White Birch Berliner Weisse - White Birch Brewing

THECPJ

Delaware

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes:
Thanks to mkabull for sending this my way:

appearance: pale yellow with 1 finger head that dissipates quickly.

Smell: sour, wheaty, lactose

Taste: sour, wheat, a little sweet in the back end

mouthfeel: mild carbonatiion, crisp, dry aftertaste

Drinkability: this is a very good berliner weiss. wish I had access to more of this in my area.

cheers,

the CPJ

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2011 22:34:23 | More by THECPJ

mdaschaf

Washington

3.93/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from notes 2/6/11. Thanks to THECPJ for sharing!

A: Pours a hazy straw color, very light. Once finger head made up of very fine bubbles.

S: Very funky aroma. It is sour but also has that hay/farm smell also. Little bit of wheat and some fruity sweetness as well.

T: Very sweet, a nice tartness similar to lemons and green apples.

M/D: Light bodied with a lot of carbonation. Extremely drinkable as well as crisp and refreshing. Like this one a lot.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2011 03:03:16 | More by mdaschaf

brew3crew

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle 622 out of 1458

A-hazy, transparent and tons of carbonation
S-sour, almost like grapes
T- definetly sour but not as strong as I thought. Would not have guessed wheat beer however. Gets better as it warms up
M-very crisp and clean. Nice sour aftertaste
D-very drinkable. Love the sour after taste. Would not have guessed abv

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 23:39:40 | More by brew3crew

dgfair

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle poured into imperial pint glass.

The beer pours a hazy pale yellow color with a pure white head as bubbles aggressively rise from the bottom of the glass to the top. Looks very much like a slighted more yellow carbonated lemonade. The smell is sour funky fruit with a bit of breadiness in the background. There is also a slight dirty barnyard earthiness to it reminiscent of a saison. Taste is puckering lemon upfront follow by a smoky bread character that is very unique. There is a also a chalky yeast flavor, but other than that, not a whole lot going on in the flavor. Mouth is dry and bubbly and goes down pretty easily lacing a funky lemon taste in the mouth. I could have one or two of these but it's not one of the best Berliner weisse I've had.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 21:05:45 | More by dgfair

whiterascal

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Huge thanks to Alelovinruskie for this one!! He sent me a surprise box with this bottle and an amazing WB glass. (awesome trader) Celebrating my recent engagement with this one~ shared with my brand new fiance!

A pale yellow
S light yeasty lemon
T a bit like watered down lemonade in a deliciously sour way, with some yeasty, bready notes
M bubbly, but almost oily smooth
D eaaaasy drinking. dangerously drinkable. I could drink this all day long, especially on a hot summer day. Light and refreshing, but would probably sneak up on me at 6.4%.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2011 02:37:03 | More by whiterascal

ottovon

Arizona

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

celebrating my engagement to whiterascal with this beer.

A: pours out like champagne. big, fizzy white head. it faded quickly, but left a thin layer on top. it looks almost like lemonade. it is a clear pale yellow, with carbonation running up the glass. it is almost clear. never seen a beer this clear.

S: i get straw and some bready aromas. there is a nice lemon aroma, as well as some earthiness and a little acidity.

T: has a great lemony flavor. i also get some straw and bread from the grains. it has a nice acidity to it. more sour than i was expecting from the aroma. pleasantly surprised with the sourness.

M: thin body with lots of carbonation. mouthfeel is great for the style.

D: i could drink this all night easy. would also be nice on a hot summer day by the pool.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2011 02:35:27 | More by ottovon

jpmclaug

South Carolina

3.8/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into a flute

A - Lemony yellow color, pretty much clear with a white head

S - hay, lemon grass,sour acidity, some light grainy notes

T - lightly sour, lemony flavor with lots of pale grain notes.

M - light body, good amount of carbonation

D - Decently drinkable. Not really much going on with this one though. I dunno I think I would have enjoyed this more if it didn't bring up memories of another bottle of it that broke in one of my suitcases. I dunno I've had other takes on this style that I enjoyed more.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2011 20:13:18 | More by jpmclaug

tpd975

Florida

3.98/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a nice light straw yellow with a just a few bubbles no head.

S: Citrus, lemon zest mostly, light grain

T: Lemon bright and tart, grain, a bit of basement, with hints of wheat.

M: Light in body, light in carbonation.

D: Good the best thing I have had from White Birch.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 23:18:17 | More by tpd975

Duhast500

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 1
Bottle 1404 of 1458

Poured from 1Pt. bottle into a pint glass.

The color is a clear pale yellow with a slight haze. A finger of foamy white head that dissipated quickly from my glass and left no lacing but was quite bubbly.

The smell is a bit funky at first, some sour flavor leads into a white grape flavor with a small touch of currants. Some slight green apple flavor is there as well with some slight bitter hop flavor just in the back.

The taste has a slight sour grape or apple flavor and reminds me slightly of white wine. There is a good fruity tartness that has a wiggling sourness that makes me pucker but makes me want more. There a nice sweet flavor that is a little like sugar but may come from the malts that gives this beer a nice zing. Sour patch kids come to mind, a sugary sweetness with a sour flavor as well.

The feel of this beer seems light but it's complex flavor seems to be handled with two hands. There is a lot to pay attention to in this beer and can go unnoticed if you are not looking hard enough.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 07:01:06 | More by Duhast500

VaTechHopHead

California

4.03/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - Hazy lemon-juice yellow, quick fading head (but apparently that dead on the style guidelines) and obviously no lace. Sparking carbonation on the top of the beer. Looks like pulped lemonade.

S - Lots of lemon and acidic sharpness to it that perks the sense. A little bit of hay and zero hop aroma.

T - Whew, quite tart. You kinda make the same face as when you eat sour candy, haha. But it tingles the cheek bones with a tart/acidic lemon. The Lactobacillus is definitely present with it's citrus funk. Uses traditional ingredients and tastes right on que.

M/D - Definitely a light body with lots of "small bubble" carbonation. Doesn't dry the palate out on finishing but definitely leaves a tart flavor on the tongue. Carbonation sparkles on the palate after one swallows and sucks the cheeks in a little. Drinkability is alright if you can handle the tartness but I can definitely see how this would be fantastic during the summer.

Other than Shandy style beers, this is pretty much adult lemonade for the summertime.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 23:52:44 | More by VaTechHopHead

sitarist

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

It pours a cloudy light shade of yellow, almost white. There is hardly any head, what there was fell fast leaving a light dusting that leaves no lacing.

Smells like vitamins, lemon, musk melon, kiwi, and plastic. It is tart and tickles my nose, but there is a weird funk too. Yeast infection?

Sour lemon is the first thing that I taste. For a brief second I taste the melon, and kiwi, with some ginger, but this is all about tart lemons. This would be wonderful on a hot summer day!

Light body with a light carbonation that opens up my taste buds for what feels like a blast of citric acid. Drys quick.

For being one dimensional I sill find this beer to be very enjoyable. Like i Said before this would be really nice on a hot summer night.

This beer was reviewed blind ( part of the blind beer bif round 3 ). Thanks to ShogoKawada.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2010 03:51:13 | More by sitarist

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.9/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another bottle received from CooperEllis in an awesome trade... Big Props!! Bottle 548 of 1458.

Short lived white head no lacing.. the brew is a slightly hazy yellow.

Nose has an off-putting phenolic element... sorta bandaid... other aromas speak true to the BW style. Soft grain and hints of lemon.

Flavor pretty much mirrors the nose.. very soft and borderline elegant... lemon with a mild grainy presence that pushes the drinkability forward... unfortunately, the bandaid is still present, I don't think this is a bad bottle, just my opinion. Late pours were much more a proper Berliner as the phenolic nature seemed to dissipate leaving crisp lactic notes and wheat to do the talking.

Body seemed pretty high for the style, but a crisp carbonation kept things moving forward.

Thanks again John.. I would love to have a keg of this one during the furnace days of Boise summertime.

4/3.5/4/4/4

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2010 08:18:39 | More by JohnGalt1

unclejimbay

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tried this alongside 3 other authentic Berlinner Weisses at a tasting with about 10 other BAs 9/9/10. This brew made a respectable impression for a example of the style.

Extremely pale color in appearance with stark white head, almost looks like a beer champagne.
Tastes & Aromas of lightly tart aroma with hint of lemon and a light pale wheat base.
We tasted this against 2 30 year old Berliner Weisse and it was an excellent rep of a style baseline before the sour lacto notes set in.
Very light body and high carbo.
Drinkability was very nice for a light wheat beer with a dash of tartness. I would really like to try this with some age on it also.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2010 21:31:24 | More by unclejimbay

JamnesCameron

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Received from Cuzco (Nate) in the Blind Beer #3 BIF. Thanks Nate!!

Poured into a MJ tasting glass. Poured very cloudy, extremely pale yellow, with a fizzy head that was gone before I sat down the glass, kinda like club soda.

One whiff and you know it's a berliner weisse. Sour notes, lactic sour. No malt or hop aromas. Aside from the lactic sourness, a very clean, almost chaulky note in the aroma.

First sip is sour, tart, mouth puckering. Quite a punch. Some lemon tartness, and an alkalinity like club soda.

Mouthfeel is thin, watery, very prickly from the carbonation. After the first sip, I don't feel like my mouth is going to cave in from the sourness.

Highly drinkable beer. This would be fantastic on a hot summer afternoon, sitting in an outdoor cafe in the city, watching all the pretty people wish they were drinking my beer. Alcohol is a little high for the style, but it really doesn't come through.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2010 05:15:30 | More by JamnesCameron

kkipple

South Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A fine example of an American Berliner Weisse. Really is. The real deal here. My mini-review, from notes:

A. Hazy pale straw, short, fizzy head that falls to naught. Of course, cloudy, as it should be.

S. Ah ha! Sour-lemon, wheat, very fresh and clean, yet almost soft. Pale and no hops to be found, just that sort of 'raw' wheat and grain bill, perhaps a little grassy, tempered with sour-mash goodness.

T. Long sour lemon, dry, grainy, quite good. This is 6.4%? Clean, refreshing, eye-opening . Simple, direct, cleansing. Gosh, I don't know what to say... I want more though.

M / D. Well nigh perfect, they've nailed this one. Full carbonation, spritzy, long, inviting more.

This is my first White Birch beer, but I have to say, they've got this one down cold. If you like Berliner Weisse on the bigger, sourer side, like I do, then this is one to seek out. Nicely done, chaps! Thanks to Todes and Bobby8405 for sharing.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2010 05:38:58 | More by kkipple

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very pale lemonade yellow with barely a head. A skim ring of white at best, no true lacing.

Whoa! Something funky here. Sour milk? Bacon? Breakfast beer? Another whiff shows some lemon zest, and...it works.

Very tart up front, but not cloying in any way. Carbonation clears the palate for some spicy lemon notes, and as the palate clears, you get just a touch of sweet wheat. A bit soapy, but in a good way. Tons of acid. What a clean brew.

Super light body that borders on watery. Good carbonation.

An incredible example of drinkability. Not a hint of alcohol, incredibly refreshing. I would love to drink this again. Got this 1.9 pint for $4.99 as a seasonal clearance. Saw it again today for $10. It is pretty much cost prohibitive for me to get this at full price. Still, very very good.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 20:36:34 | More by OtherShoe2

awalk1227

Georgia

4.3/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Consumed 11/6/10 got in a trade from zoolzoo, thanks Kevin! I've been really excited about trying this one. First Berliner Weisse!

Bottled June 2, 2010 #387 of 1458

Poured into Southern Tier elongated tulip

(The girlfriend loved this one)

A: Pours a pale yellow, slightly hazy, (kind of like how Fresca looks) with a bubbly head that dissipates quickly, despite the strong carbonation

S: Smells pretty funky, can't make out any other fruits, maybe a slight sour grape? A whiff of wheat.

T: Slight hint of sparkling grapes and grapefruit. Tartness on the finish, but not puckering. Actually quite pleasing. The bubblegum breadiness of the wheat shows in the aftertaste. They weren't kidding, it's pretty darn refreshing.

F: Extremely light and bubbly, again, like a soda, but without the syrup. Effervescent.

D: Awesome. No alcohol detected, great for any season, particularly hot weather.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2010 20:28:38 | More by awalk1227

deltatauhobbit

Maine

3.68/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottled June 2, 2010
Bottle 1429 of 1458

Pours a clear pale yellow color, very pale in color actually, hardly any head, but of what there is fades really fast, leaves no lacing on the glass, slight greenish color.

Smell has a lightly sour/tart aroma with hints of apple and lemon.

Taste is light and crisp, the carbonation that did not provide any head is present in the mouthfeel and is assertive, lightly sour and not overwhelming, good lemony zest to it, the strength is not evident in the taste but at 6.7% it is way too strong for a Berliner Weisse, otherwise it's a good BW to drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2010 23:48:37 | More by deltatauhobbit

Cheesemoose

Florida

3.95/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thank you so much to Gosox8787 for this one!

Glass: Tulip

Nice pale straw yellow color with a good 2 fingers of bubbly head that dissipates quickly. No lacing.

Sour funkiness on the nose, with a bit of wheat in the back. Probably an overused comparison, but very champagne like on the nose, with a nice bit of dryness.

On the palate, tartness is well subdued behind a nice lemon zest flavor. Wheat flavors come through in the finish, providing a very refreshing flavor that compliments the lacto sourness. Very nice balance.

Bubbly carbonation with a great mouthfeel. Very drinkable for a sour.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 01:11:56 | More by Cheesemoose

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a pale straw color with quite a bit of haze. A bit of lacing as it goes down. The nose brings some lemon and green apples. The taste is slightly sour with lactic character and some tartness. Very very mild funk comes through. Feel is light with slight sourness. The drinkability is okay. There is nothing wrong with this beer, but nothing really stands out either. A bit plain.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2010 02:11:15 | More by Thorpe429

jdhilt

New Hampshire

2.85/5  rDev -24%
look: 1 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a one finger pure white head that vanishes leaving no lace. Clear pale yellow green color remarkably like urine. Strong carbonation and very light bodied. Lemon and yeast nose. Flavor is fizzy, tart lemon and yeast, hops are hidden. This would be a good lawnmower beer in the Summer, its cold now. $7.25 for a 500ml bottle from Chase Street Market & Deli Plymouth, NH. Bottle 480/1458.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2010 21:52:40 | More by jdhilt

zoolzoo

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I guess wasnt sure what to expect from this beer, although Im open to anything made with those lacto critters. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

A: Ultra light straw color in body, hazy, bubbles everywhere. Three finger white head. Attractive..

S: Mostly sour funkiness, which is fine with me.

T: Moderate amount of tartness up front. Citris rind and funky lemon juice. The sour characteristics meld nicely with the base wheat beer. The label is right, this is an incredibly refreshing beer. Well balanced, I like it.

M/D: Mouthfeel is light with ample carbonation. Drinkability is excellent, perhaps the most refreshing sour I have had to date.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 14:51:10 | More by zoolzoo

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle care of BA bring, thanks man! Batch 1 bottle #31 of 1458 dated June 2, 2010.

Poured into a pint glass this brew appears a very light yellow color. Holy heck I have seen some light colored berliner weisse but this one might take the cake as the lightest one yet. A fizzy amount of white head appears about a finger strong and is gone in no time. Throughout the experience bubbles of carbonation break at the surface and fail to deliver even a ring of lace around the inside of the glass. No worries though, remember this is a berliner weisse.

The aroma of this brew is primarily lacto with a funky mess of scents hitting the nose that come across like yogurt. Strangely enough, it works and I like it. In the background are some faint grainy wheat notes that suggest a little bit of light skinned fruity sweetness akin to pear or apple. As it warms a little bit of lemon citrus zest comes forward. The main player in the scent of this brew is no doubt the lacto.

The taste of this brew will clobber your tongue if you are expecting your typical ultra light pale beer experience. The flavor of lacto is right there with a taste and tartness reminescent of unflavored/unsweetned greek yogurt. A tiny bit of residual sweetness that is grainy like wheat resides inside the mouth contrasting a lemony tartness that makes this brew finish with a drying quality about it. Suggestions of light skinned fruit like pear are subtle in the background, much less pronouned than in the aroma.

This is a light bodied brew with a moderately high level of carbonation. Quite drinkable, there are no issues finishing a glass. At more than 6% abv this is really stretching the limits for the style but the alcohol's character is hidden well enough until the brew gets too warm. If you were going to anticipate this experience based off the way this brew looks, you are going to be in for a real surprise. Lots of flavor going on inside this brew despite the fact that it honestly looks like it doesn't have much to offer. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 04:13:21 | More by stakem

kingcrowing

Vermont

2.68/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

500ml bottle poured into a sampling glass.

Pours the color of semen, it's cloudy and very hazy and yellow, pretty gross. Nose is very tart and funky and sharp.

Taste is super tart, I guess it's ok for the style but I'm not a big fan of it at all, it's just too sharp and harsh. I've had a couple of the style and this is just too harsh.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2010 02:12:57 | More by kingcrowing

thehbchemistry

California

4.6/5  rDev +22.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thank you Suzanne for sending me this one!!

A - Pours an opaque pale yellow with a little head.

S - Smells great! Sour lemons and oranges hit first along with wheat and funk.

T - Tastes of tart lemons and citrus, not as tart as i'd like it to be but it's still great. I can definitely taste the wheat in the background.

M - What I love is after each sip I'm waiting to pucker from the tartness but it never comes. Some sour is good but I am not a fan of so much sour that it makes my cheeks hurt. This is very well balanced and very refreshing.

D - My first beer from White Birch and I can't wait to try more. I would definitely drink more of this if I could get my hands on it. Not my favorite berliner weisse but it is a great attempt at one.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2010 00:28:05 | More by thehbchemistry