Brewing Process Steps

The Long Process of Inventing a New Beer Style

In most industries, inventing a new style is a relatively simple, straightforward, quick matter. This is not the case in the world of beer. Inventing a new style of Beer Can take decades to gain recognition of the achievement, if it ever happens at all. Consider the case of wheat wine, invented in Sacramento back in the 1980s.

Wheat wine was not an intentional discovery. It was actually an accident. Rubicon Brewing Company produced a batch of summer wheat beer, but unbeknownst to the company, the batch was botched. In fact, it had a double dose of malt sugar. This single “oops” meant that the beer was considerably stronger than summer wheat beer usually is – coming in somewhere around 11% alcohol. It was actually more akin to barleywine than summer wheat beer.

Of course, barleywine (and wheat wine) are not really wines. They’re beers, because they are made from grains instead of grapes. Wheat wine was born in Sacramento back in 1988, but it did not gain recognition for a very long time. Even today, it is not really recognized as a “style” of beer. There are inroads being made here, though. For instance, the Beer Judge Certification Program now identifies it as a style as does the Great American Beer Festival even though it still relegates it to second fiddle – placing it squarely as a subcategory within a larger one.

For those who want to enjoy it, though, wheat wine has become more widely available. With this increase in availability has come greater recognition of the beer as a distinct style. After all, given its unique characteristics, it’s hard to confuse strong wheat beer with an IPA, stout or blond ale. For those not acquainted with this type of beer, some explanation might be necessary.

Wheat wine has a range of strengths, from 7 to 14% alcohol, depending on the brewer and the recipe used. It is usually extremely smooth, with a light taste and more than a little sweetness. However, it is a nicely balanced drink, even with its higher alcohol content. Unlike barleywine, there is no problem with the alcohol throwing the beverage off balance. Drinkers will also find a range of different colors out there, from gold to amber and everything in between the two.

For those interested, wheat wine can be found from a number of great craft breweries. You’ll find Terrapin Brewery puts one out, as does Smuttynose Brewing and New Holland, as well.

Poto Cervesia,
Dustin Canestorp

About the Author

Dustin Canestorp is the Founder and General of the Beer Army. Join the ranks of the Beer Army at BeerArmy.com. Take a stand and let the world know your position. If you are going to drink, drink BEER!

 

How to Pour a Wheat Beer

Spiegelau Beer Classics Stemmed Wheat Beer Glassware (Set of 4) $54.99 Enjoy beer in style with a set of Spiegelau lager beer glassesSpiegelau is dedicated to producing the best lead-free crystal glassware possibleWheat beer glasses combine high-quality materials and aesthetics with durability and value

Brewing With Wheat (Paperback) $11.77 Description not available.

Idyll with Wheat Beer $74.99 Hans Baluschek Idyll with Wheat Beer – Premium Giclee Print

Classic Beer Style – German Wheat $14.99 In German Wheat Beer, Warner taps years of personal experience to profile this truly unique beer style. 149 pages.

Bavarian Wheat $25.99 Like the traditional Wheat beers of Southern Germany, our Wheat beer is formulated with 65% wheat malt for a unique soft flavor and outstanding head retention.

Golden Wheat Beer 20 minute boil kit $25.95 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers.

Raspberry Wheat $28.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure raspberry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Cherry Wheat $28.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure cherry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Danstar Munich German Wheat Beer Yeast $4.79 Originated in Bavaria and is used by a number of commercial breweries to produce German-style wheat beers.

Munton’s Wheat Hopped Kit $17.99 Munton’s Premium Canned Hopped Malt Extract connoisseurs series Wheat. Made from a careful balance of wheat and barley malt, this is a crisp refreshing, distinctive beer.

Bavarian Wheat w/ Bavarian Wheat Wyeast Activator 3056 $29.99 Like the traditional Wheat beers of Southern Germany, our Wheat beer is formulated with 65% wheat malt for a unique soft flavor and outstanding head retention.

Bavarian Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit $18.99 Like the traditional Wheat beers of Southern Germany, our Wheat beer is formulated with 65% wheat malt for a unique soft flavor and outstanding head retention.

Beer $10 Beer

A Beer $10 A Beer

Partial Mash Berlin Wheat $22.99 Pale in color with a light body, this wheat beer has traditional hop flavor and aroma.

Bavarian Wheat w/ Danstar Munich dry yeast $25.99 Like the traditional Wheat beers of Southern Germany, our Wheat beer is formulated with 65% wheat malt for a unique soft flavor and outstanding head retention.

Flaked Wheat 10 lb. $10 Flaked Wheat greatly increases body and head retention in most any beer. Use in small quantities, 4 – 6 ounces in a 5 gallon batch.

Flaked Wheat 1 lb. $1.25 Flaked Wheat greatly increases body and head retention in most any beer. Use in small quantities, 4 – 6 ounces in a 5 gallon batch.

Flaked Wheat 5 lb. $5 Flaked Wheat greatly increases body and head retention in most any beer. Use in small quantities, 4 – 6 ounces in a 5 gallon batch.

Flaked Wheat 50 lb. $42.95 Flaked Wheat greatly increases body and head retention in most any beer. Use in small quantities, 4 – 6 ounces in a 5 gallon batch.

Partial Mash Berlin Wheat w/Wyeast Activator Bavarian Wheat 3056 $26.99 Pale in color with a light body, this wheat beer has traditional hop flavor and aroma.

Bavarian Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Bavarian Wheat Wyeast Propagator 3056 $21.95 Like the traditional Wheat beers of Southern Germany, our Wheat beer is formulated with 65% wheat malt for a unique soft flavor and outstanding head retention.

Bavarian Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Bavarian Wheat Wyeast Activator 3056 $23.99 Like the traditional Wheat beers of Southern Germany, our Wheat beer is formulated with 65% wheat malt for a unique soft flavor and outstanding head retention.

Brewing with Wheat $17.99 The “wit” and “weizen” of wheat beers. Author Stan Hieronymus visits the ancestral homes of the world’s most interesting styles—Hoegaarden, Kelheim, Leipzig, Berlin and even Portland, Oregon—to sort myth from fact and find out how the beers are made today. Complete with brewing details and recipes for even the most curious brewer and answers to compelling questions such as “Why is my beer cloudy?” and “With or without lemon?”

Beer and Good Food $13.52 Learn about beer history, how beer is made, how to serve beer and how to match it successfully with food. Covers pilsners, porters, stouts, wheat beers, fruit-flavored beers and more. Make recipes that use beer as a main ingredient, as well as recipes that pair well with beer. Find brunch dishes, snacks, appetizers, soups, luncheon and dinner entrees, salads, sauces and condiments.

Munton & Fison (UK) Wheat (3.3 lb.) $12.99 Munton & Fison Wheat comes from the UK. English wheat malt and barley malt are blended in the ratio 55% wheat malt and 45% barley malt to produce this fine product. Use in recipes for wheat beer or as an interesting variation to other beer styles. This can is unhopped.

Bavarian Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Danstar Munich dry yeast $18.99 Like the traditional Wheat beers of Southern Germany, our Wheat beer is formulated with 65% wheat malt for a unique soft flavor and outstanding head retention.

Bavarian Wheat w/ White Labs Hefeweizen Ale 300 $30.5 Like the traditional Wheat beers of Southern Germany, our Wheat beer is formulated with 65% wheat malt for a unique soft flavor and outstanding head retention.

Raspberry Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit $22.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure raspberry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Cherry Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit $22.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure cherry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Billabong Andy Davis Beer Garden T-Shirt Wheat Heather $28.99 The men’s Billabong Beer Garden t shirt is made of 50% organic cotton / 50% recycled polyester. It features a regular fit tee, a custom Andy Davis screen print, woven label, and a crew neck.

Brewing With Wheat: The ‘wit’ and ‘weizen’ of World Wheat Beer Styles $13.13 No Synopsis Available

Bavarian Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ White Labs American Hefeweizen Ale 320 $24.5 Like the traditional Wheat beers of Southern Germany, our Wheat beer is formulated with 65% wheat malt for a unique soft flavor and outstanding head retention.

Raspberry Wheat w/ Danstar Munich dry yeast $28.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure raspberry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Cherry Wheat w/ Danstar Munich dry yeast $28.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure cherry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Raspberry Wheat 20 minute boil kit $28.95 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure raspberry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Partial Mash Berlin Wheat w/ Danstar Munich dry yeast $22.99 Pale in color with a light body, this wheat beer has traditional hop flavor and aroma.

Wheat $49.99 Marguerite Buret Wheat – Giclee Print

Raspberry Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Danstar Munich dry yeast $22.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure raspberry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Cherry Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Danstar Munich dry yeast $22.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure cherry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Raspberry Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Weihenstephan Weizen Yeast 3068 $25.95 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure raspberry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Cherry Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Weihenstephan Weizen Yeast 3068 $25.95 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure cherry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Raspberry Wheat w/ White Labs Hefeweizen Ale 300 $33.5 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure raspberry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Cherry Wheat w/ White Labs Hefeweizen Ale 300 $33.5 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure cherry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Raspberry Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Weihenstephan Weizen ACT3068 $27.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure raspberry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Cherry Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Weihenstephan Weizen Activator 3068 $27.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure cherry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Cherry Wheat w/ Weihenstephan Weizen Wyeast Activator 3068 $28.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure cherry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Raspberry Wheat w/ Weihenstephan Weizen Wyeast Activator 3068 $32.99 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure raspberry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Partial Mash Berlin Wheat w/White Labs American Hefeweizen Ale 320 Yeast $27.5 Pale in color with a light body, this wheat beer has traditional hop flavor and aroma.

Wheat That Springeth Green $3.94 "Wheat That Springeth Green," J. F. Powers’s beautifully realized final work, is a comic foray into the commercialized wilderness of modern American life. Its hero, Joe Hackett, is a high school track star who sets out to be a saint. But seminary life and priestly apprenticeship soon damp his ardor, and by the time he has been given a parish of his own he has traded in his hair shirt for the consolations of baseball and beer. Meanwhile Joe’s higher-ups are pressing for an increase in profits from the collection plate, suburban Inglenook’s biggest business wants to launch its new line of missiles with a blessing, and not all that far away, in Vietnam, a war is going on. Joe wants to duck and cover, but in the end, almost in spite of himself, he is condemned to do something right. J. F. Powers was a virtuoso of the American language with a perfect ear for the telling cliche and an unfailing eye for the kitsch that clutters up our lives. This funny and very moving novel about the making and remaking of a priest is one of his finest achievements.

Raspberry Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ White Labs Hefeweizen Ale 300 $28.5 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure raspberry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

Cherry Wheat ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ White Labs Hefeweizen Ale 300 $28.5 This recipe is perfect for those who want to start brewing Wheat beers. The pure cherry extract gives just the perfect amount of fruit flavor to this refreshing beer.

American Wheat Activator Wyeast ACT1010- 4.25 oz. $5.99 A dry fermenting, true top cropping yeast which produces a dry, slightly tart, crisp beer.

Hank’s Hefeweizen ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ White Labs Hefeweizen Ale 300 $26.5 This recipe is our most popular wheat beer kit and exhibits classic German Wheat Beer character.

Hank’s Hefeweizen ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Weihenstephan Weizen Yeast 3068 $23.55 This recipe is our most popular wheat beer kit and exhibits classic German Wheat Beer character.

Hank’s Hefeweizen ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Weihenstephan Weizen ACT3068 $25.99 This recipe is our most popular wheat beer kit and exhibits classic German Wheat Beer character.

Hank’s Hefeweizen ALL-GRAIN Kit $20.99 This recipe is our most popular wheat beer kit and exhibits classic German Wheat Beer character.

Hank’s Hefeweizen ALL-GRAIN Kit w/ Danstar Munich dry yeast $20.99 This recipe is our most popular wheat beer kit and exhibits classic German Wheat Beer character.

Hank’s Hefeweizen $27.99 This recipe is our most popular wheat beer kit and exhibits classic German Wheat Beer character.

Hank’s Hefeweizen w/ Danstar Munich dry yeast $27.99 This recipe is our most popular wheat beer kit and exhibits classic German Wheat Beer character.

Hank’s Hefeweizen w/ White Labs Hefeweizen Ale 300 $32.5 This recipe is our most popular wheat beer kit and exhibits classic German Wheat Beer character.

Hank’s Hefeweizen w/ Weihenstephan Weizen Wyeast Activator 3068 $31.99 This recipe is our most popular wheat beer kit and exhibits classic German Wheat Beer character.

Beer Magazine $4.99 Beer Magazine

Beer Girl $49.99 Beer Girl

Beer Googles $14.99 Beer Googles

Weiss Beer $23 Weiss Beer

Beer Glass $37 Beer Glass

Hearts Beer $17 Hearts Beer

Drink Beer $10 Drink Beer

Hot Beer $10 Hot Beer

Cool Beer $10 Cool Beer

Beer Time $10 Beer Time