What's in a wheat?

Why is wheat beer so delicious and perfect for those hot summer afternoons when all you want to do is relax with a good cigar and a cool drink? It has something to do with that bready, yeasty flavor that the wheat malt and left-in yeast imparts, sure. But is there more? Of course!

The yeast is the most important factor here. It gives the beer that sweetness and smooth fullness without being too heavy. It's also the source of those tasty esters isoamyl acetate and 2-methylbutyl acetate (banana) and the clove-like aroma from 4-vinyl guaiacol.

The thing to remember here is that in top-fermenting wheat beer yeasts, the enzymes that generate sweet, fruity banana flavors are most active ~65-75 degrees Fahrenheit and the ones that generate clove aromas are most active ~70-55 degrees Fahrenheit. 70 degrees is considered a pleasant balance for simple brews, but the nice part about homebrew is that it's all up to you! I myself will be leaning heavily on the banana side because of the trouble I've had with keeping the brew cool enough, which is dangerous in its own right; higher temperatures increase the probablitily of autolysis, which breaks yeast cells and adds off-flavors to the beer. Ice and a splash pad do wonders, though, so we will see if I can get the temperature to stabilize out to a hair over 70. Apr. 10 Edit: Good news! The weather got cooler and lowered the humidity quite a bit, so the brew is 70 without any extra fiddling.

Fun fact: the term 'enzyme' actually comes from the Greek for yeast! Eduard Buchner won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1907 when he demonstrated that some chemical was still active (and could ferment) even when yeast cells had been broken apart. He called it an 'enzyme' for 'in yeast.' How's that for brewing's influence on science?

Aaaand wheat beer yeasts are kinder to the stomach (or at least a case study involving mine does), even when they are alive. Most commercial wheat beers actually add dead yeast once the beer is brewed and carbonated so that only exactly as much yeast as is pleasant is drunk. We can do the same thing with our brews, but it's more complicated and not really worth the time, especially since the flavor tends to be only slightly different.

Glassware! Glassware is always important, but with wheat beer is it especially so because of the aroma profile. Wheat beer must be experienced with a wheat beer glass, which is long and slim with an almost tulip shape to the top. The shape is such that bubbles take a long time getting to the top, so they keep a pleasant, thick head and the beer stays fresh and spritzy. The curve also helps concentrate that aroma profile we worked so hard to make.

Before drinking, the beer is cool but not cold (because the esters won't come out of the beer if it's too cold), maybe 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The glass is rinsed with cold water and filled at a 45 degree angle, straightening as the bottle empties. The settled yeast is usually dropped right on top of the by-then thick head which just crests your glass. Yum!

So now we have our wheat beer: it can be dark or light depending on the wheat malt used, it's lightly but nobly hopped, estery, the yeast clouds it, and it's smooth and cool. It's time to take that first lovely sip of the cooling afternoon. Cheers!

My mission: to discuss new and old issues in the homebrewing of beer, as well as humor myself every once in a while.

My tools: computer, brewkettle, pint glass, and trusty ol' Tonguey.

My deadline: when the reaper bids me dance one last time.


Frankly, I won't waste your time unless I have something of substance on which to report, so I'll just jump right on in!

Discussion of the day:
Is it a Beer or an Ale? Trick question. All ales are beer, but not all beers are ale. Kapish? Ale is made using a top-fermenting yeast and is an older style than lager, which most people think of as 'beer.' Lager is bottom-fermented and kept at a cool temperature for a period of time to allow big particles to settle out, resulting in a 'clean' flavor and altered mouthfeel. There are other conventions that are followed, but the main differences are storage technique and yeast type.

In Current News:
I also just finished a great beer that I'm very pleased with, an American Pale Ale (APA)-style partial mash. It's been charging in the bottle for around three months now; all the yeast has settled out and it's a very pleasant drink with a spritzy, grapefruity nature and tons of hoppiness. Yum! Here's the hop profile: 1oz UK Northern Brewer at 60min, 1/2oz Amarillo at 20min, 1/2oz Amarillo at 15min, 1/2oz Centennial at 10, 1/2oz Centennial at 5, and 1oz Cascade at 1.

Meanwhile, my newest creation is five weeks in the bottle after a week in primary and four in secondary. It's charging nicely for its alcohol content (about 7.5ABV). It's thick and creamy and in the words of a friend, "If I fall over and I have money in my hand and it happens to fall in your pocket I won't feel bad about stealing your beer, which I am doing regardless." I was going for a slightly stronger brew but I used dried malt extract (DME) instead of liquid for the extra sugars. In addition, the yeast used was an English one (Safale S-04) that was really intended for medium-gravity beers. It worked out alright when all was said and done though.

And today I begin with wheat beer. I'm afraid I'm starting at square one again with a full-extract, but hey, the other extract worked well, right? Sure, it wasn't as pleasant as the partial-mashes that followed, but I'm looking for wheat flavor without wheat work, because I'm a sorry brewer like that. I've got some Tettnanger hops and I know how to use 'em! I'll report back on this beer in due time.