One of my favorite style of beer for a hot summer afternoon is a Belgian Wit. But, had it not been for a Belgian milkman named Pierre Celis. By 1960, the beer, which had once been immensely popular in eastern Belgium, had disappeared from production and was essentially extinct.
Celis, who lived in Hoegaarden, Belgium, was not about to let his beloved witbier vanish from the face of the earth so he purchased some used brewing equipment and began producing the beer himself in 1966. Within just a few years, other brewers again began brewing the style and one of beers greatest comebacks was completed.
The beer is characterized by its hazy white appearance and the spices used to flavor it. Brewers use a melange of spices like chamomile, anise, grains of paradise, peppercorns, ginger and orange peel in the brewing process to give the beer its unique flavor.
American craft brewer Oskar Blues has produced its version of the refresher for years but, until now, it had only been available on tap at the company’s tap rooms and restaurants. That changes this month when Priscilla White Wit Wheat will be released in cans across the country.
Read all about the brew in the press release below:
Longmont, CO & Brevard, NC & Austin, TX – Oskar Blues Brewery, the brewery that launched the craft beer-in-a-can apocalypse in 2002, announces the national launch of an AmeriCAN take on the Belgian Classic Wit, Priscilla White Wit Wheat. It’s a Belgian White, Belgian Wit, Belgian Wheat…it’s a White Wit Wheat (5.2% ABV, 20 IBUs). The beer, which features orange peel and coriander spice, emanated from the basement blues music legacy Dave McIntyre (18 year Oskar Bluesologist) built at the original Oskar Blues Grill & Brew in Lyons, CO. On draft for over a decade, Priscilla’s zesty citrus and light fresh baked bread aromas mix with spicy, fruity fermentation. Light bodied with a subtle savory spice accent and a dry, lightly tart finish you can nearly feel the flicker of the neon and sounds of the King. White Wit Wheat. “Priscilla is a beer steeped in Oskar Blues’ music history,” said Chad Melis. “A longtime Oskar Blues favorite, we’ve decided its time to bring this amped up, electric brew from the basement and to the masses.” Oskar Blues, named “The hottest place to be on a Saturday night in Colorado” by Rolling Stone because of its roots in the Colorado music scene, will brew its first batch of Dale’s Pale Ale at their new brewery and taproom in Austin, TX today. The brewery will continue its tradition of soul-savin’ live music with a music venue as part of the Austin taproom. Priscilla White Wit Wheat will launch throughout the month of June in all 50 states where Oskar Blues is sold and will be available in 12oz. 6-packs and draft.
