3 Recipes for Your Best Summer Homebrew

Athletes aren’t the only people going for gold this summer. Brew up a winner with three summer beer recipes, each of which took home a gold medal at the American Homebrewers Association’s (AHA) National Homebrew Competition.

Weissbier

This Bavarian specialty is a classic for a reason. While there are many varieties of weissbier to enjoy, a traditional weissbier is brewed with at least 50 percent wheat and is characterized by a balance of fruity and spicy flavors. Beer lovers worldwide have been turning to weissbier to quench their summer thirst for centuries!

This recipe from California homebrewers Amber and Brian Rower is a delicious example of all that a weissbier should be. The key to its podium-worthy taste? A step mash and tightly controlled fermentation temperatures.

American Wheat Beer

American beer was rarely made with wheat before the 1980s, but in recent decades, craft brewers across the country have established their version of wheat beer as a fan-favorite summer sip. American wheat beers are required to use at least 30 percent wheat, compared to German weissbiers’ 50 percent. That, combined with the use of ale yeast strains instead of German weizen yeast, produces a milder, fruity flavor that’s easy to drink.

Try Keith Wright’s gold medal–winning recipe for American Beauty Wheat Beer to brew a swoon-worthy summer beer at home.

Sour Ale

With complex flavors and trademark tartness, the sour-beer category spans a variety of beer styles. No matter your drinking palate, the right sour will provide a refreshing pucker reminiscent of a glass of lemonade.

Homebrewer Kurt Dean’s Endless Mountains Sour Summer Ale is a Belgian-style ale intended to be enjoyed on a warm summer day. Containing five varieties of malt, this brew has notes of sour cherries and currants. Get the recipe and re-create his winning brew for yourself!

Level Up Your Homebrewing with the American Homebrewers Association

Whether you are new to homebrewing or are a seasoned professional, the American Homebrewers Association has the resources, recipes, and community you need to take your homebrewing to the next level.

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