The Naked Pint (35 page)

Because these beers are distinctly sour, Berliner Weisse is usually served with one of two sweet syrups: Waldmeister or Himbeer. Waldmeister is made from an herb called woodruff (scientific name
Galium odoratum
), which is super grassy and lemony with notes of anise and vanilla. Himbeer is a raspberry syrup (the
beer
means “berry,” not beer, in this instance). Sometimes other syrups, fruits, wines, and liqueurs will also be used to flavor Berliner Weisse, the most popular of these being Kümmel, which is a clear sweet-flavored liqueur made with cumin, caraway seed, and fennel.

But wait just a minute. Didn’t we say earlier that the Germans have a purity law governing their beer that forbids brewers from adding any fruit or herbs to the brewing process? Well, it’s true. Brewers can’t add these syrups to Berliner Weisse, but bartenders, customers, and drinkers can. Another unusual aspect about this beer is how it’s served in Germany. This beer is typically poured into a big bowl or saucer-like chalice and (get this) sucked through a straw.

Although we like the use of syrup, as it harkens back to the use of gruit in Witbiers (see Chapter 3), we also like to have a dry, clean Berliner Weisse without the syrup. In Germany, as a visitor, it’s almost impossible to get this beer served without the syrup, and in America, it’s almost impossible to find a Berlin-style wheat (Berliner Weisse made outside of Berlin) with syrup. Either way, it’s a delicious step toward getting your feet wet in the world of sour beer. Here are some that we dig:

We’re about to get a little James Brown funky all up in here. And we mean funky. Why? Because the next beer style we’re offering you is just about the funkiest beer around. It’s a little beer style called Gueuze. This super-sour style has been called “barnyard,” which we like to call funky. Gueuze is a pale, dry, and obscenely complex beer, and it’s not for the faint of heart. This beer is definitely an acquired taste and will make a decision maker out of you because it evokes either love or hate. We are big fans of this style. But we were also the kind of kids who started our own “Lemon Club” in grade school, whose initiation rite was to bite into a big wedge of lemon without making a face. But we digress.

Just like the Berliner Weisse is technically in the “wrong” style category in this book by virtue of it being a wheat beer, a Gueuze should actually be in the Lambic category because this style of beer is a blend of unfruited mature Lambic (usually one to three years old) and young Lambic (possibly as young as five months old). Gueuzes are bracingly tart, stunningly sour, acridly dry, and medium bodied, usually running between 4% and 6% ABV. They are citrusy, woody, herbal, earthy, moldy, and spicy like the best stinky cheese. And unlike any other style, these beers bring the farmhouse funk with a vengeance. This beer would have James Brown shouting, “Haaaaaaaaay!”

Note:
There is a pronunciation debate regarding this beer. When we asked some French winemakers how to pronounce it, they said “GOOZE.” However, we’ve also learned that the Dutch pronunciation of the word is something closer to “GER ZER.” Here are some Gueuzes you can drink to get your funk on:

If you find you like the sour beers, it’s time to try the Flanders Red Ale. Also called Belgian Red Ale, Flemish Red, or Old Red Ale, this style of ale hails from the western Flanders region of Belgium and uses the same kind of
Lactobacillus
that produces the sour flavors in some of the other sour beers. However, Flanders Red Ale distinguishes itself by using certain red, or Vienna, malts. The beer is matured, oftentimes for over a year, in large oak barrels, or tuns. It is this practice combined with the darker malts that creates the vinegar-like quality that gives Flanders Reds their exceptionally unique sweet-and-sour characteristics.

Because younger and older versions of Flanders Red are blended, similar to a Gueuze, and the permeating flavors are of dark fruits like cherries, prunes, and raisins, this beer style has prominent vinous or winey qualities, which has drawn comparisons to a Super Tuscan (a dense and tannic Italian red wine). Even though these Old Red Ales have a wide ABV range (4% to 8%) and can be anywhere from moderately to massively sour, you’ll know a Flanders Red Ale when you see it and taste it. Try one of these great examples: