Pyramid Imperial Hefeweizen

"Imperial Hefeweizen"?? Yeah, this ought to be "interesting"....

Despite what Pyramid says, this is a bastardized beer, that only an American brewery seeking to cash in on the "eXtreme beer" shtick would ever even think about making.

I once accidentally made my homebrewed "house hefe" (aka Everlastingcynic American Hefeweizen) a bit too big and burly. It was a hit at Karen's annual October shin-dig, but really? It was not a very good beer. Big booze, with some rather hot & cloying aspects that helped produce more than a few splitting headaches later on, no doubt!

I mention my accidental "Double Hefe" here since it was very similar to what I have now in my Schneider Weisse hefe glass. Every bit of it's 7.5%ABV is clearly prevalent and way-too obvious from the get-go; yes, even when it's cold as hell straight from the `fridge. And if it's malt liquor'ish at those sort of temps, what the heck will we get when this warms up to typical ale temps? Yikes.

Coupled with this boozey heat? You got some backend muck: cloying..., and not too appealing either. Sticky warmish residue in the mouth long after the beer has gone down the hatch..., and not in a good way either.

Not sure what I expected from this -- especially considering that I have first-hand knowledge of just how wrong a "big-ass Hefe" can truly be.

In short? Want malt liquor? Get a fohty. Pass on this.
//TB