In the simplest terms, wheat beer is a top-fermented beer that has a large percentage of wheat as opposed to the usual barley. There are different types of wheat beers — including the popular American wheat beer, witbier, hefeweizen, gose, Berliner Weiss, and a handful of others. And while winter is usually the domain of darker, maltier beers, we believe there is absolutely room for this wheat-centric, flavorful beer when the weather is cold.
Don’t believe us? Well, take a look at any online beer retailer or stroll down the aisles of your favorite grocer or beer store and you’re sure to run into at least a handful of these bready, lemongrass-tinged, sometimes spicy brews. Keep scrolling to see eight of our favorites ranked based on overall flavor and how well they match with freezing winter weather.
8) Blue Moon Belgian White
ABV: 5.4%
Average Price: $11 for a six-pack
The Beer:
In the American beer landscape, there are few wheat beers more recognizable than Blue Moon Belgian White. Launched back in 1995, this Belgian-style witbier is brewed by MillerCoors and is available pretty much anywhere you can find beer.
Tasting Notes:
The smell is all cereal grains and generic orange zest aroma. There are some yeasty smells as well. That’s about it. The palate is more of the same. Sweet cereal grains, orange zest, light yeast. That’s it. It’s not an abrasively bad beer, it’s just as boring as it gets when it comes to wheat beer.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for a simple, easy-drinking wheat beer with little to no substance, Blue Moon Belgian Wheat is for you. Otherwise, grab one of the myriad other options.
7) Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat
ABV: 4.4%
Average Price: $11 for a six-pack
The Beer:
You absolutely know what you’re getting when you crack open one of these bad boys. It’s literally called Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat. First brewed in 1990, it’s known for its light, easy-drinking, citrus-forward flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose: orange peels, lemon zest, yeast, banana, and the usual wheat beer notes. Sipping it reveals sweet malts, cereal grains, yeast, orange peels, lemon, light banana, grass, and just a hint of spice at the finish. Sadly, while it has a ton of flavor, it’s all fairly muted.
Bottom Line:
Great aromas and flavors, but it’s all a bit watery and unexciting. Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat is a crushable beer, but that’s about it.
6) Hoegaarden
ABV: 4.9%
Average Price: $11 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Another name that most beer drinkers are familiar with is Hoegaarden. This classic Belgian witbier is known for its balanced, complex flavor profile featuring orange, banana, and wintry spices. It’s definitely well-suited for winter drinking.
Tasting Notes:
Classic witbier aromas of sweet yeast, bananas, fruit esters, and light spices greet your nose before your first sip. The flavor is a mix of bubblegum, banana, yeast, coriander, orange zest, and other flavors. Like some of the other beers above it, the lower ABV makes it slightly watery.
Bottom Line:
It’s obvious why this beer is popular. It’s just a little watery and light for our liking. We wish the flavors had a little more oomph.
5) Avery White Rascal
ABV: 5.6%
Average Price: $13 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Avery White Rascal is the popular Colorado-based brewery’s take on the traditional Belgian-style witbier. This award-winning beer is unfiltered and flavored with Curacao orange peel and coriander. It’s sweet, yeasty, spicy, and perfect for winter.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is loaded with orange peel, sweet yeast, coriander, and various other spices. It’s a very inviting start that leads to a palate of cereal grains, yeast, cracker-like malts, banana, coriander, fruit esters, and light wintry spices.
Bottom Line:
As wheat beers go, it’s hard to beat the appeal of Avery White Rascal. It’s well-balanced and highly flavorful. Its added spices might turn off some drinkers, but we think they’re very complimentary.
4) Ommegang Witte
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Cooperstown, New York’s Brewery Ommegang is as close as you’ll get to an authentic European-style brewery in the United States and its Witte is one of the best examples of this. Brewed with malted and unmalted wheat, it gets its memorable flavor from the addition of coriander and sweet orange peel.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of cloves, coriander, orange peel, lemon, yeast, and banana are prevalent on the nose. The palate is fruity and dry with notes of coriander, candied orange peel, lemon zest, banana, and yeast. The finish is a nice mix of sweetness and bitterness that leaves you craving more.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to authentic takes on classic European wheat beers, it’s difficult to beat the complexity and flavor profile of Ommegang Witte.
3) Unibroue Blanche de Chambly
ABV: 5%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Named for Quebec’s Fort Chambly, this 5% award-winning Belgian-style witbier is known for its mix of wintry spices (coriander, cloves, and other spices), orange peel, and yeasty flavor. Even though it was made in Canada, one sip will transport you to Belgium.
Tasting Notes:
Bready, yeasty aromas start things off and then move into orange peels, coriander, and cloves. The palate follows suit with sweet wheat, orange zest, lemongrass, fruit esters, and gentle, warming spices. Overall, it’s a very flavorful, sweet, spicy winter sipper.
Bottom Line:
Unibroue is one of those breweries that produces nothing but authentic, flavorful bangers and Blanche de Chambly is no different.
2) Allagash White
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: $10 for a four-pack
The Beer:
If you took a poll of beer fans and asked them to tell you the best American wheat beer, you’d probably get a majority telling you about Allagash White. Great for the summer and even better in the winter, this Belgian-style wheat beer is brewed with oats, malted wheat, and raw wheat. It gets its memorable flavor from coriander and Curaçao orange peel.
Tasting Notes:
Wheat, yeast bread, orange peel, coriander, and light banana are prevalent on the nose. Wheat, cracker-like malts, yeast, orange zest, coriander, cloves, banana, and light spices make up the complex palate. It’s the kind of beer you need to drink more than once to find everything.
Bottom Line:
Allagash White with its complex, well-balanced flavor profile is a beer that you’ll want to (if you already don’t) stock in your fridge all year long.
1) Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier
ABV: 5.4%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Not only is Germany’s Weihenstephaner the longest continually operating brewery in the world with a genesis of 1040, but it also produces a variety of award-winning, delicious beers. This includes its flagship Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier. This traditional Bavarian beer is known for its complex flavor profile of bananas, cloves, and orange peels.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is highlighted by fruit esters, bananas, bready malts, cloves, yeast, coriander, and sweet orange peels. The inviting nose leads to a palate of yeasty bread, cracker-like malts, sweet wheat, coriander, bubblegum, orange peels, ripe bananas, and wintry spices.
Bottom Line:
There are few wheat beers more flavorful and well-rounded as Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier. If you haven’t yet tried it, we implore you to. It will be your new favorite wheat beer.