Hohenthanner Blau Weisse Hallertauer Craftbier Beer Review

Hohenthanner Blau Weisse Hallertauer Craftbier

Review Date 4/26/2020 By John Staradumsky

For Christmas of 2015, my wife bought me a really cool present: BeerAdvent Calendar 2015 from Kalea. In truth, my wife got me a lot of nice presents (she’s the best wife ever), but the nice thing about the Beer Advent Calendar is you get it early. You have to, since it’s comprised of 24 different imported German beers in a box with little doors that you open, one per day from December 1st through December 24th. All of the beers are listed on the side of the carton, however, so be careful not to look and spoil the daily surprises!

I love German beer more than beer from any other country on Earth, so this was definitely right up my alley. I have managed to get my hands on one of these calendars each year since, and have never been disappointed. Overall, this is an amazing way to sample 24 German beers over 24 days, and I look forward to it every year. For the first three years, I've found these at Costco in Georgia and paid $59.95 for the box. Last year, though, we were in Spring Hill Tennessee and I saw these on a pallet at the local Costco in mid-October. I grabbed one there to make sure I didn't miss out. They were up $5 to $64.95 (and indeed, when I did see them at the new Costco in Woodstock, Georgia a month later they were the same price). This year, I found them earlier than ever (September 26th) and bought one at Costco here in Georgia for $63.95, though curiously they were down to $59.95 on my next visit.

That might sound steep, but when you distribute that price over 24 different half liter cans, it only works out to $2.66 per can. Not a bad deal at all looked at that way. It certainly does not stop these from selling; a follow up trip to my local Woodstock Costco a few weeks after I saw them and there they were: gone!

For 2019, there are six new beers in the mix and 18 returning favorites. I do like this, because there are a lot of the beers that I really enjoy, and want to enjoy again. It's like 18 old friends and 6 news ones in the same box. What's better than that?

On Day 2, December 2nd of course, I opened a door to a can of Blau Weisse Hallertauer Craftbier from the Hohenthanner Schlossbrauerei of Hohenthann, Bavaria. This was a returning brew from the 2019 calendar, and one that I took notes on but never penned a review for. I am correcting that now, and also have the opportunity to compare notes from two different releases. I will say this: Schlossbrauewrei Hohenthanner is a fascinating brewery with one of the best brewery websites I have ever seen. You can access it here, and get information and news on the brewery, all their beers, newsletters, and more. Hohenthanner offers an array of classic German beerstyles, but they also delve into "craftbier", influenced by the American craft beer revolution. Of course, the American craft beer revolution was influenced by classic European beer styles (including German beer), so the circle is now complete.

Blau Weisse Hallertauer Craftbier is, obviously, one of the craft beers they offer. It is a Bavarian style hefeweizen with a strong dose of Hallertau hops. It should be noted the style is not known for hop character, brewers use enough hops to balance, but not overpower, the wheat and yeast notes. Often the hops are aged to reduce their influence on the final beer.

From the brewery website:

Die BLAU WEISSE ist ein Genusserlebnis der besonderen Art und nur saisonal verfügbar. Eingeschenkt im Glas präsentiert sie sich bernsteinfarben und mit einem wunderbar cremigen Schaum. Der feine Duft nach fruchtigen Hopfennoten verrät, dass die BLAU WEISSE eine außergewöhnliche Bierspezialität ist, die im Gaumen Ihre ganze Geschmacksvielfalt offenbart.
Die beiden Hopfensorten Hallertauer Cascade und Hüll Melon zaubern zitrusartige Eindrücke mit Erinnerung an Honigmelone ins Glas. Verkosten Sie die BLAU WEISSE in geselliger Runde und genießen Sie diese einzigartige niederbayerische Weißbierspezialität.

In English:

BLAU WEISSE is a special experience of enjoyment and only available seasonally. Poured into a glass, it is amber-colored with a wonderfully creamy head. The fine scent of fruity hop notes reveals that BLAU WEISSE is an exceptional speciality beer that reveals all your tastes in the palate.
The two hop varieties Hallertauer Cascade and Hüll Melon conjure up citrus-like impressions with notes of honeydew melon in the glass. Taste the BLAU WEISSE in a convivial round and enjoy this unique Lower Bavarian white beer speciality.

Blau Weisse Hallertauer Craftbier has an alcohol content of 5.6% by volume. My can is stamped EXP 05/2021 (this is the 2019 can). I drank it first on January 13th of 2019 and then again on Januray 19th of 2020. The can says this beer is Gebraut von Hohenthaner Schlossbrauerei, so does not appear to be contract brewed by Egerer. Blau is the german word for blue, but it is also slang for drunk. So don't drink too many in one sitting, or you may get blau yourself.

The 2018:

Blau Weisse pours to a hazy yellow white color with a thick rocky head of foam and sharp herbal hop aroma. The beer is tart wheaty and crackery and a little citrusy even. There’s a hint of banana but just a hint, and no clove that I can discern. The finish is hoppier than a wheat beer usually is, with an herbal grassy bitterness. The beer is infused with herbal grassy hops, fascinating.

The 2019:

Another year, another beer? Here I am drinking Blau Weisse from the 2019 calendar and it’s not quite the same beer. There’s a hint of those grassy hops in the finish, along with some clove and banana. I get the same tart wheaty notes and hint of citrus, but there’s more banana for sure and a little bubblegum, too. I even get a little fruity melon this time around, and the beer has more grassy hops throughout and bitterness in the finish than you usually find in the style, but maybe not as much as I recall from last year. There is yeast in the can.

I’m greatly enjoying my Beer Advent Calendar 2019 with the day 2 beer. Here’s looking forward to the remaining 22, and another assortment of 24 in 2020. We’ll be on the lookout next year at Costco once again! Follow them on their Facebook page.