Vitus

Produced by what is ostensibly the oldest operating brewery in the world, Weihenstephan Vitus is a rich, tempting weizenbock, loaded with ripe, juicy notes of bubblegum, bananas, and plums, as well as subtly spicy clove and pepper. Even at 7.7 percent ABV, the aroma shows only the merest whiff of alcohol among the waves of tropical fruit and spices. Lee enjoyed the “pungent clove, tangy green apple, and crisp wheat notes,” likening the aroma to “an amped up winter warmer in a weizenbier’s clothing.” The pour presents as a pale, cloudy gold, accented with milky white highlights, all lying beneath a towering, velvety white foam crown. Awash with notes of delicately sweet malt, tart wheat, plantains, and clove, Vitus evinces all the hallmark flavors of a classic weizenbier. The light tartness riding beneath ripe banana and warm, sultry clove appealed to Tim, who dug even deeper to discover “soothing waves of warm, yeasty bread dough.” Tom felt the notes of green apple and Bosc pear slightly overpowered the beer’s wheat backbone, but offered that “the prominent clove balances the intense fruity flavors.” All judges agreed that this was a solid example of the style, but commented that it could use a more liberal hand with the malt to increase the body and tame some of the more aggressive fruity and spicy notes.