Palm Beach Draughtsmen

Hefe-weisse

by Greg Hall

You're hot. And tired. You just finished a long day of brewing or biking, hiking or painting the garage. It doesn't matter why, you're thirsty. Thus, Hefe Weizen.

That is why we are brewers. To make a potion so refreshing, so quenching and so full of character-what more noble calling can there be? That's the conclusion I came to one hot summer day in 1988, my first season in a brewery. Goose Island Brewmaster Victor Ecimovich gave me my first taste of our Hefe Weizen straight from the unitank just as I returned from receiving a load of malt. Best thing that ever happened to me. I decided then and there to take this summer job seriously and learn the craft of brewing.

Hefe Weizen is unique among beer styles. Light as Lite, and with the depth of character of a big hoppy I.P.A. or roasty Stout. The style that practically begs you to drink more.

It is also a style seemingly tailor-made for the booming craft brewing industry. Of all styles I know, nothing tastes better straight out of the tank and no other beer fades so rapidly. Freshness is paramount in capturing the flavor of a Bavarian style wheat beer.

Classically, wheat and pale barley malts are paired with soft water, small amounts of noble hops and a spicy, phenolic top fermenting yeast. To my palate, it is the clove and banana esters produced by this classic yeast that truly makes the style. Alas, many a Northwesterly brewer disagrees and several have had remarkable success brewing a somewhat more tame product. Fine beers, but different than the classic Bavarian style.

I will leave the history and technical discussions to Eric Warner's fine book in the Classic Beer Style Series from Brewers Publications. Herr Warner covers everything anyone will ever need to know about Hefe Weizen and judging by his GABF Gold Medal winning interpretation, he knows his trub.

What all Hefe Weizens have in common, whether from Munich or Portland or somewhere in between (say, Milwaukee?) is a lightness of body and a remarkably refreshing character. Wheat certainly has something to do with the body, giving what would otherwise be a rather thin beer enough texture to separate it from "premium American lager". In a Bavarian example, all that extra protein also forms one of the beer world's rockiest heads. In the Motherland and the Midwest (home of many Germans), the head and the tall, sexy glass are the first give away to the beer inside. Lemons are optional (and not recommended by this brewer) adornments for those intimidated by the phenolic flavour. Which leads me to the signature character-cloves, bananas, Band-Aids-they're all in there to some degree. Hefe Weizens begin on the team of beers which smell better than they taste (and that's by no means an unacceptable balance). Until you take your first sip. Followed by a gulp. And another. "For Gambrinus' sake," shouts the Hefe Weizen, "drink me!"

The trouble with Hefe Weizen is exactly what makes it so appealing. It is essentially an ale of low to medium alcohol and bitterness with suspended microflora. Alcohol and hop acids are beer's only natural preservatives. With live yeast in the bottle, that leaves pasteurization and sterile filtering to other styles. And that microflora better all be Brewer's yeast or you're really in for something funky. Thus fresh beer becomes much more vital than any other style.

Beer Buying 101: German beer is fresh in Germany. Period. I've had acceptable imported Hefe Weizens, but I live in a huge city where lots of Germans and bottles of multiple Hefe Weizen brands line the shelves of most liquor stores and taverns. Most beer drinkers don't have that kind of access, and again, the imports are only acceptable. I've been to Munich and can safely report home field advantage is great when it comes to Hefe Weizen. Thus the craft brewer becomes responsible for brewing decent Hefe Weizen on this side of the Rhine.

Early micro examples of the Bavarian style can be traced to Randy Sprecher in Milwaukee and the Stoudts in Adamstown, Pa. More recently, I've tasted outstanding examples in the Bavarian tradition from Capital in Middleton, Wisconsin, Baltimore Brewing and Chicago Brewing. Best of the bunch is the Hefe Weizen from Tabernash brewed by Warner in Denver.

About same time as Sprecher and Stoudt began brewing phenolic versions, Kurt Widmer started his Alt Bier in what has become the American craft beer holy land. Soon every transplanted Southern Californian had a cloudy beer in his/her paw. A new style was born, but with the same name as an old one. Confusing. Many Northwest brewers now produce this refreshing, very clean "Widmer style" Hefe Weizen and I have yet to encounter a clove, banana or Band-Aid (at least intentional) perfume escaping from a mixing glass of Hefe in the craft brewing Mecca. Don't mistake my tone, these are very nice beers, just not what one familiar with the Bavarian style expects. I wish they had a different name.

Cloudy wheat beer is hot. The big boys, the three biggest anyway, are trying their hands at it now. Pierre Celis' much-loved White beer (wheat and yeast in a bottle, that makes it a Hefe, right?) now part of the Philip Morris stable. Anheuser-Busch and Coors are both "selectively marketing" Hefe Weizens they brew all by themselves. The biggest of the Hefe craft brewers, Widmer, has set up shop in Milwaukee to produce beer under contract for east of the Rockies.

What does it all mean? Perhaps this clear beer thing (and I don't mean Zima) was just a fad after all. A century and a half later it's time to dust off all those pewter and earthenware mugs and put the glass away. After all, its the look more than the flavour that unites all these beers under the Hefe Weizen flag. As for me, I'll just wait until it gets nice and hot here in Chicago and at the end of the day pour a nice phenolic half litre straight from the Unitank. And another. And another...

TASTING NOTES:

PAULANER Probably the most widely distributed Bavarian example. Enormous rocky head hangs around for days. Only a very fine haze left in beer with most yeasties on bottom of bottle. Lots of clove up front, but citric borders on sour mash flavour. Lightest bodied of four samples. Very drinkable but not outstanding after voyage.

WIDMER The first, middle and last names in West Coast style. Started as an Alt brewery and still makes a fine example. Made with wheat, lots I hear, and there is plenty of hefe. Lighter head than any of the others, fading quickly. Very yeasty nose. Cloudy bordering on murky appearance (is it true they ship kegs upside down?). Clean yeasty flavor with malt emphasis upfront and more hop character than the rest. No clove or banana or citric qualities. A very refreshing pint and a good starter for those entering the craft beer world.

A/B CROSS ROADS Follow the pouring directions on the bottle and get a sizable if temporary head. Very hazy with a touch of sediment at bottom.

Yes, that is banana I get in the nose. Very mild flavor. No perceivable hop bitterness. Clean finish with citric notes. "Where substantial flavor and easy drinking meet," so says the label. Considering the producer, the mild flavor and maximum drinkability are to be expected. Still this Hefe-Lightzen has some traditional character.

The TABERNASH's Eric Warner studied and brewed in Germany and it really shows. His Hefe pours very rough and a dense white head quickly rises in the glass. Hazy more than cloudy with just the right density of yeast. Citric clove aroma bursts from the glass inviting a drink. Deliciously fresh flavor, with hint of banana and vanilla but dominated by cloves. Noble hop in middle and very clean finish.

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All material copyrighted by the author and All About Beer Magazine. For subscription and book order information e-mail [email protected], check the subscription/order page in this forum, call 1-800-977-BEER, or write to All About Beer Magazine, 1627 Marion Ave. Durham, NC 27707.

HBO-II

Paul announces the opening of his new store in Davie, FL., located at the corner of Stirling Road and Davie Road extension, or about 3 miles west from I-95 exit # 25, and on the right in the Country Roads Shoppes. The address is 6319 Stirling Road and the Phone # is (954)-583-6407.

Paul invites you to come in and check it out if you are in the area. The store will be as well stocked as the one in West Palm Beach, and this means you can go there and expect the same products and service. Our own Victor Sears will be the operator. Vic, congaratulations on getting out of a job you didn’t like! All of us should be so lucky.

DALE

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

One more beer is the best medicine.

Its help is quick,

and the hurt is all gone.

German Proverb

Findings Products and Techniques

from Brew Your Own magazine

Clarifying beer involves understanding a few basic chemical and physical properties and can be broken down into three distinct areas of concern. The first steps take place during and immediately following the boil. Theses include coagulation and precipitation of proteins and spent hop material.

The second steps occur in the physical control of fermentation and conditioning of the beer and involve the removal of yeast.

The final measures occur during the finishing and packaging of the beer sand involve final yeast removal and sedimentation and chill-haze proofing.

Apart from manipulation of the brewing process, clarifying aids are available as ingredients that can be added to your brew.

These aids are collectively called finings and often work on the principles of attraction of positive and negative charges.

The Kettle Boil

The coagulation and precipitation of proteins in boiling wort is a natural process affected by heat, time and agitation. After just a few minutes of boiling , you should see a film forming on the top of the boiling wort. This is called hot break and consists of proteins that have clumped together because their structure was destroyed by heat and agitation.

Because of the proteins present in all grain worts, a 90 minute boil is recommended to maximize coagulation. Allow the wort to boil for 15 to 30 minutes before adding hops to maximize coagulation. A rapid, rolling boil should be maintained so that the proteins bump into each other and break down. If you can’t maintain a vigorous boil, stir vigorously and often.

Irish Moss is a kettle fining. Proteins in boiling wort are positively charged and Irish Moss is negatively charged. Added in the last ten minutes , 1/2 tsp. for five gallons will attract clumps of proteins and their weight will cause them to settle out of solution.

Whirlpooling can be easily accomplished by stirring the wort in a clockwise motion and allowing it to settle for about twenty minutes. During this time all the trub will settle into a cone in the middle of the kettle.

Cold Break . Some of the proteins will remain soluble at high temperatures and only precipitate when cooled. Cooling should be accomplished as quickly as possible to maximize the cold break.

Fermentation and Conditioning.

The main concern following primary fermentation is rapid settling and removal of yeast. As the yeast use up all available sugars they begin to flocculate, or clump, and settle out to form a layer of sediment at the bottom of the vessel. After the primary ferment is complete (3 to 5 days) the bee should be racked to a secondary where conditioning can commence.

It is best to initially Warm Condition ales at close to primary temperatures until there is no sign of activity in the airlock. If possible, decreasing the temperature to 50° for a few days and again to 40° for a few more days should produce a brilliant beer a packaging time. Lager should be stored at the coldest possible temperatures.

Gelatin combines with tannic acid to form larger particles that adhere to yeast and proteins and drag them out of solution. Gelatin should be used to fine lager beers because it requires colder temperatures to work effectively, and should be added to beer that is 50° or colder. The closer to freezing , the better it will work.

Isinglass is positively charged and attracts negatively charged yeast cells. It is a fining used in cask conditioned English Ales because of its ability to settle ale yeasts quickly. It should not be used in lagers as it will not clear and may even damage them. Add at packaging.

Chill Haze

Chill haze is the phenomenon that causes clear beer to become hazy when chilled. The chemical processes are the same as discuused earlier as cold break. However, homebrew that has been oxidized or areated during racking or bottling will be particularly succeptible to chill haze.

There are two basic methods of dealing with chill haze available to the homebrewer: degrading agents and adsorbents.

Papain is a protein degrading enzyme derive from the skin of papayas. The enzyme will break down proteins, prohibiting their interaction with tannins and eliminating the possibility of haze. Add at packaging.

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