The Lichtenhainer style is not one that frequents many taps anywhere, let alone in Australia. It's a soured, lightly smoked wheat ale that's been brewed for centuries and has origins in Jena, a small town in East Germany. Traditionally brewed with up a grain bill splits a third wheat, a third pilsener and a third smoked malt, here in true Wheaty fashion, the SA brewers have put their own tweak on the recipe: joining pilsener malt are beech-, oak- and Manuka-smoked malts, torrified wheat and acidulated malts. Hops come in the form of Tettnang, with fermentation kicked off with the Philly Sour strain before The Wheaty's beloved Belle Saison yeast finishes proceedings.
Aptly named Schmaus, which translates to feast – a meaty, smoky, wheaty feast – you'll find the smoke character is subtle, peaking through after each exhale. On the nose, some lemon sourness rises through the smoke alongside a hint of wheat and a sprinkling of classic saison yeast esters, while there's a pleasant, spritzy carbonation which works well with that lemony sourness and a medium body, adding to the sessionable nature of the beer, itself aided by rather dry, tart and incredibly refreshing finish.
Matt King
Published October 10, 2022 2022-10-10 00:00:00
