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9 Most Popular Wheat Beers to Try 

There’s nothing like a cold beer at a sporting event, when gathering with friends, or on any other occasion. Wheat beers are one popular option that tastes great year-round.

Golden Beer in a Glass Stein for Oktoberfest

The beer world has stepped up its game throughout the last few decades with different beer varieties like IPA, porters, sour beers, and more. 

While craft beer is delicious, there’s something about a classic wheat beer that can put a smile on almost any beer drinker’s face.

They’re made with about 50% wheat, giving them their unique, wheaty flavor. They’re relatively light, easy to sip on, and taste great with pretty much every meal. 

If you’re looking for a new wheat beer to add to your rotation of favorite beers, here are some of the best wheat beers your money can buy.

Check out our favorite wheat beers and tell us your favorites in the comments below!


Allagash White

First up on our list of the best wheat beers is the Allagash White by Allagash Brewing Company.

This Belgian-style wheat ale has 5.2% ABV and needs to be on your list to try.

As you sip on the wheat beer, you’ll taste plenty of wheat and hints of spice and citrus, which make it one of the tastiest wheat beers, in my opinion.  

If you need further convincing to give the Allagash White a try, it’s won several awards, like the gold medal in the Great American Beer Festival in 2020.

It’s refreshing, easy to drink, and looks fantastic in a pint glass. I’m confident you’ll want another glass or can after your first. 


Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier

As the oldest brewery in the world, it’s no surprise that Weihenstephaner has one of the best wheat beers out there.

Their Hefe Weissbier is a classic wheat beer that’s won several awards throughout the years, like the silver in the World’s Best Beer competition. 

The Hefe Weissbier has 5.4% ABV and is a crispy beer to drink when you want a beer but nothing too heavy.

It’s the perfect combination of bitterness and wheat that even those who don’t typically like wheat beers will love.

While it’s great with any meal or snack, it’s the perfect beer to have with a cheese board. 


Avery White Rascal

One of my favorite wheat beers is Avery’s, White Rascal.

This classic Belgian-style white ale is refreshing, vibrant, and has an authentic Belgian-style wheat taste too.

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The brewers wanted to create a wheat ale that sticks to tradition but has its own flavor. The addition of coriander spice and Curacao orange peel makes this wheat beer stand out among others.

White Rascal is one of the flagship beers from Avery and is among one of their most popular brews. It has a higher ABV content than the Hefe Weissbier and Allagash White with 5.6%.

If you’re looking for the perfect food pairing, you can’t go wrong with a crispy iceberg wedge salad and plenty of blue cheese crumbles. If that’s not your cup of tea, it goes great with everything. 


Dogfish Head Namaste

In 2009, Dogfish Head released their unique wheat beer.

Affectionately named, Namaste, this delicious beer is one of my favorites from their brewery and overall wheat beers.

I love that you can get this beer year-round, and it’s a famous enough brewery that you can most likely find it in your local liquor store or wherever beer is sold. 

Dogfish Head Namaste has several great flavors, making it one of my favorites. The beer is a beautiful gold color and smells just as good as it tastes.

The aroma features cloves and citrus; the flavors are zesty with citrus and sweet malt notes. It even has a subtle spicy aftertaste that makes it different.

I love drinking this beer with a pasta dish that has a cream sauce. 


Live Oak Hefeweizen

Live Oak’s most popular year-round beer is their Hefeweizen.

The brewers at Live Oak brew their Hefeweizen with traditional methods as a conventional yeast strain beer.

This process allows the natural flavors of the beer to emerge. As you sip on this wheat beer, you’ll taste clove, banana, and vanilla hints. 

That flavor combination is what makes this one so delicious and different from other wheat beers. As an award-winning beer, it’s a very sought-after beer, even though it’s only distributed in Texas.

Beer Advocate has voted Live Oak’s Hefeweizen as the second best German Hefeweizen in the world, so you’ll have to give it a try at some point. 


Bell’s Oberon Ale

If you’re looking for a wheat beer with higher ABV content than others, you’ll need to give Bell’s Oberon Ale a try.

This wheat beer has 5.8% ABV and is extremely tasty and refreshing. People who’ve tried this beer before refer to it as “sunshine in a glass,” and I have to agree with that statement. It’s the perfect summertime beer. 

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The Oberon Ale is vibrant with hints of citrus and clove and has a subtle spicy taste too. It’s a little hoppier than other wheat ales, in my opinion, but it’s nothing like an IPA.

The one downside to this delicious beer is that you can only get it from March through September or while supplies last, so you better find it and try it while you still can! 


Ommegang Witte

Ommegang is a Cooperstown, New York brewery with some tasty local brews.

Of their selection, I highly recommend trying the Ommegang Witte beer. This wheat beer is a traditional Belgian-white ale and has all the classic makings that you love about these beers.

You can get this beer on draft, in cans, and in bottles depending on where you’re at.

When you drink this beer, you’ll taste citrus and coriander notes. The sweetness of the orange peel helps balance out the coriander.

The beer is smooth and pairs well with most food, but as with most wheat beers, you’ll love it with a refreshing salad, cheese, chicken wings, and other spicy dishes.

It also won several awards, like gold, in the Great American Beer Festival in 2011. 


Sierra Nevada Kellerweis

The Sierra Nevada Brewery is mainly known for their hoppy beers like their APAs and IPAs, but did you know they have an excellent wheat beer?

Sierra Nevada’s Kellerweis beer is one of the best wheat beers I’ve ever had.

The brewers at Sierra Nevada utilize traditional Bavarian techniques to create this delicious beer and brew it in open fermentation tanks. 

This beer pours hazy, but it’s not overly hoppy. You’ll taste hints of banana and cloves, making it almost taste like a slice of mild banana bread.

Before you taste it, you’ll smell a fruity aroma, but it’s not overpowering. Something I love about this beer is that if you want a wheat beer with a lower ABV content, this one only has 4.8%.

It is slightly more bitter than others but worth a try. 


Gumballhead, Three Floyds

Another excellent year-round wheat ale is Gumballhead by Three Floyds Brewing.

While most other wheat ales with citrus notes utilize orange or an orange peel to achieve that citrusy flavor, Three Floyds uses lemon, which has a slightly more acidic taste but makes this wheat ale stand out as one of the best. 

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The brewers at Three Floyds use white wheat to make this light and refreshing beer.

They hand-select all the hops they use in this beer from the Yakima Valley, allowing them to use local flavors to create this beer. 

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Written by Brian Nagele

Brian attended West Virginia University, then started his career in the IT industry before following his passion for marketing and hospitality. He has over 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar industry.

As a former restaurant owner, he knows about running a food business and loves to eat and enjoy cocktails on a regular basis. He constantly travels to new cities tasting and reviewing the most popular spots.

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