Tommyknocker Jack Whacker Wheat

Jack Whacker Wheat Ale was the second Tommyknocker beer I tried:

Appearance: 9/10

Damn that's a good lookin' beer!  With the unfiltered golden-orange body and the nearly-white foamy head, it really does make me want to take a nice long pull.  It's actually a little bit lighter in color than the picture makes look.  I should find a better spot for pics.

Aroma: 20/25

Before the head fell, I had trouble picking up on any kind of aroma whatsoever.  But, once the foam settled, the aroma was a very pleasing combination of light wheat, loads of lemon, and more subdued floral and grassy notes.  I would have scored it higher, but I didn't like that I couldn't smell it before the head fell.

Taste: 33/40

The solid wheat base accentuates the strong lemon flavors.  It almost tastes like they dissolved Lemonheads in the brew, but without that sickly sweetness.  Their website says they added lemon grass, and I like the flavors it imparts.  Just like with the nose, the floral and grassy flavors are present but very subdued.  There is also a faint but very pleasing biscuit/cracker/dough-like yeasty flavor, which I think nicely complements the rest of the flavor profile.

Mouthfeel: 9/10

It's a bit thin at first, but rolling it around your mouth releases the carbonation to bring out a mild sting and a more full-bodied mouthfeel.  I could feel the bubbles forming on my tongue, which was an interesting sensation.  This beer finished moderately dry, followed by a very slight warmth from the 4.7% abv.  The aftertaste is very light, not bitter at all, and it leaves a faint dough/lemon/wheat flavor on the tongue.

Style: 5/5

This isn't a German-style hefeweizen; it's an American wheat beer.  This beer does not have the banana esters or the clove phenols common to German hefeweizens, and that's a good thing.  American wheat beers should have citrusy, floral, or spicy esters, and the banana and clove flavors that many people expect from wheat beers would be out of place in this style.  This beer hits the nail on the head for the American Wheat Beer category.

Drinkability: 8/10

It's a decent and enjoyable beer, but I wouldn't spend extra money for one.  I'd prefer something like this to have with a meal, and I'd love to try it on tap, but chances of that happening in the foreseeable future aren't that great.  I would recommend it to anyone who likes lighter flavors in their beer.  It would probably go exceptionally well with grilled chicken or fish.

Overall: 84/100

So far, I'm fairly impressed with Tommyknocker Brewery.  Both of the beers I've tried so far have been enjoyable, flavorful, and somewhat on the malty side of the scale.  I still have four of their beers to try, and I'm looking forward to them all.  I haven't yet decided where I'll rank these guys in my mega-list of brewers, but they'll be going in the database later today, and I can sort the rest out after I've tried a few more of their brews.

Cheers!