Wheat malt is not a traditional component of Pilsener-style beers, but because it has many desirable qualities it is well worth considering. Its high content of complex proteins and glycoproteins greatly enhances foam stability. Wheat malt also contributes to the body or "palate fullness" of the beer. At the same time, because wheat has no husk, its tannin content is very low. Replacing a proportion of pale malt with wheat malt lowers the tannin content of the finished beer. Wheat malt has an undeserved reputation of imparting a strong flavor. In fact, the typical clovelike taste of the Bavarian wheat beers is not a result of the wheat malt but of the special yeast strains used in fermentation. The flavor of wheat malt is actually quite mild and smooth, and thus wheat malt combines some of the most attractive aspects of dextrin malt and adjunct grains. In addition, it has a high extract potential, and the domestic varieties are high in enzymes.
Wheat malt also has some drawbacks. It rapidly produces haze, especially when it is used in large amounts such as in a typical Weizenbier. In smaller proportions - up to 20 percent - it poses few problems as long as an adequate protein rest is given.