Wheat For Bread, Confiscated For Expensive Beer

Found a great write-up about the history of Weizen (Wheat) Beer. It's definitely the right time of year for this great style of beer, in Germany and any where else warm weather and good beer are found.

Here's an excerpt - that surpised me - about Reinheitsgebot (the Beer Purity Law):

In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Weizenbier was a privilege of the nobility. The Reinheitsgebot of 1516 was not a control relating to purity of beer for the masses, but rather a mandate to protect this "refined" style of beer for the nobility in Bavaria. No private brewer was allowed to brew beer with wheat, be it in the towns or in the country, even for home consumption, - only the nobility.

Enjoy the article and enjoy a Weizen!