Review Date 5/4/2018
Try? Re-buy?
Well, well. People are throwing just about anything into Berliner Weisse these days. Classically, of course, that’s not done. Berliner Weisse is a sour low-strength wheat ale native to northern Germany that is very tart and very refreshing. It is, certainly, often served mit schuss, or a dash of raspberry or woodruff syrup. That is left to the drinker to add just before imbibing, however; American brewers seem hell bent on adding some sort of flavoring to their Berlin Weisse for you.
Red Hare Well Bless Her Tart Berliner Weisse is a case in point. This is a Berliner Weisse beer brewed with strawberries, a summer seasonal from this Marietta, Georgia brewer. I do find the addition of strawberries works very well indeed and the end result is a delightfully refreshing ale perfect for warm weather drinking.
Red Hare says:
Fresh from the fields, a big strawberry nose hits you immediately on this sweet tart. Juicy fresh strawberries turn your pallet sweet, then go right into a puckering tartness form the soured sugary goodness. Clean and crisp, it’s a refreshing brew ready for summer!
We threw some Saaz hops and Lactobacillus into the kettle to create just the right amount of aromatic juiciness and lactic acid tartness to blend magically with the strawberries.
Red Hare Well Bless Her Tart Berliner Weisse has an alcohol content of 3.8% by volume, and I love that about the beer. As I mentioned, Berliner Weisse is low strength, in Germany around 3% by volume. It runs a very reasonable $8.99 a six-pack at Total Wine and I paid $6.84 for a 23-ounce mug at Taco Mac.
My mug of Red Hare Well Bless Her Tart Berliner Weisse arrived a bright golden color with a minimal head formation and caramel and fruit in the nose. There’s a hint of caramel in the palate (unusual for the style) but mostly bright tart berry fruit flavor (not at all sweet), and a puckering sour finish.
Ever pick a strawberry fresh from your garden, bite into it and get a really tart and tangy one? That’s what Red Hare Well Bless Her Tart Berliner Weisse reminds me of. I’ll be looking for more this summer, in cans or a crowler, because, well, it’s going to get hot here this summer, and a beer like this is just what the doctor ordered to cool off with.
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