In this article we’ll be exploring the world of wheat beer. We’ll look at a few of the many different varieties and give some tips on drinking and brewing this unique style. So whether you love this style or don’t know anything about it – this article aims to illuminate the cloudy world of wheat beer.

Types of wheat beer

So what is a wheat beer? Loosely speaking, a wheat beer is a top fermenting ale with wheat making up a significant part of the grain bill. Usually most of the rest of the grain is malted barley but the ratios will depend on the specific style you are brewing. In this article you will see the words “white” in several languages (Weiss, Wit). In the beer world, this refers to wheat beer and its subvarieties.

Beyond this very basic definition, wheat beer usually, but not always, has some other characteristics. Usually it will be cloudy, highly carbonated and use specialty yeast that imparts unusual flavours like clove, banana and fruit. It is not unusual for wheat beers to have adjuncts and spices added during the brewing process: this can be anything from salt to orange peel to coriander. There are many different types of wheat beer available and below we will explore some of the more popular ones.

First brewed in Bavaria, Germany the 16th Century, Hefeweizen is a wheat beer with more than 50% wheat in the grist. This beer is one of the many German styles of Weissbeer (white beer). Hefeweizen should be cloudy in appearance and have notes of banana and clove. This beer shouldn’t be too hoppy or bitter and usually clocks in at around 5% ABV.

The Dunkelweizen (or “dark wheat” in German) is exactly what it sounds like: a wheat beer made darker using some roasted grains in the brewing process. The weizen yeast that is used across many wheat beer styles will make this beer cloudy and add some interesting, fruity undertones. The beer should be creamy, full-bodied and have a low bitterness. ABV ranges from about 4 – 7%

The style known as Belgian Witbier is distinctive due to some interesting additives: orange peel and crushed coriander seeds. These interesting flavours shouldn’t overpower the brew, rather, they should be very subtle if done correctly. The beer should be cloudy and will often have notes of vanilla or honey – largely due to the specialty yeast used. ABV for this style hovers around the standard 5%.

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The United States has their own take on wheat beer which is unsurprisingly known as American Wheat Beer. This beer is usually more bitter than its European counterparts but remains cloudy, malty and a little bit sweet. American wheat beer is also only made up of around 30% wheat in the grain bill which is significantly less than many European wheat beers.

Next up is the Berliner Weisse (one of my personal favourite wheat beers). This beer was first brewed over 500 years ago in Berlin, Germany. It is usually a little weaker than standard beers, ranging from 3 – 5% ABV. What makes this beer unique is the sourness that is imparted by the use of Lactobacillus during the brewing process. It’s quite common for brewers to add fruit to this beer – especially fruit like raspberries that add even more tartness to the mix.

When a wheat beer is filtered, you end up with the Kristallweizen style. Kristallweizen literally translates to crystal white beer. This ale is refreshing and has a fairly neutral, balanced flavour. At around 5% ABV, this is a great summer beer.

Similar to Berliner Weisse, the Gose is a lacto-fermented wheat beer. The grain bill is usually at least 50% wheat. Adjuncts of salt and coriander are added which gives this beer a very unique and refreshing flavour. The salt is very noticeable in this brew as is the sourness. This beer hails from Goslar, Germany and was a staple in this part of the country for many centuries. Gose is often a little lighter on alcohol content, typically ranging from 4 – 5%. Gose is another style of wheat beer that is very popular as a base for fruited beers. Gose has become incredibly popular in the craft beer world over the past few years and you shouldn’t have trouble finding one at your local beer bar or tap room.

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Serving wheat beer

Wheat beer is usually served in one of two glasses. The most common way to serve a wheat beer is in a Weizen glass. This glassware has a high volume (0.5L) and tapers outwards at the top. The high capacity and tapered top allows room for the typical large, foamy head that is common in wheat beers.

For sour and heavier varieties of wheat beer, you may choose to serve in a goblet or chalice. These glasses are balloon shaped and have a thick stem and wide opening. It is not unusual to see a Dunkelweizen, Gose or Berliner Weisse served in this fashion.

Wheat beers are known for being gassy and cold. Your serving temperature should be chilly (around 4C or 40f). If you are serving wheat beer from a draft system, you want a pressure gauge reading of around 15-20 psi. Serving cold and pressurised into clean glasses will ensure cloudy, foamy beer every time. Some American wheat beers are served with an orange slice which compliments this style well.

CHECK OUT: One of the quickest and most efficient ways to carbonate beer with; Keg Carbonation.

Food pairings

So you’ve got a wheat beer chilling in the fridge and now you want something to eat – what should you get? I think that the crisp taste of a cold wheat beer suits light meals that you would eat on a hot summer day. I like to serve this style of beer with salads, grilled meats and of course a big ol’ Bavarian pretzel.

The earthy flavours that you can find in some wheat beers can also be great with desserts. The clove and banana flavours goes with cinnamon – think donuts or a hot apple pies.

Brewing wheat beer

If you’re a home brewer, a delicious wheat beer is a great recipe to put into your rotation. If you can’t brew a lager on your home brewery, a wheat beer can be a great substitution for drinking in the summer. If you want to brew any style of wheat beer, there’s a few things to remember:

1. Ensure that you start with high quality wheat and other ingredients. Your beer will only ever be as good as the ingredients you use.
2. Make sure you get the ratio of wheat to barley correct. As we explored above, different varieties will have different amounts of wheat vs. barley. Getting this ratio correct is important to ensure you get the specific flavour you are looking for.
3. Wheat can make your mash a little sticky. This can cause headaches for lautering. To address this you can try adding some rice husks to your grain bill or dropping the percentage of wheat in your grist
4. The yeast is the star of the show for most wheat beers. Ensure you’re using the correct strain and fermenting at the correct temperature. Wheat yeast often likes it a bit warmer than standard ale yeasts so this can be a great warmer weather brew to get on
5. Adjuncts are your friend! Many wheat beers use herbs and spices to enhance their flavour. This includes salt, citrus and coriander. Balancing the flavour here is important – you don’t want to ruin your beer by bombing it with so much spice that it tastes weird.
6. Hops take a bit of a back seat in wheat beer. While this is not typically a hop-forward style, it is important to use the correct hops. A good starting point is the traditional German varieties of Tettnanger, Hallertauer Mittlelfrüh, Perle and Spalt.
7. Your beer should be gassy. Whether you’re force carbonating or bottle carbonating, you should be aiming for about 3-5 volumes. If you are bottling, make sure you are using thick glass.

Wheat beer is a traditional, versatile and refreshing drink. With its rise in popularity over recent years, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding this beer on tap near you. So whether you’re looking for a sour fruited Berliner Weiss or a refreshing Kristallweizen on a hot day, there’s sure to be something you like.

Cheers

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