Bell's Oberon Ale Review - A Summertime Wheat Microbrew

I've honestly tried Bell's Oberon Ale a few times before, but never had the gumption to actually sit down and write even the quickest review on my personal opionions of this american wheat ale micro brew. Well, no time better than the present I always say. And with summer pretty much officially here now, there's no putting it off.

I kind of like the colorful goofy looking Mr. Sun logo on the label first off. With colors of bright orange, yellow and blue, the bottle labeling design definitely drew my attention to Bell's Oberon out of the hundreds of microbrews in my local mix and match six pack shop.

Pouring the 12 ounce brown bottle into an unchilled teardrop shaped glass, I found a tawny bright burning of orange and light rust. A slight haze was present but nothing entirely out of ordinary for a wheat beer. A mild 1 finger head coated the surface for a couple brief minutes and rapidly dissipated into lilly pads of splotchy froth.

Smell was very faint, a slight fruity touch to it but not "banana" strong as you find in so many wheat style ales. It gave off a faint spiciness that was a little tough to place.

Sipping this beer for the first ten minutes or so, I experienced that slight fruitness in flavor as well. I'd describe it actually as a sweeter, syrupy fruit that only got heavier as the beer warmed in the glass. There was a bready feel to it but again, this was not the common breadiness found in many wheat style beers. I think overall, the spice that I can't quite place in the background really makes this microbrew very unique in my book. I honestly do not typically find wheat beers to be my preference or favorite but I found myself really starting to enjoy Bell's Oberon Ale especially as the beer warmed.

If you like American Wheat Ales by nature, then this beer is certainly not going to disappoint you if you're trying it for the first time. If you hate wheat ales but love craft beers and microbrews, in the spirit of the art of microbrewing, I'd still recommend you at least give Oberon Ale a fair shot in broadening your microbrew horizons. You just might like it, and maybe alot as I did. Of all the wheat ales I've tried, and I confess it's not been hundreds, Bell's Oberon Ale is, without a doubt my favorite and one I would not hesitate in picking up a six pack of.

I would not recommend added an orange slice to Oberon Ale as the beer can definitely hold it's own in flavor and bite by it's lonesome. No need for props or garnishes here. One thing of note is that Bell's Oberon Ale does rate somewhere in the 6% "alcohol content by volume" range, which is may be just a bit stronger than you'd want sitting on the back porch in 90 degrees drinking beer all afternoon after mowing the lawn. Just don't get carried away (no matter how delicious and refreshing it is) and please be responsible. If it's got to be a wheat ale for summertime consumption, for me, I'm going to go straight to Bell's Oberon Ale if I have anything to say about it. A winner micro brew by any beer style standards. Go Bell's!

You can check out more reviews of new microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review or My Squidoo Lens. Check out Summer Microbrew too!

Bell's Expedition Stout Rings the Holiday Bell

I rececently had the opportunity to pick up two bottles of Bell's Expedition Stout. I'd tried this microbrew a year or so ago without writing up an "official" beer review so I thought what better time than the holiday season to give myself a little gift and try it out again. Yes, it is definitely a gift to be had (or given out) for the beer lover in you or your loved ones.

This Russian Imperial Stout style microbrew is brewed annually during the late fall months by the former Kalamazoo Brewing Company (newly named Bell's Brewery, Inc.) A winter brew, this one definitely will warm your bones on a cold and blustery winter's evening. Pouring my first of the two 12 ounce bottles into a 16 ounce pub glass I am awed by the overall blackness of this stoudt. No light, and I mean none, passes through this beer when held up to the light. Pitch as night I would describe it. And thick to boot. Almost seemed like pouring a bottle of motor oil into my glass. It definitely did not give off the appearance of "light, crisp and refreshing" which would classify it as a classy anti-macro brew right off the bat. I like it already!

The limited, if almost non-existent head, lasted seconds at best. But the head of this beer is not really what it's about anyway. Taste is it with Bell's Expedition Stout. The first sip I experienced an exquisite creaminess not often found in my experiences with Imperial Stouts. Many times the burnt flavor of alcohol sting overwhelm alot of the the total creamy smoothness a good RIS can offer. And offer Bell's did.

The taste was of toasted malts and chocolate. I even detected a flavor reminding me of dates embedded in the flow as it passed over my palate. The aroma matched the flavors almost to a "T". No off-flavors or smells to speak of and I just got the sense that I was definitely drinking one of the best of the best maybe in the world of the Russian Imperial Stout style. Definitely seems to be a well-crafted and cared for steed in the Bell's Brewery stable of solid offerings.

I very, very much enjoyed this one and will certainly enjoy the other of the two I'd purchased very soon. One downside to Bell's Expedition Stout is the overall alcohol content which is listed somewhere in the 11% abv range which is strong even by imperial stout standards. It is simply so darned drinkable, it would be easy to down several at a sitting without thinking much about it until it was possibly too late to avoid the effects of too much imbibing.

You definitely should try this microbrew if you like dark beers and stouts in particular. I would recommend that you sip responsibly finishing with just one per session. Take the time to enjoy this masterpiece of a creation and it will be one you'll look forward to coming back to each and every winter. I'm giving Bell's Expedition Stout a 9.50 for the style which is in my book, the closest I've come to the perfect Russian Imperial Stout. Winter Cheers to you!

You can check out more reviews of new microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review Blog or Craft Beer Reviews. Check out Summer Microbrews too!