Franziskaner Royal Review: The Strong Wheat Beer That Makes Your Usual Lager Taste Boring

Franziskaner Royal is the German strong wheat beer designed for people who love classic hefeweizen flavor but want more intensity, more aroma, and more occasion-worthy drama in the glass. Here’s how this 7% ABV ‘royal’ twist turns an everyday beer moment into a small ceremony.

You know that flat, forgettable beer moment: you crack open another generic lager, take a sip, and instantly regret wasting the calories. No aroma worth remembering. No flavor arc. Just cold, fizzy… background noise.

That's fine when you just need something wet. But when you actually want a beer to be an experience – something that smells incredible, fills a proper glass, and makes you slow down for a minute – most supermarket options fall painfully short.

This is exactly the gap a very particular German wheat beer is trying to fill.

Enter Franziskaner Royal: A Wheat Beer Turned Up to Eleven

Franziskaner Royal is the "royal" interpretation of classic Franziskaner Weissbier – a stronger, more aromatic wheat beer (strong beer / Starkbier) that sits at around 7% ABV and is designed less for chugging and more for savoring.

Franziskaner is a historic Munich wheat beer brand now under the global umbrella of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (ISIN: BE0974293251), but Royal still leans into traditional Bavarian brewing culture: top-fermented, unfiltered, and brewed according to the German beer purity law (Reinheitsgebot / "deutsches Reinheitsgebot") – meaning it is produced only from the classic beer ingredients permitted by that law, without adjuncts or flavorings.

Officially categorized as a starkes Weizenbier (strong wheat beer), Franziskaner Royal is built for people who like the banana-clove character of hefeweizen but want it richer, silkier, and more complex, with a bit more warmth from the alcohol and a more intense aroma.

Why this specific model?

There are a lot of wheat beers on the shelves, and most of them fall into two camps: easy-drinking session hefeweizens around 5% ABV, or heavy, almost dessert-like weizenbocks. Franziskaner Royal aims straight for the sweet spot between those worlds.

From the official Franziskaner description and current German product pages, a few things stand out:

• Stronger than a normal hefeweizen: At approx. 7% ABV, it clearly sits above the typical 5%–5.5% range of standard Franziskaner Weissbier. This gives you more body, a fuller mouthfeel, and a gentle warming finish – perfect for slow sipping.
• Top-fermented, Bavarian-style wheat beer: As with classic Franziskaner, it uses a top-fermenting yeast culture, which is what gives wheat beers their signature fruity and spicy aroma profile.
• Unfiltered & naturally cloudy: Poured into the right glass, Royal delivers that iconic hazy, golden appearance with a robust foam crown – a big part of the "wow" factor when you serve it to friends.
• Reinheitsgebot-brewed: The beer is explicitly described as brewed according to the German Purity Law. While the site does not list individual ingredients one by one, that legal framework strictly limits what can be used in beer production, and signals a traditional, no-frills approach.

Translated into real-life benefits, that means: Franziskaner Royal is the beer you open when the moment actually matters – weekend cooking, a slow evening with music, a tasting flight with friends – and your usual light lager simply feels too thin.

At a Glance: The Facts

Feature	User Benefit
Strong wheat beer (Starkbier) at approx. 7% ABV	More flavor intensity and a warming, sipping-friendly character compared with standard 5% wheat beers.
Top-fermented Bavarian-style Weissbier	Classic fruity and spicy wheat beer profile, ideal if you love traditional German hefeweizen.
Unfiltered, naturally cloudy appearance	Visually impressive in the glass with a dense foam head – great for serving guests or pairing with food.
Brewed according to the German Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot)	Signals a traditional, no-additive brewing philosophy focusing on core beer ingredients only.
Franziskaner heritage brand from Munich	Trusted wheat beer name with decades of recognition, easy to find in many European and global markets.
Positioned as a "Royal" variant in the lineup	Designed as a more premium, special-occasion option compared with standard Franziskaner Weissbier.

What Users Are Saying

A scan of recent community discussions and review platforms (including Reddit threads and beer rating sites) reveals a clear pattern around Franziskaner Royal:

• Aroma & flavor get high marks: Many drinkers praise the intense nose, describing it as richer and more pronounced than the regular Franziskaner Weissbier. Fans mention a fuller, more rounded flavor profile that still feels recognizably "Franziskaner."
• Surprisingly drinkable for 7%: Several users note that the alcohol is well integrated. It drinks smoother than the ABV suggests, which is both a compliment and a friendly warning.
• Great as a step-up beer: People who already like classic hefeweizen often describe Royal as their "upgrade" bottle for evenings, dinner pairings, or tastings, instead of a casual after-work drink.

It’s not all praise, though. A few common cons appear as well:

• Heavier and sweeter than a normal wheat beer: If you only enjoy very light, crisp, ultra-refreshing beers, the richer body and higher alcohol can feel a bit much after one or two bottles.
• Availability depends on region: Some international drinkers report that Franziskaner Royal is harder to find than the standard Franziskaner Weissbier, often limited to select stores or seasonal stock.
• Price can be slightly higher: As a more premium variant, it often costs a bit more than the regular Franziskaner offerings, though still well below many craft specialties.

Overall sentiment from beer enthusiasts tends toward "pleasantly surprised": people who expected just a stronger version of the regular wheat beer often find the aroma and presentation feel more elevated than that simple description suggests.

Alternatives vs. Franziskaner Royal

The strong wheat beer niche is competitive, especially in Germany and Europe, so how does Franziskaner Royal stack up?

Compared with standard hefeweizen (including classic Franziskaner Weissbier):

• More intensity: Royal offers a stronger, more expressive take for those moments when a regular 5% wheat beer feels too mild.
• Less "anytime" friendly: The higher ABV and fuller body make it less suited to all-afternoon drinking sessions or very hot days.

Compared with other strong wheat beers / weizenbocks:

• Approachability: User reviews often note that Franziskaner Royal feels less heavy and more drinkable than some dense, dessert-like weizenbocks. It occupies an approachable middle ground.
• Brand familiarity: If you already know and like Franziskaner’s flavor profile, Royal feels like a natural, trustworthy step up rather than a completely new experiment.

Compared with craft IPAs or strong ales:

• Different kind of complexity: Instead of aggressive bitterness or heavy hopping, Royal leans into yeast-driven aromas and malt richness.
• Food pairing versatility: Strong wheat beer pairs well with roasted chicken, grilled sausages, richer salads, or even some desserts – a different angle from heavily bitter IPAs.

If you want a beer that feels "special" but don’t love bitterness, Franziskaner Royal is one of the more compelling alternatives to the typical craft IPA route.

Who Franziskaner Royal Is Really For

Based on official information and user sentiment, Franziskaner Royal makes the most sense if:

• You already enjoy classic German wheat beers and want a more intense, evening-worthy version.
• You appreciate the tradition of the German Purity Law and like beers that keep to a minimalist, heritage-first philosophy.
• You want something that looks impressive in the glass when you’re hosting friends or pairing with a proper meal.
• You’re curious about strong wheat beers but don’t want to jump directly into ultra-heavy weizenbocks.

If your favorite beers are ultra-dry pilsners or hard seltzers, Royal might feel a bit lush and heavy. But if you’ve ever wished your hefeweizen had a little more drama, this is exactly the lane Franziskaner Royal is driving in.

Final Verdict

Franziskaner Royal is not the beer you mindlessly grab from the fridge while scrolling your phone. It’s the beer you choose on purpose – for a Sunday roast, a quiet late-night playlist, or the kind of conversation that runs longer than you expected.

By taking the familiar comfort of Franziskaner Weissbier and amplifying it into a stronger, more aromatic, more ceremonial experience, Franziskaner Royal solves a very real problem for beer lovers: the gap between "easy everyday drink" and "over-the-top specialty bottle."

If you see it on the shelf and you're even mildly into German wheat beers, it's worth picking up at least once. Pour it into a tall wheat beer glass, take a moment to actually smell it, and then decide whether this "royal" twist earns a permanent place in your rotation.

For many fans online, it already has.