Perhaps the oldest way of preparing grain for brewing, drying malt in the open air was traditional for lambics, white beers, and various rustic ales scattered around Europe, Africa, and beyond. Today, brewers and maltsters interested in history, terroir, and old-fashioned methods are taking their malt back out into the sun.
Originally inspired by the white beers of Pierre Celis, Allagash White has risen to become a widely recognized pillar of American craft as well as one of the most awarded beers in the genre—with a combined 14 Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup medals over the years.
One of Belgium’s most broadly appealing styles is a reincarnation and a reinvention, inspired by a tradition that disappeared more than 60 years ago. Today it’s enjoyed around the world and ubiquitous in its home country—and in Maine.
From Josh Weikert’s Make Your Best series, this is a great recipe for establishing your baseline witbier.
Human civilization has evolved alongside wheat, whose properties create a wide swath of beer’s diversity of flavor and texture—from quenching weissbier to soft, hazy IPA. Randy Mosher digs into its history and chemistry.
Wheat beers, in the hands of skilled brewers, bring out the best of expressive yeasts. Here, five pros share their favorites, across styles.
The founder and brewer of Chicago’s Keeping Together selects an experience-driven six-pack that transports her back to cherished moments in time.
Brewers don’t develop their tastes and skills in a vacuum; they’re affected by others, both before and during their careers. Here, Yvan De Baets of Brasserie de la Senne in Brussels chooses his pack and defends it (and wishes he could pick more than six).
Matt Tarpey, cofounder and head brewer of The Veil, selects a foundational six-pack that combines early experiences with the classics and those he still reaches for today.
Not flashy but sublime, refreshing, and comforting—especially on a hot day—here are a few of the world's finest wheat beers.