Short story Weizena.
In the distant Middle Ages, Germanic tribes began to brew ale, which was noticeably lighter than usual. Reason: brewers used ingredients that were in abundance. Wheat, along with barley, was one of these ingredients, and the mixing of the two grains gave birth to a new type of beer - Weissbier. It stood out so much among the dark varieties common at that time for its lightness and lightness that it was called “weisse” (German: white). Some sources claim that wheat beer is one of the oldest varieties, invented by farmers. Others suggest that the oldest Weihenstephan brewery in the city of Freising (Germany) produced similar beer as early as 1040 AD.
Today there are four main types of wheat beer: South German Weiss, Berlin Weiss, Belgian Witbier and American Wheat Beer. The South German Weiss is often called Weizen or Hefe-weizen. Sometimes you can find Kristal Weizen or Kristall Weissbier, which is a filtered version of wheat beer, and Dunkel Weizen is a dark version, usually unfiltered. Belgian Witbier or White Ale is in many ways similar to unfiltered wheat beer, but its peculiarity lies in the use of unmalted grains (wheat, barley, oats) and spices.
The German word Hefe (yeast) - Weizen (wheat) refers to unfiltered wheat beer with yeast sediment. It is made from 50-65% wheat malt, the rest of the wort is barley. It is the addition of wheat that gives the drink a bright, refreshing hue. Hefeweizen is a highly carbonated beer and in the glass it should be cloudy (due to the content of complex protein compounds in wheat malt), and the color range from light golden to shades of amber. Wheat, malted or unmalted, always has a beneficial effect on foaming. But if you want, you can reduce the foam by first rinsing the glass in cold water.
If desired, you can also pour the yeast residue that settles at the bottom of the bottle into a glass. It is best to use tall glasses that taper towards the bottom for this beer; in them, after pouring the beer correctly, the rich foam appears best. But don't pour out all the beer at once, leave a little, shake the bottle (to raise the yeast sediment), and then pour every last drop into the glass. This is the peculiarity of the taste and aroma of unfiltered wheat beer. Traditional strains of German Hefe-Weizen yeast produce phenolic odors and aromas that are sometimes reminiscent of medicine or cloves. Other waste products of this yeast are fruity esters - vanilla, banana and other aromas.
Real German unfiltered wheat beer is very different from the Americanized version. For example, American wheat beers use more neutral American yeast strains to better highlight the maltiness and achieve a cleaner flavor. Other differences include the malt and hops used. In German wheat beer the presence of hops is barely noticeable. This brings out the fine balance of esters, phenols (fruity, fusel alcohol and medicinal flavors) and fermented wheat flavors. As for the malt, the mash for American beers is made using American malt, but sometimes brewers use German malt in an attempt to make a true hefeweizen. Obviously, German beer uses German malt and has a higher percentage of wheat. Some American wheat beers are filtered and more closely resemble light American golden ales. However, this is characteristic only of seasonal varieties and they lack a yeasty taste.
German unfiltered wheat beer:
American wheat beer:
To be or not to be a lemon?
In this matter, everything has already been decided and clear boundaries have been drawn between the two opinions that exist in the murky world of unfiltered beer.
With or without lemon?
On the one hand, there are beer lovers from a series of people who pour salt on their twenty-dollar steak without even trying it before. They believe that wheat beer must be served with lemon. Some are even worse - they require lemon for their Belgian white ale too! Horror! We're not forcing you to choose one side or the other, but don't cry if your wheat beer has no foam at all - it's all due to citric acid.
On the other hand, there are people who prefer pure beer. They like exactly that yeasty flavor, which is interrupted by strong citric acidity.
It is difficult to say which of them is right and at the same time remain objective. Regardless of your preferences, wheat beer remains an excellent drink to quench your thirst in the summer and enjoy its taste all year round. And without lemon!
Wheat beer has its own taste and aroma, which is inherent in this particular variety, but nevertheless, each brewery gives this variety its own flavor when brewing. This “zest” can be a special combination of hop varieties, spices or citrus zest... Since this was my third brew, I decided to brew a more standard and simpler in components, light, summer beer that can be drunk without fear of rapid intoxication. In this article about homemade beer, I will present at home.
Wheat beer recipe
Ingredients:- Pilsen brewing barley malt - 3 kg.,
- Wheat brewing malt - 3 kg.,
- Yeast – Bavarian Wheat Yeast M 20, 10 gr.,
- Hops - Traditional, alpha 8%, 17 gr.,
- The amount of wort after boiling is 28 l.,
- Brewing equipment from Mir Beer
Mashing malt
Each brewing of beer must begin with cleanliness, all utensils that will come into contact with beer wort and yeast must be clean and disinfected, and the room must be wet cleaned. Cleanliness is an important part of successful brewing.
The malt had already been ground for me in advance, so I immediately started mashing. I chose a hydromodule of 2.5 for malt - that’s 15 liters of water. I heated 12 liters of water to a temperature of 72-74 C, I heated 3 liters in the mash tank to warm up the tank itself. We start mashing, the first pause is at 67-68 C for an hour and a half, pour the malt into the tank, add water a little, mix everything thoroughly until homogeneous mass, control the temperature, close the tank. When mashing, the main point is to control the temperature of the mash; if the temperature drops by 2-3 degrees, then raise it by adding hot water, while mixing well for better extraction of sugars. In my case, I had to add hot water twice in an hour and a half.
The second pause is “masch out” at a temperature of 78 C for 15 minutes, the temperature is achieved by adding hot water. It’s convenient if you always have it on hand when mashing. hot water and cold, with the help of which you can adjust the temperature of the mash.
When all the pauses have been completed, we begin draining the wort. We drain the beer wort carefully, slowly, and do not open the tap completely. At first, cloudy malt with malt particles will flow, then, when the filter layer is formed, it will become cleaner and more transparent. Carefully pour this first cloudy wort into the mash tank, pour the now clean wort down to the top layer of spent grain in the tank. According to science, it is impossible to expose the spent grain in the tank for fear of souring, but at home, according to the words of famous brewers, exposing the spent grain is not dangerous.
While I was draining the wort, water was heated on the stove to wash the grains, the temperature rinsing water should not exceed 80 C. I determined the amount of wash water based on the drained wort; the total volume of wort should be approximately 32-34 liters. After draining the first wort, pour water into the mash tank, gently mix with malt, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. We drain according to the same scheme as for the main wort. The density of the wort before boiling was 9.5 according to the hydrometer.
Brewing wheat beer
The wort is poured into the wort kettle, let's start cooking. When heating the wort, you can close the lid of the tank; before boiling, open the lid and remove the foam; when the wort boils, do not close the lid of the tank.
After 30 minutes of boiling, I added hops and mixed well. 15 minutes before the end of cooking, I loaded the chiller for disinfection. The total cooking time was one and a half hours. Cool to 30 C, an important point: cooling does not occur evenly throughout the tank, so you need to cool to about 25 C; when draining, the different layers of wort will mix and the average temperature will be 30 C.
It is necessary to drain in such a way that the wort is simultaneously aerated (saturated with oxygen). Before draining, you need to ferment the yeast. Pour warm water into a clean container in the ratio of 10 parts water to 1 part yeast, add the yeast, close it and let it sit in a warm place for 15-20 minutes until a foam cap forms. Afterwards, we add yeast to the wort, place it under a water seal, I poured alcohol into the water seal to protect it from infection during fermentation. The density of the wort after boiling was 11 according to the hydrometer.
Beer wort fermentation
Fermentation began quite quickly, within a few hours. At first it was not very stormy, after 12 hours a foam cap rose and clogged the water seal, I had to remove the water seal with clean hands and wash it. This procedure had to be repeated 3-4 times, I concluded that during fermentation wheat wort The fermenter does not need to be filled much; this type of fermentation is normal for this type of beer. Fermentation lasted 3 weeks.
Bottling and carbonation of beer
Bottling was carried out in liter bottles, which were disinfected with iodine solution (5 ml of iodine per 10 liters of water) before bottling. I poured a tablespoon of dextrose into each bottle. Carbonization was carried out for a week at room temperature, then in the cellar at 12-15 C for another 2 weeks.
This recipe for wheat beer is simple and affordable, in the end I got a light, tasty summer beer that quenches thirst well and is moderately hoppy. The aroma and taste are mainly distinguished by the wheat component, fruit tones are clearly distinguishable. I especially recommend that you familiarize yourself with the recipe for American light ale and the technology for making beer with extracts. Below is the video recipe making beer at home.
A true gourmet will not confuse the taste and unique aroma of wheat beer with anything else. This variety foamy drink has a special taste and aroma, to which modern breweries try to add their own “zest” - a special ratio of hops different varieties, adding spices or citrus fruit zest. In fact, the technology for brewing this foamy drink is quite simple, so even a beginner can master it at home.
The recipe for making wheat beer is simple and concise, as it contains a minimum of ingredients. The drink prepared using it has an average strength of 10-11%. It is most convenient to prepare this drink using special equipment, i.e. using a microbrewery. However, if you don’t have one in your arsenal of tools and appliances, don’t be upset, since homemade wheat beer can be made in ordinary enamel pan. The brewing process in this case will be more troublesome, but the taste of the drink will not suffer at all.
Cooking process:
- 1 the wort is grouted, this happens in four stages - boiling at 55°C for five minutes; at t 65°C – 35 minutes; at t 72°C – another 35 minutes and at t 78°C – 10 minutes;
- Next, we brew wheat beer for 75-80 minutes, after 40 minutes malt is added in the amount of 90% of the total amount, the remaining 10% of malt is added to the suspension five minutes before the end of cooking;
- The mixture is cooled and fermented at 20-22°C in a dark place for a week. Next, the drink is filtered, bottled and sent for another week to infuse in a cool, dark place.
Before preparing any wheat beer, it is important to disinfect all utensils and equipment used, otherwise, instead of a tasty foamy drink, you will end up with ordinary mash.
Fruity caramel wheat beer
Fruity caramel wheat beer, whether brewed at home or in a brewery, is considered pure feminine drink, since its strength, as a rule, does not exceed 4.8-5.5%. The taste of this beer is always slightly bitter, and its foam has a pleasant creamy tint.
The one below is simple easy recipe wheat beer with fruity notes will help you prepare a light and tasty women's drink.
Ingredients:
- wheat malt - 60%, starch malt - 27% and Pilsen - 13%;
- Tettnanger hops – 2-4%, hops with 3% alpha acidity;
- 15 g - HallertauerAroma hops;
- 12 g – yeast Sawbrew US-05;
- orange and lemon zest taste.
In addition, when preparing wheat beer at home, you can add coriander in addition to citrus zest to recipes for a drink with a caramel or fruity aroma and taste.
Cooking process:
- Grouting the wort - ten minutes at 45°C, another ten minutes at 52°C, half an hour at 62°C, the same time at 72°C and at the end of the grout, five minutes at 78°C;
- Boiling the wort, during which the processes of hopping and evaporation occur – 80 minutes. After 10 minutes of boiling, 2/3 of the hops and 1/3 of the hops are introduced five minutes before the end;
- Fermentation and ripening - at a temperature of 20-22°C for a week.
After this, the stage of filtration and infusion begins. After a week of fermentation, the drink must be filtered, zest added and left to infuse in a dark place for seven days.
Dark wheat beer recipe
Most men like dark wheat beer, the recipe for making it at home is also quite simple.
Ingredients:
- 19 liters of water;
- 30 g 4% alpha acid;
- 30 g English chocolate malt;
- 230 g Munich malt;
- 200 g Belgian malt;
- 3 kg dry Muntons wheat malt extract;
- 500 ml of Weihenstephan Weizen's yeast.
Cooking process:
- Heat 4 liters of water to 68° C), add crushed grain and leave for half an hour at 65° C;
- Rinse with 4 liters of water at a temperature of 77° C, pour the resulting wort into the brew kettle, add dry malt, followed by bittering hops, bring the total volume of liquid in the kettle to 9.5 liters and cook for an hour, then remove from the stove.
- Cool the wort in an ice bath for 15 minutes, pour into another container and add water to 19.4 liters. When the wort has cooled to 27° C, add yeast;
- Send the drink for primary fermentation at 20° C for a week;
- Pour into glass containers and leave for further fermentation and transparency for a month;
- Next, carbonation is carried out at 20-22° C and bottling into portioned bottles.
The drink should be stored at cellar temperature for up to 6 months.
What would be the recipe for wheat homemade beer whatever you choose, you need to remember that the yeast is mixed before adding finished product needs to be “activated”. To do this, they should be dissolved in small quantities. warm water and “feed” 2-3 tbsp. spoons of chilled wort or 2-3 teaspoons of sugar. Depending on the quality of the yeast, the activation process lasts from one to 12 hours. Activated yeast should be added to future beer after the drink has passed the boiling stage and cooled to 25-27 °C.
Unfiltered wheat beer is a product designed for special beer connoisseurs. This drink has unique properties and is especially popular in Germany, Austria, Belgium, and Switzerland. IN last years is becoming increasingly popular in Russia.
Among the main advantages of this type of beer, both consumers and experts note its rich, intense and at the same time soft taste. It's also worth noting healing properties drink According to scientists, unfiltered wheat beer helps normalize salt and fat metabolism, reduce blood sugar levels, and regulates arterial pressure and reduces the risk of myocardial infarction. It contains remains of brewer's yeast, which contain a full complex of amino acids and B vitamins (B1, B2), as well as PP, which helps with many diseases associated with metabolic disorders. Doctors note that unfiltered beer helps break down kidney stones and can suppress the activity of pathogens. According to studies conducted in Japan, unfiltered beer removes aluminum salts and carcinogens from the body, and its moderate consumption can reduce the risk of cancer.
According to Spanish scientists, drinking beer after playing football, going for a long run or playing golf can be beneficial for the body. Beer restores water balance in a dehydrated body even better than water, and the carbohydrates contained in this drink allow you to replenish lost calories. Professor Manuel Garzon from the University of Granada has long advised professional athletes to drink barley drinks after training.
Beer brands that certainly know the benefits barley drink, strive to make their products even more popular and attractive for lovers of a healthy lifestyle. For example, the Erdinger brand has non-alcoholic isotonic beer in its product line, which helps restore strength after sports competitions.
The unfiltered beer segment is quite dynamic. Today, the presence of unfiltered varieties in the assortment is considered good form among Russian restaurateurs and sellers. The popularity of this drink continues to grow, along with growing consumer awareness.
For a comparative analysis in the segment of imported unfiltered wheat beer, the most popular brands were selected: Erdinger (Germany), Paulaner (Germany), Franziskaner (Germany), Hoegaarden (Belgium). Based on the results of the analysis of key criteria, a rating was compiled and a portrait of the brands was given.
Of the brands under consideration, the oldest is Franziskaner. He is 645 years old. The youngest is Erdinger.
However, in terms of global annual turnover, Erdinger occupies the leading position - 1.51 million hectoliters. The lower one is Hoegaarden (0.8 million hectoliters).
According to the criterion of “geography of distribution” (the number of countries to which products are exported), Erdinger has a clear lead:
One of the key rating criteria is the availability special technologies. Here the brands Erdinger and Hoegaarden are leaders. In the production of Erdinger and Hoegaarden, a two-stage fermentation technology is used, in which live yeast is added to beer already bottled and keged. This technology is typical for the production of sparkling wines. It is this that gives beer its fullness and softness of taste and aroma.
Perhaps this is why Erdinger beer produced in the city of Erding (Bavaria) is called Bavarian champagne. However, Paulaner, which does not have a two-stage technology, also likes to introduce itself as “Bavarian champagne”, whose homeland is also the land of Bavaria.
In Russia, according to a survey, the leader in brand knowledge is Hoegaarden. Paulaner and Franziskaner, walking almost level, are significantly behind the leader. But the Erdinger brand, the world leader in this indicator, has yet to gain the corresponding positions in our country.
When purchasing, Russian consumers give preference to Paulaner and Franziskaner. But their German competitor brand Erdinger has significantly narrowed the gap from the leaders over the past couple of years: if in 2006 Erdinger was almost two times inferior in sales to Franziskaner and more than three times inferior to Paulaner, then this year it has almost come close in sales to Franziskaner and only 40 percent behind Paulaner. In terms of sales dynamics in Russia, Erdinger is significantly ahead of its competitors.
Visitors to Moscow restaurants note the very light and soft taste of Erdinger; well-defined Paulaner sourness; rich taste and pleasant aftertaste of Franziskaner; specific citrus notes at Hoegaarden.
Only the Hoegaarden brand has licensed production in Russia. At the same time, experts do not always consider the presence of licensed production to be an advantage: production only at the home plant allows 100 percent control over the quality of water and all ingredients used in the production of the drink.
As a result, the Paulaner brand took first place in the ranking. Paulaner is a brand with a respectable age and a young soul. This beer was served at the table of the Bavarian kings. In terms of annual turnover and breadth of target audience coverage internationally, Paulaner is almost on par with Franziskaner. But its indisputable advantage is its leading position in Russia. The line includes non-alcoholic beer. Another evidence of concern for the interests of consumers is the support of a fan club that unites Paulaner lovers.
The second place is occupied by the Erdinger brand.
Erdinger is the youngest and most dynamically developing brand, leading in such key indicators as annual turnover and breadth of target audience coverage (the number of countries in which products of this brand are sold). Its production uses a unique two-stage fermentation technology. Erdinger Weissbrau is the only brewery to use this meticulous process when brewing wheat beer in industrial scale. The product line of this brand includes isotonic non-alcoholic beer. The Erdinger brand is also supported by active efforts to form and support a fan club. At the same time, in terms of brand awareness among Russian consumers of imported beer, Erdinger is still lagging behind. Its sales volumes in Russia are now lower than those of German competing brands. However, taking into account the leadership in the world and the more effective sales dynamics in the Russian market over the past two years compared to Paulaner and Franziskaner, we can say that the Erdinger brand will quickly strengthen its position in Russia.
"Bronze" for Franziskaner - the oldest brand. In terms of the breadth of coverage of the target audience, Franziskaner is on the same position as Paulaner and is more than half inferior to Erdinger. It has non-alcoholic products in its line, which are not yet represented in Russia. Has not proven himself to be the owner of unique technologies. Although the brand is not represented on the RuNet with its own website, it is nevertheless known to a third of domestic consumers of imported beer; in terms of consumption it occupies the second position (after Paulaner). It has a rich taste and a pleasant aftertaste.
Hoegaarden is at the bottom of the ranking. Although, in competition with German competitors, the Belgian brand Hoegaarden defended a number of positions. It is of considerable age and, like Erdinger, has its own two-stage fermentation technology. It has a specific fruity taste with the addition of citron. Perhaps this is due to the not so high percentage of consumption among the Russian audience. In Russia, Hoegaarden has licensed production: it is bottled. The brand is well known in Russia and has prospects for successful development, both in our country and in the world.
Wheat or white beer is low alcohol drink, which is based on wheat. And to be completely precise, it is wheat malt. This gives wheat beer its unique yellowish-white color.
This alcohol has several other special names that are in circulation in Russian. It is also called Hefeweitzen, Weizenbier, Weisse, Weizen and Weisbier. Such terms are usually used among professional brewers. Wheat beer is traditionally brewed in Germany and Austria. It is from these countries that such terms came to us.
The technology for producing beer of these varieties has several features. In addition to the unusual composition of its raw materials, it should be said about the special top fermentation of the wort. In addition, wheat beer is brought to a state of complete readiness directly in bottles or barrels. If you want, you can say that it ripens inside the container.
Classic Weissbier has a characteristic fruity flavor. Many tasters go even further and report notes of banana and clove. All this is perfectly complemented by an incredibly soft hop bouquet.
Existing varieties
Wheat beer is usually divided into several varieties. These include:
- Kristallweizen (Kristallweizen);
- Hefeweizen (Hefeweizen);
- Witbier (Witbier);
- Berliner Weiße (Berliner Weiße).
All of these types of wheat beer are unique. And of course, they require a separate conversation.
Kristallweizen
Literally translated, Kristallweizen is a crystal clear wheat beer. Before such a foamy drink is bottled or barreled, it undergoes mandatory filtration. This technological approach does not allow the Kristallweizen variety to ripen inside the container. Therefore, this beer is additionally saturated with carbon dioxide. This is done so that after pouring, a beautiful head of foam forms in the mugs.
Kristallweizen is a light and refreshing spirit that is usually served well chilled. It is poured into tall, thin glasses, and is sometimes even called wheat champagne.
If you want to try the classic Crystalweizen, then you should choose one of these brands:
- Erdinger Weissbier Kristallklar;
- Franziskaner Weissbier Kristallklar;
- Liebenweiss Kristallklar;
- Paulaner Weissbier Kristallklar.
Hefeweizen
Hefeweizen is a traditional unfiltered wheat beer. In addition, according to reviews, this is the most popular variety. If we again turn to the exact translation, then this alcohol is called yeast wheat. This truly reflects the features of its production. Hefeweizen is not filtered, which means the yeast remains in it.
Most often it is a light, cloudy drink. However, some Bavarian breweries produce dark, unfiltered Hefeweizens. They are called Dunkelweizens. In addition to wheat, their raw materials include roasted barley malt.
In general, according to the generally accepted classification of beer, all types of Weissbier should be considered ale. The following brands can be considered the best examples of Hefeweizen:
- Altmuller Hefe-Weissbier;
- Erdinger Weissbier Hefe-Weizen;
- Grolsch Premium Weizen;
- Holsten Weissbier.
Witbier
If we translate its name from Flemish, we get white beer. This type of foamy drink is traditionally brewed in Belgium. In the Middle Ages, its recipe was invented by Catholic monks.
Witbier is a low-alcohol drink with light fruity And spicy taste. A few seconds after taking a sip, a pleasant sweetish aftertaste rolls in. Witbier is easy to recognize by abundant foam in the glass, a cloudy pale color and a characteristic hop bitterness.
These Belgian beers are typically made from wheat alone, without the addition of barley. The feedstock is evenly divided into two halves: 50% is allocated wheat malt, 50% unmalted wheat. Sometimes, to achieve a special flavor, brewers may slightly diversify the ingredients. For example, they can be used cereals. In addition, an integral part of the Belgian brewing tradition is the use of fragrant herbs and spices.
If you want to try traditional Belgian wheat beer, then take a closer look at these brands:
- Hoegaarden Witbier;
- Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc;
- Blanche de Bruxelles;
- Grimbergen Blanche.
Berliner Weiße
Berliner Weisse is an exotic sour wheat beer. The first difference that catches your eye is its low strength. It is only 2.8 degrees.
Berliner Weisse is very rarely drunk in pure form. Still, not everyone likes its unique taste. To drink it this way, you need to be a true connoisseur of this Berlin variety. Most often, such beer is diluted with syrups, liqueurs or champagne.
Russian reality
In Russia, top-fermentation technology is almost never used in the production of foamy drinks. Most manufacturers who declare the production of white beer use the usual grassroots yeast to ferment alcohol. Thus, the result is a strange lager, but not a classic wheat beer.
In addition, there is another problem. Even if beer is made from wheat, it is rarely malted. And this is already a violation of the canons developed by German and Austrian brewers for Weissbier.
Nevertheless, in Russia there are several brands that can easily be classified as pretty good examples of wheat beer. These include:
- Bochkarev White wheat;
- Siberian Crown White;
- Sladovar Wheat white;
- Baltika 8.
