Hottenroth Berliner Weisse - The Bruery

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

Murrhey

Montana

3.83/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured on tap at The Bruery. Poured 7 oz. into a tulip glass. Reviewed from notes.

A- Two finger white head. Fluffy, but middling retention. Orange-amber color, little carbonation and lacing.

S- Kind of skunky, some over cooked malts it seems. Smells like cooked carrots or some other strange scent.

T- Very tart, lambic like in that respect. Light fruits and citrus in the taste as well.

M- Medium bodied, strikes carbonated and bitter.

O- At first I hated it. In sipping more, I found it to be more and more wonderful. Strange beer. Would try again for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2012 01:29:36 | More by Murrhey

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

kojevergas

California

3.28/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served on-draught into a beer flute at The Bruery's tasting room in Placentia, California. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a one finger head of average cream, thickness, and retention. Colour is a cloudy copper-gold. Semitransparent.

Sm: Bretts and off notes (like baby food and carbonation). A moderate strength aroma.

T: Very structurally brief. Sweet peachy syrup is present, with wheat and lactic notes on the finish. Balanced but muted and restrained. Simple and a bit boring. Lightly sour on the finish, which I like.

Mf: Smooth. Wet. Moderately complementary of the flavours.

Dr: Highly drinkable, but boring and of limited quality. I wouldn't have it again, but with work it could be a good example of the style done right.

B-

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2012 04:38:26 | More by kojevergas

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

Popp24

California

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

I had this on tap at The Bruery yesterday 12/9/11.

A: A pale golden color with very little head.

S: Wheat, some banana notes, tartness.

T: Right up front you get a nice tart flavor with some banana flavors a bit. I couldn't get many other flavors from it but I can tell you this beer tastes real good.

M: Nice mouthful and very smooth and easy to drink. Considering the low ABV it should be.

O: I like this one alot but just wish it was at least around 5 %. That being said this would be a nice one to drink on a hot summer day.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2011 20:19:32 | More by Popp24

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

phichifiji00

California

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

Appearance: hazy straw color. Pours moderate head. Fades quickly. Minimal lacing.

Smell: barnyard funk, earthy, grassy, lemon zest.

Taste: tart, horseblanket,lemon zest, acidic.

Mouthfeel: light bodied, good carb, crisp, acidic.

Overall: very tasty. The best light beer I've ever had. Very complex. Very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2011 04:15:24 | More by phichifiji00

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

rootbeerman

Virginia

4.6/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours clear straw yellow, with a initially two finger head which settled to a thin white layer.
S: a sharp/tart wheat, kristalweizen like banana and bubble gum.
T: tart, but not overly. Wheat and tartness lends to a light lemon flavor. Very crisp and refreshing
M: very crisp, light on the palate with prickly carbonation.
O: between Berliner Weiss and Gose two hard to find styles in, mainly by different brewers yet are my favorites.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 07:11:03 | More by rootbeerman

claytong

Vermont

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

if i knew the price i probably wouldnt pay it. crabtree's berliner weiss is top notch and cheap.

appearance - very light straw in color. minimal head, with minor rim lacing. somewhat active carbonation.

smell - grapes, acid, pear, pretty nice and well blended.

taste - wheat bread, grapes, wheres the tartness/acid?, not bad but not great

mouthfeel/overall - lack of acid makes it pretty wet in the mouth, thin body and thin carbonation. still very drinkable and enjoyable, but not my ideal for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2011 22:49:07 | More by claytong

afksports

New York

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

Bruery's Hottenroth is a weird brew for me to review. I haven't had too many Berliner Weiss's, and I love the taste of it. But all the same, it looks like an adjunct lager after the head dissipates, and its tart, dry and funky smell disappears fairly quickly too.

A friendly review would call it delicate. A review that slammed it would compare it to Miller Lite. I'll lean more towards delicate, but ask for a bit more.

It starts off tart and puckery. In the middle there's a bit of breadiness, but not much. And it finishes with the pepper and citrus esters that brewing with wheat often provides. It's light and watery on the palate, and highly drinkable.

No doubt a fun beer to pair with salads and lighter fare, The Bruery's Hottenroth would also be great on a summer day in the park, or after your monthly jog. (Like tonight).

And you won't hear me complaining about 3.1% alcohol by volume. What a gift!

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 00:23:54 | More by afksports

beagle75

Iowa

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

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Hazy, palest yellow color with over one finger of diminishing white foam head. Scant lacing remains on the glass and a light dusting of sediment is left behind.

S: Like a ripe sourdough starter--there is very little present in the smell of this beer aside from dilute acetic acid and some fairly assertive wheat.

T: Begins dry, with an easygoing tartness that is made more approachable by the soft bready grain that draws out lactic qualities. The middle is largely vacant of discernible qualities, but bready malt resurges in the slightly tart finish.

M: Thin viscosity, wet on the palate where surprisingly little acidity is felt, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: Effortlessly drinkable; the strong wheat component here is unexpected in such a low-gravity beer, but definitely compelling. It is a strange sour, fresh rather than woody or musty as is typical for various other styles, possibly with potential as a gateway. While remarkably clean, a word of warning is in order: do not follow other beers with this one, unless you like your sour beer to taste like stomach acid.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 00:27:28 | More by beagle75

RenoZymurgist

Nevada

3.7/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a lightly hazy light yellow color with a thin white head that subsided quickly

Smell is cardboard, probably an old bottle, with citric acid like lemonyness and a clean soft wheat accent.

The taste has more of the oxidized cardboard with a nice sourness. Crisp carbonation and the soft wheat flavors go very well with the sour finish to lend it a lemonade like quality.

The mouthfeel is crisp and clean with a smooth body from the wheat.

Overall I would love to try a fresher version but for a rare style I think this is a good example.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 23:11:47 | More by RenoZymurgist