Hefeweizen is a light beer brewed with mostly wheat malt. They are always low gravity (between 4.5 and 5%) and are considered session beers that is you can consume them in quantity without becoming too intoxicated. This, combined with a slight bite from the wheat and high carbonation, make it a great thirst quencher in the summer.
History of the style
Weissbier as we know it originated in Bavaria. In 1516, Germany passed the Reinheitsgebot, or the German Purity Laws. A lot of people quote this law when declaring their favorite craft beer superior to Budweiser. In reality, the law forced brewers to use taxed brewing ingredients. It was to ensure the grains existed to provide cheap bread for the population. Wheat and Rye were common bread gains. Brewers were forced by law to only use Barley malt. The Reinheitsgebot also signaled the end of Gruit, a mix of proprietary ingredients brewers were forced to use to bitter beer. The final nail in the coffin for the great Reinheitsgebot is that it never mentions the use of yeast. In fact, it couldn't. Louis Pasteur didn't discover the existence of this single celled organism until the 1800's.
While the Reinheitsgebot ultimately killed a lot of creativity in German brewing (and spawned a new wave of "Purity" marketing) it helped give Hefeweizen a solid foothold as one of the most popular beer styles in Germany. The law in fact had a loophole that allowed the use of wheat malt in weizens. The Bavarian Royal family held the rights to brew Weizens for the better part of 300 years (Mosher, 184). Other brewers eventually gained the rights to brew the beer. It was an overnight success.
Hefeweizen is still an extremely popular style in Germany. It is beat out of course by the ubiquitous light lager.
Tasting This Beer
Hefeweizen gets its taste from a large portion of wheat malt and a unique yeast strain. This strain of ale yeast is known for its characteristic production of banana, clove and bubblegum esters. The character changes greatly between breweries. Hefeweizens are always hazy. Wheat malt contains a lot of protein that contributes to the haze. They are not filtered, so the yeast add a lot of haze.
Hefewiezen can be consumed "Mit hefe", or with the yeast. There is considerable art to a proper pour. Dont despair! Hefeweizen should be served in a proper glass. It is quite tall, and bells out toward the top. The size and shape are such that it can hold a pint plus a few inches of head. Rinse the glass with cold water. A damp glass will stop too much foam. Start pouring at a very slight angle. Once you are past the narrow section of the glass, start pouring straight down. Stop before you pour the entire beer. Swirl the dregs and pour over the foam. You should see a lot of yeast cloud up your beer. Enjoy!!
SHOULD I ADD CITRUS???
Adding a slice of lemon or orange goes in an out of popularity. It does compliment the citrus bite of wheat and can make the beer more refreshing. A good Hefeweizen should stand up on its own without the addition of citrus.
Lets not get confused!
The term "wheat" creates a lot of confusion. There are in fact a lot of wheat based beers under the weizen umbrella.
Dunkelweizen is exactly the same as Hefeweizen, except the Pilsner malt is substituted for Munich malt. This creates a maltier beer.
Berliner Weiss is a sour style brewed with a large portion of wheat malt. It is very low gravity, highly carbonated and VERY refreshing. It is soured by lactobacillus.
Witbier is a Belgian style and should not be confused with Hefeweizen. Wit means white. Witbier uses a high portion of unmalted wheat, while Hefeweizen uses malted wheat. Unmalted Wheat adds a lot of starch and creates a slightly drier beer. Witbier is always spiced with a variation of coriander, pepper, sweet or bitter orange peel, grains of paradise and much more.
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