Pony Express Brewing Company - Original Wheat Beer

The Pony Express Unfiltered Wheat is brewed with a combination of two-row Pale, Carapils, Munich, & Caramel malts as well as malted wheat and unmalted, raw White Wheat from the Effertz family farm. Brewmasters Jung Yoon and Joe Pickett hop it up nicely with three varieties of hops for a slightly spicy character. Look for some yeast and wheat coming through on the nose as well as a touch of floral hoppiness and a hint of cherry. There’s a full-bodied creaminess that rolls out across the palate; this is partially due to the soy used during fermentation. Expect bitter, lightly peppery hops to come in early and mingle with malt tones and breaddy flourishes that slip into the lightly sour yet mellow aftertaste. As it warms, expect the traditional clove and banana elements of a solid wheat beer. Try with huevos rancheros or a Spanish omelet.

When you think of Kansas, what comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you’re brain is filling with images of ruby slippers, tornados, corn fields and the flattest U.S. landscape of any of the 50 states. But after you try the beers we’ve selected from the Pony Express Brewing Company, we think you’ll start associating Kansas with great microbrewed beer as well! This heartland brewing operation was founded in 1995 by Joe Effertz, Jr., in Olathe, Kansas. Originally a farmer with a degree in agriculture from the University of Missouri, Effertz decided to leave his company farm to try something different. After opening a retail liquor store, Effertz noticed a rise in popularity of micro-brewed beers (this was right at the start of the microbrew renaissance). He studied craft brewing techniques and, staying within the spirit of a crafty farmer, came up with a plan to launch his own microbrewery. He still uses the wheat grown on his family’s own farm in his beers and sells the by-product grains to cattle farmers to use as feed. Back in 1994, Joe met Ed Nelson and the two joined forces, eventually opening two restaurants and a brewery in the Overland Park area of Kansas. They purchased the Olathe building for the brewery and began working on what would become the highly successful Pony Express brand. Joe got the name for the brewery when he was on his way to the hospital in the back of an ambulance and someone said, “drive fast like the Pony Express!” Together the team developed a wide variety of beers that reflect the spirit of the American farmlands. Today the Pony Express Brewing Company is recognized as America’s first farmer-owned brewery. TransCon AG, Inc. is a new generation cooperative owned 100% by farmers from Missouri and Kansas, and the Pony Express B.C. is one of their primary subsidiaries. Their primary focus, like any good farmer, is quality control—from initial crop planting to the finished production process. And this dedication has paid off as the locals have taken quite a liking to the Pony Express brews. But the locals are not alone; along with a Midwest distribution network, Pony Express beers were the first American microbrews to be distributed in Taiwan and China. Now that’s a long way from Kansas, Toto. For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (913) 764-7669 or check out their web site at www.ponygold.com.