PORTLAND, OR—Widmer Brothers Brewing has released Krystal Pear, a filtered American-style wheat beer brewed with Oregon pears as the official beer of this year’s Bon Appétit presents Feast Portland: A Celebration of Oregon Bounty, a four-day festival celebrating Oregon’s culinary culture with top Oregon chefs, along with nationally recognized chefs and food influencers.

Krystal Pear is inspired by the Oregon bounty and the spirit of the Feast Portland event, and brewed with local pears from USA Pears. As a founding beer sponsor of the event, this is the second year that Widmer Brothers has brewed the event’s official beer at the brewery’s 10-barrel pilot brewery, located adjacent to the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. This is the first year that the beer is available in bottles, a first for commercially-available beer brewed at the pilot brewery.

“This year’s release of Krystal Pear is really exciting for our entire team,” said Brewer Ben Dobler, who oversees brewing at the Rose Quarter brewery. “After the great response we received about Krystal Pear during Feast Portland last year, we wanted to share the beer with more people this year. Bottling small batch beer, which isn’t something we typically do, is a great way to get the beer to more people around town.”

Krystal Pear will be available only in the Portland market for a limited time, now through the end of Feast Portland, which runs from September 19 to September 22. The beer will be featured at several of the Feast Portland events, including the Widmer Brothers Sandwich Invitational on Thursday, September 19, the USA Pears Night Market on Friday, September 20, and the Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting events.

“Feast Portland is a celebration of Oregon’s amazing culinary culture and bounty, and Krystal Pear is a fitting addition to the festival,” said Mike Thelin, co-founder of Feast Portland. “The beer was brewed and bottled in small batches specifically for Feast and the Portland market, using pears from orchards in eastern Oregon. Plus Widmer Brothers is one of the original Portland craft breweries, and we are excited to have them back as a sponsor.”

Please visit www.widmerbrothers.com for more information, or follow Widmer Brothers Brewing on Facebook. For more information about Feast Portland, visit www.feastportland.com.

About Krystal Pear

Krystal Pear is an interpretation of the Krystal Weizen beer style brewed with Oregon pears as the official beer of Feast Portland. Krystal Weizen is an important style for Widmer Brothers Brewing, as it was the second beer style brewed by Kurt and Rob Widmer in 1985. Krystal Pear has a moderately fruity aroma, reminiscent of a cider with notes of pear. The delicate pear flavors and moderate body offer a crisp, semi-dry finish that has just enough sweetness to support the fruit character. The cider-like and vinous qualities of this beer allow it to be complex without being overpowering. Inspired by Oregon Bounty and Feast Portland, Krystal Pear is the perfect beer to pair with a wide variety of foods.

Malts: Pale, Wheat
Hops: Alchemy, Mosiac
Original Gravity: 12.8 P
IBU: 12
ABV: 5.8%

About Widmer Brothers Brewing

What started as a dream for two ordinary brothers who just loved beer has now become a reality for two ordinary brothers who still just love beer. Kurt and Rob Widmer helped lead the Pacific Northwest craft beer movement in 1984 when, in their 20s, they dreamed of brewing unique interpretations of traditional beer styles. In 1986, Widmer Brothers Brewing introduced the first American-style Hefeweizen; today, the unfiltered cloudy beer is the company’s signature brew and one of the best-selling wheat beers in the country. Based in Portland, Ore., the brewery currently brews a variety of beers including Alchemy Ale, the Rotator IPA series, Pitch Black IPA, Nelson Imperial IPA, a high-end Brothers’ Reserve Series and a full seasonal lineup. For more information about Widmer Brothers Brewing, visit www.widmerbrothers.com.

About Bon Appétit presents Feast Portland: A Celebration of Oregon Bounty

Bon Appétit presents Feast Portland: A Celebration of Oregon Bounty is the flagship food and drink festival in the Pacific Northwest, capturing the current energy and enthusiasm driving America’s food revolution. Founded in 2012 by Mike Thelin and Carrie Welch, Feast Portland showcases local culinary talent and Pacific Northwest ingredients alongside internationally recognized chefs, culinary professionals and industry leaders. Feast Portland is also a festival with a mission, donating its net proceeds towards ending childhood hunger in Oregon and around the country through Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon and Share our Strength. For more information visit www.feastportland.com and follow the festival on Facebook and Twitter (@FeastPDX).

As a style writer, I am fascinated by the historical perspective of brewing, particularly the evolution of beer styles. They materialized from a distinctly regional cocktail of necessity, agriculture, climate, geology, available technology and knowledge. As a homebrewer, I am often interested in reproducing these classics, not only for the challenge, but also because they are deliciously diverse and surprisingly simple. Some have been stylistically finalized in fairly recent times, but others are remnants of centuries-old brewing, so interwoven into their culture and beloved in their region that it would be ludicrous to imagine their demise. The wheat beers of Bavaria are perfect examples of those: a venerable family of beers that has gallantly taken on all comers and persevered, remained relatively true to their roots, and are righteously as popular as ever.

The three most common styles, hefeweizen/weissbier/weisse (blonde to deep gold), dunkelweizen (copper to amber) and weizenbock (amber to brown), serve up a spectrum of personality, straightforward recipe formulation, low-maintenance brewing and just enough wiggle room to personalize. Extract brewers have just as much sway over their recipes as their all-grain brethren with the availability of high quality, wheat-heavy extracts.

Hefeweizen and dunkelweizen can be brewed and consumed rather quickly for a natural and refreshing year-round quaff, while the stronger weizenbock can withstand some aging, to be enjoyed during the cool months. These wheat beers are purely ingredient-driven and somewhat forgiving, with essential yeasty contributions and rustic, hazy charm.

In Central Europe, there was a time when wheat beer was as common as barley beer. In fact, beer was often distinguished by color and referred to as either white beer (wheat) or red/brown beer (barley). The wheat was raw in many cases, eliminating harsh flavors and acrid darkening imparted by open fires used for the kilning of barley malt. The Reinheitsgebot Purity Law mandated the use of malted wheat, with a measure of at least 50 percent of the grist. This separated the Bavarian wheat beers from the others, shaping the styles we know today. In Germany, wheat beer was reserved for royalty in the south (modern weizen), and preferred by Germany’s best brewers in Einbeck to the north (ancestral doppelbock).

Wheat ales conspicuously skated around the strictures of the Reinheitsgebot in Germany where weissbiers were stylistically perfected, despite being highly tolerated exceptions to the rule. Elsewhere in Europe and the Americas, they provide a creative canvas for all sorts of unique compositions of fruit, spice, and even more esoteric ingredients. Our 2010 World Beer Championships wheat beer tasting supported both these observations, but also demonstrated that good and even great wheat beers of all styles are being made everywhere.

A few of the European highlights from our tasting include: Germany’s Wurzburger Hofbrau Julius Echter Hefe-Weiss (93 points) and Austria’s Hofbräu Kaltenhausen Edelweiss  (90 points), Holland’s La Trappe Witte Trappist (92 points), and Scotland’s Williams Bros. Brewing Grozet Gooseberry & Wheat Ale (90 points). And on the home front, craft brewers showed that they don’t take a back seat to anyone when it comes to quality and flavor. North American standouts included: Stevens Point Brewery’s Point Horizon Wheat (90 points), The Boston Beer Co.’s Samuel Adams Imperial White Ale (94 points), Unibroue’s Blanche de Chambly (92 points), Bastone Brewery’s Weizen Bock (93 points), Fish Brewing Co.’s Leavenworth Biers Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen (90 points), Chameleon Brewing Co.’s Witty Ale (90 points), and Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery’s Blue Ridge Blueberry Wheat (93 points).

So rejoice “wheat heads”(and you know who are). There are more choices than ever to satisfy your singular taste for wheat.

Hieronymus seems to have a depth of appreciation, insight and enthusiasm that goes beyond that of many. His manner of conveying the broad subjects that he tackles makes for enjoyable reading, his breadth of knowledge accessible to all levels of audience. Brewing With Wheat is simply one of the best composite beer culture/brewing books I’ve read.

Brewing With Wheat is, as expected, impeccably organized, and the content logically presented. It begins with an assessment of wheat itself; it’s historical role in brewing, the inevitable link between bread and beer, and the status and employment of wheat compared to other common cereal grains of the past several centuries in Europe. Hieronymus examines and offers to the reader the vast number of unique, regional historical wheat beers that most of us have never been aware of. He follows this with a short chapter entitled “Wheat Basics: Why is My Beer Cloudy?” which serves to explain the nature of the beast and its behavior to the consumer, portraying wheat as a complex and versatile character.

The bulk of the tome, and by far the most fascinating, is composed of three parts, covering the three main families of wheat beer found worldwide. It is here where Hieronymus rolls up his sleeves and delves deeply into “The White Beers of Belgium,” “The Weiss Beers of Southern Germany” and “The Wheat Beers of America.” Each part is divided into several short chapters, each of those concentrating on significant touchstone topics, from historical to modern interpretations, their development and the uniqueness of brewing with wheat. Hieronymus makes this text very personal and informative, with recipes and methods for specific brews sprinkled throughout, and quotes from the brewers themselves. This offers a glimpse into the mind of the artisan, a melting pot of their own philosophy, approach and grasp of the method. The simplistic, homespun wisdom of the people who brew is on full display and is quite compelling in its commonality and individualism. Of course, there is a blend of cultures and crossover in this respect, as American brewers are included in both the Belgian and German sections, a testament to America’s newfound obsession with beer. Both famous (Pierre Celis, Dan Carey) and newcomer practitioners hold sway with Hieronymus in his appreciation for their efforts.

Finally, Hieronymus spends some time discussing the obscure and vanishing wheat styles like Berliner Weisse and Gose, as well as lamentably defunct styles like Grätzer. He finishes with a primer on critiquing the assorted styles and tabular information about specs and characteristics of the various wheat beer yeasts, valuable stuff for those who choose to brew their own.

Stan Hieronymus has emerged as perhaps the beer writer around in recent years, diving into his subject headfirst with his personal accounts of the craft and verve for exploration. Brewing With Wheat captures perfectly the genre of beer culture that is captivating to both brewers and non-brewers alike. Even better, Stan is an excellent storyteller, and Brewing With Wheat is an engaging tale.

Let’s start with the White Ales. A classic example hailing from Canada: Unibroue’s Blanche de Chambly (90 points) is a benchmark for the style. Frothy and quenching with a finish that will keep you coming back, it is an excellent beer to session with after some good old-fashioned manual labor. If you were planning on having a snack with this one, try some goat’s cheese. Take it a step further with brown butter-seared scallops. Another notable entry would be the Issaquah Brewhouse White Frog Ale (88 points). Try some ginger-spiced shrimp with this one.

Hefeweizen is always welcome during the warmer months and you’re sure to see many fans quaffing tall glasses of this ale into the warmth of early fall. The low hop content and moderate alcohol make it very drinkable and the same characteristics make it an excellent match with lighter fair, such as seafood or chicken.

Privatebrauerei Aying produces their Bräu-Weisse (97 points). If you are new to the style, this is an excellent example to try. If you want to go the traditional route, pair this brew with some warm pretzels and weisswurst. Feeling experimental? Grill up some fatty fish and garnish with capers and lemon slices. This is a great way to refuel and replenish the system. Other excellent examples of the style included Grieskirchner Weisse (91 points), Brooklyn’s Brooklyner Weisse (89 points), and Burleigh Brewing Co.’s Burleigh Hefeweizen (85 points)―all excellent summer refreshers.

Flavored wheat ales are common in the market these days, with a myriad of flavors to be found. Samuel Adams Blackberry Wit (90 points) is a fun one. Think berry farm-fresh flavors with a clean finish, a great brew to treat yourself to after the meal, or just to whet your whistle. Breckenridge’s Agave Wheat Ale (90 points) was definitely an intriguing entry, well–balanced and quenching. Some fish tacos are in order here. Lastly, Maui Brewing’s Mana Wheat (86 points) is one to seek out; it’s brewed with Maui Gold pineapple and highly refreshing. Try this one with some roast pork sandwiches.

Hope this helps inspire some creative ways to reward your buddies for their hard work. Thanks again to all of the participation breweries and judges for their efforts. One last note, always lift with your legs! Cheers!

In our Hefeweizen category, the brews that stood out included Ayinger Bräu-Weisse (97 points), Brau Fransikaner Hefe-Weisse (93 points), and Plank Bavarian Hefeweizen (92 points). Great benchmark brews for the style. If you are new to hefeweizens and are interested in trying prime examples, these will fit the bill perfectly. The cleansing properties of hefeweizens make them excellent for pairing with a myriad of foods. For a traditional spin, try with weiss wurst. If you’re looking for something new, a goat cheese tart or salad of micro greens, poached egg and bacon dressing will make an for an excellent experience.

Obviously, each brewery is going to interpret styles differently and the final product will carry house influences and characteristics. This is very evident in the Wheat Ale category. Some filtered and bright as day, some cloudy as a typical hefe, from one brewery to the next, wheat ales carry a lot of diversity. These properties make them interesting to flight up at a home tasting/food pairing with friends. I like to pair wheat ales with grilled fowl or fish in some cases, as long as the brew isn’t too aggressively hopped. Simple preparations usually work best, allowing the flavors of the beer to mingle with whatever you decide to pair. It’s really a matter of personal taste in most cases.

The stand-out brews that we tasted included Stevens Point Horizon Wheat (90 points), the Issaquah Brewhouse Bullfrog Wheat (89 points), and a unique brew from Marin Brewing Co., Star Brew Triple Wheat (88 points). This fine beverage carried the characteristics of a wheat wine and would be a great partner with some heartier fare such as funky farmhouse cheeses, roasted game meats or try with some duck sausages for a decadent experience.

Next up, the White Ales, my personal favorite in the world of wheat beers. Quenching, spicy and very versatile with so many foods. If you make a habit of rewarding yourself with a beer after some yard work, try a wit bier instead of your usual “lawn mower” beer. You’ll be happily satiated in no time. When pairing with food, the options are endless and delicious. Seafood is my favorite, especially sushi. Wits will stand up to the wasabi with panache. Ceviche is perfect for a light but dynamic pairing. Crab cakes, fried sardines/smelt and shellfish all do wonders for the palate with a wit beer. Not a seafood fan? Try washing down a goat cheese omelet or grilled cheese sandwich with your favorite brewery’s wit and you’re sure to be pleased. A few excellent examples include Unibroue Blanche de Chambly (91 points), the River Horse Double White Belgian Style Ale (91 points) or the Brewery Ommegang Witte (85 points).

When quaffing a dunkel weisse or weizen bock, I find myself wanting heartier fare. Fire up the grill and throw on some spicy sausages or, if indoors, roasting a duck is always a fun experience and a great match for the richness of these darker wheat beers. Ayinger Ur-Weisse (95 points) and Bischoff Falken Steiner Ur-Schwarze (87 points) are fine examples in the Dunkel Weisse category. As far as the weizen bock, try a Plank Dunkler Weizenbock (89 points). I especially like to pair this brew with grilled short ribs: a little five-spice powder and a dash of soy and honey and you’re on your way to a perfect combo.

Last up, the flavored wheat category. Great aperitifs or ice-breakers for your guests. Or end the meal by pairing with your favorite creamy cheeses and fruit plate. Try starting or ending your next get-together with a sample of Unibroue Éphémére Apple (93 points), Marin Blueberry Wheat Ale (89 points), Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat (88 points), or Track Town Honey Orange Wheat from Eugene City Brewery (86 points). The beauty of these beers is the subtlety of the fruit flavor: not in the least bit cloying or saccharine sweet, just delicate and delicious.

So indoors or out, warm or cold weather, lay back and enjoy a well-crafted wheat beer and have yourself a hazy day.