Brewhouse Rarities: Berliner Weisse
Flying Dog Brewery

 

 

My first Berliner Weisse, I think.

Overall: I mean, it's sour.

Golden, effervescent, nearly headless.
Smells tart, sour, and tangy.
Tastes the same with a malt kick at the end.
Light to medium body.

 

Pours a medium gold with a small head.
It has nothing but tart/sour in the aroma.
There is a tart berliner taste but on the lighter side of tartness.
Very low carbonation, but that could be due to age.
Overall this is a decent Berliner.

A: Pale yellow in color with a light bit of hazy, and a small white head on top.

S: Light tartness as well as a bit of berry, and perhaps cherry.

T: Lightly tart with notes of berry, tart cherry, and wheat.

M: Light in body, high carbonation, and a soft smooth feel.

O: Tasty.. there is almost a Sam Adams Cherry wheat thing going on... but like funked up.

A thanks to the captain of the canquest, woodychandler, for this beer. Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Yes, a bottle from woody. Rare, but it happens. Has a golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is funky, lemons. Taste is wheat, lemons, slightly tart, refreshing. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer.

Flying Dog Brewery "Brewhouse Rarities Berliner Weisse"
12 fl. oz. brown glass bottle, "...ENJOY BY:10.21.16" and sampled on 09.15.16

Notes: Beautiful appearance with a mostly clear golden body beneath a rocky head of white that holds remarkably well. That's unusual, but welcome. The lacing remains limited. The aroma is malty, which is odd for the style. The flavor brings in the tartness, however, and it's nice and clean. The grainy malt remains but it's not too full, and I feel it's a decent take on the style. It's not as tart as a Berliner Weisse but this was once a common style in the U.S. (which no one seems to remember) and I'd guess it might have been something like this. Medium-light in body with a gently crisp carbonation... again, I'd expect it to be lighter and sharper with a bit of zing, but OK, I love the softness it offers. 4.2% ABV? I can live with that, but in all honesty it is a little high for the style as well. Really drinkable, and really nicely done, but not a very good example of the style.

 

 

 

L- Clear light golden in color. Head is approximately a finger and a half high. It recedes quickly. Unsurprising given the style and the associated acidity.
S- Lacto sourness and white sourdough bready malts.
T- Starts with the sourdough bread and quickly transition into a nice level of lemony sourness.
F- A medium high level of prickly carbonation keeps this beer drinking light and refreshing exactly as it should.
O- This is an excellent example of an unflavored/fruited Berliner. It would be a good way to try out this style as it checks all the style boxes, without being excessively sour. One of the better American made Berliner's I've had. Recommended.