Wheat ale's are probably my favorite type of beer, since several of my favorite beers are of this variety. These beers can have a multitude of profiles other than the obvious wheaty flavor. Often, they retain a citrusy-ness or acidity that goes well with lemons or oranges. Almost all wheat beers are ales as top fermenting yeasts are used, and some breweries use specially developed yeast for high wheat content. Today there are several different varieties of wheat beers, but the two traditional types of wheat ales are the Hefeweizen from Germany and the Witbier from Belgium.
Hefeweizen specifically refers to unfiltered wheat ale and is composed of 50% wheat and 50% barley by tradition. When it is filtered it is called "kristallweizen." Hefeweizens offer a bright almost spicy flavor with low hoppiness. They are highly carbonated to accompany the beer's bright and fruity flavor and to complement the malty sweetness that results from the wheat. The refreshing nature of hefeweizen typically dictates brewers to market the beer as a spring or summer ale.
Witbier literally means "white beer" and is named so due to the hazy white suspensions that result from wheat and yeast. In the past, witbier was brewed with no hops, and spices such as coriander or bitter orange were added to add flavor resulting in the evident citrus zest. Today, some but usually little hops is added retaining the same malty yet slightly sour taste.
American wheat ales stick less to the rules, and while they do keep a high wheat content, the majority also up the hops. The additional hoppiness adds complexity to the beer by both complementing and lowering the impact of the acidity. They follow more closely to the German weizen tradition than the Belgian and are often a little dryer.
There's much more to know about wheat ale, but this is more than enough information to put to use in a taste test. Below are my 5 favorite wheat beers.
Amadeus Biere Blanche - Biere Blanche means "white beer" in French and is akin to the Belgian witbier. Amadeus has a light but bright flavor and finishes so clean. It can be enjoyed with a slice of lemon, but I prefer it alone. This beer definitely won't hit you over the top with flavor and is elegantly simple.
Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat - They call this an Urban Wheat, but I have no idea what that means. In any case this is an american wheat ale with a crisp and spicy hops flavor. Layers of flavor keep this beer rolling on the palate so don't add anything. 312 is the kind of beer that goes well with anything anytime. A lot of afficionados rate 312 poorly saying it's a light beer that lacks flavor; but let's face it, it sells extremely well.
Summit Hefeweizen - Another light but elegant wheat beer. The citrus really comes through. Add a slice of lemon to this one to make it even more refreshing.
Blue Moon - Brewed in the style of Belgian witbier, Blue Moon is very mellow and malty. Add a slice of orange to bring out both the acidity and malty sweetness. It's one of those beers that you just find yourself craving every now and then.
Hoegaarden - This is probably the most accessible classic witbier. Hoegaarden apparently suffers from some of the travel skunking problems that Heineken has. That being said, this beer is a very complex and rich. It has a fuller flavor than the beers above, and after an initial hit of hops, it has a great sweet and spicy finish.
This list is hardly exhaustive, and many are sure to disagree with me about both the flavor and quality of the beers. The only way to find out is to go out and have some. Blue Moon is an easy place to start, and although Amadeus is a bit expensive, you need to give it a try.
Some other wheat ales you may or may not have had:
Samuel Adams Winter Ale
Samuel Adams Summer Ale
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis
Sources:
http://www.tastings.com/beer/wheat_beers.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_beer
http://www.brasseurs-gayant.com/anglais/htm/bieres/amadeus.htm
http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/312_urban_wheat/16.php
http://www.summitbrewing.com/home.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Moon_(beer)
http://beer.about.com/od/beerandbreweryreviews/gr/Hoegaardenwhite.htm
http://beer.about.com/od/wheatbeer/a/WheatGuide.htm
http://beeradvocate.com/articles/351
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