Heff Weissbier Question

[akillys]

So I tried my first Heff today, it was Weihenstephaner Heff Weissbier. The smell at first was as promoted. It smelled like bananas. However, I also noticed an after taste I could not put my finger on. Then I realized that it tasted almost like an ashtray. (YES!!! I accidentally drank a beer I was ashing into when I use to smoke, it was gross!) My question is, did I just get an old batch or do all Heffs have this after taste. The bottles did seem to have SOME dust on them and I'm not sure how long they were sitting at my local liquor store. I did like the banana taste and would prefer to drink, as well as brew this beer if it did not have the ashtray after taste. Does anyone have any experience with Heffs that could offer me their input or opinion? Maybe I was tasting the cloves?

 

[gwapogorilla]

Heffs are suppose to have the banana and clove flavors. As long as you did a very good job cleaning and sanitizing the bottles, it doesn't matter what was in them before you bottled your beers. Aromas/flavors do not permeate glass. So if you can taste one of your cigarette butts...I suggest washing them better.

 

[Beernik]

I hate ashtray bottles. That's why I stopped accepting used ones from friends.

As long as you got them clean, it doesn't matter. Clean means visibly clean. So hold them up to the light before the next time you bottle.

The only beer that I've had develop ashy flavors was from Motueka hops. It's not a good single-hop hop. Great for accent flavors though.

 

[Teromous]

I usually taste a cardboard or flavorless cookie/cracker kind-of flavor on imported hefe's. I don't taste it at all on fresh ones. I've always been told that cardboard flavor is oxidation, which would make sense for the amount of time it takes to be imported, etc. Might this stale papery flavor I'm tasting be similar to the ashtray one you taste?

It's always good to sample imported beers, but freshness makes a world of difference on beers like this. I would recommend trying to get a fresh beer like Gordon Biersch Hefeweizen if you can. Dan Gordon studied at Technical University of Munich in Weihenstephan, and I believe in one of the Sunday Session shows on The Brewing Network he discussed that he does use the Weihenstephan yeast strain. It's not my favorite Hefe, but it's much easier to get it fresh and it is often on tap.

 

[akillys]

Thanks all but I didn't brew it so it wasn't the bottles not being clean. I think Teromous hit it on the head. A) It being an import and B) It sitting in the local store forever before I bought it. I'll try the Gordon Biersch Hefeweizen before I decide if I should brew one myself. I'm still leaning towards yes, even with the bad after taste that was experienced. The beer was probably oxidized like Teromus suspects. However, what is your guys favorite Hefe and why? Just looking to gain insight and knowledge.

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[Beernik]

I don't know that I have a favorite. But I haven't had one that I didn't like. I grew up drinking Hefes, Dorts, and Kolsch when I was living in Germany. If I'm feeling nostalgic, they are my goto beers.