You pop open a bottle of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, an old reliable that you’ve been drinking since the 1980s.
As the name would suggest, these are ales that use a proportion of wheat in the mash to add a protein haze. Wheat ales inspired by the German weizen tradition were popular before Prohibition in the United States and are enjoying a resurgence in popularity. This generic category encapsulates the diverse interpretation of the classic German weizen styles brewed in America and elsewhere. A host of variables ranging from the wheat/malt ratio, hopping and filtration/non filtration all contribute to wide variations on the theme. Generally, U.S. examples feature a more marked hop accent than classic German weizen styles and are often dryer.
These dark wheat beers derive their character from the use of darker malts in the non-wheat ingredients, so that a richer, darker-colored beer can be achieved, along with fuller malt flavors. Dunkel weizens still display the floral, estery qualities of a pale weizen. Dark weizens are produced with or without a secondary fermentation in the bottle, with the corollary that these styles can be yeast sedimented or unsedimented depending upon the preference of the brewer.
Weizen bocks are essentially winter wheat beers, originally brewed in Bavaria. The color can be pale gold to brown. They are of higher alcoholic strength, as high as 7 percent ABV, showing a warming personality, though they should still have a significant rocky head when poured. These beers combine the character of hefeweizens and dopplebocks and as such are rich and malty with estery, yeasty qualities, and show a note of wheaty crispness through the finish.
Kölsch is an ale style emanating from Cologne in Germany. In Germany (and the European Community) the term is strictly legally limited to the beers from within the city environs of Cologne. Simply put, kölsch has the color of a pilsner with some of the fruity character of an ale. This is achieved with the use of top-fermenting yeasts and pale pilsner malts. The hops are accented on the finish, which classically is dry and herbal. It is a medium- to light-bodied beer and delicate in style. Most examples in the United States are brewpub draft interpretations produced during the summer months, though some commercial brewers produce a summer ale in the kölsch style.
98 The Dissident, Deschutes Brewery (OR) 2008. 9% ABV (9/10) Brilliant deep reddish copper color. Aromas of spiced apple, exotic
Bière de garde is a Flemish and northern French specialty ale generally packaged distinctively in 750-ml bottles with a cork. Historically, the style was brewed as a farmhouse specialty in February and March, to be consumed in the summer months when the warmer weather didn’t permit brewing. Typically produced with a malt accent, this is a strong (often over 6 percent), yet delicate bottle-conditioned beer. These brews tend to be profoundly aromatic and are an excellent companion to hearty foods.
Beers listed in this category will generally pack a considerable alcohol punch and should be approached much like one would a barleywine. Indeed, some of them could be considered Belgian-style barleywines, such as those from Brasserie Dubuisson. Expect a fruity Belgian yeast character and a degree of sweetness coupled with a viscous mouthfeel.
Do a search on Youtube for “Schlitz Rafting Beer Commercial with Dick and Joe” and you’ll be treated to one
These are also known as “soured beers” and their defining character classically comes from having been aged for some years in well-used, large wooden tuns, to allow bacterial action in the beer and thus impart the sharp “sour” character. Hops do not play much role in the flavor profile of these beers, but whole cherries can be macerated with the young beer to produce a cherry-flavored Belgian red ale. These styles are almost exclusively linked to one producer in northern Belgium, Rodenbach. These ales are among the most distinctive and refreshing to be found anywhere.
