What is a good wheat beer?

Answer 1

Believe it or not, the Trader Joe's/Gordon Biersch hef is quite good. I drink this regularly during summer.

But, the best of the best will always be Paulaner Weiss and Dunkel Weiss, IMHO. Franziskaner is awesome and Koenig Weiss is also tasty, but few things in this category can really come close to the Paulaner.

Oh, and a good wheat beer is NEVER served or consumed with fruit. It's a way to hide bad beer and an insult to brewers.

Answer 2

Paulaner Hefeweizen is my latest wheat beer favorite.

There are a lot of different types of wheat beers to choose from, though. Hefeweizen is any unfiltered wheat beer (meaning it is hazy) while kristallweizen is filtered and dunkelweizen is dark. Many belgian styles are made with wheat, but are quite different than American and German weizenbier styles. Witbier (white beer) is an example of belgian beer, and is made with corriander and orange peel.

If you want a hefeweizen, I'd steer clear of Widmer. They have some good brews, but their hefeweizen is bland. If you're looking for a witbier, I'd avoid Blue Moon (made by Coors). You can get a better witbier by looking for a belgian import. In general, American breweries have not yet mastered wheat beers the way German and Belgian breweries have, so for now I'd look for an import. There are some exceptions, but most of the one's I've found are from brewpubs that don't bottle... although the Trader Joe's is actually a decent beer (Spotted Cow isn't a wheat, though).

Lastly, to truly enjoy a wheat beer (as with any beer) it is important to allow the beer to develop a healthy amount of head (foam)--about 1 inch. This releases flavors that you will otherwise not be able to taste. This means you will need to pour it in a glass, and it means you will need to fight the urge to stick a lemon wedge in it (fight hard, you will thank me).

Answer 3

By far the best wheat beer I have had is Hoegaarden, the traditional Belgian white beer. It vaguely resembles a Blue Moon, and other American varieties, but it is much smoother and more sophisticated. If you get the chance, I recommend you try it. Like many Belgian beers, it will not disappoint.

Cheers!

Answer 4

Blue Moon definitely. And it IS an exciting beer. It tastes great (like blueberries almost) and is often served with an orange, which is O.K. but a little over rated. Its a Belgian wheat ale and you can get it at most beer distributors.

Answer 5

Sam Adams Wheat.

Answer 6

Blue Moon is good, but nothing too exciting. You can get it at almost any bar, which is nice to have a fall back like that.

Try Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat. It's from the Northwoods of Wisconsin, so I don't know how widespread they are. It has a hint of blueberry, but it's not as overpowering as the fruity-ness of a lot of beers. One sip puts me back on the pier fishing in Wisconsin on a hot summer day.

Or a Hefeweizen from your local brewery served with a slice of lemon. Those can sometimes be too fruity for me, so procede at your own risk!

Answer 7

I agree with the person who said hefeweizen. Delicious! Also, Franziskaner weiss, and Spotted Cow.

Answer 8

Hefeweizen

Answer 9

Blue Moon served with an orange wheel.

Answer 10

Add another vote for Hoegaarden!

I agree with everything stated above. (I gave her a thumbs up too!)