Freigeist Bierkultur, a project of Cologne’s Braustelle brewery, has built a reputation on reviving obscure and forgotten German beer styles. Abraxxxas takes on the nearly extinct Lichtenhainer, a smoked sour wheat beer, combining the tartness of a Berliner Weisse-adjacent style with the smoky character more commonly associated with rauchbier, a combination almost nobody else attempts.
Freigeist Bierkultur Abraxxxas at a glance
| Style | Smoked Lichtenhainer (sour smoked wheat beer) |
| ABV | 6% |
| Calories | Around 175 per 12 fl oz |
| Origin | Freigeist Bierkultur / Braustelle, Cologne, Germany |
| Ingredients | Smoked wheat malt, Lactobacillus culture, traditional German brewing methods |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Gluten free | No, contains wheat and barley |
| Typical price | Around $9 to $14 for a 500ml bottle |
How it tastes, by the numbers
Abraxxxas combines smoke and tartness in a way almost no other beer style attempts, and it stays surprisingly well balanced.
The full review
It pours a lightly hazy golden colour with a small, thin ivory head. The aroma is peppery at first, mixed with a woody, pear-like note and smoke sitting underneath rather than dominating immediately.
On the palate, the body is medium-to-full with a moderately syrupy texture, briefly dry on the finish. It is slightly tart, a genuine surprise for anyone expecting a typical weizenbock or standard German wheat style, followed by a distinct taste of flavourful smoked malt that lingers through the finish.
This is one of the more unusual beers on this list, and its appeal depends heavily on how much a drinker enjoys smoked malt. For those who do, it is a fascinating look at a genre of historic German brewing almost nobody else is reviving.
Smoke and sourness in the same glass, a combination almost no other brewery attempts, revived from a nearly extinct German style.
- A genuinely rare revival of the nearly extinct Lichtenhainer style
- Distinctive smoked malt character unlike anything else in this list
- Well-balanced despite combining two unusual flavour elements
- Smoke character is polarising and not for everyone
- Limited availability outside German beer specialists
- Less approachable than a typical Berliner Weisse for newcomers to sour beer
Who it is for
Adventurous beer drinkers who enjoy smoked beer styles and want to see how smoke and sourness interact, and fans of obscure historic German styles.
Freigeist Bierkultur Abraxxxas FAQs
What does Freigeist Abraxxxas taste like?
Peppery and woody aromas with smoke underneath, a medium-to-full body, mild tartness and a distinct smoked malt flavour that lingers through the finish.
How strong is Freigeist Abraxxxas?
6% ABV.
What is a Lichtenhainer?
A historic, nearly extinct East German sour wheat beer style brewed with smoked malt, combining tartness with a smoky character.
Is Freigeist Abraxxxas gluten free?
No, it is brewed with smoked wheat malt.
What is Freigeist Bierkultur?
A project of Cologne’s Braustelle brewery focused on reviving obscure and forgotten historic German beer styles.
Is Abraxxxas the same as a rauchbier?
No, rauchbier is typically a smoked lager, while Abraxxxas is a sour wheat beer with smoked malt, combining two distinct traditions rather than following either one directly.
Where to find it
Available through German and specialist European beer importers; a niche item even among craft beer retailers.
The verdict
Freigeist Bierkultur Abraxxxas is a fascinating, genuinely unusual revival that combines smoke and sourness in a way almost nobody else attempts. A distinctive four out of five.
