Professor Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Weisse - Professor Fritz Briem

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer appears crystal clear and yellow in color. The head vanishes within seconds, leaving no lace. This is a top-notch appearance for a Berliner Weissbier, and much different than the draft version, in my experience.

S: The aroma is of funky yeast and bananas. The aroma has some Belgian lambic type scents, which I find very appealing.

T: The beer is funky and sour, but not to the point of puckering, at least for me. Banana flavors play a prominent role, but not to the same extent as in a hefeweizen. 1809 is tart, funky, refreshing, and low in alcohol. This is a thoroughly enjoyable beverage, and again, I enjoyed this much more from the bottle versus the draft.

M: Tart and slightly acetic with a solid carbonation level. Nice feel.

D: A great beer. I wish it was a little cheaper ($6 / bottle) and available in six packs. I really enjoy this beer and would drink it anytime.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2010 01:33:25 | More by Huhzubendah

ccrida

Oregon

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

500ml bottle that I've cellared for about a year. Poured into my large Gulden Draak tulip, 1809 is chill hazed pale gold with a large white head that leaves light lace.

Smell is a bit of sour wheat, light sweetness and a hint lemon.

Taste is very nice, clean wheat flavor, light tartness from the acidity, quinine like mineral finish. Very similar to a fine saison, by far the best berliner weiss I've ever had, and also the only one I've had that is from Germany.

Mouthfeel is light and lively, dry, very nice, fine spritz.

Drinkability is high, this is an excellent beer. I love it.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2009 22:07:45 | More by ccrida

largadeer

California

4.28/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - An opaque wheat color with a fizzy, short-lived head. While it's not the most inviting beer in terms of appearance, it looks exactly as it should.

Smell - The usual banana and clove hefeweizen smell is met with a slightly funky sourness, leaning perhaps a bit more toward the traditional hefeweizen aroma.

Taste & mouthfeel - An even mix of fruity, phenolic flavors and lactic sourness. Banana bread and lemon juice come to mind. Light-bodied and spritzy. Very refreshing and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2008 00:50:10 | More by largadeer

avalon07

South Carolina

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

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a yellowish color and a cloudy consistency. Some sediment. There was a big, foamy, long-lasting head and good lacing.

S: A sweet smell of fruit, wheat and a little hops.

T: This beer tasted of bananas, wheat, some lemon and mild hops. The fruity part was most evident when going down, but overall a tasty experience.

M: A highly carbonated beer with a smooth, dry finish. Medium-bodied. Refreshing mouthfeel. Would be a good summer beer.

D: This is the first Berliner Weissbier I've had and hopefully I'll be able to find more of these.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2008 13:38:28 | More by avalon07

jrallen34

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I drank this from the bottle into a chalice.

The beer pours a bright light colored cloudy gold. It almost looks like its neon. The head is white and rises about 1 finger but fades quickly on pour retention. The lacing is spotty and watery.

The aroma is sharp to start with a nice tartness. It smells just like a granny smith apple. I've even peeled one to confirm this, and its confirmed! There is hint of vinegar and wheat.

The taste is great, nice light vinegar taste that is sharp and has a great aftertaste that makes it no doubt what type of beer this is.

The beer is a little watery, but highly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2009 00:00:27 | More by jrallen34

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

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

According to the brown bottle I poured from this is brewed by Dr. Briem.
Poured cold into a traditional wheat glass and added sediment halfway through.

A - A light golden with slight haze. Yeast particulate dropped out immediately. The head is thin and white with compact bubbles. The bubbles continually stream vertically.

S - Nuts, spice, slight sour apple and citrus smell.

M - A nutty, highly effervescent with generally mild sour and spiced attributes.

T - Flavors of wheat and spice are dominant and a fruit flavor emerges next w/ subtle flavors of lemon and pineapple. A light vegetable (celery?) flavor comes in later.

Green apple and tea are some minor flavors that arrive in the finish.

D - A very tasty ale and the light sourness gives you just enough to continue wanting to drink the beer. The wheat and carbonation are refreshing and when the yeast is added even more grainy, nutty spice flavors show up. A bready quality is apparent and very enjoyable. Quite drinkable summer beer and big flavor for a 5% ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2007 15:13:55 | More by Slatetank

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

DefenCorps

Oregon

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

On tap at Max's

Cloudy, translucent yellow with a thin, white head that recedes to a disk. Lactic tartness up front with a mild lemon and citrus character. Raw wheat is noticeable as it warms up. Tart and refreshing with a mild lactic character. Plenty of lemon and lime character, before a dry, tart and refreshing finish takes over. High in carbonation, light in body, this beer is immensely drinkable. An excellent berliner weiss.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2009 17:49:07 | More by DefenCorps

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very cloudy golden color. Has a pretty thick foamy head, but it fades rapidly.

Smells like baked pears with honey glaze. I also get some red wine-like tannins, sour white grapes and lemon zest.

WOW! This bad boy is sour...and delicious. Starts sour and citrusy and finished acidic and dry. I think I can even taste a bit of floral hops and some of the wheat crispness.

For sour beer lovers, this is a must try. If I can find this again, it will most definitely make its way into my shopping cart!

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2008 04:38:45 | More by twiggamortis420

nickfl

Florida

4.6/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours with a decent sized head of loose, white foam that settles rapidly and leaves no lace. The body is a slightly hazy, deep gold color.

S - Light malt and wheat with a yeasty intensity and some spicy lactic acid.

T - Tangy wheat and some sweet, bready malt up front with a surprisingly light note of lactic acid. The malt intensifies in the middle with notes of honey and some fruity pear character that may or may not be yeast derived. The beer finishes with more malt and some creamy wheat flavor as well as moderate tartness and some lemon zest.

M - Medium body, very high carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - This is a shockingly drinkable beer. I expected intense sourness that would overshadow all other flavors, but the acidity is actually quite restrained and while the flavor profile is simple, it is very well managed. The intense carbonation helps to bring out the subtle flavor of the wheat and some notes of lemon and pear. The acidity is restrained and just strong enough to set off the other flavors and it makes for a perfectly refreshing, tart finish. I am really blow away by this beer, it is easily the best Berliner Weisse that I have ever tasted and it is definitely worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2010 06:18:58 | More by nickfl

tpd975

Florida

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

Picked this one up on the advice of my drinking buddy rate beerian fishingnet.

A: Pours a nice light yellow hue, somewhat cloudy. The head is big and bold. 3 fingers in height with tons of carbonation. The head dies to absoultely nothing with no lacing but some floaters are present.

S: Nice light aromas with hints of yeast, wheat, and lemon.

T: Wow. Nice, light, yeasty, wheaty, lemony goodness. Very good.

M: Nice and light, tons of carbonation.

D: Soo drinkable. The perfect florida summer brew.

Overall: I loved Festina Peche which sent me in search of other wonderful Berliner's. Fishingnet from ratebeer told he to get this one. Boy was he right. Tons of nice light flavor with wonderful drinkability. I can see me sipping many of these during the hot Florida summer days.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2008 20:23:58 | More by tpd975

smakawhat

Maryland

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.

Appearance is interesting pours like a dull cloudy lemon wheat beer, solid color throughout totally. Wonderful tight and very fluffy like head with a dull dull looking lemon yellow very dense body. Head does not stick around at all. Not much collar left either while drinking and finishing.

Sour lemon on the nose a hint of spicy dried lemon peel a spicy hotness hard to pinpoint what that is exactly. Zesty and spritzy no hint of grain as if a hefeweissen has been stripped of it's density and this is all you are left with. Boderline bretty, I do like it very much.

Taste is refreshing mild orange juice just substitute the word orange for lemon. If you put lemon juice in a bottle to serve in a tolerable non acidic way this is it. Clean light bodied almost like the perfect watered down lemon soda but just enough wheat to make you think this is beer. Refreshing. Not that sour either compare to a saison, lambic, or american wild ale. Light drinking feel but full of flavor.

Overall great to try an authentic style, and the more and more I drink this the better it gets. It's the perfect version of lemon beer I've ever had if I could use that term. Not punching acidic not too bretty, not boozy, just tolerable lemon joy. I'am sure there isn't even a drop of lemon in this. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 01:57:32 | More by smakawhat

FosterJM

California

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

1446th Review on BA
Bottle to Libbey Glass
500ml

Split 3 ways between StarRaptor, myself & Callmecoon

@BrueryProvisions

App- A wonderful color in the glass. A bit of yellows, golds and beige. A bit hazy and lemonade looking. A full 2 finger quick receding head with a pure white color.

Smell- A nice nose, but thought would be more aromatic. A full pull gets a bit of earthy, dry grass with a clean lemon citrus nose.

Taste- A very nice berliner. Crisp and refreshing and a bit dry. The earthy grass mixed with citrus plays a nice balance without being overly tart and cloying.

Mouth- A lighter body with a good carbonation level. The finish is a bit too dry for me. Good feel overall with residual earthy notes.

Drink- Took a long time to finally see one of these bottles and its a damn fine beer. Clean, crisp, refreshing. Ill have to get another.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 16:13:40 | More by FosterJM

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.68/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed on 7/22/08. Bottle. Pours a cloudy yellow gold with a fizzy white head. Aroma of lots of spices, yeast. Smells like a witbier. Flavor of initial carbonation, yeast/bread, spices, with a slightly sour finish. Not as sour/tart as I'd expected from a berliner weisse and a little bit spicier. Still quite tasty and very drinkable.
7/4/7/4/13 (3.5/5)

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2008 22:53:27 | More by LilBeerDoctor

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16.9 ounce bottle. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a hazy straw gold color with about an inch white head. Head retention and lacing are both a little above average. Aroma is lemon zest, lemons, tart apples, bready malt and wheat. The taste is pretty much the same as the aroma, but the taste is more tart than the aroma would lead you to believe. It's a good tart/sour beer, but the tartness isn't overpowering. Mouthfeel/body is light, it's nice and crisp, and it has good carbonation too. Drinkability is pretty good, it's refreshing and enjoyable. It wouldn't be hard to drink a few of these at a time! I think this is a good overall brew, I'll definitely buy this again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 22:53:39 | More by bluejacket74

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

16.9oz bottle. Poured a light and hazy straw color with a huge sized white head. Aromas of cloves, bananas, wheat, and citrus. Tastes of wheat, lemons/citrus, and very light spices. Tart finish. Body on the thinner side. I could see drinking this on a hot and humid day.

Notes from and tasted on 6/12/07.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2008 06:08:22 | More by hopdog

AgentZero

Illinois

3.08/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Cloudy yellow with a small head, ton of floaty yeast or something in there. Nice dissipation leaving some very intricate lacing around.

S - Yeast and malty with a tart smell. Apples and pears come through on the nose.

T - Quite tart, but not quite sharp enough. A little creamy, pear taste is just a little too much like juice to be good. Don't get me wrong, pretty pleasant to drink, but missing the sharpness of the berliner weisses that I prefer. Nice yeast hints with some malts appearing on the backend.

T - Creamy, slipperly, light. Would have liked a touch more carbonation.

D - For some reason this beer just was not super drinkable for me, surprising considering the low ABV. Maybe it's just the sweetness becoming overpowering. Had trouble getting through the single bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2010 21:27:59 | More by AgentZero

StonedTrippin

Colorado

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

a very true to style berliner weiss here. pours cloudy lemon colored with a smallish white head that fades out after just a minute or two. the smell is very sour and citrusy, acidic for sure, and refreshing. there is a lot of lemon in the flavor, tart like lemon juice from concentrate, and the wheat malt does little to calm that down. there is also a funk sort of yeast, almost saisony. i really like the mouthfeel too. its got more carbonation than the appearance shows, and the body is super light. the acidity at the end is a little harsh, but on a hot summer day this would be just right. its not one of those beers id want to get drunk on though, too much acidity would turn the stomach around. it is a very refreshing berliner though, one of the better versions ive had really, and for under 7 bucks a bottle, its a nice buy.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 20:27:44 | More by StonedTrippin

Brent

Kentucky

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

A bit less tart than some examples of the style, but still satisfyingly lactic-lemony. Nicely drinkable, as the well-moderated sourness holds at a pleasant level throughout. I think of this style as the "lemonade of beers" (but not in the horrid shandy-style) in that it is refreshing on a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2011 13:42:08 | More by Brent

champ103

Texas

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

A: Pours a clear pale yellow color. At first a large white head forms, but quickly recedes. No lace is left behind.
S: The aroma is fruity with some orange, lemon, and grapes. Some husky grain. Sour fruits. A dry woody aroma as well.
T: Sweet fruits that follow the nose. A very nice tartness, and sourness that is not over done. An interesting take on a wheat beer.
M/D: A light body that is over carbonated for my tastes. Very refreshing however. Easy and smooth to drink though.

This is interesting, and my first Berliner Weissbier. I can dig it, a sour wheat beer. It works well. I would like it to be a little less carbonated, but still worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2009 21:12:01 | More by champ103

GClarkage

California

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

02/06/09- Purchased at Sun Devil Liquors in Mesa, CA.

Presentation- 16.9oz bottle. Did not check for freshness info. Poured into a pint glass.

Appearance- Fairly clear, a bit clouded yellow colored pour. Fizzy two fingered head which fades fairly quickly. Doesn't really leave any signs of lace, but I'm not sure what the ideal appearance is for a Berlineer.

Smell- Light nose of funk with mostly lemon peel and some sourness.

Taste- Sour, but not as much as the other ones per style I have had. Lemony tartness and almost a light honeyed tea flavor. Nice

Mouthfeel- Prickly higher carbonation level. Wine cooler like. Nice short tartness in the aftertaste.

Drinkability- Enjoyed this beer. Would like to try a mainstay of the style if I get a chance, just to compare.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2009 18:39:48 | More by GClarkage

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.47/5  rDev +9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Great beer! Poured with a fine, white head and no lace. Color is a clear, light yellow. Aroma is tart, grassy, lemony, berry. Taste has tartness in the fore and the nose qualities. Body and carbonation are perfect for the style. Finish is clean and short to medium in length. Excellent summer beer alone and also equally good with a bit of fruit syrup such as raspberry. Would really like to get some more and lay it by.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2010 21:36:43 | More by drpimento

merlin48

Kentucky

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

Pours a hazy blonde body, like grapefruit juice, with a rapidly diminishing white head. Some patchy lacing left on the goblet. Aroma has a sour lactic note, with green apples and green banana skins in the forefront. Some wheat malt underneath. Light bodied with crisp carbonation and an acidic bite. Taste is tart and acidic. Green apples, wheat biscuits,and lemon drops dance around in the spritzy carbonation pool. Seems like a cousin to a Flanders Red Ale with its sour bite. Fascinating style that is supremely refreshing. Wish there were more breweries trying these.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2007 14:02:36 | More by merlin48

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

flagmantho

Washington

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

Poured from 500mL bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: beautiful, slightly hazy silver-gold body with almost 2 fingers of frothy white foam. Lots of apparent effervescence in the body. A great looking beer.

Smell: light malt aroma with some green apples and a light pear character; the tartness is present but not overwhelming and there's a chalky back-aroma which is entirely welcome. I can very much dig it.

Taste: tart right up front but dies quickly to a rich malt flavor with some more of that chalky pear and then finishing with just a hint of grain. Really fabulous -- I had been looking forward to trying this beer and it is more than living up to my expectations.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a huge carbonation and concomitant creaminess. It works absolutely beautifully.

Overall: each of the elements in this beer work seamlessly to produce a wonderful, wonderful beer. I know the Germans like to doll this stuff up with raspberry or woodruff, but I can't imagine doing that -- this stuff is awesome as-is.

I'm finding as I get further into the glass that its drinkability is just amazing. What a wonderful beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 04:03:23 | More by flagmantho