Berliner Weisse
Southampton Publick House

 

 

 

Big thanks to Mike and Jon for this one. I've had this about 3 times and I've never had the chance to review it till now. From notes. 22oz. bomber into a 3F tulip.

Pours a .5 finger white head with moderate retention. Beer is cloudy yellow. Lacing is spotty with good stick. Decent but not much stands out.

Nose is lemon, yeast, some mellow cane sugar, soft funk, some mild sweetness and a mellow tartness. Great balance and very appetizing.

Opens light lemon. Bready and yeasty with a pear and lemon light tartness in the middle. End is hay, funk, wheat, and light lemon. Aftertaste is more lemon rind. Very balanced, light, refreshing and surprisingly funky.

Light bodied with moderate to low carbonation. Soft in the mouth and mellow and lightly spritzy going down. Accented finish with a lightly lingering aftertaste. Slightly oxidized.

This isn't a standout beer if you've never had the berliner weisse style. However, if you have, it is completely different from other offering in the category. The flavor is much fuller and funky though the body remains infinitely drinkable. Just a very well crafted beer all the way around.

Thanks so much to Mike for tracking this down (and to Adam for hooking it up!). 2009 bottle poured in to a wine glass.

Hazy, straw-like color with some beautiful looking lace and lasting creamy foam on top. Oddly enough, the head doesnt die right away like a lot of berliners. Aroma is a fantastic blend of straw, grass, some brett-like character that is soft, a good bit of funk and a touch of oxidation. A bit of lactic acid in the nose, but nothing like most berliners I have tried. The beer tastes phenomenal, hands down the best berliner I've ever tried. The lactic character is so subtle and soft and really pulls all the funk and malt flavors together. Incredible for 2%. I get some light oxidation, a bit of green apple and some definite brett, but not a super barnyardy type brett. Something different that I dont have a lot of experience with. Light and spritzy mouthfeel.

I wish I had this earlier in its life to compare, but from what I tasted this is still doing very well. One of the attendees had this 3-4 times and mentioned it was different, less sweet than it was when fresh. Thanks again Mike!

This is pretty fantastic stuff. My second time having it. I had it once before many moons ago when Verecund generously shared a bottle back in my Durham townhouse. This time is in Ryan's basement. Pours an almost crystal-clear champagne colored hue in my glass. Citric sourness, a touch of lactic in the nose amd a bit of sweet lately playing in the background. Flavor has a touch of sweetness overlying some nice tart lemon curd flavors, really bright, perfectly balanced but the nice partially citric Forward brew, a bit of hay and grass, slightest bit of mushroom. It finished a touch dry, heavily layered flavors, with water that is very clean. Excellent tartness, just enough though the flavor seems to have faded a bit since last time I had it, though maybe also due to memory. The mouthfeel is excellent, all soft tannins that make my tongue wrinkle when I swallow. Overall just remarkable for a 2% ABV beer. Glad to have had this twice.

 

this bottle was brought out by Gonzoillini.This beer rocks!... sample after sample after sample... Mostly clear, off-yellow beer with a small, fizzy, white head. Sour, funky aroma with notes of lemon, underripe berries, spent grain and pineapple. The flavor is also very sour and grainy with no semblance of balance. Pungent, fruity esters abound. Light to medium-bodied with lively carbonation. Sour, dry finish. I would drink this brew five nights per week if it were more available

 

 

 

 

 

Humongous thanks to mike for pulling this one out tonight! Awesome start to an evening of amazing beers. 2009 vintage, bottle # 133 of 150.

a - extremely pale yellow with a fizzy head. kind of looks like a spring day. very champagne like...especially the way the head zapped away.

s - grassy, lemon zest. soft. underlying funk...can't put my finger on the exact smell...almost dirt.

t - REALLY tasty. zesty. sour and earthy. i could drink this al day long. dry but juicy.

m - prickly. refreshing. like a summers day. champagne meets beer in a wonderful marraige.

o - overall a little sour and a little grassy. little zesty and a little lemony. fantastic beer. i could drink this all day. dry and easy. very much the kind of beer i want to be sipping overlooking some amazing scenery on a perfect weather day. this is THE beer for that day of ultimate relaxation and realization...truly a work of art and fully lived up to the hype. far and away the highlight of the night (which included beatification, coolships, etc).

edit...now, a few days later I can honestly say that I have dreamed about this beer 3 times this week. would love to have this again.