The Absolute Best Beer At Trader Joe's Is A Real Mouthful

While better known for its selection of reserve wine, Trader Joe's also carries a wide choice of delicious-tasting beers at competitive prices. The absolute best of them, however, has a name that's about as good of a mouthful as the beer itself — Josephsbrau Bavarian Style Hefeweizen. Coming in at first place in Tasting Table's ranking of Trader Joe's beer from worst to best, this brand is a prime example of how seriously the grocer takes its alcohol game. 

While TJ's hasn't specified exactly who makes Josephsbrau Bavarian Style Hefeweizen, they have hinted that it is made by one of the top craft brewers on the West Coast — which people have gone on to figure is likely Gordon Biersch Brewing Company in San Jose, California. The brand was co-founded by a graduate of Weihenstephan, a Bavarian state brewery in Germany and the oldest existing one in the world, which upholds the same traditions. 

The hops and malt are all imported following the rigorous orders of Reinheitsgebot, an ordinance passed in Bavaria during the 16th century that required beer to be made with just three ingredients — hops, malt, and water. However, those were eventually expanded to make room for other styles of beer like TJ's Josephsbrau Bavarian Style Hefeweizen, which is made from a strain of wheat beer yeast imported directly from Bavaria. It's serious and it's a mouthful, but it makes for a good beer, as our taste testers can attest.

Choosing a good beer can be complicated, but Trader Joe's makes it easy with the Josephsbrau Bavarian Style Hefeweizen. This beverage which comes in at 5.3% ABV is described as boasting many of the flavors unique to a beer fermented with that special, Bavarian yeast strain. That includes everything from citrus and clove to banana and bubble gum — all things you'd expect from a true Bavarian hefeweizen. 

Being unfiltered, this wheat beer is also able to maintain its intricate aromas and flavors which tend to get lost in the purification process that filtered beers undergo. Along with the hefeweizen, Trader Joe's sells a selection of other Josephsbrau beers — all also likely produced by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company, which means you can expect the same level of standards. 

The Josephsbrau Summer Brew is described as a refreshing, Kölsch style ale-lager. In the fall, you're also likely to come across cans of the Josephsbrau Oktoberfest which is made from three kinds of malts, all imported from Germany to match those of the festival's official drink. The result is a beer that's both viscous and caramel-y, yet light enough on the hops to sip slowly.