Moody Ales: Blood Orange Hefeweizen

Moody Ales: Blood Orange Hefeweizen Review

For centuries, Germany has been home to the world’s most famous beverage ingredients law. When the Reinheitsgebot was introduced, it mandated that brewers would work with malt, hops and no funny stuff. Fortunately, the beers that came out of Bavaria and neighbouring states continued to be as varied and creative as anywhere in Europe. However, nobody foresaw the craft beer movement that would eventually lead to a layer of additional creativity being added on top of many time-tested Teutonic traditions.

Fortunately for all of us, Germany’s beer rules have always allowed wheat to be included in the malt bill, meaning that they developed some wheaty beer styles, including their most well-known, Hefeweizen (which means ‘yeasty unfiltered wheat beer’). From Moody Ales on Port Moody’s Brewers Row comes a tangy North American take on this light, refreshing style.

Blood Orange Hefeweizen pours a red-tinted orangey colour with a slight wheat haze.

On the nose there are notes of tangerine, orange peel, fresh melon, watermelon and candied sugar, thanks to the added blood orange juice.

When this beer hits the palate, there’s a sharp tartness. The beer’s flavours are distinct from its aroma, with grapefruit and orange zest coming to the fore of this citrusy concoction.

Mouthfeel is as expected for this type of beer, with average carbonation and body. As with most beers like this, it’s balanced between hop and malt. Then a slightly astringent aftertaste lingers on the palate, with orange in the finish.

Blood Orange Hefeweizen is an easy-drinking ale with a bit more zing than your average fruity wheat beer.