"Mandarin Hefeweizen?” What’s that, I wondered to myself when I first spied the six-pack. Hmmm, Grant’s makes it. The unmistakably vivid image of a huge, halved orange made it clear that this brew was a Mandarin Orange laced wheat beer, not some German-Chinese hybrid. It sounded intriguing to me, so I bought it. I’ve drunk many a stranger brew than this one, after all.

Some beer connoisseurs cannot stand the notion of adding lemon, a much more common accoutrement, to German styled wheat beers. I imagine they might have a real conniption if you told them you were going to start tossing oranges in your beer. I think this would make Bert Grant, God rest his soul, happy though. Bert was never one for convention, and he always enjoyed turning the generally accepted on its ear. He felt that the brewer should have ultimate control and creativity over his finished product, critics be damned.

So, Bert would probably love Mandarin Hefeweizen. It’s based on an American style Hefeweizen rather than a German one, and hopped with Cascades for that extra domestic touch. So I guess it should be OK to throw a little orange into the mix. I’m not sure how new this beer is, but I saw it today for the first time here in Georgia. I imagine this is more a summer beer than a fall one, but I can see myself drinking it again before the hot weather returns.

Bert Grant’s Mandarin Hefeweizen pours to a cloudy yellow orange color with a thick foamy head and a tart orangey nose. The palate is very refreshing with a crisp crackery wheat character, some delightful toasty notes, and wonderful flavors of slightly sweet Mandarin orange. The finish is crisp and just a tad bitter, both from the hops and a decidedly thirst quenching bitter orange flavor. A light hop bitterness and a tasty juicy orange flavor linger on the tongue after sipping.

This is an innovative and very refreshing beer that is a perfect quencher on a warm day. I can imagine it pairing divinely with a green salad tossed with orange slices and almonds. I think this beer works, and works well. Beer, like cuisine in general, should be a constant effort at innovation. After all, experimenting with new ingredients and brewing techniques is what gave us many of the beer styles we enjoy so much today.

Give this one a try. It’s not just for breakfast anymore.