I admit that’s quite a title for a post. Well, maybe it will be worth all the words. Alesmith makes some good stuff. For instance, Sweedway Stout is widely regarded as one of the best coffee stouts in the business. Decadence is their yearly anniversary ale and can only picked up on a limited basis, so it pays to hold it back for a little while. This year’s Decadence was a Dunkel-Weisen Bock, which seems to be part of a larger movement, I’ve noticed. A lot of breweries seems to be re-visiting different bock styles. I’ve seen several helles versions and a few wheat ones as well. I’m happy to say that many U.S. breweries are doing a much better job on these styles than some of the hefes. Anyway, I saved this one for a bit and thought I’d give it a try.
The Pour: I had to use my Aventinus glass for this bad boy. I just love watching that active wheat body prop up a huge head. This beer was a wonderful chestnut color with a billowing and soft head propped up by a flurry of activity. While the carbonation and head were very nice, they weren’t as soft and fine as some typical German varieties. This is not necessarily an adverse criticism, but it is somewhat atypical for the style.
The Nose: There it is. That powdery yeast strain I love when I drink this style was there. To me, the approach of the nose was more banana than it was clove…two very typical notes on wheats. Banana did rule, but a touch of cloves was there. Hints of sweetness and a bit of the 9% ABV came through on the nose as well. However, the brew was very firmly classic in approach.
The Taste: One thing I love about wheat beers is the mouth-feel. The high levels of carbonation are really conducive to a round smoothness and touch of spritz, which is why the bottle is so thick. This was present in the beer, but again, the carbonation could have been a bit finer. Like the nose, the bananas ran the show, while the cloves gave a subtle but noticeable backing to the brew. A hint of sweetness and alcohol warmth were a present feature. A nice chocolate tone was noticeable in the middle of any given sip, and I could see where the “dunkel” (a.k.a., darkness via malts) came through. Perhaps the best feature of the beer was that slight tone of chocolate. The powdery yeast created a sticky and dry finish.
Overall, I think my real criticism of this beer rested in the carbonation fineness. Honestly, this bock needed to be a bit sweeter as well. Both factors would have served to hide the ABV a bit more. However, I still think this is a good beer. If you see it, give it a try.
Mike’s Rating:
Overall Satisfaction: 
Among other American Wheats: 
Among other Bocks: 
