I’m all for novelty beers as long as they taste good. The problem is, the novelty beers that are genuinely delectable are few and far between. The idea behind Shock Top Twisted Pretzel Wheat is a beer that’s supposed to taste like a soft pretzel. I’d say this beer does indeed smell like a pretzel, but not so much in taste. It’s more of a mild dunkelweizen.
Shock Top Twisted Pretzel: Appearance
Dark brown proper hue. Body is slightly hazy, but otherwise translucent with carbonation visible. Pours to a two-finger, off-white, foamy head which retains and laces reasonably well.
Shock Top Twisted Pretzel: Smell
Definitely the best aspect of the beer as it does smell a lot like a warm soft pretzel. Plenty of wheat and a general “baked goods” scent. Akin to that of a sports arena or movie theater.
Shock Top Twisted Pretzel: Taste
Since this beer smelled like the product it was claiming to be, I was hoping it would taste the same. Unfortunately, this is more of a generic dunkelweizen. There’s a presence of light roasted malt and wheat and perhaps a bit of chocolate. There isn’t much in the way of esters or spices or any kind of novelty flavors despite the label claiming there are artificial flavors added. I’ll bet a pinch of salt might have made it more pretzel-like. Though it doesn’t completely surprise me that the palette is so mild considering the brewery and their target audience.
Shock Top Twisted Pretzel: Drinkability
While Shock Top Twisted Pretzel Wheat is a little underwhelming in the taste department, it’s no challenge to drink whatsoever. The mouthfeel is light but not paper thin. I would not even consider it crisp, per se. There’s a fullness to it and the texture is soft and smooth. At 5.1% ABV it’s not surprisingly mild, though a little more flavor isn’t an unreasonable expectation. Not a refreshing beer, but a palatable one that any pedestrian drinker should have no problem enduring.