Hoppy Wheats

I like pale wheats, I just haven't tried many examples of the style. Lagunitas Lil Sumpin' Sumpin was a -very- hoppy wheat in my opinion, basically a wheat IPA, and Bell's Oberon is one of my favorite beers.

 

I really like Breckenridge Brewery's Ophelia hoppy wheat. I've only had that and 80 Acre. Good warm weather beers to me, but nothing I'm going to seek out all the time.

 

I like Oberon, but I haven't ventured into the style much, as I usually drink wheat beers to avoid hoppiness. Spyhop from O'Connors brewing was another one I enjoyed that I think would fit the bill.

I will say that I did NOT enjoy Lagunitas. I usually just do not mesh well with the hop profile they use in most if not all of their beers. Not for me.

 

I'll second Lagunitas lil sumpin sumpin.

 

Hop Sun from Southern Tier is a pretty good hoppy pale wheat beer. It's a summer seasonal.

 

80 Acre is solid. Great tailgating beer!

 

Lately, I've been enjoying the hell out of Fortunate Islands from Modern Times out of San Diego. Really tasty brew at only 4.8% ABV. Plus, bonus points for coming in a 16 oz. can.

 

Just had Snow Angel last night. An imperial ipa brewed with wheat made by Slumbrew. Loved the sweetness and body added from the wheat.

 

I love them, but I can't see them as a distinct style, instead viewing them as being under the ever-expanding IPA umbrella. To me, Gumballhead and Sumpin' are so hop-forward that, if I had never had either and was given a blind taste test, I don't think the wheat aspect would jump out at me.

Oberon is a better example of something distinct, as I perceive the wheat much more as I drink it, and the hops, while definitely present, aren't at center stage. So I'd say "pale wheat ale" has a better claim at being a distinct style, and not just the offspring of something else.

 

I like 80 acre very much, but I'd probably choose the regular Blvd wheat 9 times out of 10. To me, wheats should be "refreshing" and the less hops, the better. But that's just me. Locally, Choc is famous for their wheat beers and they have the style nailed down pat.

 

Nearly no distro whatsoever, but Stalkholm Syndrome from Blue Lobster in Hampton, NH is outstanding.

 

Definitely agree with Lil Sumpin Sumpin! Not sure about Oberon though, last few times I had it I didn't really pick up on too many hops. I would really like to try more of this "style" for sure.

 

I agree and I had Ophelia for the first time recently and was pleasantly surprised.

 

Damnit, I thought this thread was gonna be about a breakfast cereal.

 

I had Oberon a while ago, liked it, don't know if I consider it a very "hoppy" wheat (it was a while ago).

Lehigh Valley Beer Week starts tomorrow here and I am very interested in trying winning homebrewer's recipe of a wheat IPA. His recipe is being brewed by Fegley's @ Allentown Brew Works. Gonna have a good time this week.

 

You know its a good American wheat if you can't taste the wheat.

At least in my opinion....

 

Oberon is definitely a pretty standard pale wheat ale. Supposedly, it has 23 IBUs, and for comparison sake, Lil' Sumpin Sumpin has 64. Although IBUs can be an imperfect measurement, as 80 Acre is only listed at 20 IBUs, and I would say that it is a much hoppier wheat than Oberon.

Personally, my favorite hoppy wheats are 80 Acre (I almost never drink Boulevard's regular wheat now, even though it was one of my staples when I first got into craft beer) and second the mention of Hop Sun. That one might be my favorite hoppy wheat--I wish it was year-round.

Lil' Sumpin Sumpin is good, but to me, it's an IPA. Period. I also thought Fortunate Islands was alright, but the body was a little thin for my taste.

 

I second Fortunate Islands. At 4.8% and in a pint can, this is gonna be a great summer beer. Also, Oskar Blues just released (AFAIK it's new) a wheat IPA on draft called Icey Wheat. There's a couple reviews up as IceyPA. I thought it was pretty good

 

I don't like hoppy wheats nearly as much as a good German heferweiser.