"Mandarin
Hefeweizen?” What’s that, I wondered to myself when I first spied the
six-pack. Hmmm, Grant’s makes it. The unmistakably vivid image of a huge,
halved orange made it clear that this brew was a Mandarin Orange laced wheat
beer, not some German-Chinese hybrid. It sounded intriguing to me, so I
bought it. I’ve drunk many a stranger brew than this one, after all.
Some beer connoisseurs cannot stand the notion of adding lemon, a much more
common accoutrement, to German styled wheat beers. I imagine they might have
a real conniption if you told them you were going to start tossing oranges
in your beer. I think this would make Bert Grant, God rest his soul, happy
though. Bert was never one for convention, and he always enjoyed turning the
generally accepted on its ear. He felt that the brewer should have ultimate
control and creativity over his finished product, critics be damned.
So, Bert would probably love Mandarin Hefeweizen. It’s based on an American
style Hefeweizen rather than a German one, and hopped with Cascades for that
extra domestic touch. So I guess it should be OK to throw a little orange
into the mix. I’m not sure how new this beer is, but I saw it today for the
first time here in Georgia. I imagine this is more a summer beer than a fall
one, but I can see myself drinking it again before the hot weather returns.
Bert Grant’s Mandarin Hefeweizen pours to a cloudy yellow orange
color with a thick foamy head and a tart orangey nose. The palate is very
refreshing with a crisp crackery wheat character, some delightful toasty
notes, and wonderful flavors of slightly sweet Mandarin orange. The finish
is crisp and just a tad bitter, both from the hops and a decidedly thirst
quenching bitter orange flavor. A light hop bitterness and a tasty juicy
orange flavor linger on the tongue after sipping.
This is an innovative and very refreshing beer that is a perfect quencher on
a warm day. I can imagine it pairing divinely with a green salad tossed with
orange slices and almonds. I think this beer works, and works well. Beer,
like cuisine in general, should be a constant effort at innovation. After
all, experimenting with new ingredients and brewing techniques is what gave
us many of the beer styles we enjoy so much today.
Give this one a try. It’s not just for breakfast anymore.
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
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler