It is November, isn’t it?

Today is November second. That means my days are now filled with the joyful task of picking up all the leaves that are currently cluttering up my yard. The reason these leaves are falling, as many of you have already either guessed or experienced, is that the weather is turning colder now. There are no potted plants left alive, there’s a touch of frost in the mornings and I’d prefer to just stay under the covers for the day.

It also means that I get to make food that warms me from the inside out, so that’s not such a bad thing. I love soups and stews during this time of year. Last week, I made my mom’s French onion soup. Yesterday, I made a shrimp etouffee that carries enough heat to bring sweat to your forehead. So exactly why am I reviewing a German wheat beer today? Aren’t these supposed to be summertime, drink when it’s hot out, light beers?

Well, it has to do with two things. The first is that it was highly recommended by a patron of Cork and Fork. In fact, this person loves the beer so much that he regularly asks for it by name. The second reason is the aforementioned etouffee. It is such a rich dish that it screams for a wine to be served with it. However, after the meal, you want something light and easily drinkable to finish off the rest of the evening with. A wine that pairs well with rich foods is not always the best choice as a sipper later in the evening. Therefore, enter the Vitus.

The Weihenstephaner Vitus Weizenbock (pronounced “veye-tssen-bock”) is a strong version of a weissbier or hefeweizen. It is usually made from 60% to 70% wheat malts with the remainder of the grain bill being filled with Pils, Vienna or Munich malts. The largest difference between a regular weissbier or hefeweizen and a weizenbock is that the weizenbock is fermented with an ale yeast and the others are lagers.

This Weizenbock has a pale color similar to that of a pear. It’s appearance, color and aromas are all very reminiscent of a typical weissbier or hefeweizen with it being slightly cloudy and smelling floral or fruity. However, this beer is bigger, coming in at 7.7% alcohol by volume and on the palate you don’t notice that alcohol at all. Instead of the typical citrus like flavors, this beer exhibits flavors of darker fruits like apricots or even nectarines. It is a rich flavor but the mouth feel is balanced with a bright carbonation. Overall, this is an exceptional beer.