Beerpedia

Wheat beer is special to many drinkers because it is a great beer style to drink and it’s instantly recognizable. The hazy color with the rich, creamy head on top fills out the special wheat beer glass making it both a pleasant drinking and visual experience. Wheat beer has its roots in Germany, where it is called Weissbier and in Belgium where it is referred to as Witbier. In both languages it has the same meaning - white beer. The latter like to add orange peel and coriander while the former stick to at least 50% wheat malt in the grain bill.

In order to be considered a wheat beer, the grain bill should contain somewhere around 30-70% of wheat malt and the rest is usually a classic Pilsner malt. Obviously, wheat is what gives the most character to this style. It makes the beer full-bodied with a silky mouthfeel. Thanks to the fact that wheat is so full of proteins, the head is rich and long lasting. Wheat beer usually has a banana and clove aroma thanks to the ale yeast strains that are most commonly used. The hop bitterness is usually very subtle while the alcohol level is moderate. The beer is served in a special glass that is designed to provide a lot of headspace for the big, creamy top.

Before the pilsner style beer caught steam in the middle of the 19th century, wheat beer was quite popular in the Czech Republic. Our own take on this classic style resulted with Staropramen Unfiltered, a full flavored, moderately bitter unfiltered beer with a seductive opal color perfect for the hotter part of the year. Besides the basic ingredients, we also used coriander that gave the beer a rich aroma profile.

Exploring the world of beer is always fun. In this case, playing with loads of wheat in the base malt bill and using the finest hops and yeast made this a brewing adventure indeed worth exploring. The hazy beauty of wheat is what instantly makes this beer style a true classic that stands out from the crowd. For some it can be a love at first sight.