Commercial Description: Bell’s Wheat Project (2005) is an experimental foray into the development of complex flavors in beer.
The Project comprises five new ales, four in series and one specialty strong product.
The first four, Wheat 2, Wheat 4, Wheat 6 and Wheat eight are all made using 55% Wheat (either wholly or mostly malted) and 45% Barley malt.
The barley malt makeup is exactly the same in each of the four and consists of three different malts.
The total amount of grain in each of the four is also exactly the same, so each of them should have a virtually identical original gravity. The type and amount of hops in each of the four is exactly the same. And the processing through the brewhouse and fermentation is also exactly the same. The changing factors between the ales are the composition of the 55% of wheat used and the type and number of yeast strains used. In Wheat 2 the 55% of wheat is made up of two different kinds of wheat malt, and this ale is made with two different yeasts. Wheat 4 is made with four different wheats and four yeasts. Wheat six and eight made with six and eight wheats and yeasts respectively.
The final product, Bell’s Wheat Love Ale, is made with the eight yeasts of Wheat eight and is a strong, but relatively light colored, “wheatwine.”
2. Basic Content List for the Wheat Series
Wheat Two
Wheats: White, Dark
Yeast: Bell’s house ale strain, WLP410 Belgian Wit II
Wheat Four
Wheats: White, Victory, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied
Yeast: WLP550 Belgian, WLP570 Golden, Wheat Two blend
Wheat Six
Wheats: White, Dark, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied, Red, Caramel
Yeast: WLP500 Trappist, WLP530 Abbey, Wheat Four blend
Wheat Eight
Wheats: White, Dark, Victory, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied, Red, Caramel, Chocolate
Yeast: WLP4000 Belgian Wit I, WLP565 Saison, Wheat Six blend
This one is a light amber with a slight haze. The smallish head is fast fading. The aroma is an attractive floral honey and that is backed up by a sweet and pleasant fruitiness.
Pour was a hazy orange with no head at all. Aroma is yeasty but that’s about it. Good thing that is the only thing i have a problem with this brew. Flavor is nice! Stong yeast and banana flavor. Lots of cloves and pepper added make this a good wheat brew. Not like a barleywine as you know it. More like an Imperial Hefe if there is such a thing.
Batch 7155, bottle. Nice opague, golden pour. Notes of Belgian yeast emerge from the glass; fresh baked bread, clove, orange peel, nutmeg, lemon. Reminded me a bit of the Abbaye des Rocs Brune on the nose, and to some extent, the palate as well. On the palate, a great balance of flavors, with the wheat emerging strongly. Some similarities to a weizenbock in the sense that the wheat notes are so pronounced. Lots of banana bread like flavors and spices. Great mouthfeel and solid finish. Not my favorite style (I prefer a barleywine to a wheatwine), but this is well done. Larry Bell shows his skill and craftsmanship yet again.
From a distinctive 12oz. brown Bell’s bottle with batch number 7155 on the back label, packaged on 12/01/05. Made a good appearance, poured a hazy dirty golden with a nice sized foamy white head and a fair amount of ringed lacing. Had a yeasty aroma, Bell’s house strain and a Belgian type yeastiness with a buried wheat maltiness. Decent carbonation and a slick lite medium bodied mouth feel, good drinkability. Taste was a first yeasty followed by a mellow wheat maltiness and a dry, slightly bittersweet finish.
Thanks Illinismitty
12oz bottle; Yeast stands out as the aroma alnong with a banana like some Wits I’ve had. Couldy yellow body with good head. Head settled to a thin layer all through beer. Quality lacing. At first not much but the banana flavor. By the middle is a carmel texure to blend with the banana and seemed like a bubblegum at the finish. Banana aftertaste left on palate. Man this was good.
(01.23.06) 12 oz brown bottle purchased from DiCarlo’s, Mundelein, IL. 8% ABV. Hazy light orange hued ale having no discernable head. No discernable carbonation. Spicy (clove) and fruity aromas. Medium bodied ale that starts with sharpness, light malt sweetness and spicy clove/fruity flavors. Finishes dry with pleasant fruity aftertaste. A very good wheat barleywine, like an “imperial” hefeweizen.
Now knowing that this is a Belgian strong, I appreciate it in a different light than I did as what I thought was a wheat (along the lines of the rest of Bells wheat series). Full flavor and a noticable alcohol content (didn’t read the label, but it seemed WAY too much for a typical wheat). A strange one...perhaps needing a more accurate title?
Courtesy of OhioDad.
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First my wife’s rating because I get in trouble if I drink a wheat beer without letting her have at least half, but preferably more. "Wow, I love it!"
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Aroma is quite citrusy, but with lots of balancing yeast and bannana notes. Cloudy orange/yellow with a fairly small, one finger thick head. Hmm Imperial Wheat Ale. Basically. I’m waiting for an Imperial Mild with the trends they way they are. But this is a GOOD thing. Very thick and creamy with lots of yeasty/clove/bannana notes and hints of coriander and orange peel. It has a great feel to it and a very good flavor. A nicely done brew that shows you can play around with almost any style.
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