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Vitus

Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Freising, Germany
Imported by: Total Beverage Solutions
Mt. Pleasant, SC

Available: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, ID, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI

The Bavarian State Brewery, Weihenstephan is the oldest existing brewery in the world, dating back to the year 1040. Today, it is a site for brewing science and education, as well as the home a leading yeast bank for the brewing industry.

ABV: 7.7
ABW: 16.5
Color: Light
Bitterness: 17
Original gravity: N/A

• Lisa Morrison

  The world's oldest brewery that's still in operation has bottled bedlam in Vitus. Starting with the fervent off-white head that nearly gushes out of the bottle, Vitus is a beer to be reckoned with. A lazy, sunbeam-yellow hue is the only subtle thing about this beer, as an eruption of aromas -- banana, lemon, clove, toasted bread, green pear -- rush to the nose. Somehow, the flavors follow in an orderly disordered formation, with ripe pear, crushed clove and banana leading a host of other nuances with each sip. And just when you think the whole thing will become erratic, the creamy texture takes over, leading to a lingering, almost grassy finish.

• Jeff Evans

  As a style, the weizenbock has been largely overlooked. Aventinus justly, remains the world’s favorite, but Vitus is also raising the profile of strong wheat beer. The first impression is that this is nowhere near as complex as Aventinus, but that underplays its own merits, as it comes across as a successful upscaling of the excellent Weihenstephaner Hefe-Weissbier, loaded with canned peach and tart apple flavors that are nailed down by the aromatics and comforting warmth of clove. The finish is cracker dry but overall this is a remarkably refreshing, nicely balanced, spritzy beer for the strength.