hefeweizen

noun

hef·​e·​wei·​zen ˈhe-fə-ˌvīt-sᵊn  ˈhe-fə-ˌvī-zᵊn 

variants or Hefeweizen

plural hefeweizens or Hefeweizens

: an unfiltered, light-colored, and highly carbonated ale typically brewed with malted wheat

Pouring a cloudy, golden color with a thick foamy head from the wheat, hefeweizens also feature iconic banana, clove, bubblegum, and even black pepper aromas and notes from the yeast.

—HopCulture.com

Examples of hefeweizen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hubert’s Hefeweizen From: Adams Street, Chicago ABV: 5.2 percent Style: Hefeweizen Drink or dump: Drink. —Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024

Chai tea hefeweizen, orange mint IPA, peach fig pale ale and smoked maple bacon black ale among them. —Colin Campbell, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024

At last summer’s San Diego International Beer competition, the fledgling operation won a gold medal for its hefeweizen and a silver for its Scottish ale. —Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Jan. 2024

While many venture to Germany to sample hefeweizen at Oktoberfest, Frankfurt’s own apfelwein (alcoholic apple cider) is the state of Hessen’s most popular drink. —Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2023

Judges named Fat Head’s Goggle Fogger, a German-style Hefeweizen, best in show. —Marc Bona, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2023

Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao 1 oz pineapple juice .5 oz yuzu juice .25 oz ginger juice .5 oz raspberry syrup Hefeweizen beer Raspberries Instructions Shake and strain on ice in a highball glass. —Sam Dangremond, Town & Country, 5 Apr. 2023

Pub styles dominate, with a porter, pale, amber and IPA, plus a hefeweizen and a couple of lagers. —oregonlive, 8 Aug. 2022

Schnitzky, a hefeweizen, is always on tap alongside a wide range of styles and rotation of seasonal brews. —Hannah Kirby, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 22 Dec. 2021

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Hefeweizen (short for Hefeweizenbier), from Hefe "yeast" (going back to Middle High German hebe, hefe, going back to late Old High German heffa, heve, hephe "yeast, sourdough, dregs of a liquid," going back to West Germanic *hafjōn —whence also Middle Low German heffe "yeast"— noun derivative from the base of *hafja- "to lift, raise") + Weizen "wheat," going back to Middle High German weiz, weizze, going back to Old High German hweizi, weizi — more at heave entry 1, wheat

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above