Starr Hill Brewery’s The Love, a 4.6% German Hefeweizen
It’s no secret that our mission is The Gift of Great Beer. Every culture in the world has a fermented, cereal grain beverage that people use to sit around and talk. I’m a steward of the product that enhances this thing we call life.”
-Mark Thompson
Master Brewer Mark Thompson founded Starr Hill Brewery in Charlottesville, Virginia in September of 1999 in a historic storefront on Main Street. The brewery was named after the local neighborhood and shared the building with the legendary Starr Hill Music Hall.
Tasting room at Starr Hill
Interesting fact about Mark: He drives a 1983 Mercedes Benz diesel, powered with bio-diesel he makes in some old brewing tanks. Pretty cool, huh?
I had the pleasure of visiting Starr Hill during a recent trip to Virginia. For $5, you can do a full sample of 7 beers. They also sell pints and merchandise, fill growlers, and offer tours of the brewery.
The stand out beers for me were the Smoke Out, a 5.8% German smoke beer that tasted like bacon, and Boxcarr, the 4.7% pumpkin porter that had just been released. While tasting, I met and chatted with Sam McElwee, cellarman and yeast whisperer. I could tell he had a passion and excitement for the brewery and the beers they make.
The Love is an unfiltered wheat beer or hefeweizen. It is distinguished by its extremely light body and flavored with hints of banana and clove. They recommend a slice of lemon to complement this refreshing brew. It is brewed with Two Row, wheat and barley, Hallertau hops, and fermented with Bavarian wheat beer yeast. It is brewed year-round.
Appearance
Hazy, straw yellow
Aroma
Wheat and yeast with subtle hints of banana and clove
Taste
Slightly sweet with clove at first, finishes a bit tart with banana and a lingering spice
Mouthfeel
Thinner than expected; clean and dry
Overall
While I prefer a true German hefeweizen, I still enjoyed The Love. I really like the surprising tartness.
Wanna pick this one up? Starr Hill distributes their beer to Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Delaware, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Charleston, SC.
Check out… Starr Hill on YouTube.
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