Bells Wheat Two Ale

Formerly brewed at Bells Brewery
Style: Wheat Ale
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Bottle consumed on 11/25/05. Light, hazy, but not terribly cloudy appearance. Tangerine-golden appearance is much darker than a modern wit, but about on par with say, Abbaye des Rocs Blanche des honnelles, which is supposedly a traditional wit. Head is small and white, with moderate retention and spotty lacing. Aroma has a dry, lightly creamy wheat note, fresh and easygoing. The Belgian yeast contributes light bubble gum notes, not very sweet in nature, with some light orange-peel like citrus. Flavor begins with a dry, lightly chewy wheat presence, mix of Belgian and Bells yeastiness (dry, sourdough and lightly sweet, lightly fruity notes combined). Body is medium, perhaps even medium-light, but nowhere is it watery or thin. Just not tons of sweetness from the barley malt. Natural carbonation is lightly expansive on the end, but not too much so. Texture is lightly chewy, very-wheat influenced. Touches of spices remain on the palate, as well as light bubble gum and a touch of lemon or orange peel. Very sessionable ale, and it’s interesting to now have a Belgian/American wheat from Bells, alongside their German/American wheat (oberon).

Cloudy light gold, medium sized white head. Aroma is sweet, estery bubblegum. Taste is both sweet and dry with just the mellowest of hop bite. A really balanced wheat.

Bottle. White fizzy head that was mostly lasting and contained various sized bubbles, sparse lacing, cloudy, carbonated and a yellow orange hue. Aroma was malty, hoppy, sweet, banana, spicy, and clove and ditto for the flavor. Smooth palate. Light-medium body.

12 oz bottle. Poured a clear golden orange color. It turned cloudy when I stirred up the sediment on the bottom of the bottle. The head was bubbly, white and reduced quickly to a lasting thin layer of foam. There was some lace on the glass at the end. Pleasant yeasty bread dough aroma with a touch of citrus. Tart up front with a strange grainy bitterness that mellowed in the middle giving way to slightly sweet bready malt. Finishes dry and grainy. So so.

Bottle. Sweet peach-apple and wheat aroma. Orange yellow color with small head. Slight sweet peach and apple flavor with a mild hops finish. Good body. Less sweet and more hoppy than Oberon. Very nice for an American Wheat.

Closer to a wit than to any other style. The first aroma is strange and unexpected-canned peas. There is some citrus and very sweet malt as well. Looks as good as any hefeweizen. Cloudy gold, nice white head that stays on top of the beer. Several flavors. There is sweet malt with lighter citrus. Only a hint of bitter hops in the aftertaste. Some coriander. Fairly sweet. Thick and heavy, but smooth on the palate.

Thanks to Darkover for hooking me up. Golden-orange color with a compact off-white head. Thin, spotty lacing. The aroma is mildly fruity and malty. Light-bodied and fairly lively, with light yeast, wheat and malt flavors. The finish is smooth and has a hint of citrus with a sweet aftertaste. Pretty enjoyable overall.

Bottle: Orangish straw, thick haze, moderate foamy white head, fairly nice lacing.   Wheaty nose, very slight citrus and clove.   Wheaty on the tongue, very smooth, clean finish.   Touch of apple or pear skin at the exit.   Did I say smooth?   Big in body, fairly robust mouthfeel.   Probably one of the better American Wheats I have had.   I am very happy it doesn’t have that fart/sulfur tinge to it, as most American Wheats seem to have.   Thanks Michael for this one!   Totally sessionable this one is...