For those blessed few who read the Casual Friday posts, you may remember the first Casual Friday in which I talked about 21^stAmendment’s Hell or High Watermelon Wheat. While I did not particularly like that beer I mentioned that I have a certain feeling towards wheat beers made with fruit, so I was probably more than a little biased. This week’s Casual Friday beer, due in no small part to Earth Day happening this week, is 422 Wheat Ale by Southern tier. An American wheat ale that is slightly less than 6% ABV.

This beer is simple and well made. Sometimes you want an extreme beer to push the boundaries of what your mind and taste can handle.  However, there are times you just want to enjoy a good solid example of a classic style. That is what this beer is.

MMMM

You see that lacing.  The way the foam slowly slides down the glass. That means there are a lot of protein chains. It means that this beer doesn’t feel thin. It feels full bodied, and it does it without having a stupid amount of IBU’s, or a crazy amount of alcohol. The taste is solid and uniform through out.

It tastes like wheat. It tastes like late spring and the first time you jump into a swimming hole for the season. It tastes like running through a storm in which the rain is hot, and the lightning is brought on from the heat. I think this is a beer you should try and appreciate for the way it approaches a concept and unashamedly achieves it without compromise.

I think taste is subjective and there is a chance you may not like this beer. But lets be honest, wouldn’t you rather say that you had tried it than not. It doesn’t try to conform to a trend, or try to be something its not. It does wheat and it does is well.