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Make Your Best Lichtenhainer

This light and quenching smoked wheat beer remains a relatively obscure platypus in the style canon. Lichtenhainer is undeniably odd yet easy to brew and lots of fun to drink.

Josh Weikert Feb 18, 2024 - 3 min read

Make Your Best Lichtenhainer Primary Image

Photo: Matt Graves/mgravesphoto.com

A tart session beer with wheat and smoke? If Lichtenhainer is in there, then the style guidelines must have it all covered.

Still, I’d bet money that most dedicated beer geeks have yet to try one. This is one strange, wonderful, and surprisingly simple-to-brew style. If you want to impress your fellow brewers, pour them a Lichtenhainer and be ready to answer questions about it for the rest of the night.

Style: Lichtenhainer is a low-alcohol wheat beer with moderate acidity. “But wait,” you’re thinking, “isn’t that a Berliner weisse?” Nope. Not that sour. “Okay, a gose, then!” Nope. No salt or coriander. Oh, did I mention that it’s smoked? This is basically the platypus of beers. ABV rarely ventures above 4 percent, traditionally, but modern versions can creep higher. Smoke and acidity should be in balance with each other and drive the flavor, with wheat in a supporting role.

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