Widmer Brothers Introduces Its American Hefeweizen

In 1986, Widmer Brothers Brewing in Portland, Oregon, introduced Hefeweizen by serving its filtered Weizenbier without removing the yeast and haze. Brothers Kurt and Rob Widmer retained the beer’s wheat-based grain bill but used a relatively neutral ale fermentation and citrusy Cascade hops rather than reproducing the pronounced banana-and-clove character associated with Bavarian Weissbier. The cloudy beer became Widmer Brothers’ flagship and an early commercial landmark for American wheat beer. Its success helped establish a distinctly American interpretation of Hefeweizen that emphasized restrained yeast character, approachable malt flavor, and American hops. Widmer’s Hefe also contributed to the growing acceptance of craft beer in Portland during the late 1980s.