Poll: Berliner Weisse. With or without syrup?

We don't need no stinking syrup!

Although, I have added sliced peaches and strawberries with Bell's Oarsman in a French press for about an hour or so and it was pretty damn delicious! Strawberries added a little more tartness and the peaches a lil more sweet.

 

Just recently had my first Berliner Weisse - Monkey Chased the Weasel - brewed with mulberries, so I'm assuming it's like having a typical Berliner Weisse with some sort of mulberry syrup... yes? no? Regardless, I liked it.

 

I've enjoyed it both with and without syrup. Swirled some cherry syrup in the billowing frothy head and enjoyed as a desert beer. Especially tasty after a pork roast dinner.

For sessoning, just plain.

 

You got a Carton in MN?

 

Via trade.

 

Hottenroth is the best Berliner I've had so far. Loved it on its own. I tried adding syrup to 1809 and it flattened the beer + made it way too sweet. I may have not used a proper syrup, though. It was like one of those brands that you can add to coffee.

 

I'm on team syrup. Sucks that this is a thread about a guy with one bottle. Buy cheaper Berliner Weisss and use the syrup if you don't wanna "ruin" the beer.. Hottenroth is probably the most expensive Berliner anyways

 

I like it both ways. I find that many Berliners lack a real depth of flavor, which a bit of syrup can add without counteracting too much of the tartness. Woodruff is my syrup of choice, I've tried a couple of fruit syrups and didn't like them nearly as much.

 

Just got a message from a friend who moved to Germany. He was in Berlin and drinking Berliner Weisse. He had this to say:

"Berlinerweiße forever!
BTW, the versions produced in the US by Westbrook Brewing Company and Full Sail and such are fine by themselves. These are made for syrups- I had a plain one and it was rough."

Authentic Berliner Weisse is as tart -- if not tarter -- than the most sour Gueuze. Some may prefer that degree of tartness straight. I do not. Voted with Woodruff in general. For U.S. "craft" versions, I guess you can drink straight.

 

I've heard "a shot", presumably to a pint, but personally (when I use syrup) usually a bit less, probably about an ounce. 3/4 ounce to 12oz works just fine too. Like anything, 'to taste' is really the right answer though, and my preference is generally 'none'.

I've never been to Germany but have had quite a few of the style over the years, and you're right, more authentic ones can be a bit overwhelming without any syrup at all; and I love it that way! It's challenging in a very unique way.

God I love Tartare straight up, this is one of the ones I was referring to above.

 

If it is more tart than Peekskill Brewery Aristocrats all I can say is I can't wait to try one done that way, and doubt I will want any syrup.

 

It's actually not the 'tradition' in Berlin, but a more recent addition to keep trend with taste. Traditionally, the beer was drank without any syrup at all. Not saying it 'ruins' it to add it, but that it is 'traditional' is a common misnomer.

 

'Murica!

 

I use only the finest Tiger's Blood syrup.



j/k... No syrup.

 

I can go either way, but prefer the green stuff, when I do syrup.

 

While it may be the case that the beer was drunk straight during certain periods (can you specify what period you are talking about), very few (if any) drink it this way in Germany now -- or even within recent memory. Matter of fact, I have never seen a single person drinking it there straight, and when I ordered my first one this way the waiter nearly refused to serve it to me.

 

Tartare is by far the most sour one I've had personally, almost abrasively so. I've never tasted it with syrup, but when I had Tartare Rouge I imagined that would be about what it would be like, ha.

 

Al, do you sell syrups at Kahn's? Is so, what flavors? I picked up some Deesko! and want to give it a try.

 

Truth be told, I don't recall the source of my learning this information, but the impression I was left with is that the "certain periods" you refer to equate to "from invention of the style until a certain point, rather recently"; as such, I would not disagree with you that now it is rare to see someone drink it straight, but that then (whenever 'then' was up until) that was the common/only practice. If I have some time I'll try to track down my source for this information.