Do kettle sours have wheat? The surprisingly complex answer

Over 50% of the grist in traditional Berliner Weisse, a classic sour style, is typically wheat malt. This historical precedent means many modern kettle sours have wheat as a key ingredient, although the precise formula can vary widely.

Quick Summary

This guide explains the function of wheat in kettle sour recipes, detailing why it's a common ingredient and the specific styles where its presence is nearly guaranteed. We explore alternative grains and discuss how a brewer's choices affect the final beer's body and flavor profile.

Key Points

• Not all kettle sours have wheat: While it is a common ingredient, especially for specific styles, its inclusion is not mandatory.

• Wheat adds body and head retention: The proteins in wheat are prized for contributing a soft mouthfeel and a durable, creamy foam to the finished beer.

• The kettle sour process is adaptable: The fast and controlled nature of kettle souring can be applied to a wide range of grain bills, including wheat-free recipes.

• Oats are a common substitute: Brewers often use flaked oats as an alternative to wheat to achieve a silky mouthfeel and creamy body.

• Gluten-free options exist: Kettle sours can be made with gluten-free grains like millet, rice, or buckwheat, though these will not contain wheat.

• Some styles require wheat: Traditional examples like Berliner Weisse and Gose are historically brewed with a significant amount of wheat malt.

• The choice is up to the brewer: Ultimately, whether a kettle sour contains wheat depends on the brewer's desired outcome for flavor, body, and texture.

Understanding the Kettle Souring Process and Ingredients

Kettle souring is a modern brewing technique that allows brewers to produce a clean, tart beer in a fraction of the time required for traditional sour methods. Instead of relying on wild yeast and bacteria over months or years in barrels, brewers inoculate the wort (unfermented beer) with Lactobacillus bacteria directly in the brew kettle for 24 to 48 hours. Once the desired level of sourness is achieved, the wort is boiled again to pasteurize it, killing the bacteria and stopping the souring process. The beer is then fermented with a conventional brewer's yeast. This method allows for greater control and consistency in the final product.

The grain bill is a crucial part of this process, determining the beer's body, flavor, and head retention. While the sourness comes from the Lactobacillus, the underlying beer is built from malted grains. Wheat is a common choice for several reasons, but its use is not universal.

Why Brewers Include Wheat in Kettle Sours

Brewers add wheat to kettle sours for specific functional and flavor-related reasons. The proteins found in wheat are particularly beneficial for creating a fuller, richer mouthfeel and improving head retention, characteristics that can be lacking in a beer with a simple, thin malt base. The lactic acid produced during kettle souring can also inhibit an enzyme that breaks down protein, further preserving the body.

• Enhanced Mouthfeel and Body: Wheat contains higher levels of protein than barley, which gives the beer a softer, smoother texture. For light-bodied, effervescent styles like Gose or Berliner Weisse, this adds a desirable creaminess that contrasts with the beer's bright acidity.
• Improved Head Retention: The proteins in wheat are instrumental in creating a dense, stable foam, or head, on top of the beer. A good head is not only aesthetically pleasing but also contributes to the beer's aroma and overall drinking experience.
• Characteristic Flavor Profiles: In certain traditional styles, wheat is a defining component. For example, a Berliner Weisse must contain a significant amount of wheat to be true to style. The specific type of wheat, whether malted or unmalted, can also contribute a subtle bready or grainy flavor to the final product.

Alternatives to Wheat in Kettle Sours

While wheat is a popular choice, brewers have several other options for building the malt base of a kettle sour. These alternatives might be used to create gluten-free versions or to experiment with different flavor profiles.

• Oats: Flaked oats or malted oats are another common adjunct grain used to boost body and mouthfeel. They produce a smooth, silky texture that is very similar to wheat, making them a popular substitute, especially in hazy or smoothie sours.
• Gluten-Free Grains: Brewers can create gluten-free kettle sours using alternative grains like millet, rice, or buckwheat. These require different mashing techniques but still provide the necessary sugars for fermentation while catering to gluten-sensitive drinkers.
• Maltodextrin: For beers that need additional body without significant flavor contribution, brewers might add maltodextrin. This unfermentable sugar adds thickness and sweetness to the beer without being consumed by the yeast.

Comparison of Kettle Sour Grist Components

Feature	Wheat Malt	Flaked Oats	Rice/Millet	Maltodextrin
Effect on Body	Adds significant body and a creamy, bready texture.	Contributes a silky, soft mouthfeel.	Provides a very light, clean body.	Adds unfermentable body and sweetness.
Head Retention	Excellent, due to high protein content.	Excellent, similar to wheat.	Fair to poor; depends on other grist components.	Doesn't aid head retention significantly.
Flavor Profile	Adds a mild, bready, or grainy character.	Imparts a subtle, creamy sweetness.	Neutral flavor, does not impact the final taste.	Neutral, though can contribute a perception of sweetness.
Gluten Content	Contains gluten.	Contains gluten, but sometimes processed separately (check labels).	Gluten-free.	Gluten-free.
Typical Use	Classic base for Gose and Berliner Weisse styles.	Often used in modern hazy sours and pastry sours.	Gluten-free sour beers.	Used to increase body in any kettle sour style.

Conclusion: The Final Verdict on Wheat in Kettle Sours

So, do kettle sours have wheat? Yes, many do, but its inclusion depends on the brewer's intent for the finished beer. Wheat is a common and traditional ingredient, particularly for styles like Berliner Weisse and Gose, where its protein content enhances the beer's characteristic creamy body and head. However, modern brewing gives craft beer creators the freedom to use alternatives, such as oats for a silky mouthfeel or gluten-free grains for a clean, light body. The presence of wheat is therefore not a defining feature of the kettle souring process itself, but rather a choice made by the brewer to achieve a specific flavor and textural profile. The quick and controlled nature of kettle souring means it can be applied to a wide array of grain bills, including those that are entirely wheat-free. This adaptability is precisely what makes the method so popular among contemporary craft brewers.

For more information on brewing your own sour beer, visit the American Homebrewers Association's resources on kettle souring techniques.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a beer a kettle sour? A beer becomes a kettle sour through a quick-souring process where Lactobacillus bacteria is added to the wort in the kettle before the main fermentation. This rapidly produces lactic acid, which imparts the tart flavor.

Are kettle sours always made with wheat? No, kettle sours are not always made with wheat. While wheat is a very common ingredient, some brewers use alternative grains like oats for body or millet and rice for gluten-free versions.

Why is wheat a good ingredient for sours? Wheat is a desirable ingredient for many sours because its high protein content helps to create a fuller, softer mouthfeel and improves head retention, counterbalancing the sometimes thin character of a highly acidic beer.

Can a beer be both a kettle sour and gluten-free? Yes. Brewers can make gluten-free kettle sours by using alternative, gluten-free grains like millet, rice, or buckwheat instead of barley and wheat.

Do all sour beers contain wheat? No. While many traditional and modern sours contain wheat, other styles, and variants exist that are wheat-free, such as certain Flemish ales or sours brewed with gluten-free grains.

What grains do brewers use to replace wheat? Common wheat replacements include flaked oats for a creamy mouthfeel, or non-gluten grains such as millet and rice for gluten-free recipes.

How does the amount of wheat affect a kettle sour? Increasing the percentage of wheat in the grist will typically lead to a more pronounced creamy body and improved head retention. A lower percentage, or no wheat at all, will result in a lighter, crisper texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary difference between a kettle sour and a traditional sour?

A kettle sour is made using a fast-souring process where Lactobacillus bacteria are added to the kettle for a day or two, followed by a pasteurizing boil. Traditional sours, like Lambics, use mixed cultures and undergo a long aging period in wooden barrels over months or years, leading to more complex and wilder flavors.

How can I tell if a kettle sour contains wheat?

The presence of wheat will generally be listed on the beer's ingredients, especially for traditional styles like Gose or Berliner Weisse. For commercial beers, check the brewery's website or the product label. If it's a gluten-free sour, it will explicitly state that it was made without wheat.

What kind of wheat is used in kettle sours?

Brewers might use either malted wheat, unmalted wheat, or flaked wheat. Malted and unmalted wheat add body and contribute a bready flavor, while flaked wheat is used primarily for its body-enhancing properties.

Why would a brewer make a kettle sour without wheat?

A brewer might opt for a wheat-free recipe to create a gluten-free product, to focus on a lighter, crisper mouthfeel, or to experiment with the textural and flavor contributions of alternative adjunct grains like oats.

Does the kettle souring process itself affect gluten content?

No, the kettle souring process does not remove gluten. If the starting grain bill includes wheat, the final beer will contain gluten. For a gluten-free product, the brewer must use alternative grains from the start.

What are the common styles of kettle sours that often use wheat?

The most common kettle sour styles that traditionally include wheat are Berliner Weisse and Gose. Many modern fruited or smoothie sours also use wheat or oats to enhance the beer's body and mouthfeel.

Will a wheat-free kettle sour taste different than one with wheat?

Yes, a wheat-free kettle sour will have a different mouthfeel and potentially a different flavor profile. The absence of wheat's protein can result in a thinner body and less dense head, while the flavor will be less bready and more reflective of other grains or adjuncts used.