Kristallweizen

What is Kristallweizen?

Kristallweizen is a filtered German wheat beer whose clear and luminous appearance reminiscent of crystal gave rise to its name and distinguished it from traditional cloudy wheat beers.

The flavour profile of kristallweizen is quite similar to that of unfiltered hefeweizen: low bitterness, high carbonation, smooth, and refreshing. However, kristallweizen is less popular than unfiltered hefeweizen.

The characteristic banana and clove notes typical of weizens are less pronounced in kristallweizen.

Origin Story

Kristallweizen likely emerged in response to the success of pale lager beer in the 19th century. Consumer preferences had shifted towards light, filtered beers, posing a challenge for wheat beers in competing with lagers.

While kristallweizen did not achieve widespread popularity, it helped wheat beer survive a long decline until traditional unfiltered wheat beers regained popularity in the latter half of the 20th century.

Kristallweizen is mainly produced in Bavaria but also to a lesser extent in other German regions.