North Coast Passion Fruit-Peach Berliner Weisse
Earlier this year in April, I had the opportunity to check out North Coast’s Tart Cherry Berliner Weisse. It was a tasty little brew that packed a solid pucker with a decent sour tartness. Fast forward a few months and we’ve got the next variation of the company’s Berliner Weisse.
Passion Fruit-Peach is very similar to its sibling with regard to the base beer and ABV (both 4.1%, 0 IBU). As expected, however, that mix of fruity passion fruit and peach make for a vastly different experience than the Tart Cherry. This latest variation is just as sour/tart, but packs more of a fruity character than its predecessor.
The combination of passion fruit and peach work really well here, giving the beer a bright and seasonally appropriate freshness. The sourness is of a moderate level, but may be a bit of a surprise for those not expecting the brief punch. That initial pucker fades fairly quickly to a lingering tingle as a soft sweetness and lasting fruit keep everything in check.
So far I’m a big fan of what North Coast is producing with this line of Berliner Weisse releases. I’m not 100% sure which one I prefer more at the moment. I think I’m leaning toward the cherry, but this one’s fruity nature and lively nature perfectly suited the hot July afternoon during which I enjoyed it.
This is a review of a promotional sample.