Peak Organic: Weiss Principal

From the first moment I tasted a Belgian or German beer, my saying has been that these two regions are the direct link between God and beer. From the Trappist and Abbey ales created by Belgian monks to the centuries old recipes handed down from one Germanic generation to another, this region has been the mountain top of perfection that every brewer attempts to reach and if not they are content living just shy of it. What warms my heart is when an American brewery makes magic and either identifies themselves with this style of brewing or creates one or two beers that remind the drinker that what they're used to drinking, has no match on what Europeans are drinking. 

What happens when an American brewery tries to bring the two worlds together? American craft brewing and classic German style perfection? Peak Organic has done just that and quite successfully I should add with their newest release, Weiss Princial. This 22oz beer combines a classic, unfiltered and hazy German style Hefeweizen with an American Imperial IPA. 

What put me off at first about this style wasn't the possibilities, but the idea. These are two styles that have garnered different amounts of popularity in the beer world. Hefeweizens are more renowned by the modern drinker for their drinkable tasting notes, orange, coriander, banana and clove which have made them a hit with the bar scene. Imperial IPA's on the other hand, have to play to a smaller crowd as the hop bitterness of this style leaves a lot of people wondering just what the appeal is. However, there is a slight chance that this could work and dammit, it does. 

The initial pour is hazy and golden with a rich bright white foam head. I pour this bad boy into a tall Weisse glass to allow for maximum experience. As it settles I swirl and pour the rest to get all of the delicious unfiltered goodness and what I get is a thick, cloudy, yeasty beer that has no problem punching me in the face with flavor and aroma.

There are the usual suspects in the aroma. Orange, banana, clove and fruity esters from the yeast, however there is a strong presence of citrus and pine from the hop addition of the IPA influence. The aroma is strong and complex, deep and rich and I can't wait to finish it.

The taste is even more complex. There is the obvious unfiltered wheat characteristics of the Hefeweizen. Light, crisp and rich in flavor, there are notes of orange, pine, clove and grapefruits. The hop presence doesn't overwhelm the beer by any measure and in fact gives it a stronger backbone. As the beer settles more, it becomes cloudier and thicker tasting than it was in the beginning. There are stronger tasting notes coming from both sides of the spectrum at this point but I'm not complaining. Give me more!

Overall, a great choice. The idea that two styles that attract two completely different drinkers could work in tandem to create a beautiful blend is a refreshing concept. This beer almost has it all, the taste is there, the price is there at $4.99 a bottle and of course the experience is there. This is a special beer and like all of the other offerings from Peak Organic, you'll feel good about what you're drinking.