Three Boys Wheat

Pre-preamble (you could probably skip this bit): I just got this new wheat beer glass in a pack of three Spiegelau glasses from my lovely wife, who thoughtfully acompanied it with three beers that were style-matched to the glasses - this wheat beer included.

Preamble: (you could also probably skip this bit): When I read this I thought, oh yay, this is going to be a delicious white IPA with a big NZ hop flavour that's just like my "Tooth Ferry" (which I still have a few drops left of in my keg) but hopefully with a bigger NZ hop flavour. But it wasn't clear if it was going to be a big yeasty German wheat beer (Hefeweizen) or a big yeast Belgian witbeer... Turns out 'twas a Hefeweizen style, but not so sure about the claim for a "Euro-kiwi hybrid"...

Amble (is that a thing?): This was a yum German style hefeweizen with the big banana-clove flavours that German hefeweizen yeast brings to the plate (Brings to the plate? Really? Sorry, been watching too much My Kitchen Rules... but don't tell anyone). There was a hint of hopping, but no real bitterness and no real notable hop aroma (if there was it was hidden well under the banana-clove-yeastiness - a problem I had trying to make a hoppy witbier - see the Tooth Ferry). But overall it was a really yum beer getting right that very notable banana-clove flavour (it's not really like either banana or cloves, but it's a distinctive and specific flavour that's a bit like both) but not smashingly overpowering, so that you still end up with a very drinkable and likeable beer. I think the "Euro-kiwi hybrid" was maybe like if you took two parts of a really good and flavoursome German Hefeweizen and added one part of a good Kiwi lager you might have something like this. A bit less intense than the regular wheat beer, but still unmistakably German hefeweizen, but very drinkable and quite nice. 

threeboysbrewery.co.nz

ABV: 5.0%

Brewery: Three boys

Region: Christchurch

Style: Hefeweizen

Wife check: "That's actually really nice. I would actually drink a glass of that." (She didn't)