Rating: 4.5/5

Shiva’s Tears Weizenbock of the Destroyer by New Braunfels Brewing is a 9% ABV Weizenbock.

Label:
According to Hindu faith, Shiva, the god of destruction and rebirth, was called upon to rid the world of an evil demon named Tripura. After meditating for 1,000 years on how to kill Tripura and contemplating the evil he wrought on Earth, Shiva winked his eyes and tears fell. From those tears grew a tree who’s fruit satisfies thirst. It’s seeds are used for meditation and prayer.

Our Weizenbock is a study in power and grace. Surprising smooth for a high abv powerhouse, Shiva’s Tears is our pathway to beer truth. Meditate on a few of them and you may just cry of few tears of your own.

Here’s to life.
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The great beers of Texas have hit brewerianimelogs once again and it is thanks to the one and only, Aaron, the founder of www.beermetaldude.com. I will be reviewing some more great beers in the coming weeks but I decided to start with the first Texas brew in line he donated to the site for this shipment. I have never tried anything from New Braunfels and this is my opportunity to see what they are about. I have seen that they make a variety of wheat based beers. Wheat ales are some of my favorite styles of beers especially the ones from Germany and Europe. The Weizenbock being a favorite of mine next to the Dunkelweisse makes me wonder how good this be. Let us check it out shall we?

Aromas:
Smokey notes, dark fruit raisins, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, rye bread, maple, licorice, mild soy sauce, oatmeal cookies, wheat bread, anise, brown sugar, tart dark cherry hints and rye bread.

Flavors:
Dark fruit like raisins, plum, grape, clove spice, tart dark cherry notes, lots of smokey oak, banana bread, dark chocolate hints, licorice, pilloncillo sugar cone, graham crackers, waffle cone, oatmeal coookies, anise, soy sauce, rye bread and vanilla.

Aftertaste:
Piloncillo, dark fruit, dark chocolate, earthy notes, tart cherry and nice smokey notes. No alcohol in the taste, really pitch black and brown body, moderate to sipping drinkability and medium yet smooth mouthfeel.

Overall:
A very good smokey weizenbock. I don’t think I have ever had anything quite like this. Maybe a Berliner Weisse may come close but take that to the dark level and make it heavy and rich. Quite the unique one as many Weizenbocks tend to be on the sweeter side. This one is smokey and tart but still sweet. So there is some balance here. Definitely worth a try especially if you like smokey yet mild and sweet German styles. Gotta give special thanks to Aaron for hooking me up with this beer and New Braunfels for making it, cheers!

Anime Corner:
Shiva from Square’s Final Fantasy X was the easiest pairing I could think of. Shiva being the god of destruction and rebirth can be a bit cold some times. Especially this Shiva as she is ice based. The darker and smokey aspects of this beer as well as the dark fruit flavors are representative of the colors and Ice cold that Shiva brings in this pairing.

Sources:
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