After spending a year in Germany during my junior year in college I become a big fan of Hefeweizens (wheat beer). Coming back to my college in Pennsylvania I had to search around for good “wiezens.” When I did it was always served with a lemon wedge. I have no memory of Weizen being served with lemon in Germany. There was Radlermass, Bocks with canned peaches in them and a lovely Wiesbeir with current suryp, but no lemon in Weizen. At first I thought this was just small town thing. Huntingdon was not that big and Boxers was really the only place the served a good pour of anything except Bud, Miller, or PBR.
Upon moving to Boston I was delighted to find the large number of bars serving good beer, but the Wiszens were served with lemon. A few places would ask, but this was rare. My friends just didn’t get why I complained, claiming that Hefeweisen was supposed to be served that way. Finally I find soemthing to back up my claim in the Wikipedia (now becoming my source for all knowledge) entry on wheat beer. “Hefeweizens are frequently served with a slice of lemon in the U.S., but this habit is frowned on in Bavaria. In other parts of Germany, you should expect the lemon slice unless you specifically request not to have it.” See! Now I can drink my citrus free beer with the awareness that some Germans (the inventors of Hefeweizen) agree with me.
