Berliner Weisse
The Champagne of the North
Hey brew fans,
I recently produced a couple of small-batch brews on our little test kit, both being variations of one of my favourite styles: the Berliner Weisse. One was produced more traditionally, the other a modern equivalent in order to compare. So, I spent some time looking into the history of the style and how it came to be, and I thought I would share what I have learnt in this article. So, let’s do a deep dive into the Berliner Weisse.
History
This slightly acidic, tart, refreshing beer has been a staple of German brewing for hundreds of years. There are multiple theories surrounding its creation with conflicting ideas of when exactly it was first produced and by whom, with some records suggesting that its origins go as far back as the 1570s. One thing for certain is its place of birth: the regions surrounding Berlin – hence the name. One theory suggests that the style was developed during the early 18th century by the Huguenots, a French Protestant group that emigrated to Berlin. The theory holds that during their migration through Flanders, they were inspired by the local red and brown ales – styles both including the use of lactic acid bacteria to produce a sharp acidity – a character essential to the styles.
Over time the style gained popularity and legend has it that this zingy, effervescent beer was generously enjoyed by Napoleon’s troops as they travelled through Europe in the early 19th century. It reminded them of the sparkling wines of Southern Europe, earning itself the nickname ‘the champagne of the north’. In Berlin, it became the most popular beer style in the late 19th century with over 50 breweries producing it. But by the late 20th century only 2 breweries were making it as a permanent style.
The Style
So, what is a Berliner Weisse? One of the main characteristics of this style is in the name – Weisse, which is German for ‘white’ and refers to the light colour imparted by the use of wheat. Wheat is one of the key components of this beer, usually making up about 50% of the grain bill with the other 50% being barley (most commonly a pilsner malt). This gives the beer a very light, golden straw colour. The wheat helps to contribute to a smooth mouthfeel with flavours of bread and hints of citrus, as well as giving a large number of proteins that form a light, cloudy haze. Another critical characteristic of the style is its tart sourness. Although classified as a ‘sour beer’, the sourness in Berliner Weisse is more subtle than many similar styles. This flavour comes from the use of Lactobacillus, a type of lactic acid-producing bacteria. The flavours contributed by the production of lactic acid give the beer a fresh, lemon/citrus tartness. This adds a very refreshing, easy-drinking quality to the style. Another attribute that contributes to this is the lower ABV. Berliner Weisse beer tends to range from around 2.5% alcohol up to around 5%, but with the majority being on the lower end of that scale.
Unusual to most styles, there should be almost no hop bitterness. Traditionally the wort would not have been boiled or may have received a very short boil. This meant that hops were either totally excluded from the recipe, or they may have been boiled in water separately and then added to the wort. The use of higher amounts of hops would be inhibitory to the Lactobacillus bacteria due to their antibacterial properties. This method of forgoing the boil, and therefore missing out on the sterilisation step, would ultimately lead to the presence of other wild yeast and bacteria inoculating the wort. This is why many believe that a traditionally made Berliner Weisse should include the presence of Brettanomyces – a wild yeast that gives some very interesting, funky flavours.
For those out there that aren’t huge fans of the acidity present in this style, the bars in Berlin where this beer is served have a method to make it more palatable. When ordering a Berliner Weisse in Berlin, you may be asked if you would like it “rot” or “grÜn” (red or green). This refers to the use of syrups that help to cut through the acidity, red being raspberry and green being woodruff.
An example of a more traditional Berliner Weisse would be:
https://www.beersofeurope.co.uk/beer/country/germany/berliner-kindl-weisse?code=DEBKW101
A Modern Twist
Fortunately, in recent years the style has seen something of a revival. Thanks to many American brewers and the continued rise in popularity of sour-styled beers there is now a huge range of Berliner Weisse out there. Many pay homage to the brewers of the past, producing the style in a more traditional way by pitching both Lactobacillus alongside brewers’ yeast and using very little to no hops. But we have also seen a rise in modern twists being put on this traditional style, both in the brewing techniques as well as the ingredients used.
A modern method of producing sour beer, with a much faster production timeline compared to the potential months it takes for bacteria to develop the sour character, has taken the brewing industry by storm. The new method, termed ‘kettle souring’ allows brewers to produce a clean, sharp acidity in their beers prior to fermentation. This technique uses the kettle (AKA the copper) to sour the wort using Lactobacillus within around 24-72 hours. This soured wort can then be boiled, which kills the Lactobacillus and means that the wort can then be hopped as a regular beer would be without the risk of inhibiting the lactic acid bacteria before it can sour the wort. So many modern takes of the style will include a lot more hop character as well as the inclusion of fruit.
An example of a more modern style Berliner Weisse would be:
https://shop.mikkeller.dk/products/hallo-ich-bin-raspberry-berliner-330ml-can
Thank you for reading and I hope you have enjoyed this article. Just to let you know, my next brewing exam is fast approaching and is requiring a large amount of study. Over the next couple of months I will be reducing the number of articles to help with this, so my posting will be slightly more sporadic than weekly! I look forward to being back in touch with you in the next article. If you have missed any of my previous posts then please visit https://thebrewer.substack.com/archive to find them. Feel free to let me know of any topics you would like me to cover in the future.
All the best,
Will