Easy Street, Odell Brewing Company, Fort Collins

Style: American-style wheat beer

ABV: 4.6 percent

Serving Type: 12-ounce bottle

Malty? Hoppy? Neither, really; slightly citrusy

Reviewed: June 2013

Odell’s Easy Street Wheat, the brewery’s take on the classic unfiltered, American-style wheat beer is, well, easy—a fitting name for a brew that’s as supremely drinkable as this one. Turns out, however, the name actually spawned from the idea that Odell’s brewers have it “easy” with this beer since the batches don’t have to be filtered.

Nevertheless, we dig Easy Street. This golden-orange brew is deftly balanced, a characteristic we’ve come to expect in any Odell beer. (Odell’s brewers seem to always nail this.) We often find that wheat beers are a bit too sweet. Not Easy Street, which manages to be full-bodied while maintaining a certain restraint—no small feat for this style of brew. Simply put, this beer is smooth, refreshing, and approachable. It’s the kind of beverage that’s perfect as a reward after a long hike, or as a companion to a couple slices of pizza. Oh, and skip the orange wedge.

Would we buy it again? During the summer, we look for this one at the bar; Easy Street is extra smooth on tap.

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