Lemon in Hefeweizen

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Jayfro21

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Is this tradition, or is just something that Americans did to screw up good German beer? I know it is served with Hefe's like Widmer, but the other day I went to a bar with Franziskaner Hefe on tap and he wanted to give me a lemon with it. I hate fruit in bar, so I was just wondering if I was missing something? Thanks!

Jason
 
Lemon ruins a hefe. I think the only reason they throw lemon in it in Germany is because they figure tourists expect it since American bars do it. Lemon in a hefe is an insult to the brewer.

Just say NO to lemon in a hefe.

Orange in a witbier, on the other hand, is a whole different subject. Witbier has orange peel in it to begin with.
 
Buford said:
I think the only reason they throw lemon in it in Germany is because they figure tourists expect it since American bars do it.

I think they do it there more for that reason. Lived in Germany for 3 years (and trying desparately to go back!) and I never saw a lemon slice in a Hefe while i was there.
 
I personally like the lemon id a Hefe. I just don't like the slice in my glass getting in the way of my drinking. For that reason I boiled a pound of lemons for the last 10 minutes in my Belgian Wheat. You get just a hint as it goes down. Great thirst quencher.
 
I lived in Germany fro 9 years and never saw a lemon slice until I hit the States.

I figured it's an American Bartender trick of some sort..."that's the way they taught us a bartender school" or it's "fashionable" crap...:mad:

I don't fruit my beers, but I may recommend it for American Wheat beer, but not a German Hefe Weizenor should I say "eine Deutsches Weissbier/Weizen"

I don't use Hefe or Hefe Weizen when referring to an American versions...and I've never said "German Wheat".
 
SWMBO said to me just the other day: "Isn't it time we brewed a summer beer? You know, something I can put fruit in. Like a lemon slice." Ahhh, SWMBO, gotta love her.

Anyway, I was thinking about a Hefe, but after reading this thread maybe just an American Wheat instead. I certainly would not want to incur the wrath of the Hefe Weizen Gods, now, would I? :D
 
I really don't like it in mine. We used to do it with the Club Weisse a long time ago but I don't care for it at all now. I like the nice ice-cream cone head and the Lemon ruins that.
 


Slightly off topic, but after watching this I dont even ask for lemon in my water anymore. At home do as you please.
 
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Hell, if you like it, go for it. Sometimes, I even like a bit of the lemon in there. I had a hefeweizen the other day, and the lemon was nice. A few days earlier, I was at the same place with the same beer, and I didn't care for it. Just, if you want to give it to me, give it to me on the side and let me make my own decision.


TL
 
Not sure what part of germany you guys were in but I went to bars with germans iand no americans in bavaria (Schweinfurt and surronding areas) always found a lemon in my hefe. The lemon was not added to weizen or a crystal weizen. Maybe it was just me, Gunther, Helmut, and Alex that got the lemon. To clarify this was from 1983 to 1987.
 
My experience in weizen regions of southern Germany in the late 80s was that lemon was offered when serving kristallweizen variants, and not offered with hefeweizen. I cannot think of an exception to that practice.

Lemon was not offered with any other style that I ever saw.

I started homebrewing because I wanted weizen, which was not (AFAIK) widely/commercially available in the states at that time.
 
jfish63 said:
Not sure what part of germany you guys were in but I went to bars with germans iand no americans in bavaria (Schweinfurt and surronding areas) always found a lemon in my hefe. The lemon was not added to weizen or a crystal weizen. Maybe it was just me, Gunther, Helmut, and Alex that got the lemon. To clarify this was from 1983 to 1987.

I used to live near Nuremburg so right in the heart of Bavaria and never saw lemons in Hefe's. I did sometimes see them in Krystallweizen and almost always in Radlers (of course).
 
I'm with Tex - let me make my own decision. Most of the German imports I've had are so tasty on their own that I'd be pissed if the bartender threw in a slice of lemon. However, some American versions are so bland that a bit of lemon gives 'em a hand in the flavor department. Along the same lines, I enjoy a slice of orange in a glass of Blue Moon, but keep the fruit out of any real wit.
 
Yuri_Rage said:
I'm with Tex - let me make my own decision. Most of the German imports I've had are so tasty on their own that I'd be pissed if the bartender threw in a slice of lemon. However, some American versions are so bland that a bit of lemon gives 'em a hand in the flavor department. Along the same lines, I enjoy a slice of orange in a glass of Blue Moon, but keep the fruit out of any real wit.

I also agree...I'll take a lemon in my wheat but only if it is very bland. In the case of Sierra Nevada, it's unfiltered and more hoppy than your normal wheat so I pass on the lemon. However, I visited the Pyramid Ale House down in Berkeley a few months ago and their hefe is so bland they put it in without even asking you. In fact, they had big signs advertising/warning you about their fruiting of the beer. The first one I ordered came with one, which kind of pissed me off so on my next one I asked them to hold the fruit. It was pretty thin and unimpressive...so I now see why they add the lemon.
 
Another point is in the Schweinfurt, Werzburg region we really didn't see many Kristal weizens, if any in the places I went to. But then again every town had there own style of beer. If I went to Frankfurt the only beer that was readily available seemed to be a pils. That was not one of my preferred brews. In Gundesheim outside of Bamburg a friend of mine owned the geusthaus by the soccer fields and served a raucher bier. I think I insulted him every time I tried to drink one. But I must admit the only time I want a lemon in my hefe weizen is when the banana flavor is strong. I loved Germany so many beers and every town had there own. I used to like the wooden kegs we would get from werneck. I will be there in April and will do my best to report back on the way beers are served in every town I remember.
 
I have a local mexican restaurant that has hefe on tap (yea, I know, Hefe in a mexican restaurant is whole new thread) and they tend to put a slice of orange in the hefe. For the most part I have liked that.
 
Yah ive had it both ways, and if the beer is good enough to hold its own the lemon is completey blasphemous. On the other hand if its a bad batch the lemon can only help. But definetly dont pass up an orange in a witbier.
 
I worked in Bamberg for 5 years and Augsburg for 4...never had a lemon slice.

I've drunk in Wurzburg and Schweinfurt and never got lemons either.

Of course, I only spoke German in those places anyway.

On more than one occasion (in more than a couple gasthauses) the waitress came to me and asked me if I would help Americans read the menu because they didn't understand German.
 
Matt Foley(thrice divorced?), I would eat at a Mexican joint with Hef every night. I love Mexican but all the cantinas around here only have the Mexican BMC's. Negro Modelo is as "heady" as i gets. Hef would be the perfect compliment to Mexican.
-Oh and for the thread, very occassionally the lemon, like if I'm drinking a bunch of hef's and need to give my palate a break. Otherwise that bomber head is a must and the yeast flavor is like crack to me.
 
I am definitely not fond of lemon or orange in my beers. If you like it, go for it, I certainly am not going to tell you any differently. It is not for me though.
 
count barleywine said:
Matt Foley(thrice divorced?), I would eat at a Mexican joint with Hef every night. I love Mexican but all the cantinas around here only have the Mexican BMC's. Negro Modelo is as "heady" as i gets. Hef would be the perfect compliment to Mexican.
-Oh and for the thread, very occassionally the lemon, like if I'm drinking a bunch of hef's and need to give my palate a break. Otherwise that bomber head is a must and the yeast flavor is like crack to me.

I agree that Hefe actually tastes very nice with Mexican. Its just sometimes the beer snob in me really questions if I should mix continents when it comes to beer and food. A Modelo, Dos Equis, or even Corona seems more fitting but the Hefe is oh so nice.
 
jfish63 said:
Not sure what part of germany you guys were in but I went to bars with germans iand no americans in bavaria (Schweinfurt and surronding areas) always found a lemon in my hefe. The lemon was not added to weizen or a crystal weizen. Maybe it was just me, Gunther, Helmut, and Alex that got the lemon. To clarify this was from 1983 to 1987.

My first hefe was given to me by my friend's brother-in-law who brought it with him from Germany while visiting the States. He also brought a bag of lemons to the party.
 
I like lemon in certain american wheats, but no oranges for me; to overpowering.
I've got Franziskaner in my primary now. The only fruit that'll be allowed close to it is the one in SWMBO's corona when we celebrate how delicious my very first AG is (and first Hefe for that matter)!:mug:
 
pickles said:
I like lemon in certain american wheats, but no oranges for me; to overpowering.
I've got Franziskaner in my primary now. The only fruit that'll be allowed close to it is the one in SWMBO's corona when we celebrate how delicious my very first AG is (and first Hefe for that matter)!:mug:

I would love that clone recipe if you cared to share it! That beer is what started this thread and I loved it!

Jason
 
From what I've read, this really comes down to a personal preference thing. There is evidence for either way being traditional.
 
Most Hefeweizens I've had have a soapy taste to them. They need a whole lot of lemon to cover up that soapy taste.
 
I also lived in Bavaria for a bit and again, never saw a lemon in a hef.

Not sure what part of germany you guys were in but I went to bars with germans iand no americans in bavaria (Schweinfurt and surronding areas) always found a lemon in my hefe. The lemon was not added to weizen or a crystal weizen. Maybe it was just me, Gunther, Helmut, and Alex that got the lemon. To clarify this was from 1983 to 1987.
 
j1laskey said:
I like a lemon in my Blue Moon Hefe...;)

I also like grapefruit in my hefe's. And by grapefruit I mean hops. And by hefe I mean IPA.

Also, people are using the terms hefe and weizen as if they are different beers. ???????????? Krystal is different yes, but hefeweizen, hefe, weizen, or hefeweißen, of hefeweiss bier. Those are all the same.

And bluemoons a wit!
 
As a long time German barman, the only weizen that gets lemon if the customer wishes is a Krystalweizen as others have already said. They also sometimes get a sprinkling of dry rice into them to keep the head, as they generally have worse head retention than hefe weizen.
 

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