Weiss Beer, Bavarian Style: A Beginner's Guide

Bavarian-style weiss beer, also known as weissbier, is a wheat beer that originated in Bohemia and has been a part of Bavarian culture for 500 years. The name, which means white beer in German, comes from the pale malted wheat that gives the beer its yellowish-white hue. It is a top-fermented beer, brewed with at least 50% wheat malt, and is known for its fruity and spicy flavours, with prominent notes of banana and clove. The beer is cloudy in appearance due to the yeast remaining in suspension, and is highly carbonated, with a creamy mouthfeel.

History

Bavarian-style weiss beer, or weissbier, is a classical wheat beer from Bavaria and one of Germany's most distinctive beer styles. The name, which means "white beer" in German, comes from the yellowish-white tinge of the wheat and barley malts used in the brewing process.

Weissbier was first introduced to Bavaria in the 15th century from neighbouring Bohemia. However, due to the German Beer Purity Law, or Reinheitsgebot, enacted by Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria in 1516, wheat was excluded from the list of ingredients that could be used to make beer, leaving only barley, water, and hops. This law was eventually relaxed due to significant demand for wheat beer, which allowed the industry to flourish.

In 1548, William IV, Duke of Bavaria, gave Baron Hans VI von Degenberg a special privilege to brew and sell wheat beer. In 1567, however, Duke Albrecht V outlawed wheat beer, calling it "a useless drink that neither nourishes nor gives strength, but only encourages drunkenness." Despite this, the Degenberg family continued to hold the privilege of brewing with wheat, and in 1567, Albrecht V granted them the monopoly for brewing with wheat in Bavaria. This policy filled government coffers and helped tie the influential Degenberg family closer to the ruling Wittelsbacher family.

In 1602, the privilege of brewing weissbier fell back into the hands of the ruling family when Hans Sigmund of Degenberg died without leaving an heir. Herzog Maximilian I, a keen financial reformer, skillfully set the course for benefiting financially from the newly gained weissbier monopoly. On the supply side, he opened numerous weissbier breweries, including the "Weisse Brauhaus" in Kehlheim, better known today as Schneider Weisse. On the demand side, he forced the consumption of weissbier by introducing high taxes on wine and prohibiting the import of weissbier from Bohemia.

According to historians, the proceeds from the weissbier monopoly helped the ruling family consolidate their budgets and pay for the defence of their property during the Thirty Years' War. During the most profitable time, it is assumed that the monopoly generated one-third of the total income of the state budget, with almost every village having a weissbier brewery.

Towards the end of the 18th century, the popularity of weissbier began to decline due to the improved quality of bottom-fermenting brown beers and the emergence of light pilsner-style beers. The weissbier breweries became less profitable and were only allowed to brew the now less popular weissbier. Consequently, many breweries were closed down, and in 1798, the weissbier monopoly was abolished.

Weissbier experienced a renaissance in the 1960s, partly due to increasing interest in locally produced, traditional foodstuffs, and the efforts of breweries like Erdinger Weißbräu, which used nationwide advertising campaigns to popularize and distribute weissbier in Germany. Today, weissbier is the most popular beer style in Bavaria, holding more than one-third of the market share.

Ingredients

Bavarian-style weiss beer is a wheat beer that originated in Bohemia and has been a part of Bavarian tradition for 500 years. It is also known as weissbier, hefeweizen, or weizenbier.

Malted Wheat

Weiss beer is a top-fermented beer, which means that the yeast cells rise to the top of the fermenting beer. It is brewed with a large proportion of malted wheat—by German law, it must be at least 50% wheat, although most weissbiers use 60-70%. The wheat gives the beer its characteristic cloudy appearance and contributes to its creamy mouthfeel.

Malted Barley

The rest of the grist is made up of malted barley. The combination of wheat and barley gives the beer its yellowish-white hue.

Yeast

Specialised yeast strains are used to produce the distinctive clove, banana, and bubble-gum flavours of weiss beer. The yeast also contributes to the beer's creamy mouthfeel.

Hops

Hops are used sparingly in weiss beer to avoid overwhelming the delicate flavours produced by the wheat and yeast. German varieties such as Hallertau and Saaz are often used.

Brewing

Ingredients

Weiss beer is a wheat beer, and as such, the key ingredient is wheat. The grain bill for weiss beer typically includes between 50% and 70% wheat malt, with the rest being malted barley. Outside of Bavaria, weiss beer is often known as hefeweizen, which literally means "yeast wheat" in German, and refers to the fact that it is packaged unfiltered, with the yeast still in suspension. According to German law, any beer labelled as weissbier, weizenbier, or hefeweizen must contain at least 50% malted wheat.

Mashing

The mashing process combines crushed grains with water to create a porridge-like mixture. For weiss beer, a multi-step temperature mash schedule is required to produce the characteristic flavours. This can be achieved through infusion mashing or decoction mashing. Decoction mashing is still widely used in Germany and involves a rest at around 44°C-45°C (111°F-113°F) to develop ferulic acid in the mash. This is a precursor compound that weissbier yeasts convert into 4-vinyl guaiacol, which gives weiss beer its distinctive clove-like aroma.

Fermentation

Fermentation is a critical stage in the brewing process, as it is during fermentation that the yeast produces many of the classical flavours of weiss beer, such as cloves (4-vinyl guaiacol), bubblegum, bananas (isoamyl acetate), and smoke (4-vinyl syringol). The fermentation temperature is crucial, as it can significantly impact the flavours produced by the yeast. A temperature range of 60°F-67°F (15.5°C-19.4°C) is generally recommended, with 62°F (16.6°C) being the sweet spot. Primary fermentation usually takes place within 2-4 days, at a temperature of 20°C-22°C (68°F-72°F).

Aging and Bottling/Kegging

After primary fermentation, the beer undergoes a short aging period in closed tanks, typically for only 10-14 days. The beer is then ready for bottling or kegging. Traditionally, weiss beer is refermented in the bottle using speise (wort or unfermented beer) as priming sugar, in keeping with the Reinheitsgebot (German beer purity law). Refermentation may be carried out by the original weiss yeast or, occasionally, by lager yeasts, which give a powdery texture in the bottle.

Serving

Weiss beer is typically served in tall, vase-like glassware, with a chunky base that flares dramatically at the lip. The high carbonation and high protein content of the beer combine to produce a voluminous foam head, which is an important part of the beer's presentation and the reason for the shape of the glass. Bottles of weiss beer are carefully poured to achieve a beautiful, mousse-like foam, and then the bottle is swirled to collect the yeast, which is added to the glass as a finishing touch.

Style Variations

There are several variations of weiss beer, including:

• Classic weissbier or hefeweizen: A pale beer with a robust crown of white foam.
• Dunkelweissbier or dunkelweizen ("dark white beer"): Made with the addition of dark malts such as caramel, crystal, or roasted malts, giving it a darker colour.
• Leichtes weissbier: A low-alcohol version.
• Kristallweizen ("crystal wheat"): A filtered version of weiss beer that is brilliantly clear and very effervescent.
• Weizenbock: A wheat-based bock beer with a higher alcohol content than traditional weiss beer.
• Berliner Weisse: Originating in northern Germany, this style is tart and sour, brewed with yeast and lactic acid bacteria.

Each of these styles may have slight variations in the brewing process, but the fundamental steps of mashing, fermentation, aging, and bottling/kegging remain the same.

Taste

Bavarian-style weiss beer, also known as weissbier, is a wheat beer that originated in Bohemia and has been a part of Bavarian culture for 500 years. It is typically brewed with at least 50% wheat malt, with some recipes calling for up to 70%. The beer gets its name from the German word "weiss", meaning "white", due to its yellowish-white hue from the pale wheat and barley malts used in the brewing process.

The taste of weiss beer is largely determined by the yeast used during fermentation, with the specific yeast imparting distinctive flavours and aromas to the beer. The most prominent flavours in a weiss beer are fruity notes of banana and phenolic hints of clove, with the intensity of these flavours varying depending on the brewer. Some weiss beers may also exhibit flavours of bubblegum, vanilla, or citrus. The high wheat content in the beer creates a distinctive malt aroma, while the high protein content from the wheat contributes to a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel.

The bitterness in weiss beers is typically very low, with the low to moderate presence of hops creating a well-balanced beverage. The aftertaste of the beer tends to be somewhat dry, and it is known to pair well with various cuisines, including chicken, seafood, salads, and spicy dishes. Overall, the complex interplay of flavours, aromas, and mouthfeel characteristics makes weiss beer a delightful drinking experience.

Popularity

Bavarian-style weiss beer, also known as weissbier, is one of the most distinctive and greatest beer styles in Germany. It is a wheat beer that originated in Bohemia and has been a part of Bavarian culture for over 500 years.

Weissbier is a popular drink in Germany, especially in its home region of Bavaria, where it is the most popular beer style, holding over one-third of the market share. It is also well-known throughout the rest of the country, although it is better known as Weizen outside of Bavaria. In Germany as a whole, weissbier accounts for almost one-tenth of the market.

The popularity of weissbier can be attributed to several factors. One reason for its success is its unique and refreshing taste. The beer is typically brewed with at least 50% malted wheat, giving it a distinct wheat flavour and a cloudy appearance due to the yeast remaining in suspension. The aroma and flavour of weissbier come largely from the yeast and are characterised by fruity (particularly banana) and phenolic (clove) notes. The intensity of these flavour qualities varies depending on the brewer, but they are usually well-balanced. The beer also has a high level of carbonation, contributing to its refreshing quality.

Another factor contributing to the popularity of weissbier is its versatility when it comes to food pairings. Unlike many other beers, weissbier has a relatively low bitterness due to its low hop content, making it a good match for a variety of dishes. It is often served with traditional Bavarian foods such as boiled sausage and pretzels, and it is one of the few beers that go well with desserts. Weissbier's fruity and spicy notes complement a range of lighter foods, including salads, seafood, and egg dishes. It also pairs well with spicy cuisines such as Vietnamese and Thai food.

The serving style of weissbier may also contribute to its popularity. It is typically served in tall, curvaceous glasses known as weizen vases, which showcase the beer's beautiful glow and generous foam head. The shape of the glass also enhances the beer's high carbonation, contributing to its overall presentation and sensory experience.

The history of weissbier has had its ups and downs, with periods of both high and low popularity. Initially, weissbier was very popular during the 16th to 18th centuries, but it began to decline in the late 18th century due to the introduction of higher-quality brown beers and pilsner-style light beers. However, weissbier experienced a renaissance in the 1960s, with a sudden and largely inexplicable shift in consumer taste that brought it back into fashion. This revival may have been influenced by a renewed interest in natural foods during this time, as brewer's yeast is a good source of vitamins.

Today, weissbier is widely enjoyed in Germany and is considered a signature drink of German beer culture. Its popularity has also spread beyond Bavaria, with craft brewers around the world, from Japan to Brazil, producing their own versions of this classic style.

Frequently asked questions