Pearl Beer.

Pearl beer always reminds me of my Granny. It was her drink of choice. Well, Pearl Light. Since tomorrow is her birthday—and if she were still with us, she’d be 100!—I thought I would share some news about her favorite beer.

Unless you’re a Texan, you probably have never even heard of Pearl or Pearl Light. It was founded in San Antonio in 1883. I remember well the iconic Pearl Brewery standing tall as a welcome to downtown San Antonio.

Sadly, Pearl Brewing closed the doors to its brewery in 2001–although thankfully the buildings still remain and were converted into (according to the Historic Pearl website):

…a unique experience as a top culinary and cultural destination. The mixed-use space features retail, dining, picturesque green spaces, a riverside amphitheater, and the third campus of The Culinary Institute of America. As a former brewery operating from 1883 to 2001, Pearl reflects a vivid past while embracing the future with environmentally sustainable buildings mixed with historic architecture.

https://atpearl.com/about

Additionally, that’s not the end of the story for the beer side of things either. In May 2020, Pabst announced that Pearl beer would be making a comeback when they released their new Pearl lager. You can read more about it here.

Granny always complained to me THE WORST thing about getting older was that her meds kept her from drinking her beloved Pearl Light except on very special occasions. What better way to celebrate her 100th birthday than with some Pearl? Sadly, you can’t find it in NYC—but you better believe that the next time I’m home, I will be trying the new Pearl…in honor, of course, of Granny.