Disappointing! There I was at Taco Mac, where I have not been enough over the past year and few months thanks to Covid. I am back now though, fully vaccinated and ready to make up for lost time. I ordered a Parish Dr. Juice to go with my wings (they were not the disappointment) but my server returned and informed me they were all out of Dr. Juice. Disappointing!  I was looking forward to washing down my wings with a juicy pale ale. All was not lost on the Dr. Juice however; I had a crowler of it at home.

OK, on to Plan B, which in this case was a mug of the newly tapped Pontoon Crushing Waves Berliner Weisse from Pontoon Brewing of Sandy Springs, Georgia. My first ever Pontoon beer was also at Taco Mac back in February of 2015, when they had just emerged on the Georgia brewing scene as a contract brewer. Today, they have their own brewery in Sandy Springs.

Pontoon says:

This German style tart ale has 700lbs of fresh pineapple and tart cherry puree. Kettle soured with lactobacillus, this tart beer embodies the perfect dessert inspired sour. The pineapple and tart cherries are added during the secondary fermentation to create a juicy, yet tart, sour beer that is bursting with flavor.

Of course, the Germans would never add fruit to their Berliner Weisse-while they’re brewing it. What YOU do with your beer after you buy it is your own affair, and it is not uncommon there to add a dash of raspberry or woodruff syrup to your Berliner Weisse.

Pontoon Crushing Waves Berliner Weisse has an alcohol content of 5.1% by volume (about twice what it really should be for the style) with 8 IBUs. I paid $6 for a 23-ounce mug at Taco Mac, a good deal that, and it sells for $11.49 a six-pack at Total Wine, or $10 at the brewery.

Pontoon Crushing Waves Berliner Weisse pours to a hazy orange amber color with a thin minimal film of head and a rather nondescript nose. Taking a sip, the beer is light to medium in body, appropriate to the style, and the palate is tart wheaty. I do get refreshing notes of the pineapple and cherry used in the second fermentation. The beer finishes tart, but not as sour as Berliner Weisse commands.

The fruit here is subtle, so I will classify this as a Berliner Weisse rather than a fruit beer. It does add a subtle character that adds to the beer. A little lower in alcohol and higher in sourness and I would rate this more highly, but as it is I find it to be a refreshing warm weather quencher at a very tasty price. It served to wash down my wings quite nicely, too.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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