August Schell Brewing Company’s Hefeweizen Wins a World Beer Championship Gold Medal

The Beverage Tasting Institute (BTI) was founded in 1981. The judging ratings range from 96 to 100 for superlative to 80 and below for not recommended. Jerald O’Kennard, Director of the Beverage Testing Institute, said that 94 is an extremely good score, and unusually high. Testing methods minimize external factors and maximize the concentration of the panelist. All of the panelists are professional guest tasters who are retailers, restaurateurs, or prominent writers.

Schell’s Hefeweizen, a summer seasonal available during the months of July and August, scored 93 points, earning the title of “Exceptional” in the Weizen Hefe, Ale category. Hefeweizens are a traditional south German style of wheat beer (weissbier) made with a typical wheat ratio of 50:50 or even higher. They utilize yeast that produces unique flavors of banana and cloves with an often dry and tart edge and some spiciness. They have little hop bitterness, a moderate level of alcohol and are unfiltered with a cloudy appearance.

The Beverage Testing Institute stated the following when describing Schell’s Hefeweizen, “Pours a golden, cloudy yellow. Aromas of banana nut bread and custard with a silky, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a long, seamlessly balanced finish with notes of spicy frosted banana cake, sweet citrus and pepper. Delicious and dangerously drinkable.”