Before the Hazy IPA became a thing, before there were sessions, and maybe even before there were Radlers, the summer beer of choice was often a wheat beer.

The German Hefeweizen (“yeast wheat”) is probably the most ubiquitous of these sweeter, lighter brews. With a grain bill consisting of about 50% wheat, this one is hefty on the sweetness imparted by wheat — as opposed to malted barley, which is the main grain for beer making. The thickness and haziness comes from the high protein content of wheat, and it also contributes to the juicy mouthfeel you get when you drink these delights. The German yeast that is characteristic of this beer also imparts some wacky notes of bubblegum and bananas, so you can see the funtime summer-y attraction of this kind of beer.

The American brewsters have put their spin on this beer, and like with many things we do, we’re all over the place. But generally, the American Wheat is really just an ale made with a lot of wheat in the grain bill. We often don’t use the heirloom German yeast, which takes away some of the character, but for some, that makes it a purer drinking experience, without the yeast-driven distractions of phenolic undertones.

Then, of course, there’s the Belgian Wit. I would be willing to bet that for most Americans, their first foray into this style was Blue Moon. Also sporting a hefty percentage of wheat in the grain bill, these guys go the extra mile (as Belgians often do in brewing) and throw in all kinds of fun… orange peel, sometimes zest, coriander – all these extra ingredients which, surprisingly, takes these beers to a new level of flavor and refreshment. Add the old school Belgian yeast with its characteristic spiciness and you have a fully-loaded flavor train thundering down the tracks.

As we do, Americans did their thing with this, and once again the American versions are mostly the same, but often use their house yeast instead of the old wacky Belgian ones. You get a different yeast flavor this way but, depending on the yeast, you might get a much more fruity yeast character — which works great with the rest of the ingredients to create a remarkably refreshing ale!

Looking for some local options? I thought you’d never ask!

One local brewery makes a reasonably good beverage in the German Hefeweizen style is Lone Rider out of Raleigh. Their “Shotgun Betty” is available on draft in a bunch of local spots, and available in cans just about everywhere. If you’re looking for a German Hefeweizen that’s made locally, this one won’t kill you. Much.

Top of the Hill has a Blueberry Wheat that the kids kill for. They’re doing online/pickup orders, as well, so get to it! There’s beers to be had! Around town you’ll also find Craftboro is brewing their Mukimono American Wheat this week, so it will be available in about 2.5 weeks for patio consumption or online/pickup orders as well. If you’re looking to be outdoors drinking, you could also do much worse than Vecino’s “Over the Moon American Wheat,” as well.

So go out there, support your local breweries, and have fun — but wear your masks when you aren’t drinking. Be safe, be mindful, and go getchoo some!

 

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

 

Related Stories
‹
Now Beer This: Coffee Beers, 'Tis The Season
I am a study in contrasts, to be sure. On the one hand, I love traditional beer styles and brewing methods and curl my lip at new-fangled, fabricated styles. On the other hand, you throw some coffee into ANY beer style, and I mean ANY beer at all, and I’m probably going to like it. […]
Now Beer This: The Beer Nerd Preaches on Berliner Weisse
If you had asked me six or so year ago, what European beer style is least likely to become popular in America, I’d have told you “Berliner Weisse, almost certainly.” Why? Back in the day, there were two things that drove beer popularity: hoppiness and ABV. The Berliner Weisse does neither of those things well. […]
Now Beer This: Differentiating Between Ales and Lagers
What makes Ales “Ales” and Lagers “Lagers?” When people find out I’m a Professor of Beer-ology, I almost always get this question from them. It’s a great question, and I’m happy to answer it. I can give you a short answer, but the long answer is SOOOOOO much more informative, and helps you to understand […]
Now Beer This: My Top 5 All-Time Favorite Beers
Over the holidays I was discussing favorite beers with friends and I thought about if I was pressed to name my Top 5 beers what would make that list. That sounds like a pretty simple thing. But it ain’t. I’ve had A LOT of beers in my time. TONS. I’ve gone out of my way […]
Now Beer This: Beer Humbug! My Beer-Related Pet Peeves
I get all crotchety during this time of year. All of the forced cheeriness and murdering of trees for decoration — “destroyers and usurpers!” as Treebeard would say. I normally write a lot about what I like about craft beer and the beer world, but today, Mr. E-beer-neezer Scrooge is going to let you know […]
Now Beer This: What Should You Be Drinking This Fall?
Pumpkin beers are not, contrary to popular belief, the ultimate in craft beer options for the Fall. Many of my beer-obsessed brethren would agree that most pumpkin-themed beers are not really worth the effort; instead of getting something interesting, you essentially get an amber with too much pumpkin pie spices thrown in to it. Not […]
Now Beer This: No Tricks, All Treats - Halloween Candy & Beer
Halloween Candy and Beer! You might have access to A LOT of Halloween candy come November 1, and somebody’s got to do something about it. So why not try some candy and beer pairing experiments? There are WAY too many candy varieties out there to make for a concise article, and I’m old enough that […]
Now Beer This: What In The Hell Are You Drinking?
I gotta admit, I’m more than a little proud of that clever title. I have had the pleasure of stocking a bottle shop recently — Craftboro Brewing Depot, specifically (it’s a brewery too, go check it out) — and I wanted to make sure we had interesting, but not easily encountered, international beers that were […]
Now Beer This: A Lesson in Sessions
A Lesson in Sessions: Let’s Pick a Go-To Session IPA! If you’re not already familiar with the term “session” beer, then you should be. This moniker refers to beers — most often IPAs, because that’s the best beer style in the world — that have a lower ABV content (less than five percent) so you […]
Now Beer This: A Wicked and Pernicious Weed
There’s a myth that one or more Kings of England referred to hops as “a wicked and pernicious weed,” which isn’t true, but it sounds really good and people who love hops — such as myself — enjoy sniggering at it. Beginning in the High Middle Ages in England, there was a distinction between ale […]
›