Bells Oberon Ale

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Wheat Ale
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Serve in Shaker, Weizen

Brewed and kegged one week ago, keg tapped 5 minutes ago. It's a hotly anticipated sign of spring in the Midwest, the arrival of the Bell's Oberon, and I'm ready for my first, fresh sip of the season. Color: a thick, opaque yellow/orange body. Tap Oberon is thick and cloudy at the top and the bottom of the keg, but it pours clear after a few a few pints are pulled. Head is nice and white, thick and lasting. Aroma is delicate, but brimming with zesty citrusy notes, spices, sea-foam. In a nutshell, the tingly orange flavor dominates Oberon's taste profile. Carbonation is low, yeasty component of this unfiltered brew is tasty, tasty, tasty and adds significantly to the supremely delicious and downable mouthfeel. As with many other Bell's products, the style is not presented clearly in the name or on the label. This used to be called Solsun, until a Mexican Brewery took umbrage. I believe they steal the name from Shakespeare's Fairy King in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." It is described as "an American wheat ale with European ingedients", which still doesn't answer all the questions. Czech saaz hops are used, and imported (from where?)wheat malt, but no curacao zest or coriander are mentioned. That aside, it tastes more like a Belgian witbier than anything else, but, like many Kalamazoo offerings, it belongs in a class by itself. This beer plays very lightly on the palate, delivering zingy, spicy, and very fruity hops, with an utterly delicate, and thirst-quenching texture. Wheat isn't tasted as strongly as in other wheat beers, goes down very smooth, but still adds considerably to the texture. This is a beer that makes itself at home in the mouth, and makes one quite comfortable during it's stay. Long, delicious finish. Light body. So easy to drink! Everlasting finish! There are many tasty, thirst-quenching wheats out there, but only one Oberon. The fruitiness really pushes it forward! Supreme acheivement, and a beer I'll be enjoying all summer long!

Can’t imagine a wheat ale looking any better...pours a rich murky golden/orange with a huge creamy white head with great staying power. Spicy wheat aroma, sweet. Creamy hot orange wheat flavor. Med/full body for a wheat with light carbonation. O wow... Buchdich is right... the finish does taste like vitamin C, bitter.

Draft. Pours hazy golden with some orange hue, along with a white head. Spicy, lemon, and yeast aroma. Flavor of orange zest, lemon, apple balance by a spicy hop bitterness. Clean thirst quenching finish. Not normally a fan of american wheats, but this one is a an old staple and favorite of mine. The european ingredients is probably why I like this one so much. Great summer seasonal.

On tap @ Fries Cafe for the Oberon release party. Pour was clear and golden with a medium white head. Aroma was citrus and floral hops. The flavor had some caramel sweetness along with floral hops, and fresh citrus. This was a warn weather brew sampled on a beautiful spring day.

Aroma is wheat and sour fruit. Apperance is a murky orange with a moderate head and excellent lacing. Flavor is sour with some oranges, pears, and bananas. A very refreshing summer beer that offers lightness along with complexity. I am impressed with Bells if they can brew a decent American Wheat! Because usually I despise this style of beer. Get out the lawnmower come June and grab this beer!

Cloudy orange, thin head for a wheat. Slightly orange wheat nose. Flavor is nutty, wheaty orange. Too sweet. Clovey?

From a bottle poured a clear organgish color with a fair amount of head. Nice smooth flavor with a quick finish.

From a 5L minikeg. Pours a hazy light orange with a thick white head. Nice citrus wheat aroma. Great smooth body, very drinkable malt wheat taste with more hints of citrus. Well balanced and tasty.