Odell Easy Street Wheat - Odell Brewing Company

falloutsnow

Illinois

2.83/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

From: Hyvee in Omaha, NE
Date: Best by 10/12/12
Glass: Standard US pint glass

Easy Street Wheat is an easy-drinking American Wheat Ale, which means that the flavors are fairly simple, uncomplicated, and reminiscent of a thicker, more complex American lager. I don't know why this is rated so highly: it's average for the style. While it's no trouble to put down one or more of these, I also find myself asking whether there is a significant difference (monetary and otherwise) between this beer (and perhaps the style in general) and a macro lager or two, and thus justifying the price for this fairly tame style is difficult to do.

Pours a 2cm head of off-white foam, small and medium-sized bubbles interspersed fairly evenly, gradually settling to a very thin ring around the glass. Retention is about average for the style, while the lacing left is slightly better than average, a few lines and dots scattered along the sides of the glass. Body is golden orange out of the light, semi-opaque pale yellow gold when in. Some carbonation is visible, though it is sparse and sluggish as it filters through the yeast sediment in the glass.

Aroma is fairly faint, sticking mostly to yeast, cooked cereal grains, and bread dough.

Taste is primarily of malted breakfast cereal grains, wheat and barley, with brewer's yeast and a very gentle hop bittering for added interest. Opens with a mix of brewer's yeast, bread dough, macro-lager light sweetness, and slightly citric sharpness. Mid-palate is yeasty and bready, with a hint of sweetness and tartness in the background. Back of palate picks up very mild hop bitterness, slightly herbal and mulch-like, which serves as a minor character alongside the more dominant bready sweetness and yeast flavors. Aftertaste of sustained mild hop bitterness and bread dough with heavy amounts of yeast, and a touch of tartness on the sides of the tongue.

Beer is medium to medium-light in body, with a fairly high level of carbonation that is expected for the style. The result is, though, a mouthfeel that's a bit painfully fizzy at first, gradually smoothing out to a slow flow across the palate. Features a semi-dry close that's appropriate for the flavors and the style as a whole. The sharp fizziness unfortunately makes this a bit less in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 05:44:03 | More by falloutsnow

Gerred

Florida

4/5  rDev +4.7%

06-16-2013 20:35:23 | More by Gerred

JoeMagoo

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

06-14-2013 19:15:23 | More by JoeMagoo

DrTSimon

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

06-13-2013 19:41:37 | More by DrTSimon

robdip9

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

06-11-2013 16:41:36 | More by robdip9

jmccraney

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

06-10-2013 14:01:29 | More by jmccraney

Algebrew

Arizona

4.8/5  rDev +25.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Poured a perfect, light, cloudy yellow hinge with a standard white head that built off around the edges and retained a fine cap.

Smell: Not too strong, not too light. A malty wheat prevails with subtle citrus tones.

Taste: The beginning was sweet with slight malt hints, but softly resonated the wheat; the middle dipped down into a mysterious sweetness, still encompassing the wheat tones; the end climaxed the wheat perfectly.

Mouthfeel: Perfect carbonation, very lightly creamy, but I loved it.

Overall: My favorite wheat brew to date. Easy going, Easy Street (to be specific.)

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 03:54:16 | More by Algebrew

jstevep00

Colorado

4/5  rDev +4.7%

06-06-2013 06:28:28 | More by jstevep00

KMcG

Virginia

4/5  rDev +4.7%

06-05-2013 05:03:27 | More by KMcG

kp29

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

06-01-2013 02:30:11 | More by kp29

Knuckles_Nuclear

Missouri

2.96/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

I took a chance and had a bottle of Easy Street with dinner tonight at Circle 7 in Ballwin, Missouri. Poured a pale golden with standard head and lacing. A very drinkable beer; however I was struck by the complete lack of body. The start and finish is clean and light, but nothing in between. I can see this as a session beer in hot weather, easy drinking and refreshing, but I don't think I'll seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 00:14:45 | More by Knuckles_Nuclear

ChrisKayler

Virginia

4/5  rDev +4.7%

05-30-2013 22:51:04 | More by ChrisKayler

steevbr

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

05-24-2013 15:25:03 | More by steevbr

jonkerbaugh

Colorado

5/5  rDev +30.9%

05-21-2013 19:20:13 | More by jonkerbaugh

MinorThreat

Colorado

4/5  rDev +4.7%

05-16-2013 00:02:13 | More by MinorThreat

downeyben

Kansas

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-15-2013 17:26:57 | More by downeyben

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.64/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Another bottle from the family trip to Missouri; glad to be seeing some Odell again.

A little over two months before the best-by date (“7/19/13A”).

A: Color is a pale, slightly hazy gold, with a mound of crisp white foam on top; typical for the style. Spotty retention and little circles of lacing here and there.

S: A fruity, spicy aroma that’s undeniably wheat, notes of sweet lemonade, clove, coriander, and juicy orange peel. Quite aromatic, and very pleasing. Estery yeasts (in the form of fresh banana) and husky grain fill the nose to the edges with wheat beer charm.

T: Unlike the nose, there’s not that much to the palate. Hints of lemon, orange, and a little clove blow through on a wave of timid, earthy graininess without so much as an extended greeting before they depart; in essence, it’s a clean, easy-drinking wheat with a very mild taste. Good to see some hops on the back, though, drying the finish to a respectable, slightly-astringent leafiness (keeps it from being too one-dimensional).

M: Very, VERY light, almost offensively so. The more I drink, though, the more I enjoy the texture in my glass – a slow-building frothiness eventually sets this one as “palatable.”

O: An oddly small beer that grew on me over time. That first sip, though – now that was a little too light for my tastes. Allow this one to warm up a little, allowing the grainy wheat notes to overtake what little bitters stick out when it’s chilled. In all, I think I can say that I like it for what it is compared to what it’s supposed to be, but nothing more.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 22:37:20 | More by BarryMFBurton

ToddHolder

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

05-11-2013 01:55:35 | More by ToddHolder

DerwinWentworth

Utah

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-06-2013 23:06:01 | More by DerwinWentworth

DantooineBBQ

Nebraska

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

05-05-2013 14:54:56 | More by DantooineBBQ

superspak

Michigan

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got in a trade with swingracex. 12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best before 4/25/2013. Pours hazy golden amber color with a 1-2 finger dense white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice soapy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of lemon, pear, light banana, clove, pepper, wheat, bread, floral, grass, and earthy yeast spiciness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of malt and yeast ester notes with light hops; and good strength. Taste of lemon, pear, light banana, pepper, clove, wheat, bread, floral, grass, and earthy yeast spiciness. Lingering notes of light fruits, clove, pepper, wheat, bread, floral, and earthiness on the finish for a bit. Very nice balance and complexity of fruity/spicy esters; with a great malt backbone and no cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; wit ha moderately creamy and very smooth mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with no warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice wheat ale! Very nice balance and robustness of flavors; and very smooth to drink. Really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 04:56:48 | More by superspak

schoenfelderr

South Dakota

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

04-22-2013 06:53:07 | More by schoenfelderr

grubefresh

Arizona

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%

04-22-2013 00:11:18 | More by grubefresh

dubmax

Kansas

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

04-21-2013 20:17:52 | More by dubmax

prlykens

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

04-16-2013 03:06:20 | More by prlykens