Professor Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Weisse - Professor Fritz Briem

cosmicevan

New York

4.45/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

consumed on 6/30, while I was "on Hiatus" during a beautiful summer afternoon. picked up locally. enjoyed from my better half goblet.

a - brew poured a pale hazy yellow with 2 fingers plus of fizzy bubbly head that all but evaporated leaving a skin of bubbles on the surface of the glass. no lacing to speak of, when swirling the glass the head moved as a whole. visible carbonation could be seen in the murky yellowness when held to the light.

s - as soon as i poured it, the sweet smell of lemon grassiness filled the air. upon closer inspection, some wheat and orange peel and lemon rind. soft funkiness in the background.

t - big lemon tart. REALLY refreshing. some grassiness. some orange peel as well, but mostly lemon. fantastic tasting. some lactic acid and mash.

m - medium bodied and surprisingly full flavored. prickly carbonation.

o - overall, i expected something a bit softer, but was pleasantly surprised with how good this is. perfect pairing with today's 90+ degree weather. really a must try for any fan of berliner or anyone curiuos about the style. just an awesome beer for summer. fruity and not too dry...just plain old refreshing.

bottle

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 01:26:18 | More by cosmicevan

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

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

Last bottle at Bottle Revolution.

Body is bright cloudy yellow. Initially HUGE white head fed by loads of carbonation quickly fades into a small ring. Decent lacing left.

The smell is unique, and not as tart as I was expecting. I get a good bit of hefe yeast esters (sweet banana and uber sweet bubble gum), but then theres a powdery tart lemon candy thing. hint of funk as well.

Now the taste is something I can get on board with. Crisp wheat base is noticeable, but not dominant but the banana bread feeling is. Hint of clove as well. Tart lemon is delicate and subdued, but there. It feels more acidic and sour than it tastes (which is odd and hard to explain). I just get more banana than acidic tartness.

Its dry, crisp, and clean (something I expect from German beers). Banana lingers late, but eventually gives way to a chewy malt.

The warmer and longer it sits, the more tart the lemon gets, making this even better.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 21:45:35 | More by VncentLIFE

chugalug06

Colorado

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Massive five-finger head rushes out of the bottle. White soapy foam lingers on top of the brew for some time. Brew is cloudy yellow with tons of whites.

WOW. A true Berliner Weiss (BW)... Lemon, orange, spices, wheat, lots of stone fruits too.

Perfect (light) funky tartness, awesome carbonation, zero bitterness. Yum. Lots of apple, apricots, lemon, orange, pepper.

IMO, this is how a BW should appear, smell, and taste. Highly recommended, this is a must try for likers of the style

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 00:25:12 | More by chugalug06

notchucknorris

California

4.6/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a super cloudy pale golden color with some hints of orange. A huge rocky head forms on the pour and tons of carbonation is visible in the glass. Amazing.

S: Great sourness/funk right away with some notes of tart green apple and lemon, maybe some unripe kiwi. A hint of cedar in the back.

T: The flavor opens gradually and moves towards a medium lactic/lemony twang. Some green apple, light funk and wheat on the finish. Probably the best I've had of this style.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 18:22:53 | More by notchucknorris

Grohnke

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(BA / BJCP)

Cloudy pale yellow. Exploding white, creamy heads hold remarkably well. Effervescent.
(3.5 / 2)

Light grainy malt. Medium light lemon, and apple. Moderate lactic sourness. No hops.
(4.5 / 11)

Light grainy sweet malt. Moderately light citric fruitiness. Medium light lactic sourness begins the long dry finish and ends with a slight citric sweetness aftertaste. No hops. No alcohol.
(4.5 / 18)

Very light body, very high carbonation. Airy, fluffy, delicate mouthfeel. Effervescent.
(4 / 4)

Quite refreshing, pale, and subtly sour beer. Citric fruitiness adds some pleasant complexity. Soft lactic sourness adds a refreshing quality. Nothing over-the-top, nothing vastly complex -- and I am completely OK with that!
(4.5 / 9)

( 4.4 / 44)

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 00:40:43 | More by Grohnke

larryi86

Delaware

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

500 mL bottle poured into a Weizen Glass

A- A hazy golden straw color with a huge white head that fades very quickly.

S- Sour, light fruits, getting some apples, earthy funk.

T- Sour lemons, touch of apples, touch of wheat, some lactic acid in the finish, some earthy funky.

M- Crisp, light body, tons of carbonation.

O- A really nice sour that is easy to drink. Definitely will pick this up again and start seeking out more Berliner Weissbiers.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 22:22:33 | More by larryi86

ArrogantB

Colorado

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

16.9 oz bottle $6. I haven't had many chances to grab an authentic berliner so I snapped this up. Light yellow color, hazy, good head. Smells tart, lemon, wheat. Flavor was wheat cracker, very subtle lemon, so easy to drink on a hot day. I could kill a lot of these if given the chance, solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 02:44:03 | More by ArrogantB

OldPenguinHunter

California

4.6/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I bought out a case of this at my local liquor store, god I love this stuff...
Pours with a vigorus head, fluffy and bright white, the aroma of tart stone fruit, yeast, fresh bread are very present and welcomed. The beer is very effervescent which knocks up the sediment in the bottle, no matter, just got to pour it well and slow. The taste is great, that's why the beer is great. I don't think this as being a traditional beliner weisse, but I don't really care, it's freaking good. To me it is more of a tart, blonde ale, there is a bit more meat on this beer than I normally expect from BWs, and it is welcomed, again. Mouthfeel is very prickly, but not prickly enough from gulping this beer down, it is just absolutley refreshing.

Overall, final summation: Buy and drink the Sh1t out of this beer when you can find it.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 02:19:14 | More by OldPenguinHunter

rfbenavi80

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a Nonic Pint.

A- Pours a very clear pale straw color with fizzy white head that is leaving fairly quickly and leaving no lacing on the glass. The head never really dies down completely. It has left half a fingers width worth of a "cap" on top of the beer.

S- Some funky tartness, sour green apples, and some lemony citrus.

T- Crisp, tart, and refreshing. Starts off with a mouth puckering lemon sourness that is rounded with a smooth wheat flavor. Finishes a little dry.

M- Carbonation explosion. The carbonation bubbles dance on your tongue. Easy drinking medium body.

O- A nice offering. Refreshing on these hot summer days.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 09:49:28 | More by rfbenavi80

haazer

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First beer of Philly beer week.

A - A hazy golden brew, looks somewhat like apple juice. Steady stream of bubbles rising to top. No head remains or lacing.

S- Smells funky and a bit tart. There's a definite wheat characteristic of a hefeweizen. The funk and sour characteristic replaces the usual clove and banana.

T - Sweet and tart to start. A little bit of funky sneaks in, and a sour apple characteristic. The hefe quality is there in the aftertaste.

M - Crisp, clean and refreshing. Light bodied brew with ample carbonation.

O - A nice refreshing beer for a warm spring, or summer day. Reminds me of a sweet tart. I can see me getting into Berliner Weiss's.

Serving type: on-tap

06-03-2012 20:25:12 | More by haazer

rfgetz

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light golden straw color, moderately hazy, prickly white bubbles. Scent leads with a touch of lactic tartness, follows up with light fruit such as apple and citrus, faintly musty dried grain. Taste brings moderate lactic tartness, a nice bit of tart apple, grape, lemon, musty dried grain. Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, refreshing. A nice Berliner with a touch of fruit and some toned down tartness. Sampled the last few ounces with Woodruff, very nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 14:44:49 | More by rfgetz

cmoody91

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into pint glass.

A: big foamy head that dies off quickly into no lacing or head. very light straw golden color with a bit of cloudiness. Loads and loads of bubbles racing up and breaking the surface of the beer.

S: Lemon, green apple, super fresh and sweet smelling

T: Wheat, loads of fresh sweet tart fruits: apple, meyer lemon, tangerine. Finish is juicy and just a tiny bit dry. Sweet without being cloying. Lovely.

M: Light, finish is punctuated by carbonation.

O: Super great summer beer. Best Berliner i've ever had. Definitely pick up a couple bottles if you see it.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 02:26:45 | More by cmoody91

soju6

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a cloudy light golden color with a decent head that fades to no real lacing.

S: Aroma of lemon, some wheat and bit of spice and yeast.

T: Taste starts lemony with some tart. Then a mixture of fruit and spice with a bit of grain. Subtle bitterness and a clean finish.

F: fairly light body, tart, quite smooth and refreshing.

O: Easy drinker, especially on a hot day. Good for a few.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 12:21:52 | More by soju6

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a Duvel tulip

A- Pours a cloudy shade of orangeish/yellow with a two finger pure white head that sticks around for awhile

S- nice lemony laced aroma

T- tart and lemony...but I'm also getting hints of booze (in a 5% beer?!) and some sweetness as well

M- actually a little thick...decent body to it, which is a turnoff for the style

O- it's a good beer, but it's not a good berliner weisse.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 18:10:20 | More by bigfnjoe

match1112

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

a: clear golden straw color. four fingers of thick bubbly head slowly fizzes out. not left with any lacing, but plenty of bubbles rising thru out the drnk to keep me happy. looks like a glass of champaign.

s: lemon, wheat, lemon and a slight funk.

t: mouth puckering lemon sourness. a nice wheat body to cary all the lemon flavor. very fruity.

m: alive with carbnation. thin body, which works very well here. a souring dry finish.

o: awesome beer. glad i was able to find a bottle. will probably pick one up everytime i see it.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 02:23:24 | More by match1112

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500 mL bottle, no date.

appears a hazy pale yellow color. 2 inches of foamy white head, that settles down to a 1/2" covering. lots of bubbles steam to the surface.

aroma of wheat, with a bit of lemon sourness, a bit funky. taste is slightly tart, some citrus. refreshing. thinner body, higher carbonation that works well with the beer.

overall - nice beer - easy to drink and it invites you to keep drinking more.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 02:57:01 | More by jmdrpi

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.68/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle into pint glass.

A- Slightly hazy yellow pour with a short lived finger width white head. Lacing is minimal.

S- Apple juice, lemons, lemon skin, grape skins and a touch of white wine. There is a nice sweetness I haven't experienced with any other Berliners I've had.

T- Apple juice, apple cider, lemon juice, lemon skin, grapes and a touch of white wine. Very refreshing, very tart and all around just fantastic!

M- Light bodied, excellent carbonation, cheek tingling tart.

O- This is beyond any Berliner I've come across. This is just magnificent in all aspects.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 23:52:13 | More by korguy123

bound4er

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A. Straw colored with a cloudy appearance. White, two finger head that's quite dense.

S. Grains, cracker and lemon. Not complex but nice.

T. Lemony tart/sour goodness. This really tickles the palate in a nice way. Finishes clean and dry.

M. Light bodied and refreshing with plenty of carbonation.

O. This is a solid Berliner Weiss that is oh so easy to drink. On a hot summers day, I could easily see downing two or three of these.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 00:58:02 | More by bound4er

Immortale25

Florida

4.65/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured into a Green Flash snifter. No freshness date.

A- Pours a medium gold color with a huge two-finger crown that retains good and long before arriving at a 1/4 inch. Sudsy, billowy lacing.

S- Wonderfully funky wild yeast smell with a crisp citrus undercurrent. Possibly some lactic acid aroma. Short whiff of tropical candy.

T- Quick punch of yeast and citrus that transforms into a tart lemon aftertaste. Definitely some lactic acid present as this can officially be classified a "sour" beer. It all works well together though and doesn't deter one from taking multiple sips. A little soapy.

M- High carbonation and a very soft, fluffy feel. Some pucker at the end.

O- So this is what a real Berliner Weisse should taste like. I like it much better than DFH's "neo" berliner weisse, Festina Peche.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 01:48:38 | More by Immortale25

JAYAR1

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Poured into my no-name tulip from a bottle purchased at Binny's
Very murky and you can't see through it.
Slight yeast and malt odor.
Very tart and dry, like a sparkling white wine ,maybe Prosecco. Somewhat grapey aftertaste.
Thin mouth feel. Nothing outstanding.
Overall, it's an interesting beer with with a non-traditional flavor. Thought I read it is usually served with a sweet syrup. Will drink again maybe with a little fowl.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 21:21:19 | More by JAYAR1

morimech

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Slightly cloudy golden color with a massive head that settles to a thick cap. Light specks of lacing is left down the glass.

Interesting aroma that consists of wheat, lemon, green apple, and light funk.

Tastes much more funky that it smells. Moderate amount of lactic sourness. Notes of apples and lemons with a wheat base. Nice grassy notes. The flavor falls off a little quick. Finish is dry and crisp.

Light and lively body. Nice for a sour beer and quite refreshing.

A very good wessbier that was surprisingly funky.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 17:39:28 | More by morimech

harrymel

Washington

3.8/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Brewed/bottled: unk
Had this at the Sour Soiree with the South Sound crew, and was unimpressed, but then again, there were more than 30 sours there, so not all that fair IMO.

Pours a clouded light grainy yellow with a loose, vibrant three fingers of white foam. This falls over 5 or so minutes to leave a solid sheet. Lots of funky Brett on the nose, with some wheat and yeast and peppercorn notes. Don't really anticipate sourness. Very lightly tart with a solidly wheaty flavor and some hints of metal. The brett plays second fiddle to the lactic acid. There are plenty of subtle tones in the beer, and I would hesitate to put syrup in this one, as it's fairly refreshing as is. Medium to full bodied with hi carb and semi dry finish. Nice beer, better than last time.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 04:57:24 | More by harrymel

ehammond1

California

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2012?)

The Bruery Provisions
Orange, CA

Clear golden yellow with a large, somewhat persistent, near-white head. This doesn't leave much stick down the glass but is altogether a very pretty beer.

The aroma is very nice and perfectly appropriate for the style: wheat, lemon, moderate acidic sourness, and light grain.

The flavor is similar to the aroma and quite delightful. A lovely combination of wheat, lemon, pear, green apple, and moderate sourness combine for an incredibly easy drinkable berliner.

Thin to medium bodied with high carbonation. Perfectly appropriate.

Just lovely.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 01:15:25 | More by ehammond1

superspak

Michigan

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

500 ml bottle into imperial pint glass, no bottle dating. Pours slightly cloudy golden straw color with a 1 finger foamy white head with poor retention that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. No glass lacing, and a good amount of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of big tart lemon, apple, pear, grape, grass, hay, cherry, and yeast spices. Fantastic aromas here, with good acidity and balance. Smells a lot like a dry cider. Taste of tart apple, pear, grape, lemon, pepper, grass, hay, yeast spices, and slight funk. Fairly dry on the finish; but there are some lingering notes of apple, pear, hay, grass, and yeast spices on the finish for a bit. Great balance of flavors with a nice tart/sweet balance. Medium-high carbonation and fairly light bodied; with an extremely smooth and crisp mouthfeel. Alcohol is completely hidden at 5%, with no warming present at all as expected. Overall this is a fantastic Berliner weissbier. Fantastic flavor balance, with a nice amount of flavors. Very drinkable and highly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 03:54:50 | More by superspak

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance. Pours a clear yellow straw with tons of bubbles rising and a massive, 4+ fingers of fluffy white head.

Smell. Funky and slightly sweet wheat, lemons and a bit of orange zest. Has a really great dry, earthy funkyness going on.

Taste. Light lactic sourness and that sweet wheat I was smelling. Not as much flavour coming through as I would expect from the great smell.

Mouthfeel. Light body with pretty strong carbonation. A little watery.

Overall. Nice beer but I have to admit, I'm a little underwhealmed. I think BR Tartare has ruined me forever as far as this style goes.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 01:37:54 | More by Rutager