Professor Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Weisse - Professor Fritz Briem

aficionado

New Jersey

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

Crackling carbonation is quite high. Like a Perrier sparkling water. Nice head. The cleanest of light golden yellow bodies. Aroma is dominant with Granny apples, but there's also lots of lemon. Floral, fruity, Autumn apples. Taste is tart but not as sour as I had hoped. Fruity and dry. Thin, crisp, refreshing mouthfeel. On the bottle: Lactic acid. Mash hopped, No wort boiling...Hmmm I'm intrigued.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 22:38:36 | More by aficionado

chefelf

New York

3.3/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I wasn't really familiar with the Berliner Weisse style before having this beer. After one sip I'm sure I'll never forget it now. Not expecting the lemon wallop that hit me in the mouth I thought there was something wrong with the beer at first until I read up a little on the style.

Reading the reviews here I wonder if I'm more sensitive to lemon. I read here that some people thought this was a "subtle" lemon flavor. To me this was a sharp, intense, lemon flavor that was shockingly tart.

While this is not really my style of beer at all I did enjoy trying a very different beer than what I'm used to. I appreciated it but I don't know if I'll be rushing out to try more beers in this style.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 13:53:07 | More by chefelf

dakid618

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into 10oz pilsner type glass. Pours a light golden color with tons of fizzy soapy head. Smell is faint and in my opinion apple like. I've never had a lighter beer that tasted quite like this. Very funky taste in a good way. Tastes like a really light sour to me. Light mouthfeel almost like drinking water. Very drinkable, I will be enjoying this beer often in the summer months.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2009 01:33:30 | More by dakid618

kylehayworth

Indiana

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

A: Cloudy golden wheat, the head bubbles up like alka-seltzer, and doesn't stick around very long.

S: Smell reminds me of sparkling champagne, with all the subtle nuances: sour apple, lemon, and lime.

T: It taste somewhat like the smell, lot of really crisp and tart notes, focusing on sour apple, lemon, and lime, in that order.

M/D: Loads of carbonation in the mouth feel, it even holds bubbles down to the last drop. Very clean and crisp. I really enjoy this, it is only my second beer from this style, but taste great. Perfect for the time, summer and heat. I would definitely drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2010 00:03:17 | More by kylehayworth

Pabs311

Connecticut

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

A- pours a crisp, slear goldeen yellow with a very bubbly white head that disipates quickly, no lacing. alot of active carbonation.

S- lemon zest, lemonade, spices, yeasty bread qualities.

T- similar to the nose. alot of sour lemon zest ip front that finishes with a little dash of spice. very refreshing for a hot day.

M/D- medium-light bodied, high carbonation. very refreshing and quite appealing.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2010 22:19:15 | More by Pabs311

GregBlatz

Ohio

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

Thought I would give a Berliner Weisse a try. I know this is a reproduction, but it was all I could find at the local brew spot.

Very cloudy straw like color. Pours with an aggressive bleach white head that quickly recedes. Tight tiny bubbles persist.

Smell is similar to a typical german weisse, but with a fruity sour note.

Very tart and fruity. Strong lemon-like citrus flavor. No noticeable hop or malt flavor. Almost reminds me of a tall refreshing glass of lemonade. The tartness is very similar to sucking on a vitamin c tablet(which strangely, I kind of like).

I drank this out of a true Berliner Weisse bowl that I had received long ago. I know this glass is designed to drink with woodruff or fruit additives, but what the heck.

This is a beer that I could drink all day long on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2008 01:42:36 | More by GregBlatz

eagles22

Pennsylvania

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

Appearance: beautiful light golden body,carbonation bubbles flowing through this beer with a huge white fluffy heady.

Smell: Barnyard funk, lemons, light toffee tone with some bready malts and yeast.

Taste: slightly sweet, bready malts at first than leads to tart lemons and barnyard funk..very impressive beer

Mouthfeel: very sharp because of the carbonation but very light on the palate.

Drinkability:off the charts! This is going to be my goto beer for the summer.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 22:29:52 | More by eagles22

Ezekiel81923

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Trying to get more Berliner Weisse's under my belt. This is the first I'll review. Poured from a 16.9oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: Pale yellow or blonde color. Some floaters made it in there. No lacing and minimal head that fades to absolutely nothing. Not very impressive, but true to style.

Smell: Light vinegar, green apple, and mild tartness. Tough to dig much up in this, the aroma is not very strong.

Taste: Not as sour as I would've thought. Seems the tartness is up front mixed in with a good amount of carbonation and segues to the middle and is all but gone by the finish, which is thin. Light vinegar and apple flavors.

Mouthfeel: Thin. Not quite watery, but close. No lingering carbonation or bitterness in the end, just a funky aftertaste from the tartness and vinegar. Sourness is up front.

Drinkability: I could drink this until the vinegar and acidity got to me. Thin enough to drink forever though.

Not bad. I feel like I might've gotten an old bottle. I'll be sure to revisit it as I go through the rest of the Berliner Weisse's I've acquried.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2009 07:43:37 | More by Ezekiel81923

atlason

New York

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

A: Served from pint bottle into Belgian tulip. Pale straw, rather opaque. Head dissipates quickly.

S: Creamy wheat with citrus fruit and herbal notes. Light and pleasant, not sour at all.

T: Light sour notes, more apple and light drinking yogurt than lemon. Reminds me of Federweisser, the partially fermented fresh wine drink.

D: High due to lively acidity and carbonation. Would be great with pizza or savory crepes.

Overall this is the first Berliner Weisse I have tried and I must say that the style is to my liking. Great beer.

Edit: If you don't like the sour taste, drink it with something greasy. Having it with Camembert cheese now and can hardly feel the sourness.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 01:57:24 | More by atlason

Pecorasc

Oregon

3.43/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Purchased on 2/10/10 from Belmont Party Supply in Dayton, OH, and consumed the same day. 1 pint .9 fl oz bottle poured into a short wide tumbler and split with my lady. Bottle is certainly verbose, boasting traditional mash hopping and no wort boiling, as well as dubbing this part of a "Historic Signature Series." The bottle gives a loud hiss upon opening and smells of lactic acid and honey.

A- Pours a polished pale straw to straw with no head in the center and a large-bubbled, active, white collar (not to be confused with a large, bubbled, active, white collar). This is the clearest of the Berliner Weissbiers that I've had the pleasure of laying eyes on (third of three). Achieving this amount of clarity without boiling must require filtering, no? Can filtering be considered "traditional"? I'm not sure if I should add or subtract points: I guess I won't do either. A handful of beading bubbles aggressively race to the surface. No lacing- I would like to blame that on the acidity, but as discussed below, that may not be the case.

S- Sweeter than expected: oatmeal, wheat, rice, maple syrup and brown sugar (only in sweetness, not in dark sugar character), and a fruity-apple character. A small amount of lactic bacteria influence and equally as little yeast character. Much too mellow in what is arguably this style's two most important categories. Smells eerily similar to the "king of beers" with an added small amount of lactic sourness.

T- The acidity is gone as quickly as it shows itself, and is minimal at best. Very balanced between wheat and pils malt flavors, although finishing on the wheat based, sweet side. A fruity, apple flavor blends in with the small amount of acidity in the beginning and continues on after the sourness subsides. This is an average beer with too little acidity (even for a Berliner Weissbier) to lift this much above average.

M- Medium bodied for 5.0% ABV with a moderate to high amount of sweetness in the finish. Doesn't look very carbonated, but once on the tongue, it really expands with an elevated amount of carbonation. Any amount of "swishing" makes the beer fizz uncontrollably. Good for the style, but doesn't finish dry enough.

D- Overall, this scores well above average for drinkability. But, compared to other beers within its own style, it probably scores just above average (taking into account my limited experience with this style). Not sure this really qualifies as a historic representation. At 5%, aprroaching the higher end for style. Refreshing, but not in the ways I was hoping for.

Nothing leads me to believe I didn't drink this in good condition, but looking at the other reviews I would really like to give this another try since I like the style and this does come from a reputable brewer of wheat based beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2010 04:00:26 | More by Pecorasc

codysjb

Florida

4.53/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 500ml bottle into my lost abbey stem glass.
A: Pours a massive head that dissipates quickly, (20 seconds to bubble down). Straw yellow color that’s murky throughout.
S: Barnhouse funk, lemons and sourness, with some grape and orange notes. Smells amazing.
T: Sour and carbonated upfront with some funk and a slight lemon taste on the end with the traditional European taste that (to me) separates American beer from European styles. Kinda musty.
M: Carbonation and lemon that pull away from the funk.
O: Really good example of the style. It’s no limbic but it’s really tasty and certainly the best example of the style I’ve had (and one of the most affordable and price appropriate). A

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 04:42:44 | More by codysjb

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

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

NardiByNature

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fizzy overflow upon popping the cap. Big ol’ white head sits atop a liberally carbonated hazy yellow body: hard to fault the appearance of this one – stunning in a curvy hefe glass with a an even pancake of a head that sticks around for the long haul. Has the musty sort of lactic aroma associated with many wheat/Belgian styles; it’s citric, and there’s an aromatic sandalwood type smell. The carbonation jolts my throat – flavor is subtle but refreshing: light bodied, lemony, tart, and dry. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 22:56:50 | More by NardiByNature

icetraxx

Michigan

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a three finger head that dissipates into nothing. This beer is off-white, it looks exactly like cloudy lemon-aid. I am oddly attracted to its unique looks despite having no head and rather large pieces of sediment floating around it.

S: Lactic acid sourness, a note of wild yeast, and a bit of biscuity malt. Fairly aromatic and smells great. Warn leather is definitely present in the aroma.

T: A nice lemony though lactic-like sourness starts the taste off. The taste soon fades into a nice warn leather like note, while revealing the complexities of the wild yeast, and then finishing with a quick, clean, and sour bite. The bite makes you want to take another sip. The malt is a little overshadowed by the sourness and funkiness from the wild yeast (though the funkiness is super-restrained).
The faintest amount of weisse-like malt backbone comes through when you least expect it, fading in and out with every sip. Fruity esters, including apple and banana, are prevalent in the aftertaste.

M: Not light bodied, but not quite medium bodied. A bit thin for a weisse, though carbonated well enough to create a creaminess in the mouth. A little thin overall, extra body would help this one.

D: Very refreshing, very drinkable. I could drink this one all day (though I am a sucker for sours).

O: My first example of such an elusive style of beer. I wish that more breweries would take this style seriously, this style has incredible potential. As usual, this happens to be an excellent beer from the World's oldest brewery.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2010 07:55:17 | More by icetraxx

mrkrispy

California

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

Got a bottle at Olive Tree Market in OB, thanks Mike!

Cap came off with an assertive pop, nice.

A friendly pale yellow, completely clear. Huge white head of bubbles that quickly disappear. Slight ring of bubbles around the rim. Bubbles coming from the bottom the whole time, from my non-etched glass. No lacing.

Aroma is earthy, wheaty, some citrus peel combo I can't quite figure out - lemon and orange peel? Bread dough.

Taste: moderately light body, some dull citrus, noticeable tartness on the tongue. The wheat and bready aroma are also noticeable in the taste. Hints of a white grape wine, very slight sweetness. Lemon, lemon peel. A clean finish in the beginning, although the pucker builds up after a few sips. The tartness is not overpowering, actually not as intense as I assumed it would be. Seems to be extremely balanced, not too sweet or citrus-heavy as many domestic Berliners.

Goes down very well. I would love to try this in Germany to see how the shipping affects it. A shame we can't get 6 packs of Berliners here in San Diego, this would be a great summer session beer. I might have to pour one in a pepsi can for the beach ;)

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2009 00:58:27 | More by mrkrispy

kleffman

California

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

My first time trying a Berliner Weissbier after reading and hearing about this ancient style for a long time. Grabbed it at the Port Bottle Shop. Poured with little head, a lot of rising bubbles and pretty damn clear. The yeast in the bottle was highly compacted at the bottom. Aroma was rather odd, and not what I was expecting. Mostly lemony tartness and some yeasty smells. Tastes of tart tropical fruits, under ripe grapes, lemon peel and a lactic quality that doesn't dominate but is very evident. The mouthfeel is light but prickly with a good carbonation level. Very dry though and would go very well on a super hot day. High drinkability if the time is right, but I wouldn't want to drink it right after eating something sweet, or on a cold night.

Overall very unusual beer but highly enjoyable. They said on the bottle it is mash hopped and uses no wort boil. Strange. I think I'm a fan of the style now.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2008 22:34:16 | More by kleffman

raveskdr

District of Columbia

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my Hill Farmstead tulip. Big ups to the guys at HF for a bottle of this. Buying massive amounts of beer pays off.

A - Cloudy straw coloring with a fluffy white head that dissipates quickly.

S - Yeasty goodness with a slightly sour aroma. There is even a very slight banana in there.

T - Now that's a prototypical Berlinner. Taste follows the nose with yeasty sour goodness. Not overly tart, staying within the style, at least in this lushes opinion.

M - Light on the mouthfeel, the beer seems to just cruise down the back of your throat. Very slight creaminess to it.

O - This is a go to Berlinner. It's widely available and is just fantastic. It may not be elite but for the price and the availability, DO IT!

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 04:01:44 | More by raveskdr

SafeAtFirst

Wisconsin

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

Poured into a Duvel tulip glass.

Color is a clear golden straw color with a quickly dissipating white head and quite a bit of carbonation. Evan after the head makes its exit the carbonation keeps going and going, sending a plume of bubbles right up the middle of my tulip glass...good show.

The aroma is odd, not like your usual beer. The nose is dominated primarily by an unusual combination of musty pale malts and a citric sourness...funky.

Flavor begins with slightly sweet muted grains and then quickly shifts into a delicious citric lemon tartness, quite refreshing. This beer finishes with a lingering lemony tartness that is quite different and pleasurable. Body is light with plenty of carbonation. An enjoyable drink.

This is my first Berliner Weisse and I am definitely enjoying it and will be buying more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2007 04:21:50 | More by SafeAtFirst

NolanGTI

Pennsylvania

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

Truly a barometer for the style. Pours with a huge densley carbonated white head (4 fingers?) that doesn't stick around too long unfortunately, but is true to style. This hazy blonde fills out a Weiss glass in style.

The nose on this beer is truly a pleaser. Tropical fruit and yeastiness explode from the glass.

The beer does not disappoint on impact. This takes the traditional Weiss style and adds a kick of sour-fruity tartness (think lactic acid). The tight carbonation adds to the flavor profile and gives this beer a very refreshing quality. Truly a great summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2008 13:15:04 | More by NolanGTI

amcmaho1

New Mexico

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this particular beer multiple times, with different aged bottles. This one immediately doesn't seem to have the bright tartness I've found in other bottles, but interesting nonetheless...

Appearance: Really pale golden/honey colored body. Really active carbonation is visible. Nice head retention, with some really strong stickiness.

Smell: Lots of grass and earthier, almost spicy notes on the nose...along with some lemongrass. I pick up some light mustiness along with a distinctive sweetness. No real hop presence to speak of, unless it's lingering in that musty and herbal area...which I think would be really great.

Taste: Well, there may have not been a very bright tartness on the nose, but it certainly makes itself known upon the first sip. Great dryness accompanies a really clean tartness, which carries some lemon and citric qualities. I detect some perceivable bitterness here that wasn't really apparent on the nose, which works nicely with such a dry finishing beer. The aftertaste is especially neutral, and not bombarding on the palate...I plan on pairing this with food in the near future.

Mouthfeel: This is yet another strong point for this beer, the fact that the mouthfeel is so light and effervescent. This is an exceptionally easy drinking beer, which remains refreshing while still having those intricate flavor complexities. This is truly a wonderful beer to drink thanks to it's crispness, it's tartness, and it's accessibility.

Overall: A really awesome beer that I love to keep around the house. It's a really solid entry-level "sour," and it's pretty easy on the wallet. I don't really have anything else to say about it, that isn't just reiterating what i've already said...

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 03:49:34 | More by amcmaho1

gueuzer

Colorado

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle into Westy Chalice

App- Golden, cloudy with no head.

Sm- Very astringent. Green apples and pineapple.

Ta- Lots of delicious lactic balanced by a good full wheatiness. Fruits from the yeast play with the acid in there: pineapple, apricot and grapefruit.

MF- Very light carbonation which allows everything else to show off. Good wheaty mouth feel.

Dr- Awesome. Could drink all day.

Stellar brew. Total treat. Wish it was easier to get. I can't imagine a better beer to use as an introduction to sours. I really liked Dogfish Festina Peche and this puts it to shame.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2010 03:47:51 | More by gueuzer

monitorpop

Michigan

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

A: Foggy pale yellow with a highly active one finger white head.

S: Lemon a bit of pepper.

T: Tart lemon citrus, bready yeast, a light bit of funk.

M: Light body with high carbonation. Mouth pucker from the sour finish.

O: Refreshing. Like a cross between a Gueze and a Hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 01:34:31 | More by monitorpop

demitriustown

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

1 pt .9 fl oz bottle: Aroma is tart, lemony, nice pungent almost sour hop aroma, and green apples. Pours a clear golden color with really nice lacing bubbling up the side of the glass. Taste is nice and sour, citrus, tart, light hop characteristics, awesome taste in my honest opinion. Palate is very carbonated on the lips, and aftertaste has a lingering sweetness and tartness. Overall, This is the prefect style for a hot summer day. My first Beliner I thought it was a sour disgusting mess. Now I love the style. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2008 20:19:57 | More by demitriustown

steadydose

California

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

$8.99 price tag on this b-weisse.

Poured this one into my tulip which generated a decent egg shell foam cap, sitting on top of a pale gold liquid. The body was a little hazy and the head fell pretty quickly, although the presentation looked good, especially in a clean glass.

The aroma was nice, lots of tartness, sweet citrus, lemon zest, as the beer warmed and opened up a funky tartness emerges. The funky component becomes more prominent at room temperture adding some wet grass and damp earth scents which really adds to the nose.

The flavor is initially low med tartness. The tartness as some depth behind it. 1809 finishes really clean on the pallette. There is a floral taste every once in a while and only gets better as it warms.

The mouthfeel is just right, good amount of carbonation, and finishes very clean.

This beer is really enjoyable and refreshing. I could definitely drink a lot of this, if it wasn't for the price tag. I liked that this version is higher in alcohol than other berliner weisse's. Pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2010 17:32:16 | More by steadydose