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

Lagers, pale ales, hefeweizens, stouts, and Kölsch beers are all on the menu. —Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025

Hefeweizens are also fairly complex, and many will impart hints of nutmeg, vanilla or a whiff of light smokiness. —Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025

Enjoy a pour of hefeweizen at Woodwright Brewing Company, an IPA at Caledonia Brewing, or an English ale at Cueni Brewing Co. Pull up a barstool for lunch at Olde Bay Café, a no-frills seafood dive overlooking the marina. —Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 12 July 2025

Its beers include several IPAs like Head Hunter, Jungle Juice and Sunshine Daydream as well as other styles like Bumble Berry honey blueberry ale, and Goggle Fogger hefeweizen. —Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

Taiwan Head Brewers, a craft beer imported by the chefs’ friends in Taiwan, provided a light hefeweizen ($10) that cooled the tongue between spicy bites. —Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2024

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

Rhymes for hefeweizen

• horizon
• mizen