The Beers of Summer (Part 3)

Cloudy. Glorious.

It’s been a bit cloudy of late here in Northern Virginia, and I’m not talking about the atmosphere.

The third beer style in this Beers of Summer Series is none other than everyone’s favorite, and I mean that literally because I have yet to meet someone who doesn't love this style… the Hefeweizen.

Hefeweizen, or simply “Hefe,” is a German wheat ale (top fermenting yeast) that is typically pale-golden in color, cloudy in appearance, and has a sweet flavor with a tart edge to it.

In order to understand specifically what a hefeweizen is, you first must understand some of the ins and outs of wheat beers. First of all, there are two different types of wheat beer. The first is called “witbier,” which means “white beer” in Dutch and is made with Belgian traditions of using raw un-malted wheat and coriander and orange peel for flavoring. The second is called “weissbier,” which is German for “white beer” and is made in the German tradition of using at least 50% wheat to barley malt. Both Belgian witbier and German weissbier are called “white beer” because the word “wheat” has the same root as the word “white” does. There are also the sour varieties, like berlinnerwiess, lambic and gose, but those are quite different than the first two.

Breaking it down even further, there are different makes and models within Germany itself. In the northern and western regions, it is called “weizen” (or wheat) but in Bavaria, it’s called “weissbier” or “weisse” (white beer or white). Hefeweizen, with the prefix “hefe” meaning “yeast,” is the German name for an unfiltered wheat beer, while krystallweizen, with the prefix “krystall” meaning “crystal,” is the German name for a filtered wheat beer. Make sense?

Standard phenol. NBD.

The cloudiness and light color of hefeweizens are both byproducts of the high amount of wheat used in the gristbill. The flavor can also be attributed to wheat, but usually comes more from the yeast strand, which produces unique phenolic flavors of banana and cloves, and sometimes even some spiciness, bubblegum or apple flavor. The yeast also gives the hefeweizen a dry and tart edge to it. A proper hefeweizen has little hop bitterness (around 15 IBUs), relatively high carbonation and only a moderate alcohol level.

Hefeweizens are properly served in a weizen glass and in America, by people who don’t know any better, with an orange or lemon wedge. The citric acid from the wedge will (theoretically) cut the wheat and/or yeast and give the beer a flavorful “snap.” In reality, citric acid is going to screw up the beer’s head retention, and it adds unneeded flavor to an already brilliant flavor profile. As a rule, witbiers contain citrus on purpose, and hefeweizens do not, again, on purpose.

The three major brands of hefeweizen in Germany are Erdinger, Paulaner and Franziskaner. Other renowned brands are Weihenstephan, Schneider, Maisel and Andechser. The style is popular throughout Germany, but is especially popular in Bavaria.

Here in the States, we make countless examples of the style, and some of the better ones I've encountered are… (These descriptions are taken from the brewery websites and are the intellectual property of the brewery listed.)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s Kellerweis Hefeweizen – Chico, California - Inspired by traditional Bavarian techniques, Kellerweis is a true artisan experience. With Kellerweis, we brew in open fermentation tanks—a process rarely seen today—to let the ingredients truly shine. The result is a hazy wheat ale—untamed, raw and alive. With a full, fruity aroma and notes of spicy clove and banana bread, Kellerweis is a truly unique brew.

Tröegs Brewing Company’s DreamWeaver Wheat – Hershey, Pennsylvania - Long toasty days, cool breezy nights and a splash of magic provide the inspiration for the Tröegs brothers’ dreamiest  creation—Dreamweaver Wheat. Combining wheat with Munich and Pilsner malts, German Northern Brewer hops, open top fermentation and a yeast strain that imparts a peppery, clove taste with a slight hint of banana, Dreamweaver Wheat is an unfiltered blast of spicy, mouthwatering joy.

Flying Dog Brewery’s In Heat Wheat – Frederick, Maryland – In heat wheat is a German-style Hefe made with malted white wheat and Munich malts, and German perle hops. It has huge banana and clove notes and pairs well with seafood, chicken, tomato, tangy cheeses and fruit salads.

Sly Fox Brewing Company’s Royal Weisse – Phoenixville, Pennsylvania - An unforgettable Bavarian-style Wheat Beer brewed with German Pils and Wheat malts and hopped with German Northern Brewer hops. This beer is unfiltered and served in a traditional wheat beer glass at our pubs. Medium bodied, honey in color, fruity.

DC Brau Brewing Company’s El Hefe Speaks – Washington, DC - EL HEFE SPEAKS! is a traditionally brewed German-style Hefe. It is fermented around 65°F and hopped with German Tettnang hops. 11 IBUs and 5.3% ABV make this one extremely drinkable.

Schlafly Brewing Company’s Hefeweizen – St. Louis, Missouri - Our Hefeweizen is a light, unfiltered wheat beer, often served with a wedge of lemon. Made with thirty percent American winter wheat, Hefeweizen is balanced with sweet golden malted barley and Tettnang hops from Oregon that evoke a hint of spice. The American ale yeast is subtle, but  the grains take center stage and, when left in the unfiltered beer, gives it that classic cloudiness and additional body.

Victory Brewing Company’s Mad King’s Weiss – Downingtown, Pennsylvania - Bavaria’s fabled Ludwig was said to be ‘mad.’ The same might be said of us for approaching this German beer style with fistfuls of hops beyond the norm for this style and yeast from Belgium! High-powered with all German malts and the subtle, spicy complexity of our special yeast, Mad King's Weiss offers a quenching quality that can't be beat.

This list is certainly not comprehensive, but it’s a good start – particularly for those of us in the Mid-Atlantic Eastern Seaboard region of the country. As I've advised in all of the Beers of Summer Series blog posts, go to your local breweries and drink their hefeweizen, which is certainly on the menu this time of year. Why just last night, I got into a growler of Forge Beer Works’s Hefeweizen from Lorton, Virginia and it was tremendous.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!