Lager and wheat beers are two of the most popular beer styles in the world. Both are brewed with different types of yeast and have unique flavor profiles.
Lagers are typically light-bodied and crisp, while wheat beers tend to be fuller-bodied and slightly sweeter.
Sour beers, like Berliner Weisse, Gose and Lambic, are also wheat beers and are made with wild bacteria and yeast strains that give the beer a tart, acidic flavor. These beers are often refermented with fruit, which complements their sour flavor.
Sour beers are usually lower in alcohol, making them perfect for summertime drinking. But be aware that they may still contain gluten (as they are wheat beers) if you are intolerant!
If you have a hard time choosing between lager and wheat beer, the short version is:
If you’re looking for a refreshing, easy-drinking beer, go with a lager. Some popular brands include Budweiser, Miller Lite, and Coors Light.
For something a little more flavorful, try a wheat beer. Wheat beers often have notes of citrus or banana, and they pair well with food.
We recommend Boulevard Wheat, Sierra Nevada Kellerweis, and Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier.
If you are even more adventurous and perhaps, like me, into the more wild cider and wine-like notes, go for a sour beer!
How Do Lagers and Wheat Beers Differ?
Lagers and wheat beers differ in a few key ways. The main difference is that lagers are brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast, while wheat beers are brewed with top-fermenting yeast.
This gives each type of beer its own unique flavor profile. Lagers tend to be clean and crisp, while wheat beers can be more fruity and flavorful (especially sour wheat beers!).
Another big difference between these two types of beer is the aging process. Lagers need to be aged for longer periods of time than wheat beers in order to reach their full potential flavorwise.
However, here sour beers are an exception, as some sours are aged for at least 20 years on barrels and bottle!
Finally, lagers typically use hops as their bittering agent, while wheat beers often use fruit or spices instead (or in addition to hops). So there you have it!
A few key differences between lagers and wheat beers that you can keep in mind next time you’re out at your local brewery or pub picking up a pint.
Just because lagers are bottom-fermented doesn’t mean they’re any less fun than top-fermented wheat beers. Try both and see for yourself! Click To Tweet
What are Wheat Beers Exactly?
Wheat beer has a long and complicated history, dating all the way back to ancient times. In fact, it is one of the oldest types of beer in existence.
The earliest known references to wheat beer come from Egypt and Mesopotamia, where barley was the primary grain used in brewing. However, there are also many references to beers made with other grains such as emmer (a type of wheat), spelt, and rye.
It wasn’t until much later that wheat became a major player in European brewing. The first real Wheat Beers were brewed in Germany during the Middle Ages.
At this time, most beer was still being made with ale yeast, which ferments at warmer temperatures than modern lager yeast.
This meant that brewers had to find ways to keep their beer cool during fermentation, which was no easy task given the lack of refrigeration technology at that time.
One solution was to add large amounts of hops, which not only helped preserve flavor but also acted as a natural antiseptic.
Another common method was to ferment the beer at lower temperatures by using ale yeast strains that could tolerate cooler conditions.
Either way, “Weizen” beer came about as a result of brewer’s experimentation with different grains and fermentation techniques. Today, wheat beer is more popular than ever.
There are countless different styles to choose from, ranging from light and refreshing hefeweizens to rich and creamy dunkelweizens.
And with the craft beer revolution in full swing, there’s no shortage of innovative brewers out there experimenting with new takes on this classic style.
So whether you’re a longtime fan or just getting started, there’s sure to be a wheat beer out there that suits your taste.
Are wheat beers ales or lagers?
Wheat beers can be either ales or lagers, depending on the fermentation process used to make them:
- Wheat Ales: Many wheat beers are ales. These beers are brewed using a top-fermenting yeast, which means the yeast ferments at warmer temperatures, typically between 60°F to 72°F (15°C to 22°C). Wheat ales often have a light and refreshing taste with fruity or spicy notes. The most common type of wheat ale is the “Witbier,” a Belgian-style beer that includes ingredients like coriander and orange peel.
- Wheat Lagers: Some wheat beers are lagers. These beers are brewed using a bottom-fermenting yeast, which ferments at cooler temperatures, usually between 44°F to 55°F (7°C to 13°C). Wheat lagers can have a clean and crisp flavor profile and are less common than wheat ales.
Key Takeaway: Wheat beer has a long, complicated history dating back to ancient times. Today, there are many different styles to choose from, ranging from light and refreshing hefeweizens to rich and creamy dunkelweizens. Wheat beers can be either ales or lagers, depending on the yeast used and the brewing process employed by the brewery.
What are lagers and how do they compare to other beer types?
Lagers and other types of beer each have their own distinct characteristics that set them apart. Lagers are typically light in color and body, with a clean, crisp flavor.
They are fermented at cooler temperatures than ales, resulting in fewer esters and less fruity aromas. Pilsners are a type of lager that is slightly hoppier than the average lager, while dark lagers offer a more robust malt character with hints of caramel or toffee.
Porters are darker beers made from roasted malts which give them a unique flavor profile featuring notes of coffee or chocolate.
Brown ales also feature roasted malts but tend to be lighter in body and more balanced between sweet and bitter flavors. India Pale Ales (IPAs) use hops for bitterness as well as aroma; they can range from light-bodied to full-bodied depending on the variety used.
Belgian-style ales often contain spices such as coriander or orange peel for added complexity; these beers can be quite strong due to high alcohol content but usually have an enjoyable balance between sweet and tart flavors.
Wild & Sour Beers include sour styles like Berliner Weisse or Gose which rely on wild yeast strains for fermentation; these beers often feature complex acidity levels ranging from mild tartness to intense sourness depending on the strain used during brewing process.
Finally, specialty beers encompass any style not mentioned above such as fruit beer, smoked beer, wheat beer etc.
These beers may contain additional ingredients like fruits or herbs that contribute unique aromas and flavors not found in traditional styles of beer making them great options for those looking to explore new tastes.
Ultimately when choosing between a lager or another type of beer it comes down to personal preference so don’t hesitate to experiment until you find what works best for you.
Lagers are a popular choice among beer drinkers, but they are not the only type of beer available. In the next section, we will explore the differences between lagers and other types of beer such as stouts and ales.
How to Tell Lagers and Wheat Beers Apart?
Lagers and wheat beers are two of the most popular types of beer consumed today.
But, how can you tell them apart?
Here is a quick guide on how to distinguish between the two:
When it comes to lagers, the first thing you’ll notice is that they tend to be light in color. This is due to the fact that during brewing, lager yeasts ferment at lower temperatures than other yeast strains.
As a result, these brews tend not have as much of the fruity esters or bitter phenols present in other styles (wheat beers included).
Lagers also boast a crispness and cleanliness that derive from their lengthy cold-storage conditioning period – something which gives them their refreshing character.
On the flip side, wheat beers get their name from the significant amount of wheat used in their grist (grain bill). In comparison to barley-based brews, wheat creates a lighter body along with more subtle flavors.
When it comes down to taste, expect your typical hefeweizen (a type of German Wheat Beer) to offer up notes of banana bread and cloves with very little hop presence.
Another way to identify this style is by its cloudy appearance – another characteristic imparted by using high percentages of wheat malt.
Now that you know a little more about lagers and wheat beers, go out there and explore all the different varieties each style has to offer!
Key Takeaway: Lagers are light in color and have a crisp, clean taste. Wheat beers get their name from the wheat used in their grist and have a cloudy appearance.
The Different Types of Lager Beers
Lager is a type of beer that gets its name from the German word meaning “to store.” Lagers are typically made with bottom-fermenting yeast, and they are fermented at lower temperatures than other types of beer.
This process results in a cleaner, crisper flavor.
There are many different styles of lager available, including:
Pilsner:
Pilsners are light in color and body, and they have a crisp, dry finish. They originated in the Czech Republic and use Saaz hops for bitterness.
Bock:
Bocks are dark brown or black beers with a malty flavor and a moderate alcohol content. They originate from Germany and Bavaria (where they were first brewed by monks).
Doppelbock is a stronger version of this style.
Helles:
Helles means “light” in German, referring to both the color and body of this style of lager.
Helles beers are straw-colored with low hop bitterness levels; they originated in Munich, Germany as an alternative to Pilsners (which were becoming more popular at the time).
These three styles make up the vast majority of commercially-available lagers; however there endless possibilities when it comes to brewing your own custom batch!
Key Takeaway: Lagers are typically light-colored, bottom-fermented beers that are storedfermented at lower temperatures, resulting in a crisp, clean flavor.
The Different Types of Wheat Beers
When it comes to wheat beers, there are a few different styles that stand out. The German Weizenbier and the Belgian witbier are two of the most popular, while sour beers like Berliner Weisse, Gose and Lambic are also gaining in popularity.
So, what is the difference between these different types of wheat beer?
German Weizenbier, or wheat beer, is brewed with a combination of wheat and barley. The wheat gives the beer a light, refreshing flavor, while the barley adds body and depth.
Weizenbiers are usually unfiltered, which gives them a cloudy appearance. They are also usually served with a lemon wedge, which helps to bring out the beer’s flavor.
The Belgian witbier, or white beer, is also brewed with wheat and barley. However, the wheat is the dominant grain in this beer, giving it a light, tart flavor.
Witbiers are also unfiltered, and often contain spices like coriander and orange peel.
Sour Beers are also wheat beers!
Sour beer is a type of wheat beers that has shot up in popularity in the U.S. over the last few years, becoming an enticing beverage to people looking to branch out their beer palates or to those wanting to try something new.
Highly tart, sour beers can take on many forms, including Belgian-style Lambic beer, fruity Flanders ale and lemony Berliner Weisse beer.
With the addition of fruits like cherry, raspberry or peach, sour beers marry sweet and sour to make beer flavors completely unlike the lagers and IPAs of yore.
So, what exactly is sour beer?
Sour beer is, quite simply, beer that is intentionally tart or acidic. The tartness comes from the use of wild yeast or bacteria strains during the brewing process, which add a characteristic tang to the final flavor profile.
These beers can also be aged in barrels that have previously held wine or spirits, picking up additional flavors from the wood.
Sours can be light and refreshing, or rich and complex – it all depends on the style of beer and the techniques used by the brewers. Because of the use of wild yeast and bacteria, sour beer is often thought of as being ‘funky’ – and that’s not a bad thing!
If you’re looking to try a sour beer, there are a few things you should know. First, sours are often low in hop bitterness, so don’t expect the same level of bitterness that you might find in an IPA.
Second, because of the use of wild yeast, sour beer can sometimes have a slightly ‘off’ flavor – but again, this is part of the charm of these beers.
So, next time you’re looking to try something new, don’t be afraid to pick up a sour beer. You might just find your new favorite style of beer.
FAQs
Does Wheat Beer Taste Like Lager?
Lager is a type of beer that is brewed using bottom-fermenting yeast, while wheat beer is brewed using top-fermenting yeast.
The two types of beer have different taste profiles, with lager being crisp and clean-tasting and wheat beer being fruity and slightly sweet.
When Should I Drink a Wheat Beer Instead of a Stout or Lager?
Wheat beers are generally lighter and more refreshing than stouts or lagers, making them ideal for summertime drinking. However, they can also be enjoyed year-round depending on your personal preferences.
Conclusion
Hopefully, after reading this in-depth blog post you’ve learned more about the different between lager and wheat beers.
Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or new to the world of beer, it’s important to be able to find the drink that best suits your style.
So with all that in mind, go out and try some wheat and lager beers, because they’re both delicious!
