Widmer Brothers revivals Sommerbräu Kolsch and Widberry Hefe
Oregon’s oldest brewery continues on their 40th anniversary series reviving classic recipes and putting more small batch releases back in bottles and cans for a limited time. Widmer Brothers Brewing’s 40 Years of Cheers began in April with the re-release of Altbier, the breweries first ever beer originally brewed in 1984. This summer the re-releases continue with Sommerbräu Kolsch, as well as a new recipe for old favorite Widberry Hefe.
Widmer Brother’s sun-kissed, berry-forward seasonal wheat beer—Widberry Hefe—is back in the lineup for 2025’s sunshine season. Fresh from the PNW’s berry harvest, Widberry Hefe delivers a bold, blackberry tang that’s rewarded with a fruity, refreshing finish, capturing the magic of the PNW’s ubiquitous trailside summer berries with every sip.
Boasting a new recipe in 2025, this year’s batch delivers a full, more rounded berry flavor that’s naturally refreshing without being overly sweet to enhance the citrusy, floral wheat notes found in Hefe. Brewed with Alchemy, Willamette and Cascade hops alongside Pale, Wheat and Extra Special malts, this Blackberry Wheat clocks in at 4.9% ABV with 26 IBUs—an easygoing summertime sipper crafted for lakeside lounging, backyard BBQ grubbin’ and, most importantly, soaking up the great PNW sun.
Widberry Hefe is available in 12oz 6-packs at your local Oregon grocery stores for $11.99 (prices may very). Widberry Hefe comes and goes with berry season, so make sure to get a taste before the well runs dry in September.
If you’re a beer connoisseur with a penchant for limited-edition pours, or just a thirsty Kölsch lover with a happy hour to kill, Widmer Brothers just rereleased Sommerbräu—Summer 2004’s favorite Kölsch—and it’s currently on tap in brewhouses across Portland.
The throwback comes as the second installment of Widmer’s 40 Years of Cheers—a series of classic rereleases celebrating the brewery’s 40th anniversary—bringing Sommerbräu back for its second time on tap in 20 years. Sommerbräu is available exclusively on draft in Portland area bars, pubs and eateries, signaling a celebration of summer in the Rose City.
Sommerbräu is Widmer’s take on a classic German Kölsch. Brewed with Widmer’s signature Hefeweizen yeast, Sommerbräu is cold fermented for crisp, clean profile bolstered by a hint of nostalgia that money, apparently, can buy. Clocking in at 4.8% ABV with 20 IBUs, Sommerbräu is a German-inspired, all-PNW beer custom-brewed for the coveted PNW sunshine.
Sommerbräu arrives as the second legacy beer to be rereleased throughout Widmer’s 40 Years of Cheers celebration. The campaign highlights four iconic beers—known collectively as the Beers Through the Years—from Widmer’s storied legacy, paying homage to Widmer’s contribution in forging Portland’s renowned craft beer scene, one decade at a time. Two more heritage beers of yesteryear are on the way, so keep an eye out for more details on the next rerelease!