Many people find their craft beer choices changing as the summer starts to heat up. It’s hard to sit in the hammock and sip a barrel-aged imperial Russian stout when it’s 105 in the shade, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor for refreshment. With its low ABV and strong flavor, a Berliner Weisse is the perfect beer to cool you down on a summer day, and Black Market’s 1945 is a great example of the style.
When 1945 first hits the glass, it pours a hazy dirty blonde with a very light head. Tart citrus dominates the aroma, but there’s also a hint of funk. The flavor profile mirrors the aroma with lots of tart lemony flavor, and a sour note from the lactic acid that lingers in your throat after you swallow. With a low, 3.8% ABV, this beer is extremely sessionable, and the ideal libation to unwind on a hot summer day.
If you want to drink your Berliner Weisse like a German, try having your Weisse mit schuss, which is a Berliner Weisse with a sweet syrup added to balance out the tart flavors. The most common flavors are raspberry and a bright green syrup made from the woodruff plant. Since you’re more likely to encounter raspberries, here’s a recipe for homemade raspberry syrup: