Wheat Beer: What Makes Wheat Beer Unique?

Wheat beer is a category of beer that typically uses a higher proportion of wheat in relation to malted barley. It is usually top-fermented and tends to be light in colour, low in bitterness, and can be cloudy or clear in appearance. The two main varieties are German Weizenbier (or Hefeweizen) and Belgian Witbier, with other types including Lambic, Berliner Weisse, and Gose. Wheat beers are often refreshing and easy to drink, and pair well with a variety of foods.

Wheat Beer Styles

Wheat beer is typically divided into two main varieties: German Weizenbier and Belgian Witbier. However, there are several other wheat beer styles, including American Wheat Beer, Lambic, Berliner Weisse, and Gose.

German Weizenbier

German Weizenbier, or Hefeweizen, is a traditional wheat beer style from Bavaria. It is brewed with a significant proportion of malted wheat, usually at least 50%, and the remainder consists of Pilsner, Munich, and/or Vienna malts. The use of an authentic Hefeweizen strain is essential, as it imparts characteristic clove and banana notes. Hefeweizen is typically served unfiltered, resulting in a cloudy appearance, and has relatively high carbonation. The style also includes variations such as Dunkelweizen (dark wheat) and Weizenbock (strong wheat beer).

Belgian Witbier

Belgian Witbier, or simply Wit, is characterised by the use of spices such as coriander and orange peel, along with unmalted wheat. It is cloudy and pale in colour, with a similar wheat percentage to Hefeweizen. Witbiers are known for their tart fruitiness and spices, and they often have a dry finish. They are highly refreshing and have a low alcohol content, making them perfect for hot days.

American Wheat Beer

American Wheat Beer is derived from the German tradition but differs in its use of neutral yeast, resulting in the absence of clove and banana flavours. These beers showcase a more noticeable hop character and are typically crisp and refreshing. American brewers often experiment with additional ingredients, such as raspberries, watermelon, and even chilis.

Lambic, Berliner Weisse, and Gose

Other wheat beer styles include Lambic, which is made with wild yeast and is common in Belgium; Berliner Weisse, a cloudy, sour, and low-alcohol German beer often sweetened with syrups before drinking; and Gose, a sour and salty German beer with the addition of coriander and salt.

German Wheat Beer

Wheat beer is a category of beer that originated in Bavaria, Germany. It is typically a top-fermented ale, with at least 30% wheat used in the brewing process, and comes in a variety of styles. The most well-known wheat beer is Hefeweizen, a refreshing German style that has gained worldwide popularity.

Weizenbier is typically light in colour, with a pale straw to gold hue, and has a distinctive white, moussy, long-lasting head. The high protein content of wheat impairs clarity in an unfiltered beer, resulting in a cloudy appearance. However, the level of haze can vary. Kristallweizen, or crystal wheat, is a filtered version of Weizenbier that removes the yeast and wheat proteins, resulting in a clearer beer.

Weizenbier is highly carbonated, contributing to its refreshing quality and long-lasting foam. It is best served in a weizen vase, a large curvaceous glass that showcases the beer's appearance and captures its large, persistent foam head.

The four largest brands of German wheat beer are Erdinger, Paulaner, Franziskaner, and Maisel. Other renowned brands include Augustiner, Weihenstephaner, Schneider, and Andechser.

Belgian Wheat Beer

Wheat beer is typically a top-fermented ale, using at least 30% wheat in the brewing process, and comes in a variety of styles. The two main varieties are German Weizenbier and Belgian Witbier. Belgian wheat beer, or Witbier, is a direct descendant of the beers from the medieval duchy of Brabant. It is re-fermented in the bottle and has a fresh taste, making it a good summer drink. Witbier is made with a roughly equal distribution of unmalted wheat and malted barley. The beer had almost disappeared in the 1960s but was revived by Pierre Celis in Hoegaarden, from where it spread to Dutch and French breweries and later to countries such as Canada, the United States, and Scandinavia.

Witbier, meaning "white beer" in Dutch, originated in the Flemish part of Belgium in the Middle Ages. Before the use of hops became widespread, beers were flavoured with a mixture of herbs called "gruit". Hops were later added to the brewing process in the Middle Ages and are still used today in most Belgian White Ales. Witbier is so-called because of its very pale, often cloudy appearance, caused by suspended yeast and wheat proteins. Coriander and orange peel are usually added to the brew, and Witbiers may include other herbs as well. The flavour is crisp and light, with a hint of tartness, and the ABV is typically in the moderate range of 4.5% to 7%.

Belgian-style witbiers are also brewed in the United States. Blue Moon Belgian White, for example, is brewed with Valencia orange peels, giving it a delicate sweetness and a distinctive citrus aroma. It is often served with a slice of orange as a garnish to complement its citrus backbone.

American Wheat Beer

Wheat beer is typically a top-fermented ale, using at least 30% wheat in the brewing process, and comes in a variety of styles. The most well-known wheat beer is Hefeweizen, a refreshing style from Germany that's popular around the world. Wheat beers are usually light in colour, low to medium in alcohol content, and can be cloudy or clear in appearance. They may be brewed with or without hops, depending on the variety, and tend to lack bitterness, making them easy to drink.

The malted wheat used in American wheat beer imparts a distinctively light, flour-like character that differs from all-barley malt beer varieties. American craft brewers were likely inspired by the fruit and spice-forward, unfiltered wheat beers of Bavaria. However, without access to the specialty Bavarian Weizen yeast, they were forced to use clean-fermenting American ale and lager yeast. This gives American wheat beer a particularly inviting style, accepting of additional ingredients, such as raspberries, watermelon, and even chillies.

Wheat Beer Food Pairings

Wheat beers are very flexible when it comes to food pairings. They are the beer equivalent of a crisp white wine. There are two main styles: the cloudy, citrussy, and aromatic Belgian-style witbier, and the German hefeweizen, which has a rich banana-and-clove flavour. Wheat beers in general are well-suited to salads, seafood, and dishes flavoured with citrus and herbs.

Belgian-Style Witbier

Belgian witbiers pair well with seafood such as crab, mussels, oysters, and clams. They are also great with simply prepared fish like fried or grilled sole or plaice, and smoked salmon or trout. They complement dim sum and other light Chinese dishes, as well as raw fish like ceviche and tartare. They are a good match for fried fish, seafood pastas and noodles, seafood and light vegetable risottos, white pizza or seafood-topped pizza, and spring vegetables. Witbiers also go well with light fresh cheeses such as young goat cheese, sheep cheese, and feta. Salads, especially mozzarella basil and tomato salad, Greek salad, and Caesar salad, are a good match, as is the French dish potjevleesch—a chunky jellied terrine of pork, chicken, and rabbit. They also complement lighter Thai and Mexican dishes flavoured with citrus and herbs.

German Hefeweizen

German hefeweizens are a good match for barbecues, complementing sausages and sweet/spicy ribs. They also go well with Thai food and Indian curries.

Wheat Beers in General

Wheat beers in general are well-suited to spicy food and fruity desserts. They can also be paired with salads, seafood, sushi, and classic weisswurst (white sausage).

Frequently asked questions