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Bells Wheat Love Ale

 (RETIRED)
Bells Wheat Love Ale - Barley Wine

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 Percentile 
90
overall
A Barley Wine formerly brewed by
Bells Brewery

Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

bottling
unknown

on tap
available

Local Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in  Advanced 
2663.63/5.03.62/5.0Special8%56Snifter P  Stats

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?  
 RAYBOY01 (1757), Chicago, Illinois, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/103/515/20

Mar 16, 2006  
Barley wine? I think not, but still a really interesting brew. More of an imperial hefe, no? Strong banana, citrus(orange peel) fruity/yeasty profile with a nice alcohol burn on the palate and warming down below. Very nice cap to the wheat experiment. (By all means, blow yourself out on those IIIPA’s, Joe... meanwhile I’m over here holding a dry hanky for you when you see me quietly pacing myself through the BEER GOD homestretch, sipping my understated wheats! By the way, there’s no crying in baseball...or beer god heaven, OK?)

 MrManning (1550), London, Ontario, Canada
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/514/20
Mar 30, 2009  
12 oz Bottle- Rating taken from notes dated January 08- Deep amber/copper, slightly hazed with a half inch of off white froth. Leaves some lace as well. A fruit dominated nose with pear, peach, other tropical fruits, yeasty with hints of oak, caramel, some spicing. Tastes sweet, of apricots, some citrus, quite yeasty, some caramel and earthy malts. A bit heated on the finish, in what is an otherwise flavour attempt. I believe this is my first "wheat wine". I’m not sure, but Ibelieve I got this bottle from Styles, so thanks for the bottle Chris!


 radiomgb (1907), Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/514/20
Mar 26, 2009  
Bright orange in colour with a thin but lingering white head, light lacing, some floaties. The aroma is yeasty, very citrusy with lots of lemons, good sweetness and light alcohol. The flavour is lightly sweet, moderate amounts of alcohol as the high yeast and citrus continue. Yeasty and hot mouthfeel, medium/light body, prickly carbonation. Finishes hot, thin and quite long.

A very musty Barley Wine. I don’t think that this was meant to age as this is sort of turning into a Tripel like beer. Weird for sure.

355ml bottle obtained in a trade with OhioDad, thanks Scott.
Opened on October 3, 2008.
Batch #7155.


 jimmack34 (512), Lancaster, Ohio, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/103/515/20
Mar 2, 2009  
I had this 12 oz bottle back on 6-12-07. Poured hazy orange with an unusual amount of foaming. Some smells of banana and wheat malts. Taste wasnt too bad, with some grainy wheat flavor, and a large amount of banana, and some mild spices. I wish they wouldn’t retire this one, because i would like to try this one again.


 egajdzis (3392), Spring Mount, Pennsylvania, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/513/20
Jan 24, 2009  
Poured a hazy orange amber color with a small, off white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrus, banana, oxidation, pie crust, and honeyed fruits. Taste of citrus, sherry, bubblegum, toffee malts, some honey, dried fruits, and light alcohol in the finish.


 topherh (675), Kearney, Missouri, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/57/103/512/20
Jan 21, 2009  
Batch 7155 Poured dark brown with reddish amber edges. Bananas, bubble gum, ripe fruit, and light spices in the nose. Flavor is bananas, clove , honey, and a bit of funk.


 coyotehunter (340), , Michigan, USA
3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
4/105/54/104/513/20
Dec 2, 2008  
A special thanks to MrBunn for this one. Batch 7155.This beer didnt impress me the first time, and again it didnt the second. I found myself hoping for something better, but I think this one has aged past its prime, and at the time of production may have been better. Its ok, kinda sweet and malty...but a little thin. lasting wheat finish.


 fordest (1937), Santee/San Diego, California, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/515/20
Oct 8, 2008  
12 oz bottle. Dark fruit aromas and flavors. Some banana in there for interest. Touches of wheat twang on the finish. Not to bad


 stefanje (826), (Santee) San Diego, California, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/57/104/515/20
Oct 5, 2008  
12 oz bottle courtesy of fordest. Poured a cloudy dark yellow. Aroma was light with biscuit and fruits. The flavor showed mangoes, apricots and slightly banana tasting wheat. The mouthfeel was full and malty. The finish was long with a bit of lingering spices. Overall: A very good beer, I was expecting and hefe or wit, so this was quite a surprise.



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