Pyramid Audacious Apricot

Pyramid is fast becoming one of my favorite breweries. I liked their Rollick Amber Lager, and I'm down right enthusiastic about their summer seasonal Curve Ball, and now, about their newly re-named Audacious Apricot. Pyramid seems to be a wheat beer brewery; I mention them to beer-drinking fiends friends, and they immediately say nice things about their Hefeweizen. Their Apricot Ale is another wheat ale, also unfiltered, made with 39% 2 Row Pale Barley, 60% Malted Wheat, and 1% Caramel malts. The hops used are Nugget, Liberty, and Mt. Hood. The ABV is 5.25%. This beer has won some pretty impressive awards, too, including the 2008 Best of the Northwest/Pacific in the "Fruit Beer" category at the 2000 United States Beer Tasting Championship.

Audacious Apricot is a coppery-orange color, close to the color of a new penny. There's a thin but clearly present head, and the aroma of apricots is noticeable without being overpowering; quite lovely, in fact. The apricot is noticeable in the taste, too. First the apricot then the familiar wheat flavor, with a slightly sharp, lingering hop taste. This is a light, pleasant, and extremely drinkable beer. It's perfect for hot summer days, and I'm very glad to see that it's not seasonal, which means in the middle of February when I'm longing for spring, I can enjoy a six pack of Audacious Apricot.

At the risk of offending dedicated beer drinkers, this is a beer I want to cook with; I'll definitely try this with honey-wheat breads. It's a perfect beer for light summer salads with an Asian flair. I want to try this beer with a ginger-salmon dish for sure. I note that there's a super looking recipe on Pyramids's Web site for Pot Stickers made with Audacious Amber.