Professor Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Weisse - Professor Fritz Briem

Jonada

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

500ml bottle served in a tulip glass. No freshness date.

Appearance: Pours a pale straw yellow color with 2 fingers of a white soapy head. Very effervescent. Body is very hazy with lots of visible carbonation streaming throughout.

Smell: Clove, spice, lemon peel, apple and some lactic character

Taste: Wheat, clove, banana, pear, light funk. Sourness is low.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied. Carbonation is relatively high, but the wheat helps soften the mouthfeel a bit.

Overall: Not amazing, but a solid example of the style. In a world of limited, easily available Berliner options, this is one of the better ones.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 04:59:11 | More by Jonada

Florida9

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Popped the bottle and noticed a slight pellicle around the bottle opening. Typical of sours, but not necessarily Berliners. A few moments later and this beer decided it was time to gush. Very pale pastel yellow in color. Almost white. Forms an enormous, very bubbly, white head that eventually reduces down to not very much. No lacing.

S: Smell is fresh. Surprisingly fresh. Lemons and lemon rind. Some lactic acid and a touch of barnyard.

T: Taste is similar. Lightly sweet. Lemon. Essentially effervescent lemonade. Some lactic acid with a bit of earthiness on the finish. Light wheat character. Not overly complex. Quite simplistic actually, but also a very clean and refreshing tartness.

M: Lighter bodied. Heavy carbonation gives a prickly mouthfeel. Light tartness. Non-existent bitterness.

O: I can't say I've ever had a Berliner Weisse in Germany, so while I can't vouch for the authenticity of this beer, I can say this is about as spot on a Berliner as I could imagine. Tart, but not sour, with a strong lemony taste. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 02:09:30 | More by Florida9

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

3.79/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: poured from a 0.5 L bottle into a pint glass, light golden colored with a large white soapy head that quickly dissipates leaving little lacing, cloudy

S: sour pickles, yeast, grain, cider vinegar

T: sour and effervescent, vinegar, tangy

M: heavily carbonated, light, prickly, refreshing

O: this is a weird style of beer, it's hard to rate because I can't compare it to anything but pickles and malt vinegar

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 23:31:04 | More by M_C_Hampton

hardy008

Minnesota

4.01/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear gold color with a two finger foamy head which quickly fades to 1/2 finger and holds, leaving spotty lacing. (I poured the sediment in later, and the beer had a cloudy lemon color then.) The aroma has tart lemon, wheat, green apple skin, AND SOME FUNK.

The taste is tart, with some unexpected sweetness at the end. There is tart lemon, wheat, green apple skin, and some funk.

Light bodied with high carbonation. Leaves a dry, sticky feeling in the mouth, with a lightly bitter aftertaste. After two disappointing Berliner Weissbiers, I found this one, which I like quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 02:13:20 | More by hardy008

IrishKevin

Massachusetts

4.16/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a bottle (no experation date) into a weizen glass.

Big huge fluffy head typical of wheat beer.

Aroma was very citrusy with a little musty funkiness.

Had very pleasent citrusy tartness. Didn't hit you in the jaw like a lambic, but had a nice sour taste. Highly carbonated and refreshing. Would be great on a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 20:34:30 | More by IrishKevin

scottfrie

California

3.94/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

500ml bottle into snifter.

A: Pours a hazy lemon color with a very loud and fizzy head that was very active and self-rejuvenating. Enucleation on the bottom of the glass is very active and three fingers of thick bright white film lasted long after the pour.
S: Earthy hop, black pepper, lactic bite, faint citrus lemon, and a bit musty. Earthy and spicy overall.
T: Light flavored, earthy spice and hop, pale malt, lactic acid finish, clean acidity, no sour tartness or harsh. Extremely light and mild, like tart seltzer water with a dash of earth and lemon zest. No aftertaste.
M: Clean and very crisp and refreshing mouthfeel. Scrubbing carbonation is very tingly and active.
O: Very light and refreshing, less flavor than I was expecting but still extremely good.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 22:14:21 | More by scottfrie

dar482

New York

4.84/5  rDev +18%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Found that they had this bottle at Spritzenhaus in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

The color is a slightly hazy golden yellow.

The aroma is very yeasty with some sour and a bit of a moldy funk.

The flavor has a malty flavor and a wheat beer character, but then with a nice sour tart bite. The flavor is of pear, sour apple and some yeast. The maltiness really carries this beer so well. For those who aren't into sours, this is wonderful. It has a bit of sour that really makes this beer attractive and refreshing.

I would drink this for hours during the summer.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 04:20:13 | More by dar482

Tone

Missouri

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy, golden color. 5/4 inch head of a white color. Great retention and good lacing. Smells of lemon, hops, sweet malt, slight pale malt, and slight herbs. Fits the style of a Berliner Weissbier. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with a high carbonation level. There is also an appropriate level of tartness. Tastes of lemon, sweet malt, slight pale malt, slight sugar, hint of herbs, and a hint of hops. Overall, good appearance, aroma, and blend.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 16:36:34 | More by Tone

HabiMendes

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev -11%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

I knew this beer had a different character, but it still surprised me negatively, even though I enjoy sour beers. This Berliner Weisse poured as a golden, somewhat hazy with no neck at all (not even a poorly retained one). The smell is a mixture of curdled milk, leather, sweat - all expected from the style, but they were too evident here. The taste is very refreshing, with good carbonation and acidity. The low-body, but impacting taste leaves more tartness in the finish.

My scores were based on the pure, non-syruped drink. For reference, I also used a non-standard passion fruit concentrate, but even generous amounts of it did not mitigate the overwhelming lactic character - again, it was expected, but too evident on this beer. It helped the appearance, though, as I could finally see a white neck just for a few seconds.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 17:43:42 | More by HabiMendes

sjccmd

Minnesota

4.14/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Foams upon opening. Pours mostly clear golden yellow with a fizzy white head that dissipates quickly. No lacing probably because of the acidity.

Green apples, hay, some biscuity malts in the background. Very lemony. Relatively mild aroma. No hop character.

Tart up front followed by slight funk. Lemons and a tiny amount of malt sweetness in the finish. Earthy and refreshing.

Explosive carbonation. Very dry with lingering earthy and malty character. Cleans out very quickly. Extremely refreshing.

A very mild and refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 02:06:15 | More by sjccmd

fdig23

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

From the bottle. This one's a gusher.

Appearance: dull opaque yellowish beige. Very bubbly white head instantly dissipates.

Nose: Simple. A bit of cherry skins, a little lemon, and a hint of orange juice.

Taste: Very straightforward but perfectly tasty and refreshing. Sour cherries, a little lemon, a bit of bready malts. No finish.

Mouthfeel: Way too carbonated. The amount of carbonation ruins the thirst-quenching qualities of this beer by making it harder to drink.

Overall: This one feels authentic. Simple, clean, not overdone in any way. The taste is perfectly simple, refreshing and delicious. With a little tweaking on the carbonation this could be a perfect summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 05:19:26 | More by fdig23

GuzzLah

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy light yellow with a huge head and a ton of carbonation.

Aroma is bubblegum, green apple, hay and loose tobacco.

Taste is similar to the aroma with wheat and some green apple tartness, but not super tart. I don't pick up any lacto. The finish is relatively dry and slightly tart.

Overall, this was somewhat of a disappointment. It just tasted like a boring, fizzy wheat beer with a little bit of tartness. I'll conclude that I prefer the modern American Berliners with a more robust lacto component than this traditional Berliner.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 23:46:45 | More by GuzzLah

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.09/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a clear straw yellow color with 2 fingers of head that quickly fizzles away in seconds

S: Lots of banana and clove, along with a tart lactic presence and definite wheat malt

T: Follows the nose, with a little less of the banana and clove and more lactic tartness wheat notes. Simple and refreshing

M: Light-medium bodied with moderate-high carbonation

O: A nice easy drinker that has a nice lactic quality and a solid wheat presence. Great for a summer any-time beer

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 17:39:28 | More by BEERMILER12

patre_tim

China

4.24/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Grapefruit juice (not the ruby red kind) or peach juice- light dull yellow with a slight pink tinge, unfiltered and opaque, huge off white head of 5 fingers. The foam started out of the bottle as soon as it was opened.

S: Slightly acidic and gassy, as though its releasing gasses as you breathe it in. Reminds me of a lambic or a kumbacha tea. Slight fruit, vinegar, a very slight floral scent.

T: Follows the nose. Acidic, lambic like but not as sour as say a Lindemans' lambic, nor is it like kumbacha tea in intensity, yet its present and mild, rather like a witbier in lightness yet with the strong touch of sour. Light, crisp, refreshing.

M: Light body, highly carbonated.

O: Like it, and have to be in the mood to enjoy this, rather like a lambic. Refreshing, crisp, unique, love the bottle that has lots of writing on it. Love the history it gives on the beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 19:23:24 | More by patre_tim

LambicPentameter

Kansas

3.99/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Served out of a 16.9 oz "mini-bomber" into a Boulevard chalice. No discernible 'drink by' date or batch number/bottling date.

Appearance - The foamy, fluffy head is the most distinct thing about this beer. An eggshell white, with a volume that gave the impression of meringue. Carbonation grows from the bottom of the glass perpetually, feeding the 1.5-finger head. The beer is the color of hay, with some hints of amber.

Smell - Characteristic twinge of sour and funk, but it's fleeting. Reminds me of a weaker version of a gueuze. Some floral notes and a hint of barnyard hay. It has me sufficiently intrigued to what the taste might be like.

Taste - Pleasantly pungent upfront, but quickly rounds out into something resembling watery lemonade. Like a radler with more kick. I get the feel of shandy, and I'm not familiar enough with this particular style of "sour" beer to know whether the lack of that pucker factor is normal or not. I prefer a little bit more kick, but this one is very tasty and I can imagine as a good summer lounging beer, because it's quite refreshing.

Mouthfeel - Effervescent, pleasant, but that thins out quickly and leaves me wanting a little more. I expected it to linger a bit longer due to it's fullness, but it was almost like drinking a fluffy cloud.

Overall, a very quality beer. As noted, it's refreshing enough that I could see myself kicking back several out in the sun on a lazy weekend. Drinkable and pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 00:30:58 | More by LambicPentameter

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.23/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from tap at Avenue Pub NOLA. Pours a hazy golden with a little bit of white foamy head. Great hefe banana and clove aromas with a nice dose of sour. Taste is fantastic banana hefe wheat, with a burst of sour. Finishes with a chocolate like note and smooth. Its amazing how the tartness just finishes out leaving the maly characteristics behind. Really a fantastic brew.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2013 05:20:18 | More by DrinkSlurm

jeonseh

Indiana

4.33/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a GI goblet

A - Looks like champagne as it is a yellow gold color with a good amount of carbonation trailing upwards. White head comprised of many small bubbles

S - Tart green apple, white grape, and lemon with a light straw and sweet bread presence. As it warms up, the tartness makes itself more known in the nose

T - Tart up front with green apple, lemon, and sweet tarts. As it moves along, get a slight straw, bready, and white grape sweetness. There is a slight muskiness to it as well. The finish is rather bready and white grape that lingers on in the finish. Overall, this is one of those beers that has a lot of smooth flavors that blend together well from one to the next. You'd almost want to call it light but it has too much flavor for that to be a good description

MF - Light body with lots of carbonation. Despite having all of this, this is actually a creamy beer. The finish is slightly dry.

O - This is everything you want from a German beer. It is simple and easy to drink yet full of flavor. The slight but not overwhelming tartness reminds me of a lighter Gueuze. This is one you could drink all summer long while sitting out on the porch and enjoying the sun.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 04:18:31 | More by jeonseh

Demitra

California

3.78/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Serving Type: Pilsner glass

Appearance: Bubbles float to the top very fast, champagne like. The head quickly disintegrates from the bubbles. Rich golden color. Has a thin viscosity.

Smell: Cider like, citrus, pear, green apple

Taste: Tart, refreshing, a little watery. I taste pear and almonds. Very easy to drink.

Mouthfeel: Very effervescent , the bubbles tingle my tongue a little more than I would like a beer to. The beer feels a little too thin, watery in my mouth.

Overall: I like it. Drinkability is the biggest factor, I can drink this with or without food. A no fuss, refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 02:52:12 | More by Demitra

kiya

California

4.43/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A great label design on this one...
Pours a golden yellow with a light head that disappears within a minute. The initial scent is that of a overripe pear with a strong barnyard and wet hay scent that seems quite strong for a Berliner Weisse.
The flavors are intense even when straight out of a fridge. There's crisp apples, hard cider, and a lot of lemon flavor. The lemon accent is extremely strong and goes very well with the more dark grassy scents coming off the top of this beer. Throughout the glass the beer continues to be heavily carbonated, giving it a very light feel. The balance is perfect on all levels, its crisp and clean yet has strong notes of a deeper beer on the nose.
One of the best BW styles i've had.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 02:44:53 | More by kiya

Mebuzzard

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Perhaps the best BW I've had...but I haven't had that many.
The head sticks around a bit longer with this beer, albeit a white collar, but it's there nonetheless. Light orange/golden pour...almost Sauv Blanc-ish

Tart aroma. Lemon, bubblegum, white grape, persimmon. Fresh smelling. Floral

Tart flavors as well. The lemon is more of a persimmon on the tongue. White grape. Hints of pine..very green. This beer drinks remarkably well even though it does have a tartness that some may not favor. Very nice

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 21:22:11 | More by Mebuzzard

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer is cloudy blonde in colour, with a large white head. Good retention.

Smell contains a lot of lemon, a bit of apple. A bit tart, a bit of a lacto smell. Wheat.

Taste is like the nose. Lemon, wheat, fairly acidic, lacto. Lemon is the strongest flavour for sure. A bit of clove, noticeably more in the finish, but pretty light. A bit of cereal.

Light bodied, pretty strongly carbonated. Crisp.

Overall, quite good. While I do not have a ton of experience with them, I really like the Berliner Weisse style, and this strikes me as quite a good one.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 23:04:09 | More by jrenihan

yamar68

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Lovely... hazy pear gold body produces a thin but noisy finger of head that settles down quickly, leaving a slender collar - just enough to leave some lace.

Dry, fruity yeast type of funk, some faint lemon peel, white grape, green apple, subtle funk the whole way through.

Soured apple cider, would make for a beautiful introduction to the sour beer world - finishes dry and clean, nice.

Infinitely drinkable. Great next to a slice of pizza.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 01:26:03 | More by yamar68

spoony

Colorado

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a 500 ml bottle into a weizen glass.

A-The beer was bright hay and sunshine colored with a two-plus finger plume of white head. Lots of carbonation visible.

S-Lots of citrus smells going on here: lemon, orange, and a little spice. The citrus gave it a light tartness that blended well with the wet hay and wheat undertones.

T-The taste followed the smell very closely. Not terribly tart or sour (compared to other Berliners), but the brew gives you a pleasant lemony bite. Crisp.

M-Light body with lots of prickly carbonation. This beer is highly quaffable and, fortunately, lacks the watery feel that sometimes afflicts wheat beers or weissbiers.

O-This is a solid, above-average Berliner. The whole package was nicely balanced in terms of feel and flavor, but nothing jumped out and made me say, "Wow!" This would be a good introduction to sour beers for the uninitiated.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 17:06:21 | More by spoony

macrosmatic

Florida

4.15/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. Poured from bottle into a CCB pint glass.

A: Pours a light gold with some haze, a two-finger white head and lots of visible carbonation.

S: Lemon, a bit of funk, yeasty, and the banana-ish esters.

T: Citrus, biscuit yeastiness, a bit sour, a bit grainy, and some lemony funk. Mild sourness in the hang.

M: Light bubbly mouthfeel, no particular alcohol presence.

O: This is a pretty tasty standard berliner. Nothing crazy added like so many of the "Florida-weisses" around now, but very solid.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 17:28:32 | More by macrosmatic

JudgeRoughneck

Louisiana

3.93/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

age of bottle unknown= presumed fresh

APPEARANCE- Gold, crystal clear, low white head that fades but does stay until the end of the glass

AROMA- Very light and delicate. Lightly herbal, tart, and tangy. Very bright and clean. Faint notes of fruit and a very slight musty cellar quality- but you really have to look for that. Wonderful rich, tangy wheat aroma is really what dominates.

FLAVOR- Very unusal,....first thing that strikes me is that it kinda tastes like cigarettes. Im not talking tobacco, I mean like the ashy burning paper/ chemical smell that hangs on a smokers clothes. That eventually turns peppery, and after punching through the top, fishes so quick and clean you wonder if you imagined the first flavors. Its a like a drive-by shooting on your palate. Feel like I'm getting a whisper of noble hop mid-palate. Not really what I'd call "tart" or "tangy" but certainly acidic. Acidity is nearly the only sensation, all the usual accompanying "sour" flavors are totally gone. Interesting that sucha big deal has been made out of some brewers only using lactic acid and not bacteria, can't imagine it tastes any different that this. WHeat flavor remains bright and fresh.

MOUTHFEEL- Light bodied and effervescent

OVERALL- Finally satified my curiosity about one of the last styles I haven't tried. No doubt this is the real stuff, a couple of US- brewed attempts I had were just watery and bland by comparison. This is extremely refreshing and would be better than lemonade on a summer day. I know beer snobs recoil at the idea of putting syrup in beer but I made my own woodruff syrup and a couple spoonfulls really tied things together after I wrote the review above. Wouldn't drink this again without the syrup.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 20:14:55 | More by JudgeRoughneck