Technically any wheat beer brewed in Berlin can be labeled a Berliner weisse. However, the name has come to be more associated with the decidedly more lactic profile than found in southern Germany. Dubbed “the Champagne of the north” by Napoleon’s soldiers, this tart, thirst-quenching ale gets its sharp flavors from a lactic fermentation. True Berliners will cut the sharp acidity of Berliner weisse with dashes of raspberry syrup, essence of woodruff, or caraway schnapps.