Authors: Christina Perozzi
The Naked Pint (15 page)
A lot of people think that all wheat beer tastes the same or that wheat beer is one style of beer. These are major falsehoods. Even though wheat beers do share some common characteristics, they can also vary a great deal in color and flavor. For instance, one of the most popular wheat beer styles in the world is called Hefeweizen. We’re sure you’ve heard of this beer style before. Most people use the terms “Hefeweizen” and “wheat beer” interchangeably, but the truth is, a Hefeweizen is one
substyle
of wheat beer, and not all wheat beer is Hefeweizen.
substyle
of wheat beer, and not all wheat beer is Hefeweizen.
True Bavarian-style Hefeweizens taste very different from American Hefeweizens. Belgian Wheat beers (called Witbiers) taste quite different from any Hefeweizen. There are also several beers and beer styles that use some wheat as a malt source for flavor and for the creamy mouthfeel attributes, but these beers wouldn’t be considered wheat beers because they don’t use a high enough percentage of wheat or don’t have the flavor attributes of a quintessential wheat beer. We know it’s all a bit confusing, but we’re here to help point out the differences. Many wheat beers are a great jumping off point for beer Neophytes because they are light on the palate and offer different flavors than a Pilsner.
Here are some wheat beer styles that we think you could get down with.
It’s Hefeweizen, Not Hefeweizer
THIS BEER’S FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE:
BANANAS FOSTER. HIDDEN SPICE. HONEY. SUNNY DAYS. LOW ALCOHOL. FRUITY ESTERS. CLOVES. NO LEMON. A TALL GLASS. WHEAT.
BANANAS FOSTER. HIDDEN SPICE. HONEY. SUNNY DAYS. LOW ALCOHOL. FRUITY ESTERS. CLOVES. NO LEMON. A TALL GLASS. WHEAT.
The most commonly consumed and mispronounced wheat beer in the world is the famous Hefeweizen. (Say it with us now, HAY FAH-VIZEN—not Hefferwizer or Heffenweizen.)
Hefe
means “with yeast,” and
weizen
means “wheat.” Hefeweizen is a style of beer that originated in Bavaria, which is the southeast area of Germany. A true Hefeweizen is an ale that is brewed with a majority of wheat, usually 50% to 70%, and a special weizen ale yeast strain that is left unfiltered in the beer. Hefeweizens—or Hefes, as they are sometimes called in the United States—are low in hop bitterness and high in fruity flavor. Now, this is going to be hard to believe, because most people associate Hefeweizens with a citrus flavor, but the quintessential aromatic and flavor attributes of any great Bavarian style Hefe are bananas and clove. What? Yes, these rich flavors are a result of the specific type of yeast used and left to hang out in the brew, producing a cloudy, carbonated, beautiful beer. Note that if you are drinking a beer that claims to be a Hefe and it has no fruit and spice to it, you are not drinking the true German style. People love to drink this beer with a lemon wedge squeezed into it, but true Hefes are so full of flavor because of this yeast that they should really be consumed naked—that is, sans lemon. Try some of our favorite Hefeweizens and Hefe-style beers:
HEAVENLY HEFE:
Craftsman Brewing Company, Pasadena, California. Our local Hefe and one of our favorites. True to its Bavarian roots, with amazing fresh banana aroma, clove bite, and a slightly sour finish. 5.2% ABV.
WEIHENSTEPHANER HEFEWEISSBIER:
Brauerei Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany. A true Bavarian Hefe that’s bright and fresh. Clean tropical fruits and banana, with a waft of cloves. Super dry and light. 5.4% ABV.
DANCING MAN WHEAT:
New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, Wisconsin. Spicy clove and cinnamon, sweet banana bread, tangy lemon peel, and wheat. 7.2% ABV.
PAULANER HEFE-WEISS BIER NATURETRUB:
Paulaner Salvator Thomasbraeu AG, Munich, Germany. Classic Hefe with banana, citrus, and clove; well balanced. 5.5% ABV.
Hefe
means “with yeast,” and
weizen
means “wheat.” Hefeweizen is a style of beer that originated in Bavaria, which is the southeast area of Germany. A true Hefeweizen is an ale that is brewed with a majority of wheat, usually 50% to 70%, and a special weizen ale yeast strain that is left unfiltered in the beer. Hefeweizens—or Hefes, as they are sometimes called in the United States—are low in hop bitterness and high in fruity flavor. Now, this is going to be hard to believe, because most people associate Hefeweizens with a citrus flavor, but the quintessential aromatic and flavor attributes of any great Bavarian style Hefe are bananas and clove. What? Yes, these rich flavors are a result of the specific type of yeast used and left to hang out in the brew, producing a cloudy, carbonated, beautiful beer. Note that if you are drinking a beer that claims to be a Hefe and it has no fruit and spice to it, you are not drinking the true German style. People love to drink this beer with a lemon wedge squeezed into it, but true Hefes are so full of flavor because of this yeast that they should really be consumed naked—that is, sans lemon. Try some of our favorite Hefeweizens and Hefe-style beers:
HEAVENLY HEFE:Craftsman Brewing Company, Pasadena, California. Our local Hefe and one of our favorites. True to its Bavarian roots, with amazing fresh banana aroma, clove bite, and a slightly sour finish. 5.2% ABV.
WEIHENSTEPHANER HEFEWEISSBIER:Brauerei Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany. A true Bavarian Hefe that’s bright and fresh. Clean tropical fruits and banana, with a waft of cloves. Super dry and light. 5.4% ABV.
DANCING MAN WHEAT:New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, Wisconsin. Spicy clove and cinnamon, sweet banana bread, tangy lemon peel, and wheat. 7.2% ABV.
NFL DRAUGHT
Although we could be discussing the way Tom Brady’s ass looks in his uniform pants, the NFL we’re talking about here does not refer to the National Football League. We’re talking about a phrase that we beer drinkers should embrace: NFL—No fucking lemon!
Because American-style wheat beers tend to be more citrusy, you’ll often find a bartender mistakenly putting a lemon on the edge of a Bavarian-style Hefeweizen. Don’t do this. We know, we know... perhaps you like the citrusy goodness of a lemon or a lime squeezed into your beer. But we’re telling you right now that if you are drinking good craft beer, you are most likely ruining that delicately balanced brew by adding citric acid to it, killing the head and masking the flavor that was skillfully achieved by the brewer. Using wheat as an ingredient in beer was the first exception made to the famous beer purity law, Reinheitsgebot (see Chapter 1), and that exception was specifically made so that the nobility could continue to enjoy this style. As we mentioned, Hefes use a special strain of yeast left unfiltered in the beer, producing a flavor that shouldn’t be messed with.
How the “tradition” of using citrus in beer came about is a point of contention. Most likely, the reason is that many mass-produced beers suffer some kind of spoilage between the brewery and the consumer, especially beers that are in clear or green bottles, which can easily allow light to skunk the unprotected beer. Skunkiness in beer doesn’t come from age but is actually the chemical byproduct that happens when light interacts with the hops in beer. In fact, the chemical reaction that happens when light strikes beer is identical to a skunk’s spray! Now that would be a reason to put a lemon into a beer: to mask the skunky, gross aroma and flavor of a light-struck beer. But putting a lemon in a quality Hefeweizen is like putting Heinz 57 on filet mignon. Go ahead and do it if you like it. But, as your friends, we have to tell you that you’re making a big mistake.
PAULANER HEFE-WEISS BIER NATURETRUB:Paulaner Salvator Thomasbraeu AG, Munich, Germany. Classic Hefe with banana, citrus, and clove; well balanced. 5.5% ABV.
A Whiter Shade of Pale: Witbier
THIS BEER’S FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE:
SPICE RACKS. CITRUS. HERBAL TEA. DRIED FRUIT. CREATIVITY. LOW BITTERNESS. CORIANDER. CURACAO ORANGE PEEL. PALE MALTS. THINGS BEING SERVED WITHOUT FRUIT.
SPICE RACKS. CITRUS. HERBAL TEA. DRIED FRUIT. CREATIVITY. LOW BITTERNESS. CORIANDER. CURACAO ORANGE PEEL. PALE MALTS. THINGS BEING SERVED WITHOUT FRUIT.
Witbier (or White Beer) is a cloudy, unfiltered ale like Hefeweizen. It gets its name from yeast clouding up the light-colored beer, making it look almost white. If you see the word
white
on a beer in any language (
blanche
,
blanco
, etc.), chances are that it’s a Witbier, though, in truth, these beers tend to be a pale straw to yellow color, with a lot of carbonation and good head retention. Brewed with a majority of wheat malts, these beers fall under the category of a wheat beer. Like Hefeweizen, Witbiers are also low in hop bitterness, but unlike Hefeweizens, Witbiers have a different flavor profile and don’t have to adhere to any purity laws that restrict the ingredients used.
white
on a beer in any language (
blanche
,
blanco
, etc.), chances are that it’s a Witbier, though, in truth, these beers tend to be a pale straw to yellow color, with a lot of carbonation and good head retention. Brewed with a majority of wheat malts, these beers fall under the category of a wheat beer. Like Hefeweizen, Witbiers are also low in hop bitterness, but unlike Hefeweizens, Witbiers have a different flavor profile and don’t have to adhere to any purity laws that restrict the ingredients used.
Wits were first created in medieval times, when they were brewed without any hops at all, using instead a blend of spices and other plants to add flavor and balance out the sweet malt. The blend was called
gruit
. Witbiers today often use a spice/fruit combination in the brewing, inspired by the ancient gruit. That combination usually consists of coriander, orange rind or other fruit, and some form of hops. Brewers can go crazy with this beer, using grapefruit rind, pepper, lemongrass, Curacao orange peel, clove, and so on. With these flavorings, Witbiers generally have a little more going on than Hefeweizens. They also offer layers of complexity due to the use of specific yeast strains that produce a variety of fruity notes, such as pear, apple, lemon, vanilla, orange, and sometimes even a bit of a sour taste. The subtlety of the fruit and spice varies, as does the dryness and the alcohol content, but most Wits stay between 5% and 7% alcohol.
gruit
. Witbiers today often use a spice/fruit combination in the brewing, inspired by the ancient gruit. That combination usually consists of coriander, orange rind or other fruit, and some form of hops. Brewers can go crazy with this beer, using grapefruit rind, pepper, lemongrass, Curacao orange peel, clove, and so on. With these flavorings, Witbiers generally have a little more going on than Hefeweizens. They also offer layers of complexity due to the use of specific yeast strains that produce a variety of fruity notes, such as pear, apple, lemon, vanilla, orange, and sometimes even a bit of a sour taste. The subtlety of the fruit and spice varies, as does the dryness and the alcohol content, but most Wits stay between 5% and 7% alcohol.
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