Wheat Ales

Like a Hefeweizen, an American Pale Wheat Ale is made with a significant proportion of wheat in the grain bill and will look a bit opaque (not totally clear, a result of proteins from the wheat). But an American Pale Wheat Ale won’t have any of the banana or spice flavors commonly associated with a Hefeweizen, because those flavors are the result of a very specific yeast strain, and most American brewers are using more neutral American yeasts. American wheats will have a good range of flavors, e.g. grain flavors especially from the wheat itself, including sometimes a delicate (but fleeting) sweetness. And of course, these being American beers, the hops—which barely make a peep in something like Hefeweizen—will announce themselves with some (modest) authority in the midst of a crisp, nicely carbonated finish.