Berliner Weisse W/ Passion Fruit
Mikkeller ApS

 

330ml bottle - more barely differentiated product from this gypsy brewing concern who focuses his efforts in the heart of Belgium.

This beer pours a plain medium amber colour, with the expected overabundance of teeming, puffy, and overly frothy and chunky bone-white head, which leaves some stellar, high falutin' webbed lace around the glass as it slowly ebbs away.

It smells of muddled, sharp citrus and pome-focused light orchard fruitiness, some gritty pale malt, a sense of sour milkiness, and a hoppiness that could not be more agreeable in its, 'hey, look at me dudes!' thing. The taste is sharply acidic, earthy, and slightly phenolic yeast, some gritty and grainy pale graininess, a muddled dark orchard fruitiness - the kind that pricks duly at the tongue - some actual specific fruity notes (hello, passion fruit), and a minor sense of leafy, weedy, and floral green hoppiness.

The carbonation is actually quite intense, in its tacky-ass frothiness, the body a so-so middleweight, and more smooth than I might have given this one credit for from the outset. It finishes quite on a drying bender, the souring fruity nature really pulling at the palate, as such.

Overall, this is one of Mikkeller's better soured offerings, as far as their (and everybody else's) affinity has seemingly leaned of late. Nice and fruity, but tart in the same sense, and yet not in some stupid funky and/or musty manner. Once again today, Mikkeller, you have impressed me. What gives?

 

 

called prototype now, this is a solid berliner from mikkeller, real low in alcohol and pretty drinkable as they go, except its pretty highly acidic, and the sourness there might limit the total intake a little bit, but its a really refreshing and well done little beer. hazy orange in color, it has a slowly fading half inch of airy white head. smells really tangy, i get the tartness of the passion fruit and the tartness of the lacto both right away, makes the mouth water. fresh and bright on the fruit, not sweet at all. in the flavor, everything is in balance. the wheat malt is fuller bodied for such a light beer, but its not particularly flavorful. the passion fruit isnt overdone, just a complimentary nuance with the lactic sourness. hints of lemon and peach in here too, the yeast gives off a lot of this other fruitiness, and it really works. refreshing and not caustic on the acidity, but its more than i can session. carbonation is there, and it ends up being a nice summer drink. very typical of mikkeller in this style.

Hazed pale straw color with a thin white head. Mild aroma of tart fruitiness. Hugely tart taste with a slight fruitiness and a kiss of funk, then a dry finish. Light bodied and still. Very nice.