Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week": Konig Ludwig Weiss

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jan 24, 2007 5:00PM

Like snowflakes, no two weiss beers are alike. Some of us like the clean flavor of Paulaner, some the sweet palate of an Ayinger, still others prefer the slightly sour taste of a Tucher. For every thick, hearty Hacker Pschorr there's an equally flavorful, but less heavy Erdinger, the only other weiss beer - until today - to earn "BotW" honors.

Konig Ludwig weiss is a bavarian-style hefeweizen that contains most of the classic elements fans of beer expect from a weiss. However, this offering isn't so thick that it'll weigh you down after one serving, and contains just enough gravity and character that adding lemon won't completely mask the flavor. In fact, we tend to drink it without a garnish, the better to savor the flavor of tart pears, green apples, and that classic hint of cloves on the palate associated with weiss beers. Konig Ludwig is a cloudy weiss, with a lot of sediment in the bottle. Swirling and slowly adding that to your glass at the end of your pour better highlights those aforementioned flavors. The finish is clean, wheat-dominant, with just a trace of bitterness. Finally, fans of sparkling wines will love the carbonation on this beer. You might find a better weiss someday, but if you're looking for a solid jump-on point, you can't pick a better training wheel.

What we like most about Konig Ludwig weiss is its accessibility. As a pairing with food, it works equally well with crab cakes (we once enjoyed this pairing at Cy's Crab House) and tangy ribs. If you're eating the latter, having a beer that won't fill you up that actually complements your meal is an asset. Likewise, you can enjoy this beer equally in the dog days of August or the waning moments of winter. Give this beer a placement on your next shopping list. Konig Ludwig weiss is Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week."