Bells Oberon Ale

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

12 oz bottle

I finally got around to trying this after too many pints to count. It is just as average as I remembered. Perfect for drinking on a summer afternoon at the Memorial Union or while grilling out I’m not so sure this would be my preferred daily drinker. Freshness is the key with this one; don’t try to age it or you’ll be fairly disappointed with the results.

Aroma / Appearance - The short lived white head disappeared into the pumpkin colored body. Perfect for the season it smelled of orange slices, buttered scones and sweet hops. Very mellow by the time I got to it I can only imagine it was much better within a month or two of bottling.

Flavor / Palate - Orange slices dipped in a thin layer of inexpensive chocolate filled the mouth. Carbonated only slightly the mouthfeel trickles over the throat. A hint of white bread touches the tongue towards the end. Relaxing for a summer afternoon I still don’t know that I would prefer this over other local options.

Awesome wheat!! Nose bananas and light fruit. Mouth quite tart a little bitter with flavors of light hops, citrus, bananas, oranges. Cheers!

12oz bottle thanks to Travisd13. Pours slightly hazy light orange with a thin, crisp white head. Smells cereal and malty with a hint of light citrus. Tastes light and sweet citrusy with a solid malt and grain backbone that lingers, sweet. Pretty good I guess. Medium body, ok carbonation.

As a 25 year resident of Kalamazoo, I’ve been swilling Oberon ever since that first summer when it was Solsun and only available in 22oz bottles. It was startling outstanding and unique at the time, and the glam has never worn off. Excellent aroma of grain and hops, cloudy tawny gold color with a great head, flavor is sweet /sour wheaty with a touch of spice, excellent light hops bitterness in the finish. Palate is just plain excellent. Still has a bit of yeast residue in the bottom of the bottle. Not quite as distinctive as some other wheat brews out there, but one of the best.

Been enjoying this beer for years via botle and draft, even from the source in Kalamazoo. Its magic has worn off a bit for me but its still a delicious summer wheat beer.

Angry fist of Santa tasting at Chris_o’s. I got the end of the bottle but it seemed to me to be a slightly hoppy golden beer.

Pours a great thick white head and has a moderately carbonated. Color is golden with big chunks of yeast, far from a smooth cloudiness. Aroma is wheat and orange. Flavor is mostly wheat with a soft orange to follow. Mouth feel on this beer is a light and the chunks of yeast add a gritty feeling in the mouth. Drinkable but have enjoyed other beers from Bells a lot more.

on tap at Frankfort Avenue Beer Depot. Didn;t taste like typical wheat beer to me. It tasted and smelled pretty much neutral and almost flavorful. It was very drinkable, no alcohol flavor, almost tart with a bit of sweet bitterness. Refreshing summer brew without much flavor. (RE-RATE) Come on Bells. You’re one of the best craft breweries out there, you don’t HAVE to make a beer for the macro drinkers! Score lowered from 3 to 2.5.