Berliner Weiss recommendations

Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner.

Excellent example of the style and a good price. Widely available also.

 

Festina Peche by Dogfish Head. Just picked it up myself.

 

Isn't Bells Oarsman a Berliner Weiss?

 

this, x1,000,000

and New Glarus' if you want something a little cleaner...

 

Lightening Sauerstruck is a good one that I think is a bit under rated.

 

The NG is excellent.

 

Fritz Briem 1809 is a horrible example of the style. Traditional berliners are much lower in alcohol and have little to no funk. Sadly it is hard to find a bottled traditional Berliner Weisse, but the hottenroth would be a much better example than the 1809

 

Oarsman is listed as being a Berliner Weiss on BA but since the tartness is a ‘secondary’ feature of the beer, I personally would not classify this beer as being a Berliner Weiss.

Below is Bell’s description of Oarsman:

“Designed as a flavorful session beer, Oarsman Ale uses a classic German brewing technique to impart a light, refreshing tartness. Oarsman Ale grew out of a desire to explore the tradition of session beers, trading intensity for finesse while still creating a worthwhile experience for the taster. The grain bill includes a healthy portion of wheat, while citrusy hops lend bright notes to the aroma. Fermented with Bell’s house ale yeast, Oarsman comes in at 4.0% alcohol by volume. Rather than being the dominant flavor note, the tartness in Oarsman takes on more of a palate-cleansing role, making it perfect for pairing with food.”

Cheers!

 

I had a bottle of Hottenroth the other night and thought it was good, but I also haven't had many Berliner weisses. It was a little unique in that it started out really tart and lemony and then shifted to a more grainy, biscuity profile as it crossed my palate, almost like two separate beers. Still, very drinkable and refreshing.

I also really enjoyed the 1809 as what I imagine is a pretty standard/classic interpretation of the style (EDIT: but maybe I'm wrong about that).

I had Festina Peche once and couldn't get through it. But it's been a while and I was kind of a noob.

 

New Glarus Berliner is fantastic and very reasonable at $10 per 4-pack.

 

I didn't find 1809 to be very funky at all. Actually, I thought Hottenroth had more funk, though Hottenroth is more stylistically correct with the alcohol content. Also, considering the traditional berliner is almost an extinct style, I don't think that being completely stylistically accurate is necessary to being a good example of the style.

 

The bottle of 1809 I had was straight barnyard and the hottenroth was more of a clean lactic sour. Maybe the 1809 i had was an older bottle? A traditional Berliner is certainly a dwindling style, but I wouldn't call it almost extinct. Recently more and more breweries are beginning to revive it in its traditional form. I'm not saying that the 1809 or other more gussied up versions of Berliners are bad beers, but the OP said they were looking for a good introduction to the style which to me always means starting with a classic version so you can see what the basis of the style is and where it has evolved to.

 

Just had a bottle of Hottenroth the other day, too. It was pretty awesome; a little more hop and grass presence than most others, but different and tasty nonetheless.

Flower Child (original) and Well Read Temptress (raspberry) are other good ones from Pipeworks, if you're into trading.

EDIT: any of you folks know if 1809 is available in Michigan? Been keeping an eye out at local bottle shops, haven't seen it anywhere.

 

The Intergalactic acid is pretty good http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3185/93307

and the Night Shift stuff too, although tough to find.

 

I disagree. Yes, the ABV is higher than the traditional Berliner but the body, flavor, level of tartness, color, and carbonation are absolutely spot on.

I drink both regularly and I never get "funk" out of 1809. If anything I would say Hottenroth is a touch funky (in a good way.) Either way, both great beers.

 

$9 for Hottenroth? Do they sell it in smaller than 750ml sizes around you? That price seems very reasonable unless i'm missing something or i'm just used to high PA prices.

 

I'm no BW expert, but I'll add another vote for the 1809. To me, it tasted like a lighter, tart hefeweizen in many ways, but I don't know if that's "to style".

Bell's Oarsman ale wasn't very good at all when I had it on tap at a local craft beer place. Aren't BW's supposed to have a decent amount of head? Oarsman was next to nothing, though I suppose that could have been an issue with the place's CO2.

Just ordered a couple bottles of Festina Peche from LetsPour. $6.50, but I can't get Dogfish Head in my part of the country.

 

I must have gotten a bad bottle of 1809 cause mine was really funky and darker than a traditional Berliner

 

I don't believe Bruery makes anything other than 750s. Hottenroth is definitely a great deal for a great beer.