Hottenroth Berliner Weisse - The Bruery

mdaschaf

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes. Thanks to Lance for sharing this one!

A: Pours a hazy, light straw/yellow color with a one finger white head on top with decent head retention and thin lacing down the glass.

S: Nice and tart on the aroma with some lemon and apple with a heavy dose of wheat. Very inviting.

T: Fantastic flavor mixed with spot on tartness. Lemon, green apple, a bit of pear with some wheat and a little grassy.

M: Light to medium bodied with medium to high carbonation.

O: Had a feeling I would like this one and I was right. A perfect summer beer all the way. Thanks again Lance.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 01:14:31 | More by mdaschaf

mdfb79

New York

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From 10/13/12 notes. Big thanks to whoever brought this to the Top Hops tasting; been wanting to try this one for a while. 750ml bottle.

a - Pours a very clear, pale yellow color with an inch of bright white head and low to moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells sour, of sour fruits, sour citrus, maybe some brett, wheat, grains, earthy notes, and hay. Not overly tart, but a very enjoyable level or sourness.

t - Tastes of citrus, sour fruits, earthy notes, spice, funk, hay, wheat, sour dough, and grains. Sourness is there again with hints of barnyard funk; a step up from the nose in my opinion.

m - Light to medium body and moderate carbonation. Not too acedic or sour so very easy to drink.

o - Overall a very nice, easy drinking berliner. It is sour and funky, but not overly in either direction, which makes it very easy to drink. I think this would be a good berliner to give to someone getting introduced to the style, as it is a good example of a lightly sour/funky beer without being overwhelming. Would like to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 18:29:28 | More by mdfb79

claspada

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours out a clear, pale yellow color with a frothy, sudzy, white head that settles out fairly quickly.

Aromas begin and end quite straight-forward with a sour, lemony flesh/zest with a small amount of white wheat malt backbone.

The tastes begin with a faint pilsner maltiness coupled with a little wheat. After the short hint of sweetness, you get some tart fresh lemon juice and wave of lactic sourness.

The mouthfeel is quite light-bodied but that is fine for such a low ABV beer, with medium carbonation. Finish has a pleasing sourness on the light, lemonesque finish.

Overall I am not particularly enthralled with this beer, the sour twang notes are a bit too light and the mouthfeel could use a slight carbonation bump. Flavor profile was not too far from an undersweetened lemonade.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 18:37:42 | More by claspada

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thank you mrbubbler.

Appearance. Pours a hazy, pale straw with a finger of white head that doesn't last long.

Smell. Lightly toasted, and a bit doughy smelling wheat with some lactic sourness.

Taste. Sour lemons and lime, lightly toasted wheat. Very nice!!

Mouthfeel. Light body with medium+, fine and lively carbonation.

Overall. A great Berliner Weiss. Love the style, loved this beer. Another nice one, Bruery!

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 19:14:29 | More by Rutager

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a large bottle into a Brooklyn Brewery snifter. The beer pours out very pale yellow and slightly hazy. There is low carbonation and a thin head with not much retention. Nose definitely tells the story here. Tart and slightly funky with a good dose of lemon zest.

Light body and good firm mouthfeel. Very tart and acidic, but not overpowering. Fruit notes of sour apple and lemon develop on the front of the palate and the acidity grows as the beer slides across the tongue. The finish is very wine-like and leaves a tannic, mouth-drying effect. Extremely refreshing. I thought the low carbonation would hurt the drinkability, but I find that the smooth character suits the flavor nicely. This beer has everything you want in the style.

I am not a seasoned drinker of this style. In fact, this is only the third one I have had. I reviewed the beer straight from the bottle, but this is the first time I also tried one with both of the traditional syrups added: Waldmeister (woodruff) and Himbeer (raspberry). While adding these sweet additions does tend to make it more softdrink-like (if overdone), I think everyone should try it. They work really well with this particular beer, especially when you just add a dash.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 23:17:52 | More by deadonhisfeet

schoolboy

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow. I have had more sour beers, but never a tart I liked as much as this one. It feels like I am drinking a large glass of wine.

The fruity, yeasty taste is barely tempered by any of the usual beer hops or malt tastes. The yeast is the story, and it is wonderful.

The aftertaste is to die for - I hope to burp for a long time! The very low alcohol is nice for a change, the balance is kept, but it could stand more malt and the resultant kick. This is highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 00:06:43 | More by schoolboy

GPHarris

Alabama

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

a - poured a four-fingers thick fluffy, pillowy white head into a tumbler that settled to a thin ring which disappeared about halfway through the beer. the body was a pale golden color.
s - some slight funky tartness with a hint of citrus.
t - tart, bready with some orange peel and maybe a hint of lemon.
m - thin and slick.
o - very quaffable and nice complexity for a 3% ABV beer. very refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 15:33:15 | More by GPHarris

Tschnab

New York

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- appearance is a cloudy yellow straw color with a thin lace of bone white bubbles.

S- smell is grassy and lactic, slight funk, cereal and corn, lemon juice as well.

T- the taste hits the nose well, as the tart and grassy flavors start it off, and the wheat and lemon comes in next. It is an excellent summer beer, ridiculously drinkable.

O- this beer is not as sour as I've heard it was, and is instead a tart thirst quencher, and is a well crafted version of the style that doesn't stray outside of the lines like the brusry usually does.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 18:00:51 | More by Tschnab

waltonc

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a couple bottles of this at Provisions yesterday. This is one of my favorite Bruery offerings. Pours a nice hazy golden wheat color with an inch of white head. Refreshing scent of lemon, freen apple, and a nice grainy quality. Pleasant tartness on the palate. Sourness level is perfect for my taste. Nice wheat character along with lemons. Perfect beer for a summer day. Would love to see this distributed in Colorado.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 03:37:06 | More by waltonc

rawfish

California

4.08/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy straw like lemon juice with a thin 1 finger head. Basically no retention or lacing on the glass. A small bit of effervescence. Um, true to style...I suppose.

Light, tart and funky. A light dusting of earth and basement boards over straw, pale malt, lemon juice, yeast and lactic acid.

Pale malt, hay, straw and lemon juice. Very tart and vibrant flavor with a perfect amount of funk. Mouthwatering tartness and a dry finish that leaves you yearning for the next sip.

Watered down thin, and awfully flat like juice. Dries fairly well and is a quencher.

Pure to style with low alcohol, and nice mix of tart and funky. Flavor really comes out as it warms but I could see taking it a bit colder for a hot July afternoon. Nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 04:18:03 | More by rawfish

oline73

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this at Max's, poured from the bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy yellow with a finger of white head that fades rather quickly.

Smell: I'm picking up some sour apple/apple juice with tart lemon and a slight funk. You can tell this one is going to be nice and light.

Taste: Really light and tart with lemon and a slight funkiness. Light and very refreshing. I didn't really pick up the apple notes I found in the smell.

Mouthfeel: Light body with lots of carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: I wouldn't have minded a touch more tartness, but I still really enjoyed this beer. I don't know that I've had a better American Berliner.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 01:11:07 | More by oline73

mcallister

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pale straw colored with an overly active, highly carbonated brilliant white head that dissipates quickly at about 50 decibels.

Wonderful lactic aromas, lemon zest, wheaty, with some sour berry fruits and light funky, horse blanket, earthy aromas. Very effervescent and estery.

Nice wheat flavors, and new mown grass smells. Lemon, white pepper, lactic acid, some orange zest and bready into the finish. Very light and refreshing on the palate but maybe a little too light. However this is only 3% ABV. A nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 20:33:27 | More by mcallister

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very light straw color with maybe a finger of white head fading quickly.

Aroma is lemon, barnyard funk and a little bit of green apple.

Great balance in the flavor. A little bit of wheat tartness true to the style with an almost green apple sweet tart pucker factor. Lemon and a bit of barnyard funk as well. Amazing flavors for a low ABV beer.

Understandably thin mouthfeel. It's not completely non-existent and there's a nice crispness to it.

One of the better Berliners I've had. The green apple gives a nice contrast to the normal lemon and funk. Wonderful complexity for a beer barely over 3%. Definitely glad this one will be back soon.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 20:03:32 | More by jmarsh123

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to beeruser for sharing this one with me quite awhile back during a tasting at his house! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller taster flute. Poured a hazy straw slightly golden yellow with a half finger pure white head that subsided to a minimal amount slowly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, wheat, fresh cut grass, and a nice hint of sour apple. The flavor was of sweet malt, wheat, subtle funk, and a nice tart characteristic. It had a light feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. I am personally a big fan of this style so I am quite picky when I try them. However, this one was pretty solid as far as Berliners go. All of the right components are here for a solid brew, but I just wish they were a little more intense than they were. This did make it easier for the novice to the style to drink, but as someone who appreciates the style it was a little on the weak side. Still a very solid brew that I wish I would have gotten MANY more of.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 11:59:00 | More by thagr81us

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I found this bottle about three months ago on the bargain shelf. I checked BA, and it recommended against extended cellaring. At the price ($9), I figured: "Why not"? I held it for three months while trying to convince my wife to share it with me. I thought that my wife would enjoy this.

After three months, we opened the Hottenroth to share over barbequed chicken. They worked well together. The sweetness in the beer went with the wet sauce and the grilled bell peppers.

This is a good example for the style. The sweetness and a touch of funk work really well with white meat, or on its own. I can see picking this up for a summer evening. I hope to have both again soon.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 20:55:51 | More by ummswimmin

merc7186

New York

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

some LacingI had this beer poured from a bomber into a snifter glass.

A: Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Most Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Wheat, Lemon Zest, Grassy

T: Lemony Zest, Wheat, Yeast

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Lemon Tartness

Overall, a really great berliner weiss with a solid wheat,lemon favlor. Solid.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 05:37:33 | More by merc7186

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured out as a bright yellowish color with a touch of haze to it. The smell of the beer was of wheat and what could have been lime. The beer smelled sour for the most part. The taste of the beer is light but has a pretty good amount of sour flavors in it to make you wanna pucker a little bit. The mouthfeel was light and fairly refreshing. Overall this beer was exactly what it's supposed to be in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 05:04:48 | More by Knapp85

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Lunch. Thanks Paul.

The beer hazy and light yellow hued with a towering white head that encompasses the upper half of the vessel, leaving faint, random spots of lacing behind.

The aroma offers lemons, wheat, maybe some grassy notes, green apple.

Light in body, easy to drink. Not quite as tart/sour as I was hoping, but that's just me. Subtle lemon tartness. Very light without being thin or watery. Well done. I would definitely have this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 11:11:56 | More by Huhzubendah

Arenbeer

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into a tulip glass

A- Pours our almost perfectly clear but has a slight yellow tint to it. On top of the body is a nice bright white 1 finger head that sticks around due to tons of carbonation streaming up from the bottom of the glass.

S- Really bready wheat and nice hints of funk from the yeast. Slight banana

T- Wow way more tart than the aroma suggested. Up front the lacto hits you with a nice dry tartness and slight funk. Behind that the wheat and banana create a solid base and flavor.

M- Super light bodied with champagne like carbonation and a nice tart dry finish.

Skål!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 23:12:42 | More by Arenbeer

DrewZ926

New York

4.47/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- not much to speak of here, a finger of head that fades to nothing. not much visible carbonation, but the clarity is brilliant, and the faded ocre reveals streaks of green.

S- green apple, subtle funk notes, lemon zest

T- superb, a well balanced tart attack and super dry finish. great green tart apple, pungent lemon zest, and a little bit of barnyard even. for such a low ABV, the balance and robustness of flavors is stunning, so well rounded and pronounced.

M- thin but great prickly carbonation, full and crisp.

O- best berliner weiss i've had to date, great balance and flavor profile. also extremely sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 01:17:16 | More by DrewZ926

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Yards shaker pint glass.

After extolling the virtues of this style to a customer earlier, I figured I'd try out a new B-Weiss myself. This one pours a clear pale straw topped by a short-lived couple o' fingers o' fizzy white foam. The nose comprises tart lemon zest, sour yeast (yeah, it's bacteria, but for some reason saying "sour bacteria" doesn't sound right in my head), and light wet wheat. The taste brings in more of the same, with the tartness really blooming right up front. This is short-lived, though, as things die away completely just after the midway point, leaving a very dry and empty tongue. The body is fairly light, with a moderate carbonation and a decidedly dry finish. Overall, a nice B-Weiss, but one that ultimately leaves me wanting in some vague sense. I can't explain it. It's still good, just not as good as it probably could be. I think.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 04:52:32 | More by TMoney2591

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

3.65/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - super clear, pale yellow, limited carbonation, the pour welled up a fizzy pure white head that disappears almost immediately

S - tart sweetness, like granny smith apple skins, some faint honey

T - the sourness is bigger in the taste, like the granny smith apples have combined with some tart citric fruits, lemons and limes (tequila anyone)

M&D - puckering, wish I had some of the syrup the bottle suggests to try, definitely quality regardless, but like most sours, you have reeeaaaally like sours

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 01:24:47 | More by sinstaineddemon

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle into tulip, 2011 bottle. Pours slightly hazy bright golden straw color with a nice 1 finger fairly dense bright white head with decent retention that reduces to a thin ring of lace. Good amount of carbonation streaming up from the bottom of the glass. A small amount of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big tart apple, grape, lemon zest, grass, wheat, and some funk. Excellent aromas here with good strength as well. Taste of spices, bread, grainy wheat, lemon zest, tart apple, and a bit of funkiness. Has a dry finish; but there are some light lingering notes of bread, spiciness, wheat, and lemon zest for a bit. Medium-high carbonation and fairly light bodied. A bit of a prickly feel from carbonation, but it does not retract from the flavor and this is still very drinkable. No alcohol noticed at all as expected for 3.1%. Overall this is an excellent Berliner Weisse with great flavor and balance. Best on in the style I have had.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 05:37:24 | More by superspak

ptykozoon

California

2.73/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Hazy yellow hoegaarden color.

Sweet apple, lemon. Citrus.

Sprite with alcohol basically. Lemon/lime. Nothing below the surface however, and the taste is generally lacking.

Great texture. Refreshing I suppose.

Meh! Not the best Bruery beer out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 20:57:07 | More by ptykozoon

Bonis

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A - A hazy very pale straw color. Literally might be the lightest beer I've ever seen. Looks like some watered down lemon juice. Tall head fades quickly with little to no lace left behind.

S - Loads of wheat and lactic tartness. Sour lemon and subtle spices make an appearance. Loads of funky sourness as it warms. Interesting, but I don't expect this much funk in a Berliner Weiss. Could be an old bottle.

T - Tart lemon rind and wheat mingle with the funk from the nose. A slightly tart and herbal finish. Not an extremely flavorful beer (which is understandable considering the ABV), but good for what it is. I get a touch of bready malt sweetness as it warms. Some gulps are quite sour and create that puckering effect.

M - Light bodied with high carbonation. Highly refreshing. Puckering and quite mouth watering at times. This is the reason I go for these lower alcohol tart/sour beers at times. The standout attribute of this beer.

O - Well, this is the 4th Berliner Weiss I've tried, and probably second only to the Fritz Briem Berliner Weiss. This is a fascinating beer that comes from a fascinating style that is in need of more accessibility. Hopefully more breweries will start to brew Berliner Weissbiers. This was a solid beer for me. One I would purchase again in the future, but hopefully will find it fresh.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 04:12:53 | More by Bonis