Wheat Beer: What's The Deal?

Wheat beer is a top-fermented beer brewed with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. Wheat beers come in many styles, but they are generally light, refreshing, and easy to drink. The most well-known wheat beer is Hefeweizen, a refreshing German style that's popular worldwide. Wheat beers are typically light in colour, low to medium in alcohol content, and can be cloudy or clear. They are often brewed with hops and tend to lack bitterness.

Wheat Beer vs Lager

Wheat beer, also known as "Weissbier", "Weizenbier", or "Witbier", is deeply rooted in German and Belgian brewing traditions. Wheat beer uses a combination of wheat and barley, with the wheat content ranging from 30% to 70% of the grain bill. It is brewed with top-fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures, usually between 60°F and 75°F (15.5°C – 24°C), resulting in a cloudy appearance and flavours like banana and clove. Wheat beers are typically more flavourful, less bitter, and have a higher calorie and carbohydrate content than lagers.

Lager, on the other hand, is brewed with barley and bottom-fermenting yeast, which ferments at colder temperatures, typically between 35°F and 50°F (1.7°C – 10°C). This results in a crisp and clean taste. Lagers are generally lighter and less bitter than wheat beers. The term "lager" comes from the German word "lagern", meaning "to store", referring to the cold storage and ageing method used in brewing.

Wheat beers are typically manufactured with ale yeasts, which produce a completely different product compared to lager beers. The ale yeast used in wheat beers ferments at higher temperatures and produces more esters and phenols, resulting in a more flavourful beer. Wheat beers are often hazy as they contain some yeast and can be pale and cloudy, making them refreshing and light.

Lager yeasts, on the other hand, tend to settle at the bottom of the beer and have a lower tolerance for alcohol. Lagers are typically light and malty in taste, with a longer fermentation process.

While both wheat beers and lagers offer a range of styles and flavours, the choice between the two ultimately comes down to personal preference.

German Wheat Beer

Wheat beer is a top-fermented beer brewed with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. German wheat beer, or Weizenbier, is one of the two main varieties of wheat beer, the other being Belgian witbier.

American Wheat Beer

The key to the flavor of American wheat beer lies in the selection of yeast and fermentation practices. Unlike German wheat beers, American brewers typically use their regular ale or lager yeast strains rather than Bavarian weizen yeast, resulting in subdued fruitiness and the absence of phenolic, clove-like traits. The hop character and bitterness levels in American wheat beers can vary from low to medium, but they always showcase a mild, flour-like malt flavor.

Some well-known examples of American wheat beer include Bell's Oberon, Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Beer, and Widmer Hefeweizen. These beers offer a unique take on the traditional wheat beer style, showcasing the creativity and innovation of American craft brewers.

Belgian Wheat Beer

Wheat beer is a top-fermented beer brewed with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. Belgian wheat beer, also known as Belgian witbier, is a direct descendant of 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.

Belgian witbier is made with a roughly equal distribution of unmalted wheat and malted barley. It is often made with raw, unmalted wheat and is characterised by its cloudy, white appearance. The name witbier comes from the Dutch word for "white beer", and the beer is given this name because of the suspended yeast and wheat proteins that make the beer look hazy or white when cold.

Belgian witbiers are typically brewed with coriander, orange or other citrus, and spices. Coriander and orange peel are usually added to the brew, and other herbs may also be included. The flavour is crisp and light, with a hint of tartness. The ABV of Belgian witbiers is typically moderate, ranging from 4.5% to 7%.

Belgian witbiers are similar to German weissbier, which also tends to be a "white beer", with witbiers being hazy and weissbiers being lighter in colour. Both are brewed with a large proportion of wheat, but witbiers tend to include spices and citrus, whereas weissbiers have a yeasty character and notes of banana.

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. In between these two styles are a range of wheat beers that are suited to salads, seafood, and dishes flavoured with citrus and herbs.

Wheat Beer and Food Pairing Examples

Witbiers

• Seafood such as crab, mussels, oysters, and clams
• Simply prepared fish like fried or grilled sole or plaice
• Smoked salmon or trout
• Dim sum and other light Chinese dishes
• Raw fish such as ceviche and tartares
• Fried fish like fish and chips, calamari, or whitebait
• Seafood pastas and noodles like crab linguine with chilli and coriander or pad thai
• Seafood and light vegetable risottos
• White pizza or seafood-topped pizza
• Spring vegetables such as peas, beans, and asparagus
• Light fresh cheeses such as young goat cheese, sheep cheese, and feta
• Salads, especially mozzarella basil and tomato salad, Greek salad, and caesar salad
• Lighter Thai and Mexican dishes flavoured with citrus and herbs

Hefeweizens

• Barbecues, complementing sausages and sweet/spicy ribs
• Thai food
• Indian curries
• Herb-rubbed pork tenderloin
• Sagey-sausagey savoury bread pudding
• Pork chops
• Buttery Indian food

General Wheat Beer Pairings

• Spicy food
• Fruity desserts
• Salads with light citrus dressings and feta or goat cheese
• Ceviches and other light, citrus-flavoured dishes

Frequently asked questions