The candy makers at Jelly Belly Are paying homage to its German ancestry with their latest jelly bean, a Hefeweizen-inspired ale flavor, aptly named the Draft Beer Jelly Belly.

Apparently beer has been a highly-requested flavor by Jelly Belly consumers for decades. According to their research and development manager Ambrose Lee, the beer flavor actually took 3 years to develop. And Jelly Belly is hardly jumping on the alcohol flavor trend, they’ve been selling Piña Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri jelly beans for decades.

From the release: The effervescent and crisp flavor is packed in a golden jelly bean with an iridescent finish. Beer connoisseurs will find the flavor profile to be clean with notes of wheat and a touch of sweetness. The aroma is mildly bready. While Draft Beer packs a flavor punch, it is alcohol free.

The new flavor will be available at retailers in early 2014. For a list of local retailers that carry Jelly Belly or to find more information about the new Draft Beer Jelly Belly jelly beans, visit their website at http://www.jellybelly.com