Berliner Weisse
A traditional beer through the ages – part 1: How has the character of Berliner Weisse changed? In the 19th century, Berliner Weisse could be found all over Berlin. However in the last few decades, it has been reduced to a niche existence. Recently, craft brewers around the world have rediscovered this traditional style of beer. In the first part of his article, the author focuses on the original composition of the fermentation cultures and on the question of how the hygienic conditions from more than 100 years ago influenced the flavor of this sour beer. Dr. Peter Lietz
Brewers around the world are vying to revive the ‘original’ Berliner Weisse, which hit the peak of its popularity toward the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. Of course, the question is: What did Berliner Weisse actually taste like back then? Was there even a specific method for producing it? No samples remain from this era, so we are forced to draw our conclusions about the flavor based on contemporary sources. The numerous studies conducted and published in the early 20 th century by VLB Berlin under the auspices of Franz Schönfeld (1866– 1940) indicate that in addition to the quality of the pitching yeast mixed with lactic acid bacteria, the specific local conditions of the respective brewery had a decisive impact on the quality of the Berliner Weisse produced. This included the wooden tools that were common at the time, the open cooling systems, and also the poorly devel-
oped state of cleaning technology during the period. In December 1907, Schönfeld held a lecture for bartenders who served weiss beer. In it, he described the Berliner Weisse of the early 20 th century as follows: “It should be clear, with a nice lasting head after pouring; it should taste pleasantly tart and wine-like, with a fine bouquet and heavy carbonation.” In the same piece published in 1908 in the Wochenschrift für Brauerei weekly brewery journal, he added: “But as everywhere, there are so many exceptions when it comes to weiss beer that these exceptions often outnumber the rule.” This statement makes one thing clear: In the heyday of this classic beer, there wasn’t just one weiss beer; there were many different versions of it.
beer at the time was that the breweries would deliver the young beer to the bars shortly after it was produced. The fermentation process would then be completed in the cellars of the bars, and the bar
Population of microorganisms nearly impossible to control One special characteristic of weiss Brauerei Forum International – May 2019
An old brewery in the late 18th century with coolship
Brewing area of the weiss beer brewery owned by A. Landré, ca. 1883
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