- Berliner Weisse
Berliner Weiße is a type of
wheat beer brewed exclusively in the area ofBerlin ,Germany .Berliner Weiße is first mentioned in 1642 by the Berlin doctor J.S.Elsholz, as an enhancement of the beer "
Broihans " fromHalberstadt . [cite web|title=Deutscher Brauer-Bund - Berliner Weiße|url=http://www.brauer-bund.de/bierfans/sorten/berliner.htm|accessdate =2006-11-30 ] A famous Weiße drinker wasAlbrecht von Wallenstein , who during theThirty Years' War complained in a letter to his subordinate captainHans Georg von Arnim-Boitzenburg that he "does not know how to satisfy his thirst, for [he could] not bear the taste of barley beer". Berlin was hard up for wheat at the time, so that it could not be used for brewing.Later during the 19th century, Berliner Weiße was the most popular drink in Berlin. Several breweries specialised on this variety, every third realty hosted a tavern, among which were many inns.
Berliner Weiße contains only around 2.8% vol of
alcohol , making it one of the weakest German beers. It istop-fermented , slightly barm-clouded and relatively sour, so the taste of Berliner Weiße differs significantly from other German wheat beers. The optimal drinking temperature is 8 to 10 °C.It is served in a large
goblet with astraw . Due to the sour taste, it is commonly drunk mixed withraspberry "(Himbeersirup)",lemon "(Zitronensirup)", orwoodruff "(Waldmeistersirup)" syrup, and is then called "Weiße mit Schuss" ("Weiße with a shot [of Syrup] ") creating "Berliner Weiße rot", "gelb" or "grün" respectively. This mixed-drink is very refreshing in the hot summer months and is served throughout Berlin.Another variation is the "Weiße mit Strippe" ("Weiße" with a strip [of alcohol] "), which is Weiße mixed with a small amount of spirits like "
Kümmel " or "Korn". Other blends, for example withsparkling wine orliqueur s likeCrème de Cassis "(Weiße Royal)" are also popular.Notes
References
* [http://www.brauer-bund.de/bierfans/sorten/berliner.htm Deutsche Brauer Bund description of Berliner Weisse]
* "Die Biere Deutschlands", 1988, by Dietrich Höllhuber and Wolgang Kaul, page 340
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