The Bruery’s Hottenroth, a 3.1% bottle conditioned Berliner Weisse
The Bruery, located in Placentia, California, was founded in 2008 by Patrick Rue, a homebrewer who was going through law school. Their motto is to “create beers with character and depth using the simplest and purest of means.” They do not pasteurize or filter their beers, and most of their beers are carbonated naturally through bottle conditioning.
They are known for creating unique beers made with unconventional ingredients, pushing the limits of what “beer” is. One of their more infamous beers is a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout known as “Black Tuesday,” which is released only once a year on the final Tuesday of October.
Hottenroth Berliner Weisse, a tart German-style beer, is brewed in memory of Patrick Rue’s grandparents, Fred and Sarah Hottenroth. This low gravity wheat beer is brewed with lactobacillus and a hint of brettanomyces to create a unique, sour flavor. For those who find the sourness to be too much, raspberry or woodruff syrup can be added to sweeten the beer. It pairs well with pistachio panna cotta, fresh picked berries, or grilled salmon on a fresh salad. This beer won the 2011 GABF Silver Medal for German Style Sour Ale and the 2012 World Beer Cup Silver Medal for German Style Sour Ale.
Appearance
cloudy, golden; head fades quickly
Aroma
acidic, tart, earthy; green apples
Taste
not as sour as I expected (though I love some funky stuff); mellow and lemony, then the tartness takes center stage, finishes dry
Mouthfeel
Perfect amount of carbonation, extremely drinkable, not “mouth puckering” like many sours
Overall
I feel like I’m back in Berlin. I love this beer. Period.
Check out… this video from The Bruery to learn more about their sour beers.
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