From the Beer Writer: Back when I was just ankle-deep into the craft-beer waters that would one day consume me, not as many beer styles were available as there are today. IPAs were fewer and you could almost always count on a venue offering three ubiquitous styles: amber ale, stout and hefeweizen. The latter was my favorite type of beer early on. I enjoyed their trademark banana-and-clove character and added body. Today, nearly every beer style known to mankind is being brewed, with new sub-styles being created on the reg. Hefeweizens are still around. They’re still rather popular…just not in San Diego. For whatever reason, few local breweries venture into this wheaty Germanic territory, which made me all the happier on my first visit to The Bell Marker. This downtown brewpub opened last month pouring the initial liquid stock of head brewer (and former Pizza Port standout) Noah Regnery, my favorite of which was The Bell Marker Horton’s Hef. It showed up at my table with all the cloudiness of a hazy IPA, and even some of the lemon-zest notes one might encounter with that New World style. But on the palate, it was all Old World…and old San Diego (if the late-nineties is really all that “old”…no need to chime in on that, thanks). Banana bread and light clove came on with the slightest touch of orange, all delivered on a creamy Bavarian wave.
From the Brewer: “Horton’s Hef is a traditional, Bavarian-style wheat beer with notes of banana and clove. It pours hazy yellow with a soft, pillowy head and lively carbonation. The style is beautiful in it’s simplicity as the vast majority of it’s character is derived from the yeast. The name is a nod to nearby Horton Plaza, which itself was named for Alonzo Horton, a man largely credited with the founding and development of San Diego. Here at The Bell Marker we will aim to specialize in classic beer styles, of course adding our own twists along the way. Our lineup will vary from time to time and feature myriad styles, from German, to English, to Belgian, and of course there will be no shortage of hoppy offerings.”—Noah Regnery, Head Brewer, The Bell Marker