. Of course, we promise this batch is just as good, if not better!

About our Hefeweizen

Translated literally as “yeast wheat,” Hefeweizen is a traditional Bavarian wheat beer that’s customarily top fermented. It’s unfiltered, resulting in a hazy gold color matching summer’s late afternoon rays. This craft beer offers aromas and flavors of clove and banana. It’s highly carbonated for a refreshing mouthfeel. 6.0% abv

Malt

• Organic Wheat
• Organic Pilsner
• Acidulated

Hops

• Organic Magnum for bittering
• Organic Saaz for flavor/aroma

Food and beer pairings

Hefeweizen is a lighter flavored, refreshing summer beer, so it goes well with lighter foods, following the concept that you should pair food and beer intensities. Think of refreshing menu items that are lighter on the palate. Several of our menu items and specials have goat cheese as an ingredient, as well as strawberries in season, which pair wonderfully with hefeweizen. Here are some other menu items we really enjoy with a pint of Hefeweizen:

• Sea Scallop and Spinach Salad
• Artichoke Chicken Wrap
• Sauteed Veggie Wrap
• Fish & Chips
• Fish Tacos
• Strawberries Roulade (specialty dessert)

We encourage you to pick up a liter or growler to go and try it with favorite foods at home, too.

I really enjoy it with chevre and a leaf or two of lemon basil on a water cracker. The water cracker provides a flavor-neutral medium to hold the chevre and lemon basil. Many people like to put a slice of lemon in their hefeweizen and the lemon basil offers the same citrus flavor in a different format. The creaminess of the chevre and its slight tartness create a new flavor sensation when mixed with the banana and clove character of the beer.

Pair it with local, seasonal foods for a complete summer experience that’s full of flavor and supports growers in your community. Strawberries and greens are at their peak, making a crisp salad a perfect pairing. Try it with a strawberry shortcake for dessert, too.

We’ll keep Hefeweizen on tap through the summer. Please come in and enjoy this microbrew while it lasts. Feel free to take some to go, too, to savor the flavor of summer at home and share it with friends.