Rating 97
Style Sour Beer
Produced In Pennington, N.J.
United States
ABV 6.5%
Availability Year Round
Reviewed By
Reviewed 2020-12-17

The Referend Bier Blendery Berliner Messe Review

A pale golden color, oaky fruit aromas, and mouthwatering acidity only begin to describe this beer-wine hybrid. Agnus Dei, which the Referend calls a “spontaneously fermented Berliner Messe pale wheat ale,” has a lot to say. It’s 100 percent spontaneously fermented in the state of New Jersey, but even before that, it’s spontaneously acidified in a process called “elevage,” borrowed from the wine world. That’s certainly not the only time the two worlds overlap: After initial fermentation in neutral oak, the beer was re-fermented in open stainless steel with New York Vidal Blanc grape juice pressed from a late-2018 harvest. The liquid then moved to barrels (Pineau des Charentes puncheons, to be precise), where it sat for another 18 months. Bottling included dosage of New Jersey wildflower honey.

Related Reads

Related Sour Beer Reviews

Springdale Beer Co. Lavenade

Springdale Beer Co. Lavenade:
This tart lemon-and-lavender ale hits with fresh-squeezed lemonade and a sessionable level of acidity for a sour beer. It’d be a bit of a ...

Featured Sour Beer Articles

More Than Just IPA: Across America, Craft Beer Has Surprising Pockets of Regionality

More Than Just IPA: Across America, Craft Beer Has Surprising Pockets of Regionality:
How do craft brewers, publicans, and beer lovers help create a sense of place when it comes to what's on tap? Find out here.

It’s the Bomb: Why Rocket Pop Is This Summer’s Hottest Beer Flavor

It’s the Bomb: Why Rocket Pop Is This Summer’s Hottest Beer Flavor:
Flavored with cherry, lime, and not-quite-natural blue raspberry, the Bomb Pop remain a summertime tradition for both kids and adults.

The 30 Best Beers, Hard Seltzers, and RTDs for Spring (2022)

The 30 Best Beers, Hard Seltzers, and RTDs for Spring (2022):
From canned cocktails to beer, hard seltzer, and spiked water, these are the 30 best things to drink this spring.

Do Seasonal Craft Beer Variety Packs Still Excite Consumers?

Do Seasonal Craft Beer Variety Packs Still Excite Consumers?:
To successfully engage consumers, many craft beer brands have changed their approaches to seasonal variety packs.

97
POINTS
The Referend Bier Blendery Berliner Messe
A pale golden color, oaky fruit aromas, and mouthwatering acidity only begin to describe this beer-wine hybrid. Agnus Dei, which the Referend calls a “spontaneously fermented Berliner Messe pale wheat ale,” has a lot to say. It’s 100 percent spontaneously fermented in the state of New Jersey, but even before that, it’s spontaneously acidified in a process called “elevage,” borrowed from the wine world. That’s certainly not the only time the two worlds overlap: After initial fermentation in neutral oak, the beer was re-fermented in open stainless steel with New York Vidal Blanc grape juice pressed from a late-2018 harvest. The liquid then moved to barrels (Pineau des Charentes puncheons, to be precise), where it sat for another 18 months. Bottling included dosage of New Jersey wildflower honey.

Reviewed On: 12-17-2020
97
POINTS
The Referend Bier Blendery Berliner Messe
A pale golden color, oaky fruit aromas, and mouthwatering acidity only begin to describe this beer-wine hybrid. Agnus Dei, which the Referend calls a “spontaneously fermented Berliner Messe pale wheat ale,” has a lot to say. It’s 100 percent spontaneously fermented in the state of New Jersey, but even before that, it’s spontaneously acidified in a process called “elevage,” borrowed from the wine world. That’s certainly not the only time the two worlds overlap: After initial fermentation in neutral oak, the beer was re-fermented in open stainless steel with New York Vidal Blanc grape juice pressed from a late-2018 harvest. The liquid then moved to barrels (Pineau des Charentes puncheons, to be precise), where it sat for another 18 months. Bottling included dosage of New Jersey wildflower honey.

Reviewed On: 12-17-2020