Bells Wheat Love Ale

Bottle shared with Blankboy, Hogtown Harry, and Dave courtesy of Blankboy. Light yellow, small white head. Lots of alcohol in aroma, some yeast. Nice strong alcohol taste, some hops and yeast. Hint of lemon and bread. Alcohol grows as it warms as expected. Like a very strong balanced wheat, I get this whole wheat wine thing (probably my first sample of such a thing). Disagree with lumping it in barleywine, as it clearly is not. No matter, I’m not one for styles, just good beer and this is damn good without ever really blowing my socks off.

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry, tupalev & Dave B. -- my bottle courtesy of hopdog. Pours a very murky golden-orange with a small diminishing white head and some floaties. Pleasant aroma of yeast, fruit and alcohol. Flavour similar to a Belgian Wheat with yeast, alcohol, some fruit and lots of spices. Medium bodied. This is pretty good, it’s definitely not a Barley Wine as it’s classified here but I totally get the ’wheatwine’ they mention in the description.

Bottle (12oz). Shared with blankboy, tupalev and Dave B - blankboy’s bottle. Hazy gold, smallish white diminishing head. Yeasty-sweet mild aroma, some slightly fruity malt, acetone(?) and alcohol. Taste is a nice balance of apricot malt, tangy/spicy yeast, alcohol, hints of woodiness in the fairly long tangy finish. Average mouthfeel, astringent, alcoholic and syrupy - very nice, but a barley wine? I mean this is boozy, but ...

Batch 7155, though I think they only had one batch of this. Pours a cloudy copper golden with a minimal off-white head. Aroma of wheat, first and foremost (being this labeled in "barleywine," I wasn’t expecting that, despite Bell’s explanation on what beer this was), also some lemon, yeast and a tinge of alcohol. Full bodied, I’m unable to notice anything barleywine about it until the taste--then the dark fruits and malts emerge. You’re still able to pick out the wheat and yeast and lemons, but also raisins and the heaviness of the beer sets in. Creamy mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Very good beer. Though some people may laugh at me, I just wanted to add that this beer somewhat reminds me of a tripel.

via trade with Ohiodad - (7155) Pours a hazy golden color with no head to speak of. Has that typical Belgium wit aroma. Flavor is also typical Belgium with a tad bit more alcohol. I just can’t get into the Belgium style beers. A barleywine too? Medium body. Not bad. Thanks Scott.

Cloudy gold, with a white head. Aromas are spices, yeast, wheat, honey, and fruit. Flavors are yeast, spices, honey, fruit, wheat, and a slight floral accent. Body is on the heavy side. this us rather good. Thanks to Dough77 for this bottle.

12 oz bottle (batch 7155), 2005, from Bello Vino in Ann Arbor, MI (Dec 2005), served at cellar temperature in a La Chouffe tulip. Like its predecessors, this bottle emits a healthy fizzing when the cap is popped, and pours out quite a large froth white head atop a light gold/faintly pinkish clear, bubbly body....aromas of dark pumpernickel/sourdough, burnt caramel, raisins, buckwheat honey, lilac and faint alcohol emerge from this beautiful picture.....the tongue discovers far greater depth and complexities, golden and black raisins playing a role alongside the sour breadiness, sweet apple-honey syrup providing a pillowy rest for these potent characteristics, and lighter more subtle notes of oregano, smoky woods, a bit of butterscotch, and some Belgian-like farmy yeast touches....all in a thick, almost but just not quite cloying, low-carbonation, lightly alcoholic-peppery body that softens and becomes very light and feathery at the more boozy, bitter finish. Intriguing to be sure, and a bit hard to describe though I’m trying my best.

Slightly hazy golden orange color with Smallish white head. Aroma is slightly estery, peppery, bit of citrus, vague hint of corn. Flavor is slightly sweet, touch of honey and oak, slightly grainy. Finish is acidic, slightly sweet.