crap, I added hops to my wheat beer

I added Cascade, not just once, but three times. I just thought that hops go in all beer.

So here's the story. My wife and I go to a local bar called Mad Anthony's last night that's part of a local micro brew. The seasonal beer is the Summer Wheat. We both order it. It had a lot of citrus flavor, I guessed they used Saaz or Cascade probably with some orange peel, but then it had this strong Hallertau aftertaste. It was like they used a lot of Hallertau as a flavor hop late in the boil. It didn't really go well with the citrus. So I asked the waiter, "what kind of hops are in this beer?" He told us that "Wheat beers don't have hops, because they're ales." He then told us that if we want a beer with hops we should try their IPA. I suppose that means that India Pale Ale, isn't an ale at all but a lager.

As soon as he walked away, my wife said, "that guy didn't know anything about beer, but I'm glad you didn't argue with him." We both had a good laugh about it. He gave us good service, though, and I gave him a good tip.

In my opinion, I thought that most of their beers tasted unbalanced. The raspberry wheat had way too much raspberry. The stout had a lot of chocolate malt, but need some sweetness for balance (more crystal, perhaps). I don't think they're bad beers though, I've had their Raspberry Wheat a couple of times and I'll probably go back. My wife's take was that the beers tasted like they need to sit in our basement for a couple of months. The one good think about their beers is that they have a high ABV. We were feeling pretty good after three (ok, we were feeling good after two, but decided to have three).

So I think I ruined my wheat beer, I added hops, I didn't know any better.

brian_g said:

So I think I ruined my wheat beer, I added hops, I didn't know any better.

Click to expand...

I thought "triple hopping" non- "ales" was the next revolution in beer

Oh, **** me. I just made a wheat beer yesterday and used Saaz hops.

BRB while I go dump it out. Wish someone would have told me sooner that hops don't go in wheat beers.

Hops are used in wheat beers...just not very much. For Bavarian hefs you want to stick to the noble hop variety. For American hefs, citrusy hops are fine but you don't want to over do it. Probably no more than 30 IBU. When did you add the Cascade?

mroberts1204 said:

Hops are used in wheat beers...just not very much.

Click to expand...

The OP was being facetious: that he should have taken advise from a waiter who doesn't even know what ale means.

You know, hops isn't as important as cold activated blue mountains on your bottles

India Pale Ale is a lager? Damn! I've been using the wrong yeast all along. Sounds like remedial beer styles 101 should be on the waiter's agenda and yours.

Crap! I ruined the wheat I brewed on Wednesday.....damn hops

Damm three additions? Sounds like trouble, that's miller lite territory. None can touch the smooth taste of miller lite:

The first step gives the beer it's clean, distinctive "pilsner" flavor and aroma. So when you take that first sip your taste buds are on their way to happy town. That's right, the first step is happy town.

The second step, hops are added for balance. This ensures perfect body and hop taste in every beer. We all know how much you like a good body, so you're welcome.

The third step: the hops add to perfect head and lock in it's great taste from start to finish. It also gives you a rocking beer mustache.

Miller Lite > Home of the Original Lite Beer

Time to get hip to the hops.

No, no, you guys have it all wrong. The waiter said "Wheat beers don't have hops, because they're ales."

The OP simply needs to lager his wheat beer, and all will be fine!

I just spoke with my wife and she remembers the story slightly different. She remembers him saying that wheat beers don't have hops because their lagers. Which would imply that he knew that IPAs were ales. Even so, not very redeeming.

So your wheat beer is fine, but Miller's really in trouble with all that triple-hopping...

Oh Sh*t!!!!!!!!!!!! Everything's Ruined!!!!!!!!

No no no!! Ales AND lagers have hops but beers have no hops. Sheesh. Really fine quality lagers are triple hopped.

Luckily you can turn your very screwed up hoppy beer into an American lager by adding a bunch of rice, rice solids, plain sugar, corn sugar, corn syrup, and lots and lots of water. Then make sure you serve it in a frosted mug at 33 degrees. If it goes above 34 you might get an actual taste and that's the last thing you want.

FlyingHorse said:

So your wheat beer is fine, but Miller's really in trouble with all that triple-hopping...

Click to expand...

Nah....it just means that Miller Lite is now an ale

Who knows, maybe Bud Lite and Coors might follow suite and go ale...but I'm telling you, Coors has a completely new beer style with those cold activated mountains :cross: Oh, and MGD 64 just has the market....they can almost charge as much as a bottle of spring water: which has an amazing 0 calories. How do they do that????

ouch! this is going to hurt, i added hops at flameout two weeks ago to my wheat. Guess I shouldn't have even kegged it yesterday.

brian_g said:

My wife and I go to a local bar called Mad Anthony's last night that's part of a local micro brew...

Click to expand...

You aren't in Fort Wayne by any chance, are you?

Just think if you would have argued with him he might of pubbed your beer instead of hopping it.

Possibly you could setup a diffusion membrane so that the hop oils could diffuse into a batch of coors light. There would be a huge gradient for the diffusion. Or you could just filter the hops out with your imagination.

StunnedMonkey said:

You aren't in Fort Wayne by any chance, are you?

Click to expand...

Elkhart actually. I think Mad Anthony's brews in Fort Wayne, but they have a bar in Elkhart. Just opened in December.

brian_g said:

Elkhart actually. I think Mad Anthony's brews in Fort Wayne, but they have a bar in Elkhart. Just opened in December.

Click to expand...

Hey, neighbor! I'm just a few miles north of Elkhart across the border.

I've heard about Mad Anthony's but haven't been there yet. How was it other than the clueless guy?

brian_g said:

Elkhart actually. I think Mad Anthony's brews in Fort Wayne, but they have a bar in Elkhart. Just opened in December.

Click to expand...

Ah, OK. Yes, Mad Anthony's brews in Fort Wayne. I would have been a bit surprised had they told you that stuff at the main brewpub.

How many of their beers were on tap in Elkhart?

StunnedMonkey said:

Ah, OK. Yes, Mad Anthony's brews in Fort Wayne. I would have been a bit surprised had they told you that stuff at the main brewpub.

How many of their beers were on tap in Elkhart?

Click to expand...

7, I think.

Btw, I'm not trying to be a beer snob here. I'd don't expect the average person to know the difference between ales and lager or that both have hops. I don't look down at their ignorance. I don't even expect the average bar tender or server at a bar to know these things. However, I expect more from a microbrew. Secondly, confident ignorance bothers me. The guy confidently stated that wheat beer had no hops. He could have left a trace of doubt in his position. "I think this is right" or "I don't know" or "I don't think wheat beers have hops, but I can check." But he left no uncertainty in his claim. This bothers me.

You should have asked to speak with the brewmaster. Ask him why no hops in the HW. Watch him chase the waiter down the alley with his brew paddle.

brian_g said:

Btw, I'm not trying to be a beer snob here. I'd don't expect the average person to know the difference between ales and lager or that both have hops. I don't look down at their ignorance. I don't even expect the average bar tender or server at a bar to know these things. However, I expect more from a microbrew. Secondly, confident ignorance bothers me. The guy confidently stated that wheat beer had no hops. He could have left a trace of doubt in his position. "I think this is right" or "I don't know" or "I don't think wheat beers have hops, but I can check." But he left no uncertainty in his claim. This bothers me.

Click to expand...

I've never been to the Elkhart location, so I can't speak to the sort of staff they may have. I can say that you would most certainly have received better answers from the staff at the main brewpub/brewery in Fort Wayne, especially the actual bartenders. There can be some turnover among the wait staff and perhaps there might be some who are not experts on all of the beers (MA's usually has 8 or more at any given time) but I really can't imagine one of them telling a customer that wheat beers don't have any hops.

You got a clunker of a waiter for sure, but don't let that color your opinion of Mad Anthony's. They put out some nice beers. I really enjoy the the place.

An aside, I've been going down to the main brewpub since the early 1980's, long before it was an actual brewpub. (They used to just be called The Munchie Empourium.) Back then they had a huge (for the time) import beer list...probably 40 or 50 beers. This was before microbrews were common. My name used to be on the ceiling there for making The Heineken Club...drinking 12 Heinekens in one sitting. There are still names on the ceiling, but sadly my and my buddies' names got covered over in one of the remodelings. They've expanded and it's a much bigger place now than it was then.

At some point the original Munchie's owner sold the place and they opened the brewery in the late 1990's.

brian_g said:

Btw, I'm not trying to be a beer snob here. I'd don't expect the average person to know the difference between ales and lager or that both have hops. I don't look down at their ignorance. I don't even expect the average bar tender or server at a bar to know these things. However, I expect more from a microbrew. Secondly, confident ignorance bothers me. The guy confidently stated that wheat beer had no hops. He could have left a trace of doubt in his position. "I think this is right" or "I don't know" or "I don't think wheat beers have hops, but I can check." But he left no uncertainty in his claim. This bothers me.

Click to expand...

Well said bro.

marubozo said:

Hey, neighbor! I'm just a few miles north of Elkhart across the border.

I've heard about Mad Anthony's but haven't been there yet. How was it other than the clueless guy?

Click to expand...

Aside from the ignorance, the service was good. (He got a $12 tip.) Food was great. I thought the beer was unbalanced, but enjoyable. I'm sure I'll be back.

Anyone know where I can get some of them bottles with cold-activated blue mountains?

I need to know when my homebrew's at the right drinking temp!

StunnedMonkey said:

I've never been to the Elkhart location, so I can't speak to the sort of staff they may have. I can say that you would most certainly have received better answers from the staff at the main brewpub/brewery in Fort Wayne, especially the actual bartenders. There can be some turnover among the wait staff and perhaps there might be some who are not experts on all of the beers (MA's usually has 8 or more at any given time) but I really can't imagine one of them telling a customer that wheat beers don't have any hops.

You got a clunker of a waiter for sure, but don't let that color your opinion of Mad Anthony's. They put out some nice beers. I really enjoy the the place.

An aside, I've been going down to the main brewpub since the early 1980's, long before it was an actual brewpub. (They used to just be called The Munchie Empourium.) Back then they had a huge (for the time) import beer list...probably 40 or 50 beers. This was before microbrews were common. My name used to be on the ceiling there for making The Heineken Club...drinking 12 Heinekens in one sitting. There are still names on the ceiling, but sadly my and my buddies' names got covered over in one of the remodelings. They've expanded and it's a much bigger place now than it was then.

At some point the original Munchie's owner sold the place and they opened the brewery in the late 1990's.

Click to expand...

I really like Mad Anthony's, I grew up about 30-40 miles north of Fort Wayne, everytime i'm up seeing my parents we stop by for a few there. I really like their Old Woody Pale Ale, IPA and my new favorite is their West Cost Amber. ok so that was off topic some.

Haha, what a great story. I don't know what I'd have said. I don't generally argue with people, and I try not to proselytize too much, but when you say something that's so incredibly wrong... I probably would have stared at him, said '...Oh. ...' and by the time I had made up my mind on whether or not I was going to correct him he'd have walked away.

Ugh, someone once tried to tell me that a Wit is the same as a Hefeweizen. Frustrating.

brian_g said:

So I asked the waiter, "what kind of hops are in this beer?" He told us that "Wheat beers don't have hops, because they're ales."

Click to expand...