Sudwerk Brewing Company - Hefeweizen Wheat

This Bavarian-style weissbier presents a moderately hazy golden-orange capped by a large head of off-white foam from this unfiltered beer’s true-to-style robust carbonation. On the nose, Sudwerk’s very active German weissbier yeast strain has delivered plenty of the traditional notes we look for in this iconic Bavarian style, including bubblegum, banana, and lightly spicy clove-like phenols, joined by touches of lemony citrus from the hops. Look for bold flavors on the palate – as one expects for the style – as those aroma notes burst forth with lots of personality. The high percentage of wheat in the malty core of this brew offers its signature tanginess, and there’s a pleasant dash of sweetness that’s countered and dried out nicely by mild to moderate hop bitterness and the bite of the beer’s prominent carbonation. For pairing options, weissbier is a great match for seafood and other salty or briney dishes like white fish with lemon, or sautéed scallops. Grilled weisswurst, warm and soft pretzels, salads with grilled chicken, and even some moderately spicy Mexican dishes are other good choices. Prost!

Sudwerk was founded in Davis, CA in 1989 by Ron Broward and Dean Unger. Not only was it among the early entrants into America’s craft brewing renaissance, Sudwerk was at the forefront of craft lager production, focusing almost entirely on lager styles brewed in accordance with the German Reinheitsgebot beer purity law (which dates to the 16th century). Within just a few years, the brewery had grown significantly while developing much respect within the early craft beer scene.

Fast forward to 2013. The Sudwerk brand, which had never lost its quality or esteem in the industry, nevertheless found itself somewhat overlooked among all the flashy new breweries popping up within the explosively growing beer scene. Additionally, both Broward and Unger had recently passed away, and their families were looking to sell the brewery. At this point, Unger’s grandson, Trent Yackzan, and his friend, Ryan Fry, entered the picture, organizing with a group of investors to purchase the brewery and begin revitalizing the brand and tapping into Sudwerk’s latent potential. The focus on craft lagers was maintained, but the new-look Sudwerk began striking out into more adventurous lager territory while also expanding Sudwerk’s barrel-aging program.

Over the years, Sudwerk has been recognized with a multitude of awards, including 18 medals at the Great American Beer Festival, and they were awarded GABF Brewery of the Year for their production size in 2021. They also maintain a partnership with UC Davis, home of one of the country’s most respected brewing schools. For more info about Sudwerk, visit them at www.sudwerkbrew.com.