Steel & Oak has only just celebrated its one-year anniversary, yet its smoked hefeweizen has become something of a B.C. classic in the short time it’s been around. (It’s also one of the first beers to run out at beer festivals, FYI.)
It’s an opaque apricot colour with a tightly-packed white frizzy head. The nose is almost pure grilled pineapple, as those lightly spiced clove and banana characteristics of a classic weizenbier are given a lightly smoky makeover. A gentle grainy malt breadiness lies underneath.
An initially brisk wave of banana and orange melded with some gentle campfire smoke notes gives way to richer stone fruit flavours in the mid. Light bitterness sees the smoke slowly swell and then ebb into a satisfying finish.
The beer’s body is nicely rounded, but the carbonation seems a little high and can occasionally make things a little prickly compared to the draugth version.
Food pairing: Bratwurst off the grill with authentic German mustard and some potato salad on the side.
7/10
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