Wheat beer is a personal favourite beer-style, the German Weissbier being chief among them, and having tried many exceptional ones during my stint living in Munich, I had high hopes for today’s offering. Friar Weisse, a weissbier crafted by Irish micro-brewery Franciscan Well, is a tribute to the monks of the old Franciscan Monastery. Legend has it that people would come and drink from the Monastery’s well, believing the water to have curative properties. The beer itself boasts no such qualities, but the aroma released immediately upon pouring promised great things.
Unfortunately, the result is a bit of a mixed bag. A disappointing, fizzy head which disappeared as quickly as it formed and no lacing to speak of offset my initial joy as I caught strong banana and clove notes, with a flurry of pear, in the pleasant aroma. The hue was a golden honey, quite unlike the usual lemony-straw of Weissbier, though this was not an unwelcome departure.
The palate was a more conventional affair. Banana and coriander flavours permeated the beer, though while the first few sips were stemmy and sharp, this evolved in to a more pleasant citrus note. The beer takes well to being aerated – when gulped it tastes sweeter; accordingly, I would suggest letting it stand for a short time before consumption. The gentle spicyness of the cloves underline the body of the beer, which has a herby, long lasting finish. Alas, it is not as full bodied as the bottle proclaims, and yet it is not quite light enough to be considered a refreshing alternative, especially since its finish is reasonably dry.
Overall, this is a fine effort by a small and relatively young brewery. It doesn’t have enough oomph to mix it with the big boys, and its appearance is a real let down, but I’m willing to chalk that up to an unfavourable bottle.
Final Verdict: would drink again, with my eyes closed.
Blag The Universe 