A Short and Sour History of Berliner Weisse...A Short and Sour History of Berliner Weisse Definition of the Style BJCP Definition 17A. Berliner Weisse Overall Impression: A very pale,

A Short and Sour History of Berliner Weisse

Executive Brewmaster for:

PINTS Brewing Company

Ponderosa Brewing Company

Z Haus Brewing Company

Alan Taylor, Braumeister, VLB, Berlin


Berlin as a Brewing City

Researching Berliner Weisse at the VLB

Origins of the Style

Rise and Fall of the Style

Definition of the Style

BJCP

Weisse / Weißbier / Weizenbier

Is it Beer? Reinheitsgebot vs. Biersteuergesetz

Schankbier

How Berliner Weisse was Brewed Historically

Late 20th Century Brewing Methodology

Traditional vs. Non-Traditional

2006: Fusion of Berliner Kindl and Schultheiss – The Future Darkens

Planning a Resurrection

2014: Today’s Brewing Scene

Berlin

Germany

International

US Craft Brewing Scene

Questions and Answers



Brewing in the area documented as early as ca. 1200

Quality of beer: generally considered atrocious.

Early 1500s things improved, multiple top fermenting beer styles

1577 first Brewing Ordinances with guild started formalizing

the industry

1685 saw influx of French Huguenots to Protestant

Hohenzollern Brandenburg/Berlin

Frederick the Great of Prussia: Trained as a brewer, forbid foreign

and interstate beer imports, highly taxed coffee sales

because Beer was better for the German climate

and for the local breweries (and tax income).

Constant growth in population and production, lagers came and

the number of breweries exploded



Changes in the City after WW II

Infrastructure Decimated

Consumer Base Decimated

Political Uncertainty

Berlin as an “Island”


Researching Berliner Weisse at the VLB

Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin

Founded 1883

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frank-Jürgen Methner

Chair of Brewing Science

Dissertation on Berliner Weisse

Manfred Staruß, Microbiologist

VLB Library - Historical Brewing Textbooks


Origins of the Style

England & Pilsen considered, historically unclear

Hamburg first Northern German city, then onwards to Berlin

Michael Jackson thesis: Huguenots brought it to Brandenburg/Berlin

“Berliner Küche” mentions the beer by name in 1575

Early 1800s – northern half of Germany steadfastly top fermenters

1873 still 40%

1938 only 4%



700 Weissbier outlets in 1600s

1897/98 Berliner Weisse commanded 33% of the Berlin market

Bavarian-style beers increasingly popular

1938 down to 3% in Berlin

WW II and Berlin Wall limited markets

Re-unification brought back a small surge in popularity



Pils 55.1%

Export 9.8%

Weizen 7.9%

Biermix 6.5%

Hell 4.5%

Alkoholfrei 3.7%

Kölsch 1.7%

Schwarz/Dunkel 1.6%

Malz 1.2%

Alt 1.2%

Lager 1.0%

Light 0.6%

Bock 0.5%

Märzen 0.5%

Diät 0.3%

Berliner Weisse 0.0%

All Other 3.8%

2010 ACNielson via German Brewers Guild



BJCP Definition


Is Berliner Weisse technically a beer?

Reinheitsgebot (Bavarian Purity Law)

Biersteuergesetz (Beer Taxation Law)

Schankbier



BJCP Definition

17A. Berliner Weisse

Aroma: A sharply sour, somewhat acidic character is dominant. Can have up to a moderately fruity character. The

fruitiness may increase with age and a flowery character may develop. A mild Brettanomyces aroma may be

present. No hop aroma, diacetyl, or DMS.

Appearance: Very pale straw in color. Clarity ranges from clear to somewhat hazy. Large, dense, white head with

poor retention due to high acidity and low protein and hop content. Always effervescent.

Flavor: Clean lactic sourness dominates and can be quite strong, although not so acidic as a lambic. Some

complementary bready or grainy wheat flavor is generally noticeable. Hop bitterness is very low. A

mild Brettanomyces character may be detected, as may a restrained fruitiness (both are optional). No hop flavor.

No diacetyl or DMS.

Mouthfeel: Light body. Very dry finish. Very high carbonation. No sensation of alcohol.



BJCP Definition

17A. Berliner Weisse

Overall Impression: A very pale, sour, refreshing, low-alcohol wheat ale.

Comments: In Germany, it is classified as a Schankbier denoting a small beer of starting gravity in the range 7-

8°P. Often served with the addition of a shot of sugar syrups (‘mit schuss’) flavored with raspberry (‘himbeer’) or

woodruff (‘waldmeister’) or even mixed with Pils to counter the substantial sourness. Has been described by

some as the most purely refreshing beer in the world.

History: A regional specialty of Berlin; referred to by Napoleon's troops in 1809 as “the Champagne of the North”

due to its lively and elegant character. Only two traditional breweries still produce the product.

Ingredients: Wheat malt content is typically 50% of the grist (as with all German wheat beers) with the

remainder being Pilsner malt. A symbiotic fermentation with top-fermenting yeast and Lactobacillus

delbruckii provides the sharp sourness, which may be enhanced by blending of beers of different ages during

fermentation and by extended cool aging. Hop bitterness is extremely low. A single decoction mash with mash

hopping is traditional.




Bavarian Weizenbier / Weiße

Single Saccharomyces Strain Yes

Iso-Amyl-Acetate Yes

4-Vinyl-Guaiacol Yes

50%+ Wheat Grist Yes

Head Retention until Kingdom Come Yes

Bottle Conditioned solely with Saccharomyces Strain Yes

Berliner Weisse

Single Saccharomyces Strain No

Iso-Amyl-Acetate No

4-Vinyl-Guaiacol No

50%+ Wheat Grist Yes/No

Head Retention until Kingdom Come No

Bottle Conditioned solely with Saccharomyces Strain Yes/No




Reinheitsgebot von 1516:





Happens to mention barley, hops and water





Happens to mention barley, hops and water

And a whole lot about when and what to charge for beer





NO! It is not a beer…




Biersteuergesetz 1870/1908/2009/2011…

BSG: Makes the distinction between top and bottom fermentation

Lagers: only barley malt, water, hops and yeast

Ales: any malt variety, water, hops, yeast, colorings and sugars

BSG: Defines specific Plato categories (from 1952 to 1993):

Einfachbier: 2.00 to 5.50 Plato Simple Beer

Schankbier: 7.00 to 8.00 Plato Draft Beer

Vollbier: 11.00 to 14.00 Plato Full Beer

Starkbier: 16.00 Plato and beyond! Strong Beer




Biersteuergesetz 1870/1908/2009/2011…

BSG: Makes the distinction between top and bottom fermentation

Lagers: only barley malt, water, hops and yeast

Ales: any malt variety, water, hops, yeast, colorings and sugars

BSG: Defines specific Plato categories starting in 1993

Einfachbier: 1.50 to 6.99 Plato Simple Beer

Schankbier: 7.00 to 10.99 Plato Draft Beer

Vollbier: 11.00 to 15.99 Plato Full Beer

Starkbier: 16.00 Plato and beyond! Strong Beer

YES! It is a beer…



Schankbier

Now that the tax man considers it a beer, how much to pay?

Berliner Weisse is a Schankbier (draft beer).

0.787 € per degree Plato per hectoliter…

Small brewers get similar tax breaks to those of us in the US.

7 bbl batch of 11.00 to 11.99 Plato beer equivalent of $64 in taxes (OR/Fed: $67.20)

7 bbl batch of Berliner Weisse equivalent of $40

Mix Drinks .. Radler .. Premixed Berliner Weisse. Taxed on sugar content as if it were starting

gravity


How Berliner Weisse was Brewed Historically

Malt: Work with under-modified (particularly wheat) malts

Grist: 1:3 to 1:4 Barley to Wheat Malt

Mash: Triple decoction (99 F mash in / 111 F, 140 F, 167 F rests)

Mash Hopping: Also added during decoction boils

Boil Length: 0 to 30 minutes

Fermentation: 54 F to 72 F

Pitch: Blend of Sachharomyces, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Brettanomyces species

Bottle Condition: Nearly all was bottled by brewery or sold to beer mongers, who packaged it

Groterjan Brewery 1894-1961 (bought by Schultheiss)

Grist: Low Amount of Wheat Malt

Mash: Step Infusion/Single Decoction

Mash Hopping: Beginning of mash in

Lautering: “Schwimmkiste”

Boil Length Sub-boiling 203 F for 15 to 20 minutes

Fermentation: 61 F to 68 F to 61 F

Pitch: Blend of Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Bottle Condition: Duration Based on Demand and Lagering Space




Schultheiss - Traditional

Founded 1842 (the year Pilsner Urquell brewed the first Pilsner beer)

Publically traded as of 1871, fused with other Berlin breweries and had 7 brewing

sites at end of WW II.

1990 Brewery in East Berlin returned to fold

1903 1 million hl, 1800 employees

Berliner Kindl - Non-Traditional

Founded in 1872 as a publically traded company.

Bought out 13 different breweries.

1939 1 million hl, 1600 employees

1996: 1.6 million hl




Schultheiss - Traditional Berliner Kindl - Non-Traditional

50% wheat 30% wheat

Symbiotic yeasts and microbes blend Separate wort strains

Non-boiled wort 15 minute boil

Long maturation period 1.5 weeks

Kräusened and bottle conditioned No longer bottle conditioned

Long bottle lagering Flash pasteurized


Acid, Ester and Phenol Comparison Between Kindl and Schultheiss (1987)

Berliner

KindlSchultheiss

Brett.

brux.

Threshold

ppmFlavor Description

lower end upper end

pH 4.3 4.6 3.01 3.34 n.a.

Acetic acid 30 60 73 500 198 175 Acetic Acid, Vinegar

Lactic acid 23 340 1855 2980 184 400 Acid

Isovaleric acid 0.3 0.8 0.39 0.4 3.9 1.5 Cheesy, Old Hops, Sweaty

Ethyl acetate 13 20 8 40 25 30 Solvent, Fruity

Isoamyl acetate 1.2 2.8 0.39 0.05 <0.1 1.2 Banana, apple

Ethyl caproate 0.2 0.3 0.08 0.08 0.25 0.21 Apple, Fruity

4-ethylphenol n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 0.53 0.14 Barnyard, Medicinal, Band Aid, Mousy

4-ethylguaiacol n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 1.7 0.6 Spicy, Herbal, Clove-like

Typical Concentrations

ppm


2006: Fusion of Berliner Kindl and Schultheiss

The Near-Death Toll for Traditional Berliner Weisse

Parent companies

buys in 2002

Which has Berliner Kindl in its portfolio

then buys in 2004

With Schultheiss in its portfolio

2006: Decision Time…Which Berliner Weisse survives…


2006: Fusion of Berliner Kindl and Schultheiss

The Near-Death Toll for Traditional Berliner Weisse

Do You Trust These Guys with Your Beer?

With the impending demise of

Schultheiss’ Berliner Weisse, two

friends began working on a Berliner

Weisse Resurrection Plan starting in

2006

Wyeast Laboratories’ Jess Caudill ran

trials for acid and flavor production

Jess’ presentations are on YouTube and

Homebrewers Association Website

More details on PINtS Berliner Weisse

during today’s Taste Panel


2014: Today’s Brewing Scene:

Berlin 0.3% Market Share

Berliner Kindl 8,500 bbl/annum in 2010

Bogk-Bier Privatbrauerei

Brewbaker

Lemke

Germany 0.0% Market Share

Meierei Potsdam

Doemens/Weihenstephan (1809)

Gasthaus & Gosebrauerei Bayerischer Bahnhof

International Brewing Scene

10 Barrel/Anheuser-Busch InBev

US Craft Brewing Scene:

PINTS and a couple hundred others.


Thanks to:

MBAA District NW Technical Committee for the chance to speak about

my favorite beer style

Manfred Staruß and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frank-Jürgen Methner from the VLB

for their time and expertise

Jess Caudill of Wyeast Laboratories for his time and patience with this project

Chad Rennaker of PINTS Brewing Co for retrofitting FV-4 (now capable to heat and cool)

and for allowing me to play with all the bugs I brought back from Berlin

Meine liebe Familie for letting me run off for another “beer drinking weekend”


Open for Questions…

[email protected]

Documents

A Short and Sour History of Berliner Weisse...A Short and Sour History of Berliner Weisse Definition of the Style BJCP Definition 17A. Berliner Weisse Overall Impression: A very pale,