Wheat beer

As a wheat beer or wheat beer ( in Austria, Old Bavaria and Brandenburg ) are referred to beers that are made ​​with wheat malt. Names of these beers are wheat, White and White. " Wheat " and "white" have the same etymological origin. Wheat beers are usually top-fermented brewed.

History

The production of beer with wheat was already thousands of years ago in Babylon and Egypt. In Europe it was until the late middle ages common to use all cereals for brewing - thus, if available locally, even wheat. Today's wheat beers emerged only with the 16th century.

Bavarian wheat beer

Bavarian wheat beer is top fermented and usually has an original gravity 11 to 14 percent. The alcohol content is in accordance with five to six percent by volume. However, there are wheat strong beers with an original gravity of up to 20 percent and an alcohol content of more than eight percent by volume as well as non-alcoholic wheat beer. Wheat beer has - depending on the brand - a calorific value of about 220 kJ per 100 ml

History

1548 was the Baron of Degenberg awarded the privilege north of the Danube to boil wheat beer. Moreover, Bavaria brewing of wheat beer was at that time forbidden (→ Reinheitsgebot ). For one wheat to feed the population should be secured, on the other hand, the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV was able to bind closer the sword Berger in itself. The sovereignty over the sword Berger was still controversial. The Baron of Degenberg had to do in return for the privilege of annual payments. The brewing of wheat beer was banned in Bavaria in the 16th century, many a time, as not all held to the original ban and the sword Berger had to leave several times to confirm the privilege at this time.

When in 1602 the family of the Counts of Degenberg extinct in the male line, the privilege fell to wheat beer brewing to the Bavarian Duke Maximilian IV back. He joined the degen bergische heritage swiftly on, took their "White brewpubs " and established itself new, 1607, the first and oldest still existing in Kelheim. With some cities or markets he concluded contracts which secured him a large part of the revenue and he could cancel at any time. This was the sole right to brew wheat beer, in the hands of the respective Bavarian Lord. The argument that the wheat had to be secured for the diet, the Duke was no longer apply in contrast to his great-grandfather. This wheat beer monopoly (also wheat beer privilege or wheat beer shelf called ) was thus a reliable source of income for the Bavarian State: Large parts of the Bavarian government revenues came from the wheat beer monopoly. The revenue from the White breweries in Rentamt Straubing but went into the private purse of the sovereign. In addition, the hosts were all over the country committed auszuschenken wheat beer, otherwise they would be the dispensing authorization is withdrawn. The wheat beer was indeed filled with special taxes, but was only sold so expensive that sales were secured. This helped Duke ( Elector ) Maximilian I, to pay off his father's debts and leave his son Ferdinand Maria orderly state budget.

1617/1618 first appears in Arnstadt under the mayor Niclas fishing outside Bavaria in a financial statement the brewing of wheat beer. The mayor was also a guest host " The Golden Goose". 22 buckets, each with 72.13 liters made ​​Arnstadt to officially first German wheat beer location, wherein the additive outside Bavaria would be necessary. The term " first German wheat beer location " does not correspond to the truth, as in the Bavarian Forest wheat beer is shown to be manufactured since 1548.

In the 18th century, the market share of the wheat beer declined steadily and by the Law of August 6, 1798 raised the Bavarian Elector Karl Theodor monopoly on. At the time of abolition, there were still white Brasseries in Cham, Grafenau, Kelheim, rain, Traunstein, Vilshofen and Weilheim. At that time, everyone could against detachment and annual payments, acquire the right to brew wheat beer in Bavaria. An exception was the White Hofbräuhaus in Munich, which remained in state hands, but was leased. 1871 was brewed in the White Hofbräuhaus in Munich for the last time wheat beer. Last tenant ( 1855-1873 ), Georg Schneider, from the Hofbräuhaus Office acquired the wheat beer brewing right of the Hofbräuhaus in 1872 and thus started his own wheat beer brewery in Munich.

Production

Wheat beers are brewed with top-fermenting yeast. For the mash is used in addition to barley and wheat malt in varying proportions, often up to 70 % portion of wheat.

Young wheat beer is sent usually completely fermented to fermentation, also called maturation phase in the bottle. To generate during maturation the beer extract and thus to ensure a sufficient enrichment with CO2 and increase the rate of maturation, there is an " edible gift." The young beer is to " feed " from Vorder-/Ausschlagwürze or Kräusen added, the content of ferulic acid can support the expression of a phenolic note ( reminiscent of cloves flavor). For the often existing slight taste of banana isoamyl acetate is responsible. At occurrence of the flavor the yeast Torulaspora delbrueckii plays an important role. The " hoses " with increased extract difference, wherein the wheat is less well dissolved is used less frequently.

Champagne method in classical maturation (one week at 15-20 ° C) is initially at high temperatures. A warmer maturation favors ester formation. With increasing temperature and cold storage period, however, also increases the Autolysegefahr. Followed by a cold storage period of two weeks at 10 ° C. The yeast growth ( yeast cells ) at the beginning of the maturation phase is adjusted by separation or bypass. Also, a pre-treatment and post- administration of yeast along with the "food " is common. Top fermenting yeast rather supports the formation of aroma compounds, bottom-fermenting yeast is less fermentation byproducts. It should be noted that both types of yeast to settle at the end of ripening due to the pressure in the bottle on the ground.

Manufacturers that fail to Flaschennachgärung, the beer can nachvergären in large storage tanks. The litigation is similar. The cold storage phase is, however, often carried out at lower temperatures (-1 ° C). The aroma formation is pronounced generally weaker when tank maturation process.

In the " stabilization" of the beer is often filtered and during filling again with the meantime, heat-killed fermenting yeast and mixed with her ​​previously filtered sediments. In this way a maximum shelf life of the product is achieved without changing taste without pasteurization of the entire beer. When using vital yeasts can be driven by the short -time heater ( heating element ) without prior filtration, without the cells become damaged.

The color of the wheat beer depends on the kind of malt. Kristallweizen are usually very bright, vivid color. The Hefeweizenbieren the spectrum of bright, golden yellow varieties over hazel beers ranging up to very dark brown black Weizenmalzen with a full-bodied, malty, smoky aroma and usually a higher alcohol content. The dark varieties are often among the strong beers.

Types

Kristallweizen

The freed after fermentation by filtration of the yeast and the suspended solids, gloss clear crystal wheat was formerly often champagne wheat. This designation is forbidden to delineate the protected for French sparkling wine EU appellation Champagne in the commercial sector. The crystal wheat was first produced in 1924 by the Edelweiss Brewery Farny in Kißlegg by Brewmaster William Zeitler.

Hefeweizen

The most common cultivar of wheat beer is found in the bottle by natural particles or yeast cloudy and much more full-bodied than the more slender, sparkling crystal wheat. The cause is due to the traditional bottle fermentation. In addition, alcohol-free and "light" ( low alcohol ) are produced wheat beers.

A special variant is the Eisweizenbier as it is manufactured by Weißbierbrauerei Hopf. The brewer Johann Hopf developed it inspired by a beer of the Canadian Labatt brewery in the early 1990s. Eisweizenbier is cooled down after fermentation at temperatures of -4 ° C. The beer crystallized at this temperature of the water and the tank wall a layer of ice forms. Using special filter techniques, these ice crystals are gently removed from the beer. In addition to ice the beer however are also removed from the ice -bound tannins and bitter substances. By this method, the wheat beer gets a particularly mild and balanced taste. Usually Eisweizenbier has less carbon dioxide than a standard wheat beer and a higher alcohol content.

Wheat Beer Glass

Bavarian wheat beer is traditionally served in specially shaped tall, slender glasses. The shape of beer glasses was chosen so that the carbonic acid beads long could increase due to the drink up and keep it fresh for a long and lively. The reinforced glass floor serves, inter alia, to initiate with the beer "down" can. In certain parts of Bavaria is referred to these as "white beer Stutzn ".

A collection of wheat beer glasses and more information can be found in wheat Glass Museum, Nuremberg.

Pour

The glasses are usually swung out before filling with cold water to keep the foam particularly strong development of this type of beer under control. Traditionally, there are different views on how to fill the glass correctly: carefully pouring in inclined attitude of the glass or eversion of the bottle into the glass (but this kind you pour is often rejected because of dirty so may bottleneck lies completely in the beer ). Once only is still a small residual beer in the bottle, this is pivoted so it dissolves the settled yeast and comes with the glass.

An excessive foaming when pouring is often observed in lying stored bottles. This is due to the early swirled yeast, as these could settle on the lower bearing side wall of the bottle. Remedy is a trick: the bottle when pouring hold so that the yeast is at the bottom and stirred up so late.

Occasionally, a slice of lemon is on the crystal wheat put into the glass, the Hefeweizen which is not common. Before the invention of the crystal wheat in the 1920s, it was not customary ease out the yeast and give with the glass because yeast has a very bitter taste. Only if accidentally but yeast came with the glass, gave it to a slice of lemon to neutralize the taste of bitter yeast.

Temperature

Bavarian wheat beer is a typical summer beer. However, it must necessarily be stored in a cool and standing as the yeast contained otherwise does not settle at the bottom and a pouring is difficult without excessive foaming. It is cool, but not ice cold drink, so that the complex just in this beer fruit notes can be sufficiently unfold. When sparkling crystal wheat are 7-8 ° C appropriate to the bright Hefeweizen 8-10 ° C, which is also true for greater and dark varieties.

Mixed Drinks

In many places exist among the diverse regional designations mixed drinks, which usually contain lemonade next wheat beer. Meanwhile finished wheat beer mixed drinks are also increasing.

• Russ, wheat Radler ( lemonade )
• Wheat with added fruit, such as banana wheat ( with banana nectar ) or cherry wheat ( with cherry juice)
• Goaß, Black, Gaas, Goiß ( with cola or specifications and cherry liqueur)

Nutrition Facts

The physiological calorific value for 100 ml wheat beer is on average 222 kJ or 52 kcal. There are around 0.3 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat and 4 grams of alcohol. Alcohol -free wheat beer have a calorific value of about 100 kJ or 24 kcal per 100 ml

Berliner Weisse

It is fermented draft beer from barley and wheat

Gose

The Gose is a special coming from Goslar type of beer that is spread in central Germany.

Lambic

Lambic is a Belgian specialty beer with wheat and barley malt to the yeast "captured" is.

Witbier

Witbier or Witte is a common particularly in Belgium and the Netherlands, top-fermented wheat beer. It is usually seasoned with Grut, coriander and orange peel.