Carmel Brewing Company - Carmel Wheat Ale

An unfiltered American Wheat beer, Carmel Wheat is brewed with a combination of Two-row pale, Munich, Caramel, Carapil and Wheat malts. The complex malt profile is balanced with relatively light additions of Perle hops which are added up front for bittering and Cascade hops towards the end of the boil for aroma. A proprietary ale yeast strain is used. Consider combining this beer with a spicy Mexican dish or with Chicken or Pasta. You may also try it with a twist of lemon to add to the beer’s effervescence.

Note a slightly fruity, clean and well balanced nose up front. Look for very good head retention in this light pale, slightly cloudy, medium-bodied beer. Immediately note a complex malt profile very much uncharacteristic of most American Wheats. Slight floral and spicy hop notes balance this crisp, refreshing beer nicely. Overall, a flavorful, well-balanced, and clean American Wheat.

The first and only microbrewery located on California’s Monterey Peninsula, The Carmel Brewing Company began operations in July of 1995. Their 30-barrel Brew House and (8) 60-barrel fermentation tanks give Carmel an annual capacity of 12,000 barrels, up from their initial opening capacity of 3,000 barrels. In addition to the Hefe Wiezen we’ve featured this month, Carmel also brews an Amber Ale, Peach Pale Ale, 7 Malt Stout and Winter Brau, a seasonal German-style brown ale. All of the brewery’s beers were formulated by the brewery’s Head Brewer, Bill Evans, a former Bay Area bio-chemist.

The brewery’s president, Paul Tarantino, plans to develop a number of different seasonal ales as well and branched further into the industry by opening Peter B’s Brew Pub in conjunction with the Monterey Doubletree hotel last October. Tarantino, of no relation to the accoladed film director whom brought us Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs, rejected proposals to name any future products either "Jungle Boogie Ale" or "Bring-Out-the-Gimp Stout."

For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (408) 771-0651.