Bells Cherry Ale

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Fruit Beer
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Had on draft at Irish Rose in Rockford. Beautiful to the sight and smell. Quality brew.

Red/brown with a small white head. Cherry nose with malt and some grassy hop notes. Farily dry, very nice flavor, dominated by tart cherries with a touch of bready malt, slight sugary sweetness, and a balance of dry bitterness.

this beer is a cheerfully hazy red color. Fairly effervescent at first, it is topped by a perfect cap of creamy foam. Good head retention, a bit of residul lacing. Moderate cherry in the aroma, both tart and sweetish. Initially, the beer was sweetly fruity, but this was followed in short order by a very nice tart nankin cherry flavor. Crisp and tangy with just a hint of residual honey sweetness. Medium body, good carbonation, very refreshing.

I used to live in Kalamazoo and I lived for summer afternoons for this beer! Great fruity aroma. A bit more fiz than I would suggest, but not offensive in the least. Tart fruit flavor that tingles the tastebuds while relying on a solid ale base so as to not taste "gimmicky." In my honest opinion, the most unique and rewarding of all the Bell’s brews!

A little tame for what one would normally expect from Bells. Nice reddish color and pleasant cherry sent. Good mouth feel and carbonation. Cherry’s dominate here, but do not over power. I think this ales low score has more to do with what most folks expect from bells as a brewer. If this ale would have been released buy New Glarus or another brewer I am confident it would have a higher score.

Bottle: Real pretty dark amber with no real head on it. Aroma is a bit of spice, wood, hay and not much cherry. Flavor is indeed tart, cherry flavor is almost not there, seems more spicey and wooden. Bottle was very conditioned, a big clump of yeast was resting at the bottom. Not to fruity, but well rounded and tastey.

On tap at the Blue Nile ( imagine that!) color is a bright crimson, a solid ruby, thick & hazy, too, and capped with a lush pinkish head, solid and lasting...very impressive appearance, very attractive, too! Aroma, light, and sweet, with whiffs of cherry, but not much else. Full feel on the palate, when first quaffed, a rush of sweet fruit, then the tart of the cherry, a bite of sour, then all is refreshment, and total quaffability. My first taste of this made me wonder if I’d really like it. My first pint of it led to another, and so on.. Excellent texture, great drinkablity, a splash of tart to meet every swallow, but not so much to bring down the pleasure of drinking...bright and juicy...it’s an ale full of cherries, what else do you want? If you love cherries in your beer, this is the brew for you! I not, stay away. Solid, tasty, tangy, very well done. Hats off to Larry & Co. Much better than Bell’s Cherry Stout,meets the style of an ale better than the aforementioned does for a stout.

Pours with a slightly cloudy amber body topped by a thin head with little lacing. IT’s sweet and full of cherry notes with light malty notes. Light to medium bodied, smooth and a touch dry.