After a quick stop at a new beer bar in Columbia, MO named 44 Stone, and enjoying Schlafly’s Black IPA and Avery’s Hog Heaven, my friend Joe and I checked into the hotel. We met up with the guys we’d be playing golf with the next day at Booche’s in downtown Columbia. It’s a pool hall with some of the best little hamburgers anywhere. Joe and I each ordered several burgers as well as a pitcher of this beer to share with the rest of the table.

Location: On tap and poured into a regular pint glass at Booche’s in Columbia, MO.

Numbers: 5.5% ABV, 40 IBUs, 13.5 OG, 4.5 SRM, 182 Calories

Ingredients: Malts: 2-row malted barley, white wheat malt, Dingemans Cara 8; Hops: US Challenger; Yeast: American Ale

Appearance & Aroma: It was golden in color and very hazy. The head was cream-colored, very big, and was fairly soapy-like in appearance. It left some very nice lacing as I drank it. The aroma was much less hoppy than I expected, with a bready malt and yeasty aroma, and only a light earthy-grassy hop smell in the background.

Taste & Feel: The body was light and the mouthfeel started out creamy from the head and finished crisp from the carbonation in the beer. Up front the flavors were a mix of a cracker-like malts and light fresh lemon-like flavors. Near the middle, the light citrusy lemon-like flavors are joined by some grassy and very light spiciness from the hops. The finish was fairly dry with a hint of bitterness along with the hop flavors.

Food Pairing: This beer went nicely with our Booche’s burgers, but it reminded me a lot of a beer for grilling out. I think it would be good with burgers or dogs right of the grill on a hot day. It was light and drinkable, making it good for washing down some flavorful summer foods.

Overall Impression: The beer is called Yakima wheat as a tribute to the US Challenger hops used in it (grown in the Yakima Valley of Washington). Therefore, I expected it to have a good amount of hoppiness. However, the beer was a good balance of lightly bready/cracker-like flavors from the malts and yeast, and light citrusy flavors from the hops. I found this to be very drinkable, and might be a good craft beer to suggest to people who’ve started discovering shandy style beers. I would definitely grab this beer if I were spending a long, hot day in the sun.

My Rating:

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