Judge’s Review: 79 Rating – Agave Wheat Hef by Garage Brewing Co.

Alternative Sugar Beer | Seasonal | USA

By Richard Wong

Judges Rating: 79
Aroma: 22
Appearance: 6
Flavor: 34
Mouthfeel: 10
Overall Impression: 7

Agave Wheat Hef by Garage Brewing Co. was judged as Style 1D (American Wheat Ale) according to the 2021 BJCP Beer Guideline. The beer’s pour revealed a hazy, cloudy, foamy head that had hints of a straw hue. Small, carbonated bubbles with very good carbonation and head retention were left atop the pour upon pouring. The aroma of this beer had subtle wheat/malt sweetness and negligible hop aromas, which is okay for the style. The initial sip had a nice light wheat/malt backbone with slight hints of bitterness. The agave syrup lends more sweetness to this beer, which may not be necessary. Agave is a commercial sweetener often used as a sugar substitute in tea, coffee and mixed cocktails. I’m honestly not sure why agave is necessary in this beer. It just made it sweeter, but I’m not sure if that’s the main purpose. The body and mouthfeel is light and airy with good carbonation levels. Overall, this beer is light and refreshing especially on a hot day, but I feel that the agave was not necessary as it gave a bit more sweetness than I would have liked in the aftertaste.