After a day filled with beach outings, park jogs, or tackling garden chores, many people turn to refreshing “lawnmower beers,” those light and sessionable brews marketed for summertime enjoyment. However, there are better options that not only refresh but also tantalize the taste buds: wheat beers.

Historically, wheat has been a key ingredient in brewing, with its use dating back over 8,000 years to the Sumerians and Egyptians. Though barley is generally preferred for brewing due to its starch conversion capabilities, wheat remains popular and yields unique and delicious flavors. Wheat beers, which gained traction in Europe around the 12th century—chiefly in southern Germany, the Czech Republic, and Belgium—are characterized by their smooth, creamy, and malty profiles.

These refreshing beers typically come with generous foam heads and lower bitterness, allowing the flavors to shine. The yeast used can impart flavors such as banana and clove, while breweries often enhance them with additional flavors like orange peel and coriander.

Types of Wheat Beer

Wheat beers are diverse, with brewers today creating both traditional European styles and innovative new varieties. Below are a few standout types:

• Hefeweizen (Weissbier): Perhaps the most well-known wheat beer, hefeweizen features yeast that isn’t filtered out of the beer, leading to a traditional hazy appearance. This style has notes of banana and clove, making it smooth and enjoyable on a hot day.

• Kristallweizen: This is a filtered version of hefeweizen that appears clear, retaining a similarly light and refreshing character.

• Dunkelweizen: A darker variant of hefeweizen, dunkelweizen incorporates richer flavors but still shares the underlying smoothness.

• Weizenbock: A bock beer brewed with wheat, combining the robust flavors typical of bocks with the softness of wheat malt.

• Witbier: Originating from the Flanders region of Belgium, this style is unfiltered, often featuring coriander and orange peel for a distinctly refreshing taste. The revival of witbier in the 1960s led to innovations and popular versions like Blue Moon and Allagash White.

• Berliner Weisse: A lightly sour, low-alcohol beer made with wheat, often enjoyed with flavored syrups for added sweetness.

• Gose: This low-alcohol, sour beer is brewed with wheat and often salted, creating a unique flavor profile that stands out among summer options.

Embracing the variety of wheat beers offers a delectable alternative to the typical “lawnmower beer,” making them a perfect companion for warm-weather relaxation and enjoyment.