I recently drove through Northeastern Oregon, and along the way I was struck by the rolling fields of wheat. After barley, wheat is the second most common grain used in brewing, often supplementally for purposes of improving head retention or lightening the body and mouthfeel.

When used as the primary source of fermentables, beers brewed with wheat can exhibit crisp, spritzy character, fruit and spice elements and bready notes, and can be wonderfully refreshing.

Summer is a perfect time to enjoy wheat ale, so as the temperature has increased, I thought it would be interesting to provide an overview of the common styles and who brews them locally.

German Weizen

German wheat (or “weizen”) ales have a long history, in which the right to brew them was originally only granted by the ruling family of Bavaria. In the 19th century, the style was nearly displaced by lager, but today weizen is one of the most popular styles in Germany.

While there are several variations on the style, the best-known is hefeweizen. The hallmark characteristics of this cloudy, unfiltered, pale ale are its high carbonation and its spicy, fruity aromas and flavors. You’ll typically find notes of banana and clove in these beers, and it’s not uncommon to encounter bubblegum, vanilla, pepper or anise.

Kobold Brewing Co. of Redmond offers up Heffen N’ Peffen Hefe, brewed in the German style; I picked up a growler to drink at home.

It’s 5.1% alcohol by volume, and it’s a pale golden-colored brew with a nice haze and dense white head of foam.

I found it to offer up subtle aromas of banana and citrus, with a hint of cloves. The flavor highlights bread dough and crust, with a background spiciness reminiscent of white pepper and whole cloves. There’s a moderate bitterness and a whole grain note as well.

Crux Fermentation Project currently has its Hefeweizen on tap, a beer that the company has been brewing since its inception. It’s 5% ABV with 8 IBUs, and it showcases the spice notes of the style with clove and a bit of bubblegum and banana.

American Wheat

I wrote about American wheat ale several years ago, a variant of the hefeweizen style whose origin is largely credited to Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. of Portland. American wheats are similar to their German cousins in strength and appearance, but diverge in their use of hops and more neutral ale yeasts.

These beers tend to be fruity-to-hoppy without the spice notes, and the fruitiness emphasizes citrus — so much so that you’ll often see them served with a slice of lemon on the rim of the glass.

Fuzztail Hefeweizen from Sunriver Brewing Co. is a great example of the American wheat style, crisp and refreshing with citrusy notes of grapefruit. It’s 5% ABV with 20 IBUs, available both on draft and in cans.

Wild Ride Brewing Co.’s Whoopty Whoop Hefeweizen is brewed with lemon peel to enhance the citrus quality of the ale. It is also available in cans as well as on tap. Moderately hazy in appearance, it’s 5.5% ABV with 20 IBUs.

Sweet As! Pacific Ale, the flagship beer from GoodLife Brewing Co., is a good example of the “clear” version of the style, filtered and not hazy. Brewed with New Zealand and Australian hops, Sweet As! is 6% ABV with 18 IBUs.

Belgian Witbier

Belgian brewers have a long history of brewing with wheat as well as any other grains that strike their fancy, but perhaps the best known wheat ale to come from Belgium is witbier (translated as “white beer”). This fruity, unfiltered ale is typically spiced with coriander and orange peel, and commonly exhibits a tart note and a crisp, dry finish.

It’s not a style often found among local brewers, but Monkless Belgian Ales offers not one but two versions year round. Shepplekofeggan is the brewery’s standard version, light and crisp and spiced traditionally; it’s 5.4% ABV with 16 IBUs and exhibits citrus notes.

Peppercorn Imperial Wit is Monkless’ spin on the style, a bold, strong ale with 8.2% ABV and 30 IBUs, featuring the addition of peppercorns to the spice mix. It’s surprisingly easy drinking with a nice spicy flair from the peppercorns without being “hot.”

With hot weather and summertime cookout season, it’s a great time to explore the local wheat beers available. Keep an eye out for the ones listed above and more from our other breweries to try this summer.

Top 5 Beers of the Week – June 29, 2023

Trail Dog Summer Ale — Worthy Brewing 

Black Butte XXXV — Deschutes Brewery 

Czech Pilsner — Buoy Beer 

Comatose Imperial IPA — GoodLife Brewing 

The Past Amber Ale — Block 15 Brewing