Given that the Muskoka Cottage Brewery of Ontario already makes a Bavarian style wheat beer for year-round sale, I found the choice of this style for their seasonal specialty rather odd. Okay, I think, they much have done something different, so let’s read the label.
Hmm, 5% alcohol by volume, same as their regular weissbier. Wheat, barley and “subtle hopping” are listed as ingredients on the back label copy, same as any Bavarian style wheat. So what is it, then?
Wait a minute! Their $2.45/473ml canned Hefe-Weissbier has disappeared from the brewery’s website, replaced by this 750ml bottled version, which retails for $5.95. Hmm, indeed.
The pop-top bottle opens with a tremendous noise, suggesting plenty of carbonation within, but the foam atop this properly hazy, medium gold coloured brew dissipates rather quickly. The nose is quite fruity, filled with notes of banana and tangerine, a veritable fruit salad of an aroma. On the palate, it begins similarly fruity and actually quite sweet, continues sweet and highly fruity and finishes, well, sweet and fruity. In fact, if I didn’t know better I’d swear it had tangerine juice added, so much does it remind me of the Tropicana Orange Tangerine juice blend I enjoy from time to time, albeit accented with banana notes.
An interesting take on the weissbier style, I’d say, but far too sweet to be sessionable, so far as I’m concerned, and a wee bit too pricey, as well. Nice package, though.