Wheat beer is a top-fermented beer which is brewed with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. The two main varieties are German Weizenbier and Belgian witbier; other types include Lambic, Berliner Weisse, and Gose.

What makes a beer a Hefeweizen?

Hefeweizen is a type of weiss beer—German for “white beer.” Hefeweizen itself translates to “yeast wheat” in German. Made up of >50% wheat, weiss beers are characterized by a strong presence of banana and clove, even vanilla or bubblegum, in the aroma and flavor.

How do you tell if a beer is a wheat beer?

A wheat beer is any beer made up of at least 50 percent wheat, which is a much higher proportion than other beers that are primarily made of barley, rye, or adjuncts like rice and corn. Wheat beers come in as many styles as you can imagine, but in general, they're light, summery, and refreshing.