Wheat Beer

Most beer is made with malted barley alone, but some styles call for the use of wheat in addition to barley. Wheat often contributes a delicate body and light lemony tartness, and can add to impressive foam retention due to higher protein content. Wheat does not have a husk like barley, so it can cause problems in the brewhouse because it can “stick,” making separating the sweet wort from the grain matter difficult.
Another feature of this style is the yeast. Brewer’s yeast are unicellular fungi of the Saccharomyces family. Saccharomyces consume sugars during the process of fermentation and produce ethanol and carbon dioxide as byproducts. In addition to the business of fermentation, yeast can also provide a wide range of flavor and character in a beer. Some more neutral “American-style” yeast strains are noted for clean aromas with mild fruity character. Some yeast used for traditional German Hefeweizen are noted for intense flavors of banana and clove.