Wheat beer facts for kids
Wheat beer is a special type of beer that is made using a lot of wheat grain. It also uses malted barley. This beer is made with a special kind of yeast that floats to the top during the brewing process. The two main kinds of wheat beer are German Weizenbier and Belgian witbier. Other types include Lambic, Berliner Weisse, and Gose.
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What is Wheat Beer?
Wheat beer is often called "white beer" in German (Weißbier) and Dutch (witbier). This is because the word "wheat" sounds similar to "white" in many old German languages. Also, these beers often look cloudy and light in color.
German Weizenbier
Weizenbier or Hefeweizen is a traditional wheat beer from Bavaria, a region in Germany. It is made with a lot of malted wheat instead of just barley. German laws say that Weißbiers must use a special yeast that ferments at the top. This yeast gives the beer unique flavors like banana and clove.
Hefeweizen means "yeast wheat" and refers to the traditional, unfiltered version of this beer. It looks cloudy because the yeast is still in it. Kristallweizen (crystal wheat) is a version that has been filtered to remove the yeast, making it clear.
Weizenbier Flavors
Hefeweizen beers are not very bitter. They have a lot of bubbles, which helps balance their slightly sweet taste. The special yeast creates a unique flavor that smells and tastes like cloves. You might also notice flavors like banana, bubble gum, and sometimes even vanilla.
Different Kinds of Weizenbier
There are also darker versions of wheat beer called Dunkelweizen (dark wheat). These are made with darker, roasted malts. Weizenbock is a stronger type of wheat beer with more alcohol.
Some of the biggest brands of German wheat beer include Erdinger, Paulaner, Franziskaner, and Maisel. Other famous ones are Augustiner and Weihenstephaner.
Belgian Witbier
Witbier, also known as white beer or bière blanche, is a wheat beer mainly brewed in Belgium and the Netherlands. It looks hazy or white when it's cold because of the yeast and wheat proteins still in it. Today, witbier often has spices like coriander and orange peel added to it.
Long ago, in the 1500s and 1600s, white beers from towns like Hoegaarden were very popular. They were made with barley malt, raw barley, and oats. The barley was dried by the wind to keep it light in color.
A man named Pierre Celis helped bring witbier back to life in Belgium. He started adding different spices to the beer. These beers can have a slightly sour taste because of certain acids, though this taste was much stronger in the past. The yeast in the bottle also causes the beer to keep fermenting a little.
Other Wheat Beer Types
There are other interesting wheat beer styles:
- Berliner Weisse: This is a light beer (2.5% to 3% alcohol) from Berlin, Germany. It is intentionally tart or sour. People often add sweet syrups like lemon or raspberry to it before drinking.
- Gose: This beer from Leipzig, Germany, is a bit stronger (around 4% alcohol). It is unique because it includes coriander and salt, which are not common in German beers.
- Lambic: This Belgian beer is also made with wheat and barley. What makes it special is that it uses wild yeast from the air for fermentation, which means it ferments on its own without added yeast.
Names for Wheat Beer
Wheat beers have different names depending on where they are made and how they are brewed:
- Weißbier or Weiße: These names are mostly used in Southern Germany (Bavaria) and Austria. Weiß means "white" in German.
- Weizenbier or Weizen: These names are used in Western and Northern Germany, and Switzerland. Weizen means "wheat" in German.
- Hefeweißbier or Hefeweizen: Hefe means "yeast" in German. This name means the beer is unfiltered and still has yeast in it, which might settle at the bottom.
- Kristallweißbier or Kristallweizen: Kristall means "crystal" in German. This name means the beer has been filtered to be clear, without yeast sediment.
- Dunkles Weißbier or Dunkelweizen: Dunkel means "dark" in German. This is a dark version of wheat beer.
- Weizenbock: This is a stronger wheat beer, similar to a German bock beer.
- Witbier or Wit: This is the Dutch name for the Belgian style of wheat beer. It means "white beer."
- Bière blanche: This is the French name for wheat beer, also meaning "white beer."
How Wheat Beer is Served
Bavarian-style wheat beer is usually served in tall, vase-shaped glasses that hold about 500 milliliters (about 17 ounces). In Belgium, witbier is often served in smaller 250-milliliter glasses. Each brewery might have its own special glass shape.
Sometimes, especially in Austria or with American wheat beers, a slice of lemon or orange is added to the glass. This is not traditional in Bavaria, where many people don't like it. This custom started in Portland, Oregon, in the 1980s.
In northern Bavaria, people sometimes add a grain of rice to Kristallweizen. This makes the beer bubble gently and helps the foam last longer. In Bavaria, it's also common to mix Weizenbier with cola, called "cola-weizen." Another popular summer drink is "Russ," which is a mix of Weißbier and lemonade.
See also
In Spanish: Cerveza de trigo para niños
