Erdinger Weissbier! Oh how I love this beer. Erdinger is the world’s largest Weissbier brewer, and who doesn’t love agood weissbier? I’ve been drinking this wonderful beer as long back as I can remember, and I have the tasting notes from February 3^rd, 1999 to prove it:

Erdinger is one of Germany's largest producers of weissbier, if not the largest. Surprisingly, their example of the style is also one of the more restrained in regard to the flavors traditionally associated with it. As one would expect, there's plentiful carbonation and a huge rocky head of foam, as well as a cloudy yellow-white color to the beer. The nose is packed with a strong vanilla character, more so than in any beer I can recall. The palate hints ever so gently at banana and has a bit of clove in the finish, the vanilla is here as well and adds an extra dimension to the brew. The beer is very smooth and drinkable, quite different from most weissbiers I've sampled. A very enjoyable beer.

That was 17 years ago, and a lot of Hefeweizens have passed these lips since I penned those notes, but I still find myself always returning to a cold bottle of Erdinger quite frequently. Whether on draft, in six-packs or half-liter bottles this is always a refreshing pleasure. It’s the perfect brew for the hot summer weather, but also enjoyable in spring, fall and winter, too.

From the label:

Erdinger is brewed all-naturally; using traditional bottom-fermentation, never pasteurized. Thank you for enjoying ERDINGER, the World’s No. 1 Hefe-Weizen. And the website: For over 130 years, the outstanding quality of our wheat beers has been rooted in our passion for Bavarian brewing skills…Our roots are in Bavaria. We have been brewing exclusively in Erding since 1886 – every single bottle. And we have never brewed anything other than the Bavarian specialty “weissbier”.

Erdinger Weissbier has an alcohol content of 5.3% by volume and is, of course, gebraut nach dem Deutschen Reinheitsgebot. Total Wine here sells it for $10.99 a six-pack of 11.2 ounce bottles, but most recently I purchased five half-liter bottles and a neat Eurocup Weissbier glass for just $14.99 on June 11^th.

Erdinger Weissbier pours to a cloudy, hazy yellow-golden color with a thick creamy head and a tangy wheat, clove and banana nose. Taking a sip, the beer has a wonderful tart crackery flavor up front with hints of vanilla, then light cloves and banana. It finishes tart wheaty and refreshing.

If anything has changed the beer has less vanilla than I got in the past but this is still a wonderfully refreshing beer, a delightful Weiss and a perfect match to a snack of Bavarian Weisswurst sausages.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled, canned

(D)=Draft

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