From: binkley@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Jon Binkley)
Subject: Re: Wheat beers?
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date:  6 Oct 92 14:45:06 GMT

lestat@wixer.cactus.org (Lyle J. Mackey) writes:

>I have recently become enamored of Celis Wheat, a locally brewed wheat beer...

>It suddenly occured to me that there MUST be others out there, and figured I'd
>call upon the collected wisdom of the net.

>Recommend some! If I can find it at one of the local pubs, I'll try it. If not,
>I'll keep an eye out for it next time I'm up north.

I am unfamiliar with Celis Wheat, so I will keep my comments general.

There are two major types of wheat beer widely available in the US.

One group is the Bavarian wheat beers, varyingly called Weizen,
Weissbier, Hefe Weizen, Hefe Weissbier,  or Krystal Weizen.  Weizen
and Weiss appear pretty much interchangably (Why is this?): Weizen
means "wheat", Weiss means "white." "Hefe" means "yeast"; Hefe Weizens
are charged with a lager yeast at botteling, and are thus cloudy.
Krystal Weizens are filtered and clear.  There are also Bavarian
Dunkleweizens (darker) and Weizenbocks (stronger), but I've never
seen them in the US.  At least 50%, and up to 70%, of the grain
bill of Bavarian wheat beers is wheat malt, the remainder being
barley malt.  Gravities for the standard Weizens are in the
mid 50's (~14 plato), giving 5-6% alcohol.  Standard German
hops are used sparingly for bittering (10-20 IBUs), and little
to none at all are used for finishing.

The defining characteristic of all Bavarian Wheat beers is the type
of yeast used to ferment them.  This beast is a top fermentor called
*Saccharomyces delbruekeii*.  It is different from the standard
ale yeast, *S. cerevisae*, in that it produces a slew of bizarre
and delicious esters.  It is these esters which give Weizens their
unique flavor, variously described as "clovey," "banana-like,"
"citrusy," or just "fruity and spicy."

The best examples of these are imported from Germany.  Unlike
most imports, the Weizens hold up pretty well during the trip-
I suspect because they're bottle conditioned and packaged in
dark brown glass.  Good ones are Paulaner Hefe Weizen and
Spaten's Franziskaner Hefe Weizen; there are others I'm less
familiar with that are probably just as good.

There are a few American versions, but I'm unimpressed with them.
Sam Adams makes one in the Bavarian style, but it just doesn't
compare.  One of the local brew pubs, Walnut Brewery in Boulder,
made a decent one this summer but it ran out quick.  Unless you
find a really good local one, stick to the Bavarian imports.

(Another type of German Wheat beer is Berliner Weisse.  It is a
very light bodied, very sour beer paritally fermented by lactic
acid bacteria.  It is unavailable in the US, so I only mention
it parenthetically.)

The other major style of wheat beers in America is uniquely American.
Brewpubs and micros were probably originally aiming for the Bavarian
style; they got the grain bill and the hops right, but the right
kind of yeast wasn't available to them.  What they ended up with
was a very light bodied beer with no hop character- i.e., a Budmilloors
clone.  It was a smashing success.  While the beer loving patrons
of brew pubs wisely stuck to the bitters and stouts, the friends
they brought along, in true patriotic fashion,  all ordered the
tasteless Wheat beer.  Unfortunately, even though the good
yeast is now available, the insipid stuff sells too well to be
changed, and we're stuck with yet another bland American beer style.
Note that many American brewers still use the terms "Weiss" and
"Weizen" to describe their making-love-in-a-canoe beer, so beware.

I'm normally one to bash imports as overpriced and spoiled, but
in the case of Wheat beers, with few exceptions, the Bavarian
versions FAR outclass the American versions.

>Also, any recommendations for beers brewed with "other" methods
>(oatmeal stouts,
>for example) that are a step away from the traditional lagers/stouts/pilsners.

Check out any and all Belgian beers.  If it's bizarre ingredients,
yeast, and methods you're after, Belgium takes the cake.


Jon Binkley

Newsgroups: alt.beer