Drink-a-Pint

Until this week, if you weren’t within driving distance of one of Pyramid’s Alehouses in Sacramento, Seattle, Portland, Berkeley or Walnut Creek, CA, you were out of luck if you were in the mood for their Crystal Wheat Ale. Well, thou shalt not drive that far for wheat anymore, because you’ll be able to find Pyramid Crystal Wheat Ale in grocery stores and retail outlets throughout the Pacific Northwest.

So, why the excitement? How about this little tidbit: Crystal Wheat Ale won three consecutive medals at the Great American Beer Festival in 2005 (Silver), 2006 (Gold) and 2007 (Gold). The brew is inspired by Pyramid’s very first beer from 1984 – Wheaten Ale – which was the first year-round wheat beer brewed in America since Prohibition. Plus, Pyramid;s Hefeweizen has won four medals over the past decade, including a medal at the World Beer Cup in 2006 (Bronze) and at the Great American Beer Festival in 2004 (Gold), so I’d say they’ve got a good thing going. (Too bad it’s not going to be available anywhere near me in Philly… *sniff*)

Crystal Wheat Ale has an alcohol by volume of 5.3% and is made with Mt. Hood, US Tettnang, and US Spalt wheat hops and 2 Row Pale Barley.