Wheat beer is a light-colored, mild-flavored beer made from wheat and malted barley. It has a creamy texture and can be brewed with fruits and spices. It is popular in Germany and Belgium and is often served with a lemon wedge.
Wheat beer is a beer made from wheat, which creates a much lighter color and milder flavor than beer made from barley and other grains. Historically, wheat has been a challenging grain to use in brewing, but when well brewed, a wheat beer can be quite distinctive and, in the eyes of some consumers, quite tasty. Germany and Belgium have a long history of brewing wheat beer, and many American breweries brew their own wheat ales as well.
By itself, the grain can’t actually be made into beer. Therefore, small amounts of malted barley are added to ensure that the beer ferments properly and hops may or may not be added, depending on the brewer’s taste. Also, depending on the taste, the grain can be raw or malted, creating distinctly different flavors, and the vast majority of wheat beers are considered ales, meaning they are brewed with top-fermenting yeast.
Several things characterize wheat beer. The first is the light color, which is often in the pale yellow to golden yellow spectrum. Wheat beer also has a very mild and delicate flavor, tending to be sweet and creamy. Depending on the brewer, wheat beers can have a very full mouthfeel or a more effervescent texture in the mouth. Wheat beer also has a relatively short fermentation, allowing people to drink it shortly after it’s brewed.
In Germany, where wheat beer is known as weisbier, this beer has a long and illustrious history, complemented by a temporary ban during a time of famine when the government decided that wheat was too valuable as a bread ingredient to be used in beer. Belgian wheat beers are known as whitbier; both names translate to “white beer,” a reference to the pale color of wheat beer. Additionally, many wheat beers were historically very cloudy, making them appear even whiter.
In addition to being brewed plain, wheat beer can also be fermented with various fruits and spices to specifically desired tastes. This beer tends to be particularly popular in the summer, when the mild, creamy flavor is very refreshing, and is particularly popular with beer drinkers who dislike the taste of hops.
Serving temperatures for wheat beers vary depending on the style in which the beer is brewed. Many bartenders also offer wheat beer with a lemon wedge; some people find that lemon enhances the flavor of beer, while purists believe it does just the opposite.
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