Style Studies (Issue 18)

Once in a while, brewers come along who knows how to hit taste buds in a way that inspires deep appreciation and loyalty among beer drinkers and imitation by other brewers.

In this issue, Owen discusses how the approach to weissbier by Georg Schneider led to its great popularity and eventually to the complex and more modern Dunkels Weissbier, a style perhaps underappreciated by Americans.

In a familiar story that warrants some expert detail, the tale of Ken Grossman and his creation of the American Pale Ale comes to life in a technical discussion by Owen that sheds light on this beer’s ability to start a 20^th Century aroma and taste bud revolution.

Surely there will be more discoveries in the future that change the consumption habits of beer drinkers around the world. But until the next moment of gonzo creativity arrives, we’re left to celebrate those discoveries we enjoy in the present.

Cheers!

Dunkel Weissbier

Modern craft beer enthusiasts who focus on extreme beers and the latest trends may dismiss classic German-style wheat beers, known as weissbier or weizen, as boring and passé, but one visit to a picturesque Munich biergarten in the springtime to sip a cloudy, spicy, exquisite weissbier from a tall, traditional wheat beer glass will put an end to such iniquitous thoughts.

German wheat beers employ ancient strains of top-fermenting ale yeasts that work best at temperatures around 65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. These microbes produce spicy, clove, vanilla, and nutmeg flavor and aroma nuances that were probably found in many ales in the Bavarian region in the middle ages. Until the mid-1800s, German wheat beers were brewed in limited quantities by monks and royal nobility and did not make up a substantial quantity of the daily beer intake of the region.

The current popularity of Bavarian wheat beers can be traced back to Georg Schneider, who opened a Munich weissbier brewery in the 1850s, then expanded production to a facility in nearby Kelheim in 1872. Surrounded by the rural Hallertau hop growing region, the Kelheim brewery survived the bombs of World War II to supply Schneider Weisse to a new generation of thirsty post-war citizens. The fame of the somewhat dark and “old school” weissbier of Schneider led many Bavarian breweries to start production of weissbiers with more golden hues during the last half of the 20^th Century. 

Once weissbiers solidified their place in Bavarian beer culture, brewers began to experiment once again with wheat beer recipes made with darker malts as in the early days of weissbiers. These Dunkel Weissbiers contained all the refreshing complexity of golden weissbiers but offered more of a brown color along with a multi-faceted, rich malt profile of toasted bread crust and caramel.

Malted wheat usually makes up 50 to 70 percent of the grain bill of a typical Dunkel Weissbier, with Munich, Vienna, pilsner and dark wheat making up what’s left. Many think of the rich complexity of a Dunkel Weissbier as providing the refreshing fermentation character of a weissbier along with the dark malt complexity of a Munich dunkel lager. Weissbier “hefe” versions are unfiltered, with yeast sediment in the bottle that is often stirred up and poured with the beer.

A Dunkel Weissbier throws a tall, fluffy head and wafts light phenolic aromas of clove and fruity esters reminiscent of banana. Bubblegum notes should be restrained, along with any traces of spicy or floral hop fragrance and flavor. Clove-like fermentation compounds, bready wheat character and caramel-like malt complexity should be focal points of this style – all backed by a medium-light mouthfeel and spritzy effervescence.

Dunkels Weissbier

Stats – O.G.: 1.044 – 1.056, IBUs: 10 – 18, SRM: 14 – 23, ABV: 4.3 – 5.8%

Commercial Examples: Ayinger Ur-Weisse, Sprecher Dunkel Weizen, Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel, Tucher Dunkles Hefe Weizen, Franziskaner Dunkel Hefe-Weisse, Hacker-Pschorr Weisse Dark

American Pale Ale

As a teenager in southern California, Ken Grossman immersed himself in homebrewing and always told his mother, “It’s just an experiment. I’d never drink the stuff.” No one could have predicted that these rudimentary homebrews, concocted by the future founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, would help conceive the style of American pale ale now enjoyed around the world.

Grossman loved hops but had difficulty finding an acceptable supply in the 1970s. He made the drive north to Yakima, Washington and struck a deal with a hop grower to part with 100 pounds of whole cone hop samples that included fresh Cascade. He was in love.

Grossman’s greatest wish was to formulate a British-inspired pale ale using American hops. In 1980 he spent a great deal of time and money – dumping around ten batches of beer – before arriving at the final Sierra Nevada Pale Ale recipe that hit shelves commercially in March of 1981. Grossman admits, “This beer helped launch the American craft beer movement and changed the tastes of millions.”

A classic American Pale Ale (APA) should impart moderate aromas of spicy, citrusy, resiny American hop varieties supported by a low to moderate malt profile that’s sometimes described as having nuances of toast, bread, biscuits and even a hint of caramel in some examples. Dry-hopping offers added dimension to the nose of APAs, with restrained fruity esters also playing a role.

Colors range from golden to amber with moderate white to slightly off-white foam that usually boasts respectable staying power. Still bottle-conditioned and carbonated with residual yeast, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale bottles and cans contain a natural, creamy, soft carbonation and a slight layer of yeast at the bottom.

Expect a medium-light to medium mouthfeel and body with a smooth, somewhat dry finish from moderate hop flavor and bitterness. Perceived APA hop notes may include citrus, spice, pine resin, pineapple, kiwi, berry and/or hints of cherry. Fruity esters should be very light to moderate.

Less robust than a typical American IPA, the moderate malts of an APA come across as clean and somewhat simple – an appropriate background to highlight the focus on hop flavor and judicious bitterness. APAs present an accessible, sessionable balance.

In comparison with classic English pale ales, APAs usually exhibit lighter colors, fewer esters, less fermentation complexity and more restrained, or completely absent, caramel malt character.

When enjoying an APA, try a bit of bready provolone or dry Parmigiano Reggiano. Fried fish or chicken also make a perfect pairing choice, along with pepperoni pizza, grilled sausages and even a simple cheeseburger and fries.

American Pale Ale

Stats – O.G.: 1.045 to 1.060, IBUs: 30 to 50, SRM: 5 to 10, ABV: 4.5 to 6.2%

Commercial Examples: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Hill Farmstead Citra Single Hop Pale Ale, Deschutes Mirror Pond, Firestone Walker Pale 31, Troegs Pale Ale, Port Brewing Summer Pale Ale