Adding flavored syrups to Berliner Weisse?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by evilcatfish, Mar 1, 2013.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. evilcatfish

    evilcatfish Initiate (0) May 11, 2012 Missouri
    Trader

    So I love me some Berliner Weisse and its my understanding that in Germany they often add raspberry or woodruff flavored syrups. Has anybody here ever had BW this way? I've had American Berliners with flavoring already in them (peach, rasp) but never added the syrup myself.

    Can you even get woodruff syrup in America anyway?
     
  2. oldp0rt

    oldp0rt Initiate (0) Feb 24, 2011 Canada (QC)

    Last time I was at Portsmouth Brewery, I ordered their berliner and it came with a side of raspberry syrup.
     
    dianimal likes this.
  3. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I have had it with both of those syrups, as well as straight. The old Schultheiss Berlinerweisse was so sour that honestly I'm more surprised people would want to drink it without the syrup.
     
  4. evilcatfish

    evilcatfish Initiate (0) May 11, 2012 Missouri
    Trader

    Is there a certain brand of syrup that is preferred? I have some Rose's Grenadine a chick left in my fridge and was thinking about trying that with some Berliner...
     
  5. ShanePB

    ShanePB Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2010 Pennsylvania

    Yes. A couple local brewers do this (Iron Hill and Round Guys come to mind). It's always fun to try their base beer without the woodruff or raspberry syrup, and then try it with. All personal preference.

    You can, but it's sort of hard to find. Try a local German deli/grocery sort of place. Ordering online is the easiest.
     
  6. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society

    HighWine, dianimal and Zimbo like this.
  7. legend8706

    legend8706 Initiate (0) Oct 31, 2012 Virginia
    Deactivated

    Round Guys Brewing in Lansdale, PA offers this. To be honest I preferred the Berliner straight up, syrup didn't do much for me to be honest, but again that's just an opinion..
     
  8. litheum94

    litheum94 Initiate (0) Dec 29, 2008 California

    Bear Republic serves their Tartare with a choice of woodruff or raspberry syrup. Though I prefer it straight up.
     
  9. SpeedwayJim

    SpeedwayJim Pooh-Bah (2,753) Jun 19, 2009 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Peekskill serves their Zeitgeist Berlinerweisse either straight or with Raspberry or (I think) honey ginger syrup. Really good beer either way you have it.
     
    cavedave likes this.
  10. skipjack17

    skipjack17 Initiate (0) Dec 12, 2009 Massachusetts

    The Tap Brewing Co does a Berliner every summer, with the choice of raspberry or woodruff syrup or plain. They are bottling it for the first time this year. Looking forward to it!
     
  11. JoeyBeerBelly

    JoeyBeerBelly Initiate (0) Dec 15, 2006 New York

    I don't have any woodruff or raspberry syrup, could I use this?...

    [​IMG]
     
  12. Smitty1988

    Smitty1988 Initiate (0) Oct 16, 2012 Arizona

    After spending some time in central Germany(Wiesbaden) I noticed a lot of thier mixed drinks in the bars used beers and heavy syrups, similar to the ones that you describe. A very popular drink over there is a german lemonade and beer mix called a "shandygaff". So a lot of places have spins on that. It only makes sense that a brewery over there would make a beer with the stuff mixed in. Not really my thing though... kindof like an orange slice in your beer... its just wrong!!
     
  13. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Some friends and I tried it with orange juice at breakfast once, not bad either -- though I wonder what the Berliners would think. :wink:

    I've had it with both the Raspberry and Woodruff (sort of reminded me of toothpaste) and like it straight better, but it's not a favorite style.
     
  14. b33rknuts

    b33rknuts Initiate (0) Feb 2, 2011 Minnesota

    At Butcher & the Boar we've been playing around with ideas for a few gourmet syrups for Berliner weisse in the beer garden (during the summer months of course), blueberry thyme, grapefruit rosemary, Meyer lemon ginger etc... only added upon request of course
     
    jedwards, Jugs_McGhee and JxExM like this.
  15. Smitty1988

    Smitty1988 Initiate (0) Oct 16, 2012 Arizona

    Perhaps try a sparkling Lemonade, in a Lager... Ive seen that in a beer garden in Northern Michigan
     
  16. evilcatfish

    evilcatfish Initiate (0) May 11, 2012 Missouri
    Trader

    These sound great
     
  17. Chinon01

    Chinon01 Initiate (0) Jan 23, 2007 Pennsylvania

    Was in a Berlin knappe w/ the wife last year. Berliner Weisse was in the menu. We both enjoy Berliner Weisse so I asked our server for two please. He pauses and asks "you mean one, for the lady". Slowly picking up on his suggestion I respond "sure, one for her and I'll have another pils". So our beers come out and the Berliner Weiss is a neon green color served in a wide mouth glass w/ a very long contrasting yellow straw sticking out of it. Not exactly masculine looking I understood why our server made the suggestion. I took a sip. I wasn't bad but I would never put that much syrup in at home where as others have stated you typically get your choice of raspberry or woodruff served on the side.
     
  18. victory4me

    victory4me Initiate (0) Oct 16, 2004 Pennsylvania

    I'm sure they'd be fine with it as the Germans are the ones who invented the shandy (lager and lemonade).
     
  19. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yea, it's only on here that I've seen drinking Berliner Weisse being held up as some sort of test of bravado.
     
    rob133 and steveh like this.
  20. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    The British book, The Curiosities of Beer & Ale (1889) discusses the "Shandy Gaff" - a mix of ginger beer and bitter, and that's probably hardly the earliest citation of it.

    The similar German mix is more often referred to as a Radler - a name based the fact that supposedly bicyclists ["rad" = bicycle in German] first began drinking it - no idea when.
     
    victory4me likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.