The wheat cultivar significantly influences the quality of grain and malt, which are used to produce wheat beers, determining their potential for use in brewing. The brewing process influenced the quality of wheat beers obtained from selected winter wheat cultivars (Elixer, Lawina, Gimantis and Rockefeller cultivars) from three growing seasons. Wheat beers obtained from malt from the Rockefeller and Gimantis cultivars were characterized by the highest real extract values, ethyl alcohol content (4.14 and 4.05% v/v, respectively), and therefore the caloric content of the finished beer product (the lowest energy value was obtained for the Lawina cultivar—43.19 kcal.100 mL−1). Furthermore, wheat beers obtained from malt from the Gimantis cultivar were characterized by the lightest color and the lowest bitterness perception (14.8 IBU). The highest quality wheat beers were obtained with grain from the second growing season, regardless of the cultivar used. Cluster analysis of all quality characteristics of wheat beers obtained from malt derived from winter wheat grain grown in field experiments showed that the Gimantis cultivar, and to a lesser extent the Rockefeller cultivar, was characterized by the lowest quality variability among wheat beers brewed from malt derived from cereals from three growing seasons in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.
Belcar et al. (2026) studied this question.