Berliner Style Weisse - Gasthaus & Gosebrauerei Bayerischer Bahnhof

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A champagne-like, pale gold with a faint effervescent head.

S - The nose here is as you would expect from a sour beer. Tart and tangy with a vinegar-like acidity. Some citric acidity and tartness tied in.

T - The taste matches the nose here. Drinkable flavor notes of sour, tangy and tart. Noticably sour but not overpowering, with a light champagne like taste. Note - I ordered this Berlinerweisse "Rot", which means red and comes with a shot of himbeersirup (raspberry flavored syrup). Adding this to the beer improved the overall flavor balance by countering the sour with the sweet. A nice summer combination in my opinion.

M - Low in abv, this beer is light and refreshing with a fizzy and clean mouthfeel.

O - Great summer sour beer and a good interpretation of this style.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2011 03:00:55 | More by BeerForMuscle

Wadsey

Indiana

3.08/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Berliner Style Weisse

Served in polycarbonate snifter, which is perfect when grilling dinner. 

A: Pours clear straw with a big fluffy head that dies immediately. Good effervescence.

S: Course grains like straw or hay, maybe even like Cheerios Next, I detect a peculiar aroma that is a hybrid of brettanomyces and oxidation, strengthening the impression that this beer is rustic. Fruitiness and Lactic sourness are surprisingly low key. 

T: The aforementioned malt characteristics touch palate then lactic sourness courses over tongue. The funky/oxidized note joins in. Very little fruitiness and wheat tang. Reasonably clean finish although grain and oxidation persist. 

M: Light body and relatively light carbonation. Pretty limp. 

O. I am pretty sure I bought an old bottle, which might be the price one pays for loving such an unappreciated style. Still, the style generally holds up well to aging, so the review will stand. Hopefully, I find some fresh bottles and have reason to revise this review. 

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 02:19:19 | More by Wadsey

sliverX

New York

3.9/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Blue Monk $6 presented in a tulip, a very very light yellow minimal head but lots of bubbles racing up ward
Smelled of light sour malt
Taste was lemon juice cut with light malt, there's a funk note at the end.
Light body high carbonation dries the mouth.
Overall for my first berliner this intrigued my interest in the style, would be wonderful on an extremely hot day all day.
I was told I was hard core for refusing syrup...

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2011 23:35:12 | More by sliverX

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the farmer's cabinet on 6/5/11. My first beer of Philly Beer Week 2011. My smile is larger than my face seeing this on tap.

Served in a tulip, this brew has the appearance of carbonated lemonade. It is light colored, clouded and hardly yellow but leaning towards that moreso than white. The head is a quick dissolving cap of fizzy white bubbles that fade and collect around the edge of the glass. A swirl revives a finger of head.

The smell of this brew is lemony lactic with light funk. A bounty of fresh grain to wheat scents make this nose seem very fresh and enjoyable. A faint amount of sulfur is evident but that is really not picking.

The taste is tart with a lemony acidity that creates quite a salivation factor. Lots of fresh grainy flavors are evident tasting of wheat and a mild amount of cereal grain. The finish is mildly tart and reminiscent of the same finish you get while eating Greek yogurt. Not quite acidic but creamy tartness of there ever was such a thing.

This is a light bodied brew with a fizzy high level of carbonation. It is super crisp and refreshing. No indication of alcohol inclusion and one just isn't enough. Yes sir, may I please have another.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2011 17:51:10 | More by stakem

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.1/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Clear light golden colored, the beer has a thin, white head that leaves minimal lacing. Fruity and slightly musty aroma. The beer lacks the funky and/or lactic presence I have come to enjoy in beers of this ilk. The body is thin, with light carbonation, subtle zestiness. Average. Difficult to finish the bottle. I won't order this again.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2011 04:41:23 | More by Huhzubendah

samie85

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A-Pours a very clear straw color similar to pear juice with two and a half fingers of shimmering, pillowy white head.

S-Smells almost cidery with some lemon and green apple notes and bit of wheat with maybe a hint of butterscotch.

T-Follows the nose with slightly tart perry or cider notes with some green apple, lemon, and wheat to round out the finish.

M-Pirckly carbonation with light body and a pretty slick mouthfeel.

D-Very easy drinking, and I could see this being a real staple in the summer months. If only I could find a local example of this one to have around in the fridge regularly.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2011 02:16:18 | More by samie85

birchstick

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4.5

A - pours a nice cloudy straw yellow with a one finger head that forms a nice ring around the glass

S - lemon and citrus with a bit of sourness from the lacto.

T - opens up with the tart, lemon citrus from the nose. This fades to a bit of wheat malts and ends with pleasant lacto sourness. Not overwhelming powerful in the flavors, but rather delicate.

M - rather thin (guessing this has to do with the 3% abv) but smooth

D - I could drink a beer like this all night. Not huge but very flavorful on the palate and the low abv makes this unbeatable. Good stuff, I really enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 02:03:47 | More by birchstick

Mora2000

Texas

3.4/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a cloudy pale yellow color with a white head. The aroma is heavy on the wheat with not too much else. I don't get any tartness or sourness in the aroma.

The flavor is wheat, sour apples and lemons. I get a little bit of tartness, but it is quite minimal.

Thin mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 05:05:35 | More by Mora2000

dragonWhale

New York

3.98/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On a sour kick all day today. After a long day of work, finally decided to give this a try. No need to get all silly tonight.
A sickly pale straw color, fairly clear goes into the tulip. Light carbonation, almost no head.
Smell is nice, sour, slightest vinegar, a little cherry, some wheat.
I lift and sip, savoring the sour, complex notes of varying sourness battling on my tongue. Very light bodied and packed full of flavor. I didn't realize this was going to be so lovely. Not at all disappointed here. I'll be revisiting sooner or later.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2011 04:52:11 | More by dragonWhale

Trilogy31

California

3.63/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very pale yellow with a silver hue, no head or lacing to speak of. A pleasant lactc sourness on the nose, along with sour cherry, buttermilk is prevalent. The taste reveals sourdough starter with tart citrus and more lactic acid notes. Nice for the style but i did a bit more than a 3% beer at 6.49 a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 03:14:44 | More by Trilogy31

Brent

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Great balance of tartness in this beer. Some wheat character but, as appropriate, the citric character is center stage. Not as lemony and more of a generaized citrus note. Tangy but not jaw clenchingly sour, and the tart note did not grow or become too much as the beer progressed. One of the few of this style that I could session.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 13:46:16 | More by Brent

JohnnyS17

Maryland

3.08/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Served to me in a large wine glass. Not sure if that is right, but...

A - Light, hazy golden yellow. About 2 finger thick of head. Decent lacing.

S - Malts, wheats, and citrus (mostly lemon).

T - Definitely citrusy, almost tart. Wheat and malts are present. Not what I expect from a hefe.

M - Carbonated, light body.

Overall, it is definitely a unique Hefe, but the ABV is oddly low. That makes it taste too much like a juice to me. One is enough and I'd probably pass on it the next time I saw it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2011 00:21:06 | More by JohnnyS17

UCLABrewN84

California

2.1/5  rDev -42.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours a very murky and watery brown with absolutely zero head. Very spotty strands of lace on the drink down. Smells of wheat, slight lemon, and very faint vinegar. Taste is of wheat and weak lemon. Very little tartness for this beer, which is odd for this style. Good carbonation with a light, easy drinking body. This beer isn't too good. I was hoping for a tartness that just wasn't there. I would not recommend this one to anyone.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 02:34:41 | More by UCLABrewN84

glid02

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Porter in Atlanta.

Pours a very hazy lemon-yellow color with a one-finger white head. The head dissipates quickly into a wispy layer on top leaving light lacing.

Smells of light malts with hints of wheat and larger amounts of lightly tart citrus - lemon with mild amounts of orange. Also present are small amounts of earthy hops.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Crisp light malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by mildly tart light citrus. Midway through the sip a slight bitterness comes into play with earthy undertones, carrying through to a crisp ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a light thickness with active carbonation.

Drinkability is very good. I finished my glass quickly and could easily have a few more.

Overall this is a nice middle-of-the-road berlinerweiss - nothing stands out as exceptional but it's something I could have quite a few of, especially in warmer weather. Worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2011 23:11:48 | More by glid02

wschmit

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle into a Perfect Pint.

A: Fluffy white head tops a very light straw body with plenty of carbonation. Not much in terms of gravity left in this beer, but quite aesthetically pleasing nonetheless.

S: Tart and yeasty, like spoiled cider. Smells like the time I accidentally left out some fruit punch in a closed bottle and it exploded all over my room.

T: Thin and seltzer-like. Not very acidic at all, and the funk is quite subdued as well. Very, very light, and inoffensive. I would drink this for breakfast and not feel guilty.

M: Very soda-pop-like.

D: As I mentioned earlier, I wouldn't feel bad drinking this for breakfast and then showing up to work. It's almost non-alcoholic by some standards, and I can see why it's popular. That said, it's not particularly complex--about as interesting as apple juice. Some woodruff or raspberry syrup really would help. I appreciate the style, but this one needs a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 05:23:08 | More by wschmit

THECPJ

Delaware

3.9/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes

A: hazy pale yellow with a 1 finger white head

S: a mixture of sweet and sour, reminscent of a champagne, a touch of grape scent

T: grapes, sour, champagne-like

M: mild carbonation, smooth, but weak, needs more body

O: not my favorite represntation of this style

Cheers!
The CPJ

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2011 16:02:24 | More by THECPJ

Spider889

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from notes, got this bottle at Winking Lizard.

This was an interesting first venture into the style for me.

Poured a very very pale, near clear color, but settled in the glass a slightly hazed pale straw color - but still very light and mostly clear. I got two fingers of white head leaving no lace.

It smelled like a saison up front but with lacto or brett added. There was a sour, lemony, almost sourdough yeast smell.

The flavor is sour, almost bitter like a lime. Faint citrus notes, granysmith apple peal, light dusty attic funk.

Very dry with really strong carbonation.

This was very drinkable but one per session is enough for me. It wasn't bad, just odd enough to make it a once in a while type of beer, but I would drink this again.

I must say that they served it with some cherry syrup, which I added to a small amount of the beer. I preferred the beer "as is" though so drank most of it without any additive.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 21:50:30 | More by Spider889

Offa

California

3.45/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This is ok, but thin and perfumy, rather light, but still tasty and overall I think it is pretty good for this style of light, dryish, low-ABV beers.

Vdery pale gold, almost clear, it has a medium white head soon thinning to a foamy ring.

Aroma is appley pear, yeasty grain, hay, some perfuminess and funkiness, lemon hint.

Taste is light yeasty funkiness up front, then lightly fruity character with pear and lemon, then light aromatic grain, lightly tart and citric. It is not full of flavour, and rather on the thin bland side, but still good and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2011 01:28:12 | More by Offa

jmperez

California

4.47/5  rDev +22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured a pale golden with a frothy white head. Aromas of granny smith apple, lemons and kinda bready. Tasted much the same. With a pleasant tartness. Light carbonation. Super refreshing and easy to drink. I could easily drink this all day long on any summer day.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 05:07:37 | More by jmperez

JamnesCameron

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a MJ tasting glass.

Pours a clear, pale straw yellow, with a huge stark white head, about two fingers worth, that really stands up. Head is full of tight, tiny bubbles. Some lacing that drops slowly back into the beer.

Aromas of lactic sourness, cream corn. No hop aroma or malt accents. A slight saltiness.

First sip is of grainy sourness, and lemony tartness. Finish is short with raw grain and sourness as the fading flavors.

Mouthfeel is thin, watery. Sourness is not puckering.

Very drinkable beer. Good summertime thirst quencher.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 01:34:18 | More by JamnesCameron

SuperBreeze

Maine

3.95/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance: pale straw color with white head that quickly dissipates with some lacing.

Smell: tart and grainy

Taste: faint grainyness, slighty fruitynes, tart ( thought less than anticipated ). Finish is very dry

Mouthfeel: very light in body as expected with a 3 abv berry. The light body adds to the refreshing quality.

Drinkability: very drinkable. Could drink quite a few in one sitting, and with the low alcohol, not get in too deep.

Overall: very refereshing beer, great for a summer afternoon. That being said I still enjoyed the beer even thought its in the teens outside. Will drink the beer again.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2010 01:49:53 | More by SuperBreeze

metter98

New York

3.73/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is hazy straw yellow in color with a slight tint of green. It poured with a thin white head that slowly fades away, leaving a ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass. A light amount of carbonation is visible from the rising bubbles.
S: There are aromas of apple, lemon and wheat in the nose.
T: The taste is slightly sour and very similar to the smell. Flavors of apples stand out in particular among the flavors.
M: It feels light-bodied and tart on the palate with a medium amount of carbonation.
D: The beer is easy to drink and quite refreshing, despite the mild amount of sourness. The beer is very sessionable given its low alcohol content.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2010 00:44:17 | More by metter98

nas5755

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A very pale straw color with lots of haze, a quick dissipating head. The nose reminds me of straw and wheat. I was hoping for more tartness. The taste is full of wheat, and pale malts and with a tart and sour bite to it that is mellowed by the wheat. Sharp carbonation, rather thin and thirst quenching. This is something I could quaff all day in copious amounts during the hot summer months.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2010 21:57:45 | More by nas5755

hawks10

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

11.2oz brown bottle poured into a tulip...

Pours a very pale straw yellow, probably the palest beer I have seen...slightly hazy with three fingers of thick, meringue-like white head which recedes into a cap of haze on top of the beer...

Slightly pukey, mostly earthy and wheaty. Slightly funky, just a touch of barnyard with a mild tart lemon twist...not bad, would prefer it to be a bit more tart in the nose though...

Light and airy. Muted flavors for the most part. Slight lemon tartness on top of a very grainy, earthy taste. Just a touch of funk. Overall, very subtle flavors but with good depth and complexity. I prefer my Berliners a bit more tart, but this one is quite tasty anyway...

Light bodied with a bunch of carbonation giving you that tart champagne feel...

Trying a new Berliner Weiss is always fun, there aren't enough of these brewed. I'll probably be drinking this one again in the future...

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 22:31:01 | More by hawks10

deapokid

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

I figured I'd sneak in another Berliner Weisse or two before the weather gets too chilly.

This low ABV German offering pours a light, unfiltered yellow with heavy carbonation and lively, dancing flecks of sediment. The head is quite thin, but firm, and the look manages to say warm weather fun without being safe or artificially flavored.

The usual suspects are all on display scent wise. Lemon and banana are the heavy hitters with a faint heavy cream chalkiness playing the rear. A bit more subdued than I'd like, but not unpleasant.

Taste is milky, dare I say doughy, with less of a focus on sour notes and more attention payed to the balance between the tartness and creaminess. The ending also packs a biscuity texture, which is rather pleasant and quite unique for the style.

The mouth is thin and watery, but the lactobacillus manages to balance it out. On the other hand, I was still left wanting more of a tart pucker on the back of my tongue.

Let's be honest, any Berliner Weisse can be drinkable, but this one just so happens to do its own thing as well. It's a beer worthy of cookout chug sessions and thoughtful after-dinner sipping. I can't think of a higher compliment than that.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2010 03:43:09 | More by deapokid