4 Pines Hefeweizen is a seminal beer for Back of the Ferry. Back in 2008, when I first sipped it, I was blown away. I’d had wheat beers before (like the exceptional Matilda Bay Redback – surely a hall of famer), but nothing hit me like the 4 Pines Hefe. First it was the scent – redolent of banana and clove, and in a good way. I love a beer with haze and the Hefe has plenty of it. And finally it slides down with a silky smoothness of estery maltiness.
For ages it was a part of the 4 Pines core range and always on tap at the OG venue and available in 6 packs and slabs. It was my go to, if there wasn’t a Keller Door unique to be had. And then a few months ago my 4 Pines insider gave me the news that the Hefe was biting the dust. Despite the support from me and my mates – it wasn’t shifting fast enough. We hoovered up the stray six packs, but they soon went. Someone even started an Insta account calling for its reinstatement.
A sort of sanity prevailed this weekend with the release of a limited batch of Hefe for a 4 Pines version of Oktoberfest. You can’t get enough of a good thing and I took a few growlers down for a fill. They won’t last long on the coast trip I am embarking on later this week some fellow fans of the Hefe.
back of the ferry 