Wheat beer (Weissbier)
Term from the Brauwerkstatt brewing glossary, category “Beer styles”.
Explanation
Top-fermented beer with at least 50 % wheat malt. The yeast gives banana and clove aromas. Hefeweizen is naturally cloudy, Kristallweizen filtered and Dunkelweizen darker and maltier. Highly carbonated with hardly any bitterness. Typical: 4.3–5.6 % ABV, 8–15 IBU.
Test your knowledge
What is the ferulic acid rest for in wheat beer?
- It boosts the clove aroma
- It lowers the pH
- It makes the beer clear
Show answer
Correct: It boosts the clove aroma. At about 45 °C (113 °F) more ferulic acid forms. Wheat beer yeast turns it into the typical clove aroma.
How much wheat malt must a wheat beer contain at least?
- 10 %
- 100 %
- 50 %
Show answer
Correct: 50 %. Wheat beer needs at least half wheat malt. The rest is usually barley malt, which helps with lautering.
Which aromas are typical of a Bavarian wheat beer?
- Banana and clove
- Citrus and pine
- Coffee and chocolate
Show answer
Correct: Banana and clove. The aromas come from the special wheat beer yeast, not from the wheat itself.
Frequently asked questions
My beer is hazy. Is that a problem?
Usually not, and a wheat beer is even meant to be hazy. Irish moss in the boil, fast chilling of the wort and a few weeks of cold conditioning make beer clearer. Haze that only appears when the beer is cold is chill haze. It is harmless.