·South German Style Weizen/Weissbier/Hefe Weizen/Hefeweizen
These are beers clearly fit the summer months with their refreshingness and fruity notes. Weizens originated in Bohemia and spread to Bavaria, but are not now currently produced in Bohemia. When a wheat beer is bottled with its sediment it is often referred to as a Weisse ("white"). Even so the word Weizen (wheat) is often used as the words are considered interchangeable. The origin of serving a slice of lemon with these beers is uncertain. However, lemon does accentuate the bite and acidity as well as highlight the refreshing character of the beverage. When the word "Hefe" preceeds Weizen, the beer should always have been dosed with with yeast and should appear cloudy. The aroma and flavor or a Weissbier is decidedly fruity and phenolic. The phenolic characteristics are often described as clove or nutmeg like and can be smoky or even vanilla like. These beers are made with at least 50 percent malted wheat, and hop rates are quite low. Weissbier is well attenuated and very highly carbonated, yet its relatively high starting gravity and alcohol content make it a medium to full-bodied beer. Banana like esters are often present. If yeast is present, the beer will appropriately have yeast flavor and a characteristically fuller mouth feel. No diacetyl should be perceived.
Classic Producers
Hefe-Weissbier (Spaten-Franziskaner,Germany), Weissbraü (Eringer, Germany), Club-Weissbier (Spaten, Germany), Pschorr-Braü Weisse (Hacker-Pschorr, Germany), Braü-Weisse (Ayinger, Germany), Erdinger (Erdinger Weissbraü, Germany), Fischer/Ueli (Brauerei Fischerstube, Switzerland), Schneider (Privatbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn, Germany)
Award Winning American Beers
Hübsch Braü German Style Hefe Weizen (Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hubsch), Nor'Wester Hefe Weizen (Willamette Valley Brewing), Upper Canada Wheat (Upper Canada Brewing, Canada), Tabernash Weiss (Tabernash Brewing), Heavenly Hefe-Weizen (Heavenly Daze Brewery), August Schell Weizen (August Schell Brewing), Ups! Hefe-Weizen (Hops! Bistro & Brewery), Heartland Weiss (Chicago Brewing), GartenBrau Weizen (Capitol Brewery), Hefty Weasel (Hubcap Brewery)
Complementary Foods
Veal sausages (Weisswurst), fritters, apple strudel, bananas, fruite salad
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.046- 1.056 (11.5 - 14 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.008 - 1.016 (2 - 4 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.9 - 4.4% (4.9 - 5.5%)
Bitterness (IBU) (10 - 15)
Color SRM (EBC): 3 - 9 (8 - 16 EBC)
·South German-style Dunkel Weizen/Dunkel Weissbier
This beer style is characterized by a distinct sweet maltiness, and roasted malt and chocolate like character, but the estery and phenolic elements of a pale Weissbier still prevail. Color can range from copper brown to dark brown. Carbonation and hop bitterness are similar to a pale South German-style Weissbier. Usually dark barley malts are used in conjunction with dark cara or color malts, and the percentage of wheat malt is at least 50 percent. No diacetyl should be perceived.
Classic Producers
Dunkel Weiss (Hopf, Germany), Dunkel Hefe-Weissbier (Spaten-Franziskaner, Germany), Dunkels Hefe-Weizen (Tucher, Germany), Ur-Weisse (Ayinger, Germany)
Award Winning American Beers
Nor'Wester Dunkel Weizen (Willamette Valley Brewing)
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.048- 1.056 (12 - 14 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.008 - 1.016 (2 - 4 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 3.8 - 4.3% (4.8 - 5.4%)
Bitterness (IBU) (10 - 15)
Color SRM (EBC): 16 - 23 (35 - 95 EBC)
·South German-style Weizenbock/Weissbock
This style can be either pale or dark and, like a bottom fermented Bock, has a high starting gravity and alcohol content. The malty sweetness of a Weizenbock is balanced with a clovelike phenolic and fruity-estery banana element to produce a well-rounded aroma and flavor. As is true with all German wheat beers, hop rates are low and carbonation is high. It has a medium to full body. If dark, a mild roast malt character should emerge in flavor and to a lesser degree in the aroma. No diacetyl should be perceived.
Award Winning American Beers
DeGroen's Weizen Bock (Baltimore Brewing)
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.066- 1.080 (16 - 20 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.016 - 1.028 (4 - 7 °Plato)
Alcohol by weight (volume): 5.5 - 7.5% (6.9 - 9.3%)
Bitterness (IBU) (10 - 15)
Color SRM (EBC): 5 - 30 (14 - 120 EBC)
