Bells Amber Ale

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Amber Ale
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

A: The body is an exceptionally clear amber color topped with a very small white head that fell quickly. S: There is a pleasant sweet malty aroma with caramel notes from the beer. T: There is a bit of hoppiness that presents itself in the flavor; having been hidden in the aroma. This is backed up by a bit of caramel but is bitterness dominated. M: This is a good light bodied beer without being watery. D: Nothing in this beer really stands out even though it is a solid beer. A good example of an amber ale but not one to write home about. Would make a good session beer though.

Bottle. Pours a deep, hazy amber with white head. Small particles visible in beer. Aroma is caramel malts, a bit of toasty bread. Flavor is slightly toasty and caramelly, and the yeast is present. Not overly exciting, but a solid amber ale.

Botte. Pours a deep amber with a decent white head. The aroma consists of malts and sweet bread. The taste is subdued, some sweet malts, a bit of hops, some bready parts, and maybe a light side of fruit. Easy to drink and smooth. Nothing too special though.

Pours a clear coppery amber with a small white head. Aroma of caramel malts, toffee and yeast. Taste is of caramel malts, toffee, bread and yeast. A nice and simple amber ale.

Rated 20 Oct. 2003. Draft, at the Eccentric Cafe. A little cloudy, and the color is a bit lighter than other ambers. A thin head. Good biscuity malt profile. Likable, but not really the thrill I had been led to expect from a Bell’s.

9/9/05 Re-rate: Bottle again. I saw a 6-pack of this and of Rogue Brutal Bitter in the store last night and really wanted the Rogue, but it wasn’t refrigerated. My previous 2 ratings are a mixed bag, one stellar, one more pedestrian. My experience this time was somewhere in between. Maintains a high alcohol profile despite being only 6%. A very good, well balanced beer, tending toward the malt profile. I drank a Summit EPA right after this and it came off wonderfully floral and hoppy, one of the best of many experiences with that brew. I’m changing the ratings this time which drops the score from a 4.5 to a 4. A very good brew, I just like more hops than this offers. 4/10/04: Re-rate. The bottle I just recently tried was included as one of many single beers available in a make-your-own-sixpack at Kelly’s Liquor in Wisconsin Rapis, WI. As such, I am guessing it was somewhat dated. My re-rate was not nearly as generous as the first time around: Aroma 8, Appearance 5, Flavor 7, Palate 4, Overall, 15. Make sure you get it fresh. 1/20/03: It really is refreshing to discover a brewer whose expertise and care comes through consistently in their products. The first swallow is greated by a definitively citrus orange flavor. As the beer warms, the complexity and quality reveal themselves fully. Brownish orange in color; more orange than a German hefeweiss. Large, rocky, creamy, fine-bubble head that is mostly lasting. Initial taste lacked bitterness, but moderate hoppy notes avail themselves at mid-bottle. Relatively heavy alcohol taste, but it is downplayed by the brew’s complexity. Really good. Bell’s Amber leaves a final treat for beer lovers; nutritious yeast at the bottom of the bottle. Very fine. Ar 9, Ap 5, Fl 9, Pa 4, Ov 18.

Draft, Baja Bean, Staunton VA. Medium amber with fluffy white head. Nose is fairly bready, lightly toasty, with a hint of floral hops. Flavor is malt-forward with a lightly sweet touch of flowery/perfumy hops in the background. Nice bitterness round everything out, and the finish is clean without dropping off. Solid beer, a real delight on draft.

12-oz. Thanks, Boboski! Pours a deep cloudy medium toffeed amber. Thick rocky head falls away to white moussy film after a few drinks. Rather sour bready/yeasty nose. Medium body with crisp but somehow intermittent carbonation. Lots of caramel and pale wheat bread on the mid-palate. Bready finish. This beer is definitely a celebration of all the grain agriculture that beer and breadmaking have in common.