Long ago in Bavaria, brewers began utilizing the bountiful crops of wheat from their farms to create a style of beer that is known as “hefeweizen.” (This is roughly translated as “wheat beer with yeast”) The region became famous for this style of beer, as the Germanic people found the light-bodied, wonderfully aromatic beer to be perfect for hot summer days. The Bavarian Royal Family even brewed their own, called Konig Ludwig Hefeweizen, which is still brewed to this day by Prinz Luitpold von Bayern, a descendant of King Ludwig and a member of the Royal Family. These beers typically exhibit a large head and a cloudy body ranging from amber to pale straw in color. They also have complex flavors and aromas which can be attributed to the yeast, from banana and clove to bubble gum and apples.
Pierre Celis with his original brewing equipment.
The Belgians quickly adopted the practice of using wheat in their beers as well, but with a twist that is uniquely Belgian: brewers would add coriander seeds and citrus peels. After many years, this traditional beer fell out of practice wit
h the Belgians, since light lagers were sweeping the world by storm. It took a man named Pierre Celis to resurrect this lost style that he remembered favorably from his childhood. While working in a brewery near Brabant in his young adult life, he helped create Hoegaarden. He utilized the coriander seeds and chose curaçao peels for their unique aroma and bitterness. This spiced ale is now known around the world as a “Belgian Wit” or “White Ale”, as the color of the beer itself is so pale that it approaches white. Hoegaarden quickly became the most famous Belgian Wit and has inspired hundreds of spin offs around the world.
Americans too have created their own wheat beers, but they are descendants of the Old World styles. American Wheat Ales are typically not as fruity in the aroma and flavor, and may exhibit higher levels of hops. The wheat adds lightness to the body and helps support the larger head. The one brand that has made the biggest impact in America is without a doubt Widmer Hefeweizen. Winning medal after medal, this beer has been the standard to which all others have been measured.
