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Wheeeeeeeeeeeat

Posted on Jan 20, 2011 by Kathleen  |  

This is a blog about Wheat beers.

When you say the title of this blog, say it like this little piggy for effect.

Wheat beer is an umbrella style, encompassing a number of varieties of beer. In its most basic form, wheat beer is almost always top-fermented and brewed with a large amount of wheat in the malt. Wheat has more protein than barley, and it is that protein that creates a thick, foamy head and a cloudy color in the glass. Most wheat beers still contain a percentage of barley because of its high enzyme content. This helps with chemical reactions in the brewing process. Wheat beers have a smooth mouthfeel and are generally light with flavor, so they’re ideal for drinking as session beers and/or during the warmer months of the year.

Belgian white beers, also called witbier, are called such because of the hazy, unfiltered look given to the beer by the suspended yeast and proteins. The style comes from medieval beers that were brewed with spices and plants, called gruit, before the days of hops. In present-day brewing, a gruit of coriander, orange, and hop is often used to add flavor and complement the hops. Shock Top is an award-winning example of this style available year-round!

German wheat beers are an extremely popular variety of ale. Hefeweizen, which was discussed a couple of weeks ago in its own blog, is unfiltered to allow the yeast used in fermentation to contribute aromas like banana and clove to the brew. They are sometimes served with a lemon or orange wedge. Some locally available Hefeweizens: Magic Hat, Gordon Biersch, Widmer, Pyramid and Southern Tier.

Similar to Hefeweizens are the dark wheats. Dunkelweizen is similar to Hefeweizen except in the variety of malt used; dark malts lead to a darker color beer and a more Oktoberfest-style flavor. Weizenbock is also similar but generally has a higher alcohol content.

Lambic beers are wheat beers fermented with a yeast that creates a kind of sourness in the flavor. They frequently contain fruit and always a collection of wild yeast and bacteria that create an incredible aroma.

American Wheat ales are a relatively new craft style that take the Hefeweizen recipe and replace the Hefeweizen yeast with a more clean-fermenting yeast. This yeast creates an easy drinking style great for those transitioning to beer. American wheat ales often include unique spices or other flavors. Peak Pomegranate Wheat is one such ale, infused with anti-oxidant rich pomegranate and acai juice flavors. Hop Hound is another great example, with caramel notes that really complement the wheat flavors.

These are just some of the styles of wheat beer available. See if you can categorize the following – by taste! (Some of these won’t be available for a few months, so jot this list down and stand by for delivery to your local package store!)

Kona Wailua Wheat
Southern Tier 422
Southern Tier Hop Sun
Bud Light Golden Wheat
Peak Summer Session

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