Old Chico Crystal Wheat
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Old Chico Crystal WheatOld Chico Crystal Wheat
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From:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
Kristallweizen
Ranked #13
ABV:
4.8%
Score:
80
Ranked #26,089
Avg:
3.52 | pDev: 15.63%
Reviews:
59
Ratings:
228
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 16, 2023
Added:
Apr 03, 2011
Wants:
  15
Gots:
  33
Old Chico Crystal Wheat is our lightest offering. This filtered beer is brewed with malted wheat and barley, and perfectly balanced by unique Crystal hops. Old Chico is a great choice for those new to craft brew and longtime beer aficionados alike—light-bodied, refreshing and wonderfully drinkable.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Onelove:
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Rated by Onelove from California

3.25/5  rDev -7.7%

Sep 25, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

4/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Picked up a single from SNBC Mills River 2-1-23 for $1.75. Canned 10-18-22; consumed 12-16-23. Cold stored since purchase.

Beer poured gold with a beautiful long lasting white head.

Nose is wheat cracker forward with hints of grassy hops.

Taste is a light wheat cracker malt base that is balanced very nicely with earthy and grassy hops.

Mouthfeel is light bodied and very refreshing.

Overall this is a very nice quaffable beer. Glad i was able to try!
Dec 16, 2023
Photo of Offa
Reviewed by Offa from California

4.11/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I finally tried this on a visit to Chico in August 2023. Gold with medium big white head steadily shrinking to thin lasting foamy top. Hint of lace. Aroma nice grass and grain, faint hint of pear. Taste drying but not super dry-moderate bitterness and sweetness pretty well balanced. Bread and dough with grassy bitterness and some green pear hint in the finish and aftertaste. A nice, clean well made and drinkable beer with some nice character. Bottle bought at the brewery shop, drunk a couple days later.
Oct 18, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by baklo from North Carolina

Jul 02, 2023
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.25/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Six pack from Save-Mart. Medium, clear golden , small foamy head, streaky lacing. Bready, biscuity aroma. Taste too is pure wheat ale, white bread. Simple, clean.
Jun 03, 2023
 
Rated: 4.12 by Lucnifter from California

Jun 01, 2023
Photo of beergoot
Reviewed by beergoot from Colorado

3.7/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Crystal clear body, light gold; dense, lively carbonation; thick, white head, semi-creamy and sculpted, long lasting; spidery sheets of foam and fingers of lacing coat the glass. Light grain scent with a bright sweetness; nice esters, fresh cut pear and apple. Fair flavor; very light cracker; moderate overall hop bitterness. Light, crisp mouthfeel; mainly dry overall.

Nice, easy drinking beer that looks great and has decent other aspects.

Pouring temperature: 45 °F; bottling info: 080122 C
Nov 15, 2022
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

3.76/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12oz can stamped 080122 C 09:32 (presumably 27 days old and brewed in California) poured into a wheat beer glass at fridge temp 4.8% ABV. Purchased at the Mills River gift shop two weeks ago. The beer pours bright, light gold in color with nearly white head. The head recedes to an uneven ring and a splotchy layer of bubbles. Full, web-like lacing is left on the glass. The aroma is mild with only wheat malt to my senses. The taste is semisweet wheat and 2 row malt with floral and grassy hops. Mild to moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very good beer. Not in the classic German style, if that's what you're looking for.
Aug 28, 2022
Photo of RyanK252
Reviewed by RyanK252 from California

3.79/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada Brewing Co pint glass

A: Pours golden yellow amber with a frothy light tan head that settles to a firm layer and laces nicely.

S: Floral, grassy, fruity notes, a little peppery spice, a bit grainy, wheat twang, and just a touch of sweetness.

T: Floral, peppery spice, grassy, a little citrus zest, underlying fruity notes, peach, apricot, and pear, grainy malt, wheat twang, and just a touch of sweetness.

M: Light to medium body, moderate carbonation.

O: It's been a long time since I had my first taste of this one. Wasn't a fan back then, but I've warmed up to it a bit now. Not as ester-y as I was expecting, it's a fair bit crisper and cleaner. Nice beer for a warm spring day.
Apr 09, 2021
 
Rated: 3.69 by jakecattleco from California

Feb 18, 2021
Photo of True_Bodhisattva
Reviewed by True_Bodhisattva from California

3.73/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Very clear beer. Huge head with a good frothy head after being poured into a frosted pint glass. Smell was what you’d expect, typical wheat beer smell. Flavor was not bad: crisp, clean, and with a hint of white peppercorn.
Jan 04, 2021
 
Rated: 3.77 by SierraNevallagash from Maine

Jun 15, 2020
Photo of patre_tim
Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand

3.33/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Light golden with a hint of haze, champagne like carbonation and 2 fingers of off white head.

Smells of lemon juice, bubblegum and coriander.

The taste follows the nose and adds a fruity, floral quality. It ends in a light, dull bitterness.

Light body, lots of carbonation.

Got at Trader Joe's in Redding, drinking at Motel 6 North, Aug 5th, 2018.
Aug 06, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by AnotherDisease from California

May 27, 2018
 
Rated: 3.65 by Wontonst from California

Jan 23, 2018
 
Rated: 4.27 by mistaya from Oregon

Dec 27, 2017
 
Rated: 3.76 by HaoleBoy from California

Sep 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by Jodio from Texas

Feb 11, 2017
 
Rated: 4.1 by Manzanarescarrillo from Nebraska

Feb 06, 2017
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.56/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clean with clarity golden color, 2/3" white head on the top, good retention. Aroma was of wheat, grain, husk, slight lemon to it.

Taste, refreshing, highly carbonated, light mouthfeel of a beer. They stayed off the spice rack thankfully on this one. All those words about being crisp, refreshing, light, carbonated, vibrant seem to play here. The malt is light, the carbonation high. Mild citrus notes. A nice clean wheat beer.
Dec 27, 2016
Old Chico Crystal Wheat from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 228 ratings