THE STYLE

Berliner Weisse is a tart wheat (Weisse in German) beer with two main differentiating ingredients, wheat and Lactobacillus. The high amount of wheat used in the grain bill contributes to the beer's cloudiness and compliments the tartness that comes from the Lactobacillus souring process. Lactobacillus (bacteria that can be found in dairy products) is added to the brew in the kettle, where it consumes some of the sugars present to produce lactic acid over a 12 - 20 hours timeframe. The terminal PH target for this sour is 3.5, which we believe is the sweet spot for this ever-popular style.

Originally developed around Berlin, Germany in the 17th century, hence the name. The origins are not certain on how this style came to be. One theory is French immigrants in Berlin developed it after picking up techniques from brewers. Another theory is that the beer Haldbersadter Broihan, was a popular sour in Berlin in the 1640s, and inspired sours that followed. Either way we’re happy they brewed this style and it stuck around.