Everyone knows Weizen beer and many appreciate its unique and unmistakable bouquet. However, not everyone knows what these aromas are due to!
Weizen, (wheat in German), is a high fermentation, wheat-based beer that was created in Munich in 1500. The "Purity Edict" issued at that time prohibited breweries from using malts other than barley and for almost 300 years the Bavarian royal family was the only one to have the right to produce wheat-based beers. For this reason, the circulation of beer was limited to the noble class and the clergy. Only from the end of the 1800s did production rights extend to private individuals.
In Weizen, wheat malt is used in a percentage ranging from 50% to 60% and it gives the beer a delicate creaminess to the body and a thick foam. In the Hefeweizen version the yeast remains in suspension giving the beer an opalescent and cloudy appearance.
Weizen is a slightly bitter beer, very aromatic and fresh, with its slight acidic note the factor that renders it it so thirst-quenching. It is a beer that should be drunk cold and is often served with a slice of lemon.
The aromas of Weizen are unmistakable and generated by the particular yeast that is used in the fermentation phase. These aromas are less perceptible to the nose, but they become extremely evident as soon as the beer is in the mouth. The characteristic aromas that distinguish its aromatic profile are banana, pepper and clove. But there are other aromas such as apple, citrus and herbaceous that can also be perceived.
Weizen beers go well with many dishes. Their medium body and slight acidity make them particularly suitable to accompany fish, shellfish, white meat and light cheeses.
Try the TasterPlace Beer Aromas collection to train yourself to recognize the most characteristic aromas of beer. Click here.