American Ales: American Wheat Ale

Can be made with either ale or lager yeast. Brewed with 30 to 75 % malted wheat, and hop rates may be low to medium.Fruity-estery aroma and flavor are typical but at low levels, however, phenolic, clove-like characteristics should not be perceived.The character should portray a full yeasty mouthfeel and appear hazy to cloudy. Yeast flavor/aroma should be low to medium but not overpowering the balance and character of malt and hops.

Notes: These beers can be fermented with either ale or lager yeast. The grist should include at least 30 percent malted wheat. Versions served with yeast may exhibit somewhat higher perceived bitterness and fuller mouthfeel. When using these guidelines as the basis for evaluating entries at competitions, organizers may wish to further subcategorize this category based on the presence or absence of yeast, use of darker malts, etc.

  • ABV: 3.5%-5.6%
  • ABW: 2.8%-4.4%
  • IBU: 10-35
  • Color (SRM): 2-10
  • Color (EBC): 4-20
  • Original Gravity: 1.036-1.056
  • Original Gravity °P: 9-13.8
  • Final Gravity: 1.004-1.016
  • Final Gravity °P: 1-4.1

Style info provided entirely or in part by the Brewers Association 2021 beer style guidelines.

30 American Wheat Ale Reviewed

Beer Brewery Rate Avg.
Summer Weizen Smuttynose Brewing Company 7.20
Über Sun Southern Tier Brewing Company 7.00
UFO Hefeweizen Harpoon Brewery 5.00
Unfiltered Wheat Beer Boulevard Brewing Company 7.66
White Chocolate Ale Sonoran Brewing Company 5.22
Whitsun Ale Arcadia Brewing Company 6.76