Wheat beer

When the mash behind a beer is built wholly or partly from wheat malt instead of the usual barley malt, the result is a wheat beer — Weissbier, witbier, and American wheat ale among them. Wheat proteins bring the signature haze and a full, creamy mouthfeel, and traditional yeast strains add the banana-and-clove aromatics of Bavarian examples. Dense, persistent foam and that cloudiness are the classic quality markers. The same proteins that make the body can fight the brewer in the lauter tun, so mash management needs care, and spiced versions with coriander and orange peel extend the family. For brewers it is a filtration challenge and a showcase of how grain choice shapes character.