Best Top 10 Beers in 2021

Best Top 10 Beers in 2021

Find your new go-to brew.

For those unfamiliar with wheat beer, the key difference is that it’s brewed with a higher percentage of wheat in proportion to malted barley, which is typically used to make beer. Beyond that, there are different styles within the category, and each brings different flavors to the party.

In addition to American wheat beer, there’s hefeweizen from German and witbier from Belgian. Both are,of course, made predominantly with wheat; witbier, however, is often brewed with spices as well, and hefeweizen frequently has a yeasty character to it, along with notes of banana.

The bottom line is that wheat beer really does have flavor characteristics that separate it from other types of beer. Furthermore, there are many domestic breweries, both craft and large, as well as foreign, that are making excellent wheat beer. Plus, many pair very well with food.

We spoke to some industry experts to get their picks, and came up with some of our own, to help guide you through the best wheat beers to try now.

Best in all: Allagash White

Region: Maine | ABV: 5.2% | Tasting Notes: Yeast, Citrus, Spice

“Allagash White has gone from a small craft beer to a household name in under 25 years, and for good reason. It is light-bodied and citrusy, so it's perfect for the summer.” Furthermore, most people likes the beer's deep, complex spice profile that has customers reaching for it all year.

Others also tapped cicerone-certified peers for their wheat beer recommendations. I was fully expecting a laundry list of obscure beers that I hadn't ever heard of, but to my surprise, Allagash White made every one of their lists. Its quality has held up over the decades, and it is evident.

Best Budget: Samuel Adams Summer Ale

Region: Massachusetts | ABV: 5.3% | Tasting Notes: Citrus, Spice, Hops

This seasonal wheat ale from Samuel Adams is affordable but doesn’t skimp on flavor—making it a good option, especially when buying for a crowd. According to the brewery, it’s made with a citrus blend of orange, lime and lemon peels, along with grains of paradise spice.

This combination certainly gives the beer a bright citrus palate, but it’s not overpowering. Plus, at a reasonable ABV, you can enjoy a couple without feeling bogged down. Samuel Adams is one of the original players of the craft brewing movement, so definitely give this one a try.

Best Splurge: Jack's Abby Blood Orange Wheat Radler

Region: Massachusetts | ABV: 4% | Tasting Notes: Orange, Yeast, Fruit

“[This beer from] Massachusetts-based brewery, Jack's Abby Craft Lagers Blood Orange Wheat, redefines the classic, malty, German-style radler with a fruit-forward blood orange infusion,” says Jim McCune, Executive Director of Craft Beverage at EGC Group.

Both refreshing and low-alcohol, McCune says this beer is ideal for hot summer days and nights. And while it may not be as cheap as some other options, you’ll feel good about supporting a craft brewery and drinking some really excellent beer.

Best Flavored: Blue Moon Belgian White

Region: Colorado | ABV: 5.4% | Tasting Notes: Citrus, Coriander, Oats

This Belgian-style beer is brewed with Valencia orange peels, giving it a subdued, delicate sweetness and a distinctive citrus aroma—making it the best wheat beer, at least according to Manuel Gonzalez, beverage manager at the AC Hotel Sawgrass Mills. “It goes great with grilled shrimp, Asian dishes and marinated chicken dishes,” he suggests.

Blue Moon is usually served with a slice of orange as a garnish to complement the citrus backbone. It’s a great summertime brew to reach for because of its crisp, refreshing flavor profile.

Best German: Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier

Region: Germany | ABV: 5.4% | Tasting Notes: Banana, Yeast, Fruit

This is a classic German wheat beer from a Bavarian brewery that has been around for centuries. The helles lager from Weihenstephaner is excellent too, but this wheat beer is fruity, light and fragrant.

It happens to pair really well with food, too—particularly Obazda, a brie cheese spread that is a specialty of the region, according to the brewery. There’s also a dark version of this beer available that offers a bit more concentrated sweetness and other flavors.

Best Belgium: Lindemans Lambic Beers

Region: Belgium | ABV: 2.5% to 5% | Tasting Notes: Fruity, Citrus, Vanilla

“While it may be more of a subset of the wheat beer category nowadays, I’ve always been a fan of Lindemans Lambics,” says Cory Mendonca of Main St. Provisions in Las Vegas. He especially likes pairing them with intensely flavored or spicy foods.

“The kriek is refreshingly tasty alongside some spicy pad thai, and recently I found the cassis expression, which I imagine would complement any number of summertime grilled or barbecued meats really well.”

These spontaneously fermented beers are a refreshing example of fruit-flavored Belgian wheat beer. There are other flavors available as well.

Best American: Lagunitas Stoopid Wit

“Lagunitas Stoopid Wit is a refreshing witbier with an amazing amount of fruity complexity to it,” says Frederic Yarm of The Smoke Shop in Somerville, Massachusetts.

This beer is brewed in the Belgian style with orange peel and coriander—plus the American-style addition of hops. “Overall, it's a delightful bounty of orange-lemon, white-grape and apple-pear accents, with floral rose-lavender notes mixed in with the more standard wheat ale flavor.”

Best Fruit-Infused: Jackalope Lovebird Strawberry Raspberry Wheat

Region: Tennessee | ABV: 4.4% | Tasting Notes: Berry, Tart, Spice

Jackalope Brewing Company, a woman-owned brewery in  Nashville,specializes in beers that feature names and labels with a unique, highly stylized design that involves animals (mostly birds).

The Jackalope Lovebird Strawberry Raspberry Wheat Ale is brewed with strawberries and raspberries, giving it a slightly pink hue. “The wheat lends a smooth, velvety base, while the fruit adds tartness and a big berry aroma to this light and flavorful beer. A refreshing, and very Instagrammable  summer brew,” says McCune.

Best Nonalcoholic: Wellbeing Heavenly Body Golden Wheat

This nonalcoholic beer uses Cascade and German traditional hops to add a bright citrus character to the palate, ranking this highly alongside the best alcoholic wheat beers you can find.

It’s also a pretty light beer, with only 68 calories per can. If you're avoiding alcohol for whatever reason but still want to explore the wheat beer category, this is a great place to start. Many satisfied customers claim they can’t even tell the difference between this and a regular beer.

Best Craft: Flying Dog Brewery Chesapeake Wheat

Region: Maryland | ABV: 5% | Tasting Notes: Hops, Fruit, Citrus

As for the beer itself, McCune describes Flying Dog Chesapeake Wheat as an enjoyably crisp wheat ale that boasts complex citrus flavors and aromas, “all while supporting oyster restoration efforts by adding 10 oysters to the ocean for every bottle sold.”

All kinds of beer mentioned above are wheat beer,Different from traditional beer or even craft beer, it has more personalized beer tastes. In order to cater to the more discerning consumer tastes, many of them add spices, citrus, lemon, honey and other juice raw materials, and increase beer fruit. While fragrant, the aroma of malt remains in the aftertaste.

If you want to brewing fresh beer and be in the top 10 next year,start your brewing steps and do it now.