10 Berliner Weisse Craft Beers to Quench Your Summer Thirst!

Berliner Weisse is back in a big way! It seems like every brewery on the block is cranking out some version of this refreshingly tart brew.

Pretty wild for a beer style that almost died out over a century ago!

Berliner Weisse first appeared in Northern Germany, way back in the 1600s. By the late 1800s, folks all over Berlin couldn’t get enough, and more than 70 breweries produced a version.

But just 100 years later, Pilsners and Lagers reigned supreme, and only two breweries in the city continued to make Berliner Weisse.

Luckily, a new wave of American craft breweries swooped in to save the day! Now the style is common in craft beer bars and bottleshops across the U.S.

With so many to choose from, it can be hard to know where to begin. So, here are 10 can’t-lose Berliner Weisse beers to keep you refreshed this summer!

WeldWerks Brewing Company - Strawberry Cheesecake Berliner

When you think of crisp, cool refreshment, you probably think of cheesecake. Okay, maybe not. But when Colorado’s WeldWerks crafts a strawberry cheesecake Berliner Weisse, you better believe you’re in for a treat!

Because they make this beer with actual cheesecake in the mash. Literally! They throw entire cheesecakes in the brew as they make it. Then, they top it off with a ludicrous amount of real strawberries! Drink it cold, and it’s crisp and refreshing, like a spoonful of chilled strawberry jam. 

Let it warm up a bit, and you’ll discover layers of graham cracker crust and creamy milk sugar. Either way, you’ll taste cheesecake flavors long after the last sip is gone!

J. Wakefield Brewing - Miami Madness

Leave it to Miami’s J. Wakefield to crank up the fruit in their Berliner Weisse to hurricane-strength levels. 

So much guava, mango, and passionfruit pours from this sweet-tart of a brew, it tastes like it should be served out of a hollowed out pineapple and enjoyed with your toes planted in the sand. And if you have the opportunity, by all means, drink it on the beach. 

But if not, at least you can get a taste of the tropics, even if you’re sitting on your couch. 

If you happen to be in Miami, you can drop by J. Wakefield’s happening taproom and sip it while you gaze upon their gigantic Star Wars themed graffiti mural. It’s honestly spectacular. Maybe even better than the beach.

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Festina Pêche

Dogfish Head might be best known for their hoppy brews, but they sure know their way around some sour brews. If you need proof, just take a sip of Festina Pêche Berliner Weisse.

They brew it with real peaches, and released it every year during, what Dogfish Head refers to as, “the sweaty months.” Rightfully so, because this stuff is a wonderful treat anytime you’re working up a sweat!

Or anytime you’re sitting by the pool. Or watching your neighbor mow their lawn. Or eating breakfast. Or anytime at all, really.

Drekker Brewing Company - Techno Viking

Leave it to the Nordic-obsessed brewers at North Dakota’s Drekker to come up with a beer called Techno Viking. And while the real vikings didn’t exactly get along with the rest of Northern Europe, Drekker’s Berliner Weisse tastes like it came straight out of Germany!

No fruit in this one, just smooth tartness on top of a biscuity backbone of classic pilsner malts! Of all the beers on this list, Techno Viking might be the closest to a truly traditional take on the Berliner Weisse. 

And, if you need that fruit flavor, don’t worry. They make a bunch of variants, like Techno Viking Mango, Techno Viking Hibiscus, and even a jalapeno and raspberry version!

Breakside Brewing - Passionfruit Sour

Passionfruit Sour Berliner Weisse is one of the most awarded beers in the style EVER. It won medals at GABF twice, along with victories at the Best of Craft Beer Awards, Oregon Beer Awards, and North American Beer Awards!

It’s also one of the beers that helped put Breakside on the craft map back in 2013. And all these years later, it’s still a regional favorite. 

This tart and tropical beauty of a Berliner Weisse even took home the People’s Choice Award from Oregon Live!

Fill your fridge with Passionfruit Sour Berliner Weisse, and you’ll be ready for the hottest days of summer!

Perennial Artisan Ales - Peach Berliner Weisse

Folks in the American south are picky about peaches. So when Missouri’s Perennial created their Peach Berliner Weisse, they had to get it right.

And did they ever. They stacked this brew with locally grown peaches, but it’s still so drinkable you can kick back with it all day. Each summer when it’s released, fans stock up on this super-refreshing seasonal, and they keep sucking it down until the leaves start falling off the trees. 

Pro-tip: even your white wine-drinking friends who “don’t like beer” will happily sip on Peach Berliner.

Evil Twin Brewing - James Beer

When Evil Twin shows up, you know things are about to get weird. This Berliner Weisse is no exception. 

Named in honor of celebrated chef James Beard, James Beer goes gourmet to the extreme with massive additions of strawberries (not that weird) and OLIVES (very weird)! And, as with so many of Evil Twin founder Jeppe’s creations, it somehow works.

The sweet strawberry flavors mingle with a slight briny essence from the olives, and the unexpected combination has been shocking and delighting Sour Ale fans for years.

Bring a can or two to a party, and everyone will think it’s gross — right up until they try it.

Ex Novo Brewing - Cactus Wins the Lottery

Speaking of weird ingredients, ever had a prickly pear? It’s the fruit of a cactus, it’s covered in thorns, and according to Baloo the Bear from The Jungle Book, it’s one of life’s ‘Bare Necessities.’ 

Fortunately, you can experience all of the prickly pear’s melon-like flavors without risking a pricked paw. All you have to do is crack a can of Cactus Wins the Lottery Berliner Weisse from Ex Novo.

Take a sip, and then relax into sweet-tart fruity refreshment, just like a chilled out bear. You might even have the urge to scratch your back against a tree. Go for it, and celebrate those simple bare necessities.

Other Half Brewing - Raspberry Crunchee

We’ve already established that strange ingredients can make a delicious Berliner Weisse, so surly MORE strange ingredients must make them even better. Right?

Judging by Raspberry Crunchee from Other Half, the answer is ‘yes’! 

Other Half absolutely loaded this brew with raspberries, toasted coconut, almonds, maple, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk sugar. It’s like they looted a high-end bakery and dumped everything they could find into a single brew.

According to the crew at Other Half, it tastes like raspberry granola. According to fans, it’s simply delicious.

Stone Brewing - Notorious P.O.G. Berliner

P.O.G. stands for Passionfruit, Orange, Guava — 3 things this tropically tasty Berliner Weisse is loaded with. If you’re looking for a beer to take on your next beach trip, look no further!

It’s tart and fruity, but smooth and easy-drinking enough to keep you cool all day, even if you forget your beach umbrella. And it’s from the craft legends at Stone, where they know a little bit about kicking back on the sand.

These guys started in sunny San Diego! What do you think they do after work? Probably fill a cooler with P.O.G. Berliner Weisse and make tracks for the coast. Which is exactly what you should do. Even if ‘the coast’ is just a kiddie pool in the front yard.