How To Brew an American Wheat Beer: Mastering the Grainy Goodness of the U.S. Brew Scene

American Wheat Beer is an example of the youthfulness of the American brewing scene. As a brewing ingredient, the history of wheat extends all the way back to the beginning of agriculture.

Mostly it has been known to have ties to Germany and Belgium at around 1500.

The anti-German sentiment that hovered over America after World War I and the beginning throws of Prohibition ensured that this style would be stomped into the ground. This style was left for dead during the 1800s.

Then suddenly the popularity of German culture, including its beer styles, would surface again post World War II.

This left brewers in America left with the inspiration and desire to replicate what was being enjoyed across the pond.

Today’s Beery History Lesson

As America was drawn into World War II on December 7, 1941, just a mere eight years and two days after the repeal of Prohibition. This brought American troops into Germany and continued to stay for another forty years due to the Cold War.

With multi-generations of American men based in Germany, it was only natural that the exposure to Germany’s local beers had a resounding effect of these returning G.I.s.

Anchor Brewing Company

It wasn’t until the 1980s that America saw its first realization of the American wheat beer. Fritz Maytag, then owner and head brewer of Anchor Brewing Company, released his wheat beer. Over time this became known as Anchor’s Summer Beer.

Although there were some breweries prior to Anchor releasing their own wheat beers, it was Anchor Brewing Company that helped put wheat beers on the map here in America.

Anchor even paid homage to its German predecessors by describing their Summer Wheat as a beer that may contain yeast and be hazy like a Hefeweizen.

Yes, there were hazy beers before hazy beers! The yeast used by Anchor was clean and did not contain the same phenolic spiciness and banana esters of a traditional German Hefeweizen.

Style Profile forAmerican Wheat Beer

Appearance

Straw yellow to deep gold in color. Long lasting, white head with clarity either being excellent to hazy, depending on whether the beer has been filtered or not, both are acceptable.

Aroma

Bready, grainy, doughy, or cracker-like are all possible ways to describe the aroma in the low to medium range. Some sweetness is present and acceptable. Esters should be below medium with no banana esters present, instead a neutral character shines through.

No clove phenols or hop aroma should be present. Some citrusy, floral, fruity, or spicy qualities may be present due to the hop additions.

Mouthfeel

Medium-light to medium body with carbonation ranging from the upper end of medium to high. Body can be soft with a rather creamy mouthfeel.

Taste

Taste is filled with breadiess, doughiness, or cracker-like qualities, which may extend into the finished beer.

Hop bitterness should be higher than a German wheat, but still remain modest. Bitterness can linger into a crisp finish or disappear behind a sweet finish.

Hop flavors should be low to moderate and likely be considered spicy, citrusy, floral, or fruity. No banana esters or clove phenols.

Food Pairing

Eggs, bacon, sausage – think brunch fixings that are ideal for the start of a lazy weekend. Works well with all sorts of salads. Seafood pairs well with American wheat beers. Cheese route takes us to chevre, cream cheese and ricotta.

Tips for Brewing your own American Wheat Beer

Grain

As you may have guessed, wheat will make up a large majority of the grist for this American Wheat Beer. Percentages of wheat malt usually range from as low as 25% to as high as 70%.

Usually most commonly the proportions will fall somewhere in the middle at around 30-50%.

The bulk of the remaining grist will consist of a quality 2 Row or pale malt. Specialty malts, if used at all, may be a paler caramel malt, cara-wheat, dextrin malt, Munich, and/or honey malt.

A small portion of the grain bill should be made up of these specialty grains, usually 10 to 15 percent of the grain bill.

Use of rice hulls can help even the most veteran of brewers while using wheat malt.

When using wheat malt, you will notice that the malt does not have a husk. This husk helps to prevent stuck sparges or mashes. So as a way to avoid this dreaded stuck sparge or mash, add rice hulls to your grist.

Usually a half pound of rice hulls for a five gallon batch will do the trick. Rice hulls do not impart and color or taste. Rice hulls should be used with any cereal malt such as wheat, rye, and even flaked oats at a high percentage of the grist.

Hops

The sky’s the limit when it comes to hopping an American wheat beer.

Although the style calls for some more hop forwardness, the upper IBU limit is just barely when American pale ales begin. A good range to fall under would be between 20-30 IBUs

Also, consider the bitterness/gravity ratio (IBU/OG) to be somewhere between 0.3 and 0.8.

The American hops that have been used include Cascade, Amarillo, WIllamette, Liberty, and Mt. Hood. Since American wheat beers have a German lineage, some German hops are always a good choice.

These include, Tettnanger, Hallertauer Mittlelfrüh, Perle, and Spalt. Also, an American wheat beer is a good way to explore new hop varieties, such as experimental hops or some of those crazy hops from down under.

Yeast

Wyeast American Ale 1056, American Wheat 1010, or Kölsch 2565

White Labs American Hefeweizen WLP320 or California Ale WLP001

Dry Yeast Safale US-05.

Fermentation:

Ferment at the mid to high 60°F (20°C) or whatever your yeast manufacturer suggests until your final gravity is reached.

This will keep the easters from producing too much during active fermentation. A healthy yeast pitch is important and remember to oxygenate our wort.

Be mindful of managing temperature control so as to not have any off-flavors develop over time.

American Wheat Beer By the Numbers

• Color Range: 3 – 6 SRM
• Original Gravity: 1.040 – 1.055 OG
• Final Gravity: 1.008 – 1.013 FG
• IBU Range: 15 – 30
• ABV Range: 4.0 – 5.5%

American Wheat Beer Recipe

Grain

• 48% 6 lbs 2-Row American Pale Malt
• 48% 6 lbs Wheat Malt; White
• 4% 8 ozs Rice Hulls

Hops

• 0.75 oz Centennial Pellets – Boil 60.0 min
• 1.00 oz Centennial Pellets – Boil 30.0 min
• 1.00 oz Hallertauer Pellets – Flameout

Yeast

• 1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #001)

Directions

• Mash at 152°F (65°C) for 60 mins
• Boil for 60 mins

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Frequently Asked Questions

What distinguishes an American Wheat Beer from other wheat beers?

The primary distinction lies in the brewing tradition and taste profiles. American Wheat Beer, as detailed in the American Wheat Beer Recipe, has a cleaner yeast profile compared to its European counterparts.

This allows for a more pronounced hop flavor, making the beer light and refreshing.

The American Wheat Ale Recipe typically utilizes a neutral ale yeast which doesn’t impart the clove or banana flavors common in European Wheat Beers.

Furthermore, American Wheat Beers often have a balanced ratio of wheat to barley malt, contributing to its distinct lightness and drinkability.

What are the essential ingredients for brewing an American Wheat Beer?

The American Wheat Recipe centers around a few key ingredients: wheat malt, barley malt, hops, yeast, and water.

The wheat malt in beer contributes to the body and mouthfeel of the beer, while the hops add a level of bitterness and aroma that balances the malt sweetness.

Selecting the best hops for wheat beer can influence the final flavor profile; some common hops used in wheat beer hops include Hallertau, Tettnang, and Cascade.

Additionally, a neutral ale yeast is used to allow the hops and malt flavors to shine through without the interference of strong yeast-derived flavors.

What is the process to follow for an All Grain Wheat Beer Recipe?

An all grain wheat beer recipe involves several steps: mashing, lautering, boiling, fermenting, conditioning, and packaging.

In the mashing phase, the grains are mixed with hot water to extract sugars. Lautering separates the liquid from the grains.

Boiling is where hops are added for bitterness, flavor, and aroma. After boiling, the wort is cooled and transferred to a fermentation vessel where yeast is added.

The fermentation phase is where the yeast consumes the sugars producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. Conditioning follows to allow the flavors to meld and mature before the beer is finally packaged and ready for enjoyment.

How can one add a fruity flavor, like raspberry, to the American Wheat Beer Recipe?

Adding fruit flavors like raspberry can be achieved by using real fruit, fruit purees, or fruit flavor extracts.

For a Raspberry Wheat Beer Recipe, real raspberries or raspberry puree can be added to the fermenter once the primary fermentation has subsided.

This method allows for a natural fruit flavor infusion. It’s crucial to ensure the fruit or puree is sanitized to prevent any unwanted microbial activity.

The amount of fruit used can be adjusted based on personal taste preferences, and it’s advisable to start with a smaller amount, then taste and adjust as necessary.

What are some recommendations for selecting the best yeast and hops for an American Wheat Beer?

The choice of yeast and hops can significantly affect the final flavor and aroma of the American Wheat Beer.

For yeast, a neutral ale yeast is often recommended to allow the hops and malt flavors to shine without overpowering yeast-derived flavors.

Some popular choices include American ale yeast strains like Wyeast 1056 or White Labs WLP001. When it comes to hops, those with a floral, citrus, or spicy character tend to complement the wheat malt well.

Hallertau, Tettnang, and Cascade are commonly used hops for wheat beer. Experimenting with different hops and yeast strains can also lead to discovering unique and pleasing flavor combinations for your American Wheat Beer or Wheat IPA Recipe.