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Styles · Weissbier

Beer style · BJCP 2021 10A

Weissbier

German Wheat Beer

Published ranges These are the ranges the BJCP 2021 guidelines publish for this style.

Original gravity
1.044–1.052
Final gravity
1.008–1.014
Bitterness
8–15 IBU
Color
2–6 SRM (4–12 EBC)
Alcohol
4.3–5.6 % ABV

What it is

Bavaria's pale wheat beer, defined entirely by its yeast: banana ester and clove phenol in balance over a soft bready wheat body. Hop character is almost absent and the carbonation is high and refreshing. Fermentation control, not the grist, decides whether it is any good.

Flavor

What a Weissbier should taste like, on the three wheels the studio scores every recipe against. The shaded ring is the style’s range on each axis, from 0 at the center to 5 at the edge.

Hops

Hops stay in the background: none of their character belongs.

Malt

Grainy and bready/biscuit, with room for sweet/honey.

Fermentation

Banana, fruity esters and clove, with room for clean.

Hops that suit it

The traditional choice

What Weissbier has classically been brewed with.

Nothing else on character: the hops here are there for bitterness and balance, and any variety whose aroma you would notice is out of place.

Yeasts that suit it

Strains the lab made for beers like this one, whose fermentation character sits inside the style’s wheel. A strain sold by several labs is listed once; its page names the others.

Style numbers, names and vital statistics are from the BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines, where you will find the official descriptions. The descriptions and flavor wheels here are Beerwright’s own. Beerwright is not affiliated with or endorsed by the BJCP.