Bells Harvest Ale

It’s a crying shame that Bells only makes this Ale about two weeks out of the year.

Absolutely delicious. i agree with ClarkVV that this is like a pumped up English IPA, but disagree on the fundamental pineyness that he and M500 report .This is like an English IPA turned into an American Strong Ale. Beautiful reddish brown, thick but not dripping, lots of legs on the glass. Not overly sweet, hops are wonderfully nuanced; the entire experience is a delight of toffee and caramel notes and iron oxide/fresh turned earth and some slightly steamed vegetable like collard greens. Fantastic, and not just becuase of the rarity. I plan on having more this weekend while it's still on tap. Better than this years Double Bastard.

Wow! Yes indeed it is a shame that this beer is a one small batch annual variety. Even my brother, who lives in Kazoo has problems finding this stuff! Put every West Coast Amber ale (malty and pleasant in mouth, dangerously hoppy in finish) to shame. My all-time favorite of my favorite style.

This is a very delicious beer, and it is a rare treat. Bell’s only brews this beer once a year, and it is brewed with locally grown, wild, and cultivated hops from Michigan. This beer pours to a beautiful, deep amber color, with an nice, thick, white head, and a soft carbonation. The nose on this beer is interesting. These Michigan grown hops don’t smack you in the face like those grown in the Pacific Northwest, but have some good, herbal, piney aromatics. The palate on this beer is rich and delicious. Lots of good caramel malt/biscuity malt flavors, and a hefty body. This beer finishes with more good malt flavors up front, then dries with a nice, herbal hop bitterness that slightly lingers. This is a very well done beer, showcasing Michigan grown hops. You really can smell them in the nose and taste them in the finish. A nice balance of hop and malt flavors and aromas, with the locally grown hops coming through. This beer would go great with fish and chips, or perhaps a juicy burger with seasoned fries. Seek this one out if you can find it, and learn from the masters at Kalamazoo Brewing.

Clear deep orange from the tap with a thin, off-white head. Very floral pineapple nose. This is just a great beer, and a great showcase for the hops. I tasted lots of pineapple, orange peel, pine resin and apple sauce. Substantial body that carried the the 7.5% (or so said the blackboard) alcohol. Nice lasting bitterness and alcohol tingle on the tounge. This is worth the almost three hour drive to the cafe. And I happened to run into PsychProf and hoppygirl there for lunch, so the company was great too.