Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen
One of the most refreshing pleasures of summer is a wheat beer, with or without a slice of lemon.
The traditionally German brew gets a new twist from Widmer Brothers of Portland, Ore., which first produced its Hefeweizen in 1986.
Brewed with three kinds of hops and the same yeast strain Widmer has used for 19 years, the hefeweizen won a gold medal at the 1998 Great American Beer Festival and in the 2004 World Beer Cup.
Some will be alarmed that the beer has a pale, opaque quality, but it’s OK – it’s unfiltered, meaning the yeast remains in the bottle. Those put off by the banana and clove flavors of more traditional wheat beers will find Widmer’s a delight, tending toward citrus.
Widmer, founded by brothers Kurt and Rob Widmer in 1984, was named midsized brewer of the year at the GABF in 2004. Its beers are distributed nationwide except in Arkansas, Louisiana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.
– Dick Kreck
