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Bells Wheat Love Ale

 (RETIRED)
Percentile
92
overall
Formerly brewed at Bells Brewery
Style: Barley Wine

Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

bottling
unknown

on tap
unknown

distribution
unknown

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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
2703.62/5.03.6/5.0Special8%63.8Snifter
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
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 drewbeerme (2272), Chicago, Illinois, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/514/20
May 28, 2008  
12oz bottle, Batch 7155, bottled 12/1/05 . aged 2 1/2 years. thanks to pantanap for the bottle. pours hazy dark golden with small white head. aroma has honey, cloves, spicy yeast, caramel, and a touch of oxidation giving off a wet cardboard aroma. flavor is honey, wheaty, a touch of banana and spice. body tends to be on the syrupy side. warming alcohol finish that is dries the palate out at the very end.


 dukefan (173), Dallas, Texas, USA
5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/105/510/105/520/20
Apr 17, 2008  
Purchased many, many cases from Bells Store. Hands down my favorite Bell’s product of all time. Just a perfect Weizenbock that was so delish.


 Beerlando (2313), Orlando, Florida, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/56/103/514/20
Apr 4, 2008  
Batch 7155, bottled 12/1/05 and consumed April 2008. Wow, this beer is off the wall! Opened with a loud hiss, easing my fears a bit that this 8% ABV brew would be past its time. Pours a very cloudy, glowing orange amber. A foamy white head dissipates quickly, while sudsy snakes and flares of lacing mostly drip back down into the body. The nose shows a surprising burst of massive orange and tangerine sweetness, which is not at all what I expected from a supposed barley wine. Lemon comes through strong on the nose as well. Coriander is huge in this one, as are dry grains and pale malts. The flavor is equally huge in every sense. Lemon and orange are sweet and sour in the mouth. The large wheat bill is quite apparent, as toasted grains play a major role. The coriander is almost too intense. Definitely a hybrid brew, resembling a blend of part hefeweizen, part witbier, and part light barleywine. Medium-full bodied and sticky on the finish. This one is ultimately too sweet for me, with too much coriander, but it is incredibly interesting nonetheless. A must try, if you can find some.


 decaturstevo (1985), decatur, Tennessee, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/515/20
Mar 23, 2008  
Bottle thanks to SpringsLicker. A deep golden pour with hints of red. A white foamy lace. An aroma that reminds me of a Belgian/Hefeish creature. Flavor that says hefe/wheat at first but transitions into a very warm almost pale lagerish flavor(without the paper), before ending in a semi sweet finish. A bit of bitter on it as well. Palate and carbonation are very decent. A very unusual beer to say the least. Good I would be proud had I created it. I think instead of giving it to a style as people had it I would ask them to tell me. Hefe some, but if it is a barleywine my ass is a jackhammer. Would I drink it again? Hellyeah!!! thanks Jay


 MrEcted1 (144), Wheat Ridge, Colorado, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/105/516/20
Mar 15, 2008  
For the style, this is one of the best wheat beers I’ve had. I’m reviewing this as a wheat beer, it’s definitely not a barley wine as labeled by RateBeer. Pours a nice cloudy golden color. Aroma is similar to most wheat beers you’ve had. Oranges, lemons, cloves and especially bananas. Flavor is very similar but what I really love about this beer is there is a nice clove flavor that hits you late. Nice spices come through, especially orange peel. Very nice on the palate given the style. A nice full body wheat with a small hop bite that makes your tongue tingle. Overall, given the style it’s a very good beer.


 mcox90 (628), Wilton, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/103/513/20
Mar 14, 2008  
12 oz bottle courtesy of BBB63, batch 7155. Pours a hazy, cloudy peach color with a 1/2" white head. Very minimal lacing. Nose is a complex mix of wheat, yeast, clove, bananna & our old friend, alcohol. Mouthfeel is tart, clean and refreshing. Flavors pretty much mimic the nose. An interesting hybrid of a hefe and a barlywine.


 shigadeyo (2263), Harrison, Ohio, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/103/516/20
Mar 9, 2008  
Batch 7155

3/08/2008: Bell’s Wheat Love Ale pours a hazy, vibrant golden/peach color with a minimal off-white head. It has a light citrus (orange zest) aroma with notes of Belgian candi and fruit, mango, and banana. The flavor is quite sweet in the front and reminds me of a Belgian Triple. It is fruity (banana, mango, citrus zest) and malty with hints of spice, slighty dry toward the finish, a hidden, but warming alcohol, and some white pepper. There is a great balance between the sweet fruitiness and maltiness and the spicy/grassy bittereness in the finish. This beer hs a medium to medium-full body. It feels slightly thick and syrupy, yet seems perfect to match with the other characteristics of the beer. The carbonation is light, but adequate. Overall this always was and still is the best of the Bell’s Wheat Project beers. I wish they would have decided to keep tweaking this one and release a Wheat Wine as a "regular" season offering...

12 fl. oz. bottle from iowaherkeye. Thank you! Rating #194 for this beer...
______________________________

My other Bell’s Wheat Project Ratings:
• <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/bells-wheat-two- Wheat Two (2) Ale
• <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/bells-wheat-four Wheat Four (4) Ale
• <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/bells-wheat-six- Wheat Six (6) Ale
• <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/bells-wheat-eigh Wheat Eight (8) Ale
• <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/bells-wheat-love Wheat Love Ale


 kmeves (1080), Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/104/515/20
Mar 9, 2008  
Pours a cloudy amber with a small beige heady. Aroma is sweet candi sugar, clove, banana, coriander and mango. Flavor is medium sweet, banana, candi sugar and some clove. Very small alcohol flavor. Light to medium bodied, finishes dry and "wheaty".



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