Berliner Weisse facts for kids
Berliner Weisse is a special kind of cloudy, sour beer that comes from Northern Germany. It's a regional type of wheat beer that has been made since at least the 16th century. This unique drink is made using a mix of malted barley and wheat. The grains are heated very gently, or even air-dried, to keep the beer light in color.
What makes Berliner Weisse so special is how it's made. During the brewing process, special types of yeast and lactic acid bacteria are used. These bacteria are the secret ingredient that gives Berliner Weisse its famous sour taste.
In the late 1800s, Berliner Weisse was super popular in Berlin, with many breweries making it. But by the end of the 1900s, only a couple of breweries in Berlin were still producing this historic beer.
Contents
History of Berliner Weisse
Many experts believe Berliner Weisse started with a beer made in Hamburg long ago. A brewer named Cord Broihan copied and improved this beer in the 1500s. His beer, called Halberstädter Broihan, became very popular. A version of it was even brewed in Berlin by a doctor named J.S. Elsholz in the 1640s.
Another idea is that Huguenot people, who moved through Flanders into Northern Germany, helped create this beer. They might have developed it from local red and brown ales. Some records show that this beer was being brewed in Berlin as early as 1572.
Royal Support for the Beer
Frederick William I of Prussia really liked Berliner Weisse and encouraged people to drink it all over Prussia. He even said it was "best for our climate." His son, Frederick the Great, was even taught how to brew it!
There's a fun story that Napoleon's soldiers gave Berliner Weisse a special nickname in 1809. They called it "The Champagne of the North" because they thought it was so good.
Traditional Brewing Strength
Today, Berliner Weisse is usually a light beer. In the past, beers brewed in March were often made stronger and left to age over the summer. Some reports suggest this might have happened with Berliner Weisse too, with bottles even being buried in sand or warm earth to mature.
How Berliner Weisse Is Brewed
Modern brewers use a mix of wheat and barley to make Berliner Weisse, usually with about 25% to 50% wheat. They carefully create the sour taste. This can happen through a second fermentation in the bottle, or by adding special Lactobacillus bacteria.
Old records from the early 1800s show that the beer was made with five parts wheat to one part barley. It was often drunk when it was young. Back then, there wasn't much mention of making it sour with a second fermentation or by adding Lactobacillus.
Popular Brands of Berliner Weisse
At its most popular time in the 1800s, Berliner Weisse was the most popular drink in Berlin. There were hundreds of breweries making it! But by the end of the 1900s, only two breweries in Berlin were still making it. A few others were in different parts of Germany.
The two Berlin breweries, Berliner Kindl and Schultheiss, are now part of the Oetker Group. One of the main brands still made in Berlin today is Berliner Kindl Weisse.
Serving Berliner Weisse
Berliner Weisse is often served in a special bowl-shaped glass. People usually add flavored syrups to it, like sweet raspberry syrup (called Himbeersirup) or a syrup with an artificial woodruff flavor (called Waldmeistersirup). Adding these syrups helps to balance the sour taste of the beer. Sometimes, Berliner Weisse is even mixed with other drinks, like a light lager, to make it less sour.
See also
In Spanish: Berliner Weiße para niños
