Halcyon
Tallgrass Brewing Company

HalcyonHalcyon
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From:
Tallgrass Brewing Company
 
Kansas, United States
Style:
American Pale Wheat Beer
ABV:
5%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.84 | pDev: 12.24%
Reviews:
102
Ratings:
359
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 09, 2017
Added:
Mar 30, 2011
Wants:
  38
Gots:
  71
We originally brewed Halcyon as our first summer seasonal, but since all the Halcyon fans (a.k.a: kiteheads) asked so nicely, we now brew this magical brew year around. Besides, who doesn't want a little taste of summer on a dark winter night?

We are proud of all our beers, but Halcyon is special. We are in “the wheat state” after all, so the pressure was on us to make a wheat beer, but we knew it had to be great. Halcyon Unfiltered Wheat is the result of that Midwestern angst, an all-American wheat with real Kansas-grown grain in the brew.

We start with raw Kansas white wheat in the mix to give it a nice edge, but what really makes it shine is the hops. We use “hop-bursting” late in the brewing process and this gives Halcyon its palate of tropical fruit flavors & aromas with a bright and refreshing taste like the best days of summer.

20 IBU
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Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The appearance is slightly hazy golden yellow colored body with a one finger white foamy head that dies within thirty seconds. The smell has sweet wheat, slightly earthy hops, and just a tad of pepper. The taste is sweet through the previously mentioned flavors and adding a nice little peppery kick in the back. There is no aftertaste, yet a dry finish. The mouthfeel is vey smooth as this rolls across the tongue and mouth is almost practically indescribable, other than that, its light, and very sessionable. Overall, I will definitely seek this beer out again as this is very good for the style and very good to me, there’s a nice refreshing aspect to it.
Jun 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.77 by ta_hagen from Minnesota

Dec 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.83 by TheBishopco from Tennessee

Aug 02, 2016
 
Rated: 3.64 by puftdank from Illinois

Jul 18, 2016
 
Rated: 5 by corywalston from North Dakota

Jul 13, 2016
 
Rated: 4.43 by KShophead from Kansas

Mar 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.82 by AndyBeerGuy from Kansas

Mar 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.46 by Zazzi82 from Tennessee

Feb 06, 2016
 
Rated: 4.04 by Jcarriglio from Florida

Dec 01, 2015
Photo of Back_in_the_Saddle
Reviewed by Back_in_the_Saddle from Vermont

3.96/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This was poured into a pint glass.
The appearance was a hazy burnt yellow color with a one finger white foamy head that dissipated within less than a minute. Stringy lacing slides into the beer.
The smell had some sweet wheat riding over sweet lemon pulp and on into a light lemon rind bitterness.
The taste was moderately sweet with a nice back up by the wheat. Nice dry sweet finish.
The mouthfeel was mainly light on the body somewhat close to medium (due to the wheat, still good for the most part). Nice and sessionable.
Overall, wonderful APWA that if I could get it in my distro, I would have it all of the time in the Summer. Right now, not so much, but still grateful for my friend for sending it. Thank you, Kayley.
Nov 24, 2015
Photo of KTCamm
Reviewed by KTCamm from New Jersey

4.04/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
10/29...pours bright gold, somewhat see through. Foam settles out leaving the top clean. Strong citrus wheat nose. Grains. Taste is a lemon backed wheat, smooth, chalky. Very smooth mouthfeel. Chewy. Solid.
Nov 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4.27 by stardate820926 from Texas

Nov 10, 2015
Photo of OKbrew89
Reviewed by OKbrew89 from Oklahoma

3.69/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From a can to a beer mug. Pours a hazy straw color with a one finger head that recedes slowly but doesn't leave lacing. Smells like wheat and a sweet fruit. Taste has a surprising jolt of spicy hops interweaving with the expected grassy, wheat hues. It has a spicy finish from what I'm guessing is noble hops. Light body and medium body make it a pretty crisp drink.
A wheat beer from Kansas that was as heavy on wheat as can be expected. Nice hop profile that elevated it into something that exceeded expectations. A great football or grilling beer.
Oct 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by nuebs from South Dakota

Oct 21, 2015
Photo of Mortarforker
Rated by Mortarforker from Texas

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Love this beer! A wheat bomb..........cheers!
Oct 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.59 by beernewbie285 from Kansas

Oct 05, 2015
Photo of hoptheology
Reviewed by hoptheology from California

4.35/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Appearance : A pretty transparent blonde color with just the right amount of haze to add density and depth. Opacity is 20%. The head pours tall and fluffy, stands at an initial 3 fingers, and gradually fades to a 1 finger, leaving lots of lace in flecks and spots on the sides of the tumbler. There's really not much I'd change on the appearance, it's right up to spec for style. Maybe streaks or webbing in the lace would earn it a straight 5, but I'm not going to be too picky.

Smell : Piney hop and rich baked malts balance perfectly in the nose. Just when I think the hop wins out, the malt aroma comes in and proves me wrong. This is an incredibly fair, even-handed, equitable, balanced aroma. Based on the style I have to give it a 5. I couldn't improve the perfect balance of this nose.

Taste : Once again, a great marriage of balance. A little watery on the front, but that's satisfied quickly with a parallel of hop and malt. The hop is of the piney variety, and the malt is baked and golden. The finish is both slightly wheaty and just barely wins out at the sparkling end with orange peel. This beer is not particularly interesting or unique, but if I had to judge a wheat beer based on its merits of style and origins, this is a prime example.

Feel : Carbonated, medium to light bodied, Slightly malty/pasty on the finish, semi-dry.

Overall : A flagship example of how a Pale Wheat Ale should be. It's not the most unique, but it's insanely by the book and has all of the right balances in the right places, and makes no mistakes or overreaches.

Perfectly, supremely balanced and standard. Should be used as the measure for all pale wheat ales.
Oct 02, 2015
Photo of Jason
Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16oz tallboy can, sample from the brewery.

Great head retention, some clarity but there is a swirl of haze. Aroma is of tea, lemon zest, bread, & nutty yeast. Mild spice on the palate from the wheat, fresh bread with a herbal hop bitterness to balance. Very crisp and drinkable. Semi-clean finish with a faint peppery tone.

So easy to knock back, that is the wow factor here.
Sep 15, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by krome from Illinois

Sep 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.11 by WoodBrew from Ohio

Aug 22, 2015
Halcyon from Tallgrass Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 359 ratings