ShopRite Wines & Spirits Micro-Brew Edition

From the Brewer – “A refreshing neo-Berliner Weisse, Festina Peche is available in 4-packs and on draft during the sweaty months.

Sadly, there are only a few breweries left in Berlin still brewing the Berliner Weisse style, which is characterized by its intense tartness (some say sour). There were once over 70 breweries in Berlin alone making this beer!

In addition to fermentation with an ale yeast, Berliner Weisse is traditionally fermented with lactic cultures to produce its acidic (or green apple-like) character. Served as an apertif or summertime quencher, Festina is delicately hopped and has a pale straw color. To soften the intense sourness, Berliner Weisse is traditionally served with a dash of essence of woodruff or raspberry syrup.

In Festina Peche, since the natural peach sugars are eaten by the yeast, the fruit complexity is woven into both the aroma and the taste of the beer so there is no need to doctor it with woodruff or raspberry syrup. Just open and enjoy!”

Great with grilled chicken or fish, salad, chevre.

Hop Bitterness (IBU’s): 8
Alcohol by volume: 4.5%
Format: 4 packs
Seasonality: Summer

From the Brewer – “Created by Dr. Fritz Briem of Doemens Institute, brewed by Weihenstephan & Doemens (ed: Weihenstephan denies this), “1809” is a very traditional interpretation of the “Berliner Style” Weisse with an intense blend of lactic tartness and complex fruitiness. It is bottle-conditioned, unfiltered and unpasteurized. “1809” will age beautifully in a dark and cool location. Its complex fruitiness and tartness will most likely develop in quite astonishing ways.“1809” is fermented in traditional open fermenters and horizontal lager tanks. The applied mashing regime is a single step decoction mash with 50 % wheat malt.The total amount of hops is added to the mash so that isomerisation takes place in the decocotion part of the mash. The wort is not boiled but only heated up to boiling temperature and then transferred to the open fermenters and pitched with yeast and lactic acid bacteria (isolated from malt) at 18 °C (64°F).”

Alcohol by volume: 5%
Format: 1 pint 9 oz Bottles
Seasonality: Year Round