When wheat beer is mentioned in a word association game, the first words that come to mind are spritzy, quenching, tart, and tangy. That's because no other beer style offers the refreshing flavors that are found in a wheat beer. Wheat beer is the sparkling champagne of the beer world, and while at one time it was a dying beer style, it has come back in a big way and with a myriad of variations and substyles. Wheat beer is brewed from 40-75 percent raw or malted wheat plus the usual malted barley.
Wheat imparts a distinctive flavor as well as a rocky, white head to beer.
Although usually pale in color, there are some notably dark styles of wheat beer. Wheat beers are most often quaffed during the summer months because they're so light and enjoyable when the weather is hot. Indeed, they are often garnished with a slice of lemon, which enhances the refreshing character of the beer, but dominates the otherwise fabulous aromas and flavors of the style. When it comes to food, wheat beers are most often associated with breakfast or brunch and make an inviting substitute for champagne or a mimosa with a meal of eggs and sausage. Weizenbier is fermented with a special wheat beer yeast which imparts a clove-like spiciness with vanilla or nutmeg notes and a fruitiness reminiscent of bananas and apples.