Hefeweizen

Ayinger Brau-Weisse

Brauerei Aying ABV: 5.1%

King Kong would go gaga after his first sniff of this glowing, honey- colored German hefeweizen’s intoxicating fragrance of ripe bananas sprinkled with spicy cloves. The full-bodied Bräu-Weisse drinks soft and spritzy, flaunting more fruit, peppery spice, and a moderately tart, citrusy finish. Pronouncing the brewery’s name may be problematic, but remember this easy trick: say, "EYE-ing-gr."

Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse

Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu GmbH ABV: 5%

With roots stretching to the fourteenth century, Munich-based Franziskaner is one of Germany’s oldest privately owned breweries (today it’s a subsidiary of Anheuser- Busch InBev). Hefe-Weisse has an opaque, rusty gold color and a creamy, dreamy head. The archetypal aroma of bananas, light citrus, and bread is accompanied by a flavorful synergy of cloves, more bananas, and bubbles as far as the eye can see.