Pale lager - Centenary of Kristallweizen: An underestimated type of beer?
In Bavaria, wheat beer is often thought of as its birthplace, but a renowned variety of wheat beer can be traced back to a tiny brewery in Baden-Württemberg - Farny from Kißlegg in the Allgäu region. The iconic Kristallweizen variety commemorates its centennial this summer. A love letter dated June 11, 1924 written by brewery owner Oskar Farny to his wife for their seventh wedding anniversary is viewed as the first evidence of the beer style, says Elmar Bentele, Managing Director of the Edelweiss Brewery Farny. This letter also mentioned his "brilliantly bright wheat beer."
A few years prior to this, a beer filter had been invented, and it served as the foundation for the beer advancements of the time. The filter gave the beer a crystal-clear hue. "The intention was to create a completely new and sparkling beer," explains Bentele. Farny's recipe remains a secret. However, the German Purity Law states that Kristall is composed of water, wheat, barley malt, hops, and yeast. The yeast is filtered out later in the process.
Though Bavarian Hefeweizen is highly popular all over Germany, Kristallweizen is also savored in southern Germany and even in Berlin, says Bentele. In terms of taste, it vastly diverges from Hefeweizen.
A Kristallweizen is quite lean and delicately hopped, he clarifies. It is slightly more acidic because of the carbonation. Apart from hops and malt, citrusy and floral aromas are the dominant characteristics. The beer pairs well with chicken, Wiener schnitzel, or fish.
Kristallweizen is typically consumed with a lemon wedge. In specific regions, a grain of rice is thrown into the glass to help maintain the head on products with a reduced amount of carbon dioxide. This improves foaming as the carbon dioxide can be released from the rice.
Taste test by Weihenstephan experts in 1926 compared the Kristallweizen to champagne, elaborates Bentele. "The attractive name 'champagne wheat beer' was born."
For several years, the beer was commercially named 'champagne wheat.' However, the term 'champagne' was trademarked in the 1960s, causing the name to be discontinued. Consequently, Kristallweizen has lost some of its glamour, according to Walter König from the Bavarian Brewers' Association. The variety also attracts criticism due to the lemon and rice grain accompaniments.
However, Bentele believes that this is unjustified. "Kristallweizen is an exceptional sort of beer that has diminished to a minor niche on the beer market. It has been unfairly shunted aside." The beer is mature and easily digestible, much like Kölsche.
During the 1970s and 1980s, it was a trend for crystal-clear wheat beers. The advancement of naturally cloudy Hefeweizen, which tastes slightly milder and fruitier compared to the more outspoken Kristallweizen, overshadowed its popularity. Today, this beer has only a miniscule share of the beer market.
The expert has doubts about the likelihood of this changing significantly. "Beers with a strong character are more likely to appeal to individuals rather than becoming a popular fad."
Yet, there has been a surge in demand for beer. According to Bentele, the brewery in Kißlegg creates around ten million liters of beer every year. "Christal remains our key type of beer," he adds. The medium-sized company is the regional leader with two master brewers and approximately 50 employees. Bentele proudly asserts that his business invented Baden-Württemberg's beer specialty. The love letter from 1924 serves as the beverage's birth certificate. "If anyone produces an older certificate in the future, we'll cheerfully relinquish the honor. But for now, we wear it with pride."
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Source: www.stern.de