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6/5/08

Summer is here and so are all those summer beers. Lots of them are made with wheat, but what if crave a dark beer? Can you have one in the summer and not be bloated or full or wasted? Of course you can. Enter the dark wheat beer! Here is description on one of my favorite styles for you to try to brew or seek out on the store shelves.  Cheers!

15B. Dunkelweizen

Aroma: Moderate to strong phenols (usually clove) and fruity esters (usually banana). The balance and intensity of the phenol and ester components can vary but the best examples are reasonably balanced and fairly prominent. Optionally, a low to moderate vanilla character and/or low bubblegum notes may be present, but should not dominate. Noble hop character ranges from low to none. A light to moderate wheat aroma (which might be perceived as bready or grainy) may be present and is often accompanied by a caramel, bread crust, or richer malt aroma (e.g., from Vienna and/or Munich malt). Any malt character is supportive and does not overpower the yeast character. No diacetyl or DMS. A light tartness is optional but acceptable.

Appearance: Light copper to mahogany brown in color. A very thick, moussy, long-lasting off-white head is characteristic. The high protein content of wheat impairs clarity in this traditionally unfiltered style, although the level of haze is somewhat variable. The suspended yeast sediment (which should be roused before drinking) also contributes to the cloudiness.

Flavor: Low to moderately strong banana and clove flavor. The balance and intensity of the phenol and ester components can vary but the best examples are reasonably balanced and fairly prominent. Optionally, a very light to moderate vanilla character and/or low bubblegum notes can accentuate the banana flavor, sweetness and roundness; neither should be dominant if present. The soft, somewhat bready or grainy flavor of wheat is complementary, as is a richer caramel and/or melanoidin character from Munich and/or Vienna malt. The malty richness can be low to medium-high, but shouldn’t overpower the yeast character. A roasted malt character is inappropriate. Hop flavor is very low to none, and hop bitterness is very low to low. A tart, citrusy character from yeast and high carbonation is sometimes present, but typically muted. Well rounded, flavorful, often somewhat sweet palate with a relatively dry finish. No diacetyl or DMS.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium-full body. The texture of wheat as well as yeast in suspension imparts the sensation of a fluffy, creamy fullness that may progress to a lighter finish, aided by moderate to high carbonation. The presence of Munich and/or Vienna malts also provide an additional sense of richness and fullness. Effervescent.

Overall Impression: A moderately dark, spicy, fruity, malty, refreshing wheat-based ale. Reflecting the best yeast and wheat character of a hefeweizen blended with the malty richness of a Munich dunkel.

Comments: The presence of Munich and/or Vienna-type barley malts gives this style a deep, rich barley malt character not found in a hefeweizen. Bottles with yeast are traditionally swirled or gently rolled prior to serving.

History: Old-fashioned Bavarian wheat beer was often dark. In the 1950s and 1960s, wheat beers did not have a youthful image, since most older people drank them for their health-giving qualities. Today, the lighter hefeweizen is more common.

Ingredients: By German law, at least 50% of the grist must be malted wheat, although some versions use up to 70%; the remainder is usually Munich and/or Vienna malt. A traditional decoction mash gives the appropriate body without cloying sweetness. Weizen ale yeasts produce the typical spicy and fruity character, although extreme fermentation temperatures can affect the balance and produce off-flavors. A small amount of noble hops are used only for bitterness.

Commercial Examples: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel, Ayinger Ur-Weisse, Franziskaner Dunkel Hefe-Weisse, Schneider Weisse (Original), Ettaler Weissbier Dunkel, Hacker-Pschorr Weisse Dark, Tucher Dunkles Hefe Weizen, Edelweiss Dunkel Weissbier, Erdinger Weissbier Dunkel, Kapuziner Weissbier Schwarz

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Sam Adams Employee Brew-Off

 So, you work for Sam Adams and now you are required to brew a beer. It’s a very cool requirement to have. Think of it. Some places make you wear silly uniforms, some places make you attend boring meetings, and some have mandatory overtime. But you, you have to brew a beer. The problem is although you really love beer, and love working for Sam Adams and have an understanding of the brewing process, you really have no idea about home brewing. Well, don’t fret young brewing Jedi; the Hoppy Brewer is here to help.

             First you need equipment. I understand some employees get their stuff from a friend or can buy it online, but I would recommend getting your own equipment from a shop (subliminal Hoppy Brewer logo goes here) where you can get advice and the right equipment to fit you. Are you going to brew just one, or maybe you’ll be hooked and take up the hobby. Talk to someone to see what you need and do it right. Pony up the extra cash and get a True Brew kit or equivalent set up. Don’t bother with a Mr. Beer or a kit-in-a-can type brew. If you take your time and do it right, at the absolute minimum you will create a beer that you like, and that’s really the purpose of brewing anyway. To win the contest would be nice, but creating your own beer to share with friends and family should be your main focus. Everything else will fall into place.

 There are many questions that come up when having to brew for the first time, or the second time after the last time you were required to brew. “What should I brew?”, “Do you have any advice?” etc. So below is a list of questions and answers that may be helpful in your quest to become the next Sam Adams employee with his/her face on the box of Long-Shot beers.

 What should I brew?

• Think about what you and your friends like to drink. Then brew that. A beer is only good if you want to drink it!
• If you drink and like everything, then brew something out of the ordinary. Something you think there may be less entries in. Many people make brown ales, not everyone makes a Berliner-Weiss. But do note certain styles are harder than others.

Any advice?

• Check out www.bjcp.org. This will give you an idea of what judges are looking for when judging your beer.
• Use a Hydrometer and take good notes.
• Boil Uncovered.
• Do 2 stage fermentation if you can.

How do I make my beer stand out?

• If you are doing an extract batch, steep some grains in your beer to add complexity.
• Keep your fermentation temperature constant.
• Use liquid yeast. Dry yeast is good, but there are simply more available strains in liquid so you can nail a specific target beer style.
• Use Irish moss or some type of fining agent to get a nice clear beer. Of course don’t do this for authentic cloudy beers like German Wheat.
• Fresh ingredients and a balanced beer make a winner. It’s easy to put in lots of malt or hops, but if there is no balance something gets lost.

Simple or Complex?

• Again, this is totally up to you.

What do I do if it’s bad?

• Do it again.
• Don’t worry.
• Drink it.
• Cook with it.

Anything else?

• Just relax and have fun with it. It is after all, just beer. It can be simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Also, some people believe you must drink beer, preferable home brew, when making a home brew in order to appease the brewing Gods. Now this might not be true, but why take any chances.

 Cheers, Good Luck, and Have Fun!