Drank: Laurelweizen (Laurelwood Brewing)

Too few Oregon breweries even try to make a traditional German hefe, and fewer yet get it right.

Call it blasphemy, but I'€™m not a big fan of "American hefeweizen."€

To me, the best part of a traditional German hefe is the interplay of esters like isoamyl acetate and the protein-dense, sweet wheat base. Too few Oregon breweries even try to make a traditional German hefe, and fewer yet get it right.

Well, Laurelwood nailed it this year.

The recipe comes from former beer boss Vasilios Gletsos, who made a batch last year before leaving for Vermont'€™s much-ballyhooed Hill Farmstead. His heir, Shane Watterson, made this brew using Occidental's yeast strain. The end product has a gorgeous, soft-yellow glow and is heavy on just-barely-brown banana, with a pleasant creaminess and a light sprinkle of clove.

It's smooth and light enough to drink even when your lawn starts to crunch underfoot. So far, this is my beer of the summer. Recommended.

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