Sweaty Betty Blonde Wheat Beer

August 18, 2009

OK, so this Sweaty Betty Blonde Wheat Beer from the Boulder Beer Company was chosen specifically for its name.  Sweaty Betty is a funny name for a beer right?

Boulder Beer Company, which dating back to 1979 claims to be Colorado’s first Microbrewery, produces this oddly named beer as part of their “looking glass” series.  What the big deal about the ‘looking glass’ series of beers?  Well, I wasn’t really able to find out so who knows!  Anyway, its cool to note that 2009 marks their 30th anniversary!  Cheers!

This 5.9% ABV wheat beer is probably considered a Hefeweizen as the Boulder Beer website proclaims its a ‘Bavarian – Style Wheat Beer with subtle hints of clove and banana…’ which is characteristic of the style.  At least the ones I’ve tried  so far.

So, while I didn’t plan it this way, this particular beer review fits in quite nicely with the other domestic Hefeweizen beer reviews from Flying Dog and Brooklyn Brewing.  Cool!

Sweaty Betty pours into my huge but shapely beer glass in a familiar way.  My pour was somewhat aggressive, so the white head was quite large and foamy but it didn’t take too long to become drinkable.

As expected for the style, this wheat beer is a straw color and hazy looking.  Not sure if you can tell in the picture, but the coolest beer particle formation I’ve seen in some time appeared to me in the glass!  It was like a mixed up contrail that you might see at high altitudes in the sky.  For some reason I love watching the random patterns appear like that when they do and seeing what happens to them.

What happened to this one is it got all mushed up as soon as I switled my glass to get a better sense of the aromas put off by the beer.  As I understand it, there aren’t really bananas or clove in the beer, but rather the yeast somehow produces those aromas.  Am I right hefeweizen pros?

So, I took some time, and sure enough you can pick up some of that in the smell, but to me I still want to say wheat and citrus.

Taste really follows the smell with this beer, and I can say it was similar to the Hefeweizens I previously mentioned from Brooklyn Brewing and Flying Dog.  Yup it tasted like spice (clove I guess) and still to me citrus, but of the three I think Sweaty Betty had the most banana type flavor.  Still, very subtle but either I’m getting better at picking it up or its just stronger in this brew.  Time will tell!

I really poured the hell out of my sample so it wasn’t too carbonated.  The beer went down nicely and there wasn’t anything really to complain about.  It left a mild spicy aftertaste.  Going down it was clean and crisp.  Nice beer, especially for Summer, and I just have to say that this is an excellent style beer for the hot summer months.

So, to wrap it up, I’d say I rather enjoyed this particular wheat beer from Boulder Beer Company and I’d have it again.  It makes for a nice refreshing drink that isn’t heavy or overdone in any area.  I really enjoyed it and I think you might too.  For reference,  I would put the Sweaty Betty Blonde slightly behind the Brooklyner Weissbeir and ahead of the Flying Dog In-Heat wheat.  A silver medal so to speak among the Hefeweizens I’ve recently tried.

Rating:

What’s your take on the domestic Hefeweizen scene?  Have you tried this beer from Boulder Beer Company or any of the others mentioned?

Posted in 3 Star Reviews, Ales, American Beers, Seasonal Beers, Wheat Beers