Great Lakes Weizenbock

From Cleveland, OH

The brewery says..."Named after the Glockenspiel of Marienplatz in Munich, Germany, which features 43 bells and 32 life-sized figures that chime and re-enact two 16th century stories each day." 

Also...A complex, plum-colored Weizenbock with spicy notes of clove and banana.

Interesting. For a moment, I'll suspend my nationalistic bias...

Stats: 8% ABV, 20 IBU

Appearance: Pours a Falu red with golden orange hues around the bottom of the glass. A thin beige head sits at a half cm before leaving the beer completely exposed as the carbonation meanders from the bottom leaving a small collection of active bubbles in the center. 8.4/10

 

Nose: Candied Banana Split, Collins cherry, vanilla, circus peanuts. 8.2/10

 

Body: A little oily, with fuzzy carbonation. Creamy, then soft, then thin, quickly. 8.1

 

Taste: Nutty malt leads the way with toasted undertones and toffee tinges. After the malt fades the fruit kicks in with cinnamon apple and, in a strange way, juicy fruit gum. The wheat makes itself known in a faint way, and the beer fades with some sweet citrus hop notes. 8.4

Overall: 8.3/10

Comment: The edge goes to Great Lakes.