Berliner Weisse

What is Berliner Weisse?

Berliner weisse, originating near Berlin, is a light and fruity wheat beer with a sour taste. The sourness of the beer comes from the addition of lactic acid bacteria during fermentation. Berliner weisse is often cloudy as it is generally unfiltered.

In Germany, Berliner weisse is often served with flavoured syrups (mainly raspberry or woodruff syrup). Nowadays, many breweries add fruits or berries directly to the beer recipe, giving it exciting flavours and vibrant colours.

The Berliner weisse beer style was once so famous that Napoleon’s troops reportedly called it the “champagne of the North”.

Origin Story

There are several competing theories about the origin of Berliner weisse. One theory suggests that it was developed in the early 18th century by the Huguenots, who migrated from France to Berlin and applied the brewing techniques they had learned while on the road from Flemish brewers.

Another theory points to a beer popular in Berlin in the 1640s, Halberstädter Broihan, as a predecessor of Berliner weisse.

Whichever theory is true, the consensus is that the original wheat beers brewed around Berlin were not intentionally sour but rather lighter and weaker (around 3%) than the prevalent brown beers of the time.

During that period, many brewers boiled hops separately in water and later mixed this with the wort. The wort itself was not boiled, allowing various local bacteria to enter and naturally impart acidity to the beer. To reduce the level of acidity, the addition of syrups to the beer became popular.

Later, sourness became the main characteristic of Berliner weisse, and it began to be produced through controlled fermentation with lactic acid bacteria. Modern Berliner weisse developed in the 19th century and became the most popular alcoholic beverage in Berlin, with over 700 breweries producing the beer at its peak.

In the latter half of the 19th century, the popularity of Berliner weisse declined, and only a few breweries continued its production. Today, the Berliner weisse style has been rediscovered and revitalized by craft brewers in Germany, the USA, and elsewhere.