Anchor Brewing Releases Winter Wheat (Video)

Anchor has been making wheat beers since the summer of 1984.  They’ve all been golden summer refreshers instead of dark winter warmers – until now.  Anchor Winter Wheat is made with a unique blend of malted barley and five wheats from Belgium, Germany, the Midwest, and a family farm just 75 miles away from Anchor Brewing in San Francisco where they get their soft red winter wheat.  Sown in November and harvested in June, it is commonly used in artisanal flatbreads, cakes, and pastries.

“Anchor Winter Wheat was brewed to help everyone enjoy the winter season,” said Mark Carpenter, Brewmaster at Anchor Brewing. “Its deep color, complex malty flavor, and higher alcohol content make it a true winter warmer. When formulating Winter Wheat, I took the opportunity to create an interesting blend of five types of wheat. The result is a smooth, delicious beer with nutty, bread-like flavors that’s surprisingly light given its deep color. The beer has been a huge hit here at the brewery among the employees. It’s the perfect beer to enjoy by the fire or on the slope.”     

In 1848, California farmers forsook their amber grain for golden fortune. By 1878, California wheat was back big-time, winning gold at the Paris International Exposition.  There was even a wheat beer brewery in North Beach, one mile from Anchor’s first home.  Today, the robust flavor, malty complexity, enticing aroma, ebony color, and thick creamy head of Anchor Winter Wheat reflect this delicious heritage.

Anchor Winter Wheat is made with a unique blend of 2-row pale barley malt, Belgian roasted wheat malt, German pale spring wheat malt, “Midnight” and hard red wheat malts from the Midwest, and unmalted soft red winter wheat from a local family farm.  The result is a smooth, complex, dark brew with a creamy, lacey head; deep, rich mouthfeel; nutty, bread-like, and subtly roasted flavors; and a crisp, clean finish.  A special ale yeast provides clean flavors with hints of dark fruit.  And a single hop, Northern Brewer, provides earthy, woody, and minty notes with just the right amount of bitterness.

Anchor Winter Wheat is available nationwide November through January in 6-packs, 22 oz. bottles, and on draught in select bars and restaurants including the Anchor Brewing Taproom in San Francisco.