Bells Oberon Ale

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

Pours thick for a summer ale, with no head and a murky blonde appearance with lots of large floaties. The bottom of the bottle is coated with a thick layer of white sediment. Smells very citrusy and mildly sweet. Mouthfeel is unusually thick and slightly creamy - flavor is slightly tangy, with a big citrus flavor and a nice malt presence for a summer beer - the finish is slightly bitter and hoppy, but mellows to a mild sweetness in the long term - aside from the appearance, this is probably the best wheat beer I've had yet.

(12 oz bottle: Obtained in trade with Eyedrinkale, thanks Mike!) Mmm mmm, that breadiness is tasty as could be. But wait, I thought this is a wheat beer? Extremely bready, quite sweet and fruity, lightly spicy and hoppy, with a solid grain/wheat malty base. Okay, so it’s a really good American wheat beer. Lots of sweet, bready malt and fruit in the nose, but not really all that wheaty and certainly no aroma of hops. Medium bodied, and pretty substantial for a summer wheat beer. Pale golden in color, slightly hazy, with a lot of flaky particles suspended in the beer. The small white head settles to a thin ring, and leaves a number of thin, interconnected strands of lace on the glass. If only all American Wheats tasted this good, it might actually be a worthwhile style.

Bottle from my girlfriend after visiting Michigan: Very cloudy honey colored pour with not clarity at all and a dense creamy white head. Crisp bright aroma. Wheaty, fruity, light grains, honey soaked lemon, peppery phenolics and lemon grass. Creamy and substantial feel- yet it’s refreshing. Creamy wheat malt flavors with a touch of grain, some lemon grass and a note of herbal honey and late zesty smooth grassy bitterness to make it insanely drinkable. Great summer beer!

On the pour, a magnificently chill hazed golden yellow color, the head is mountainous in size, creamy in consistency, and as it erodes, the lace left behind is a fine cover upon the glass. The aroma of yeast, orange peels, sweet malt, quite a treat for this old nose. Sweet with lots of malt, the top middling in feel to the palate, finish has a moderate acidity, the hops spicy in their persistent bite, dry as a desert bone aftertaste, quite a nice beer.

Medium hazy, peachy gold, thin beady head. Mild, slightly sweet fruit and cereal aroma. Tart, medium-light sweetness. Good body, not too fizzy. Well-crafted. great summer fare. Esters are contrained.

Pours a ruddy yellow with a small head. Lightly fruity nose and strong german malt. There is a strong presence of german malt (munich I think) in the flavor, along with a nice wheatiness. A touch of hops.

Bottle pours a hazy pale yellow, with a large rocky white head, light carbonation, and with attractive lacing.   Wheat malts and lemon zest on the nose, as well as what I like to refer to as 'dog farts' or 'pond water', typical in many American Wheat beers.   There is also a spicyness to this that I cannot pinpoint.   Up front it is rather wheaty, slightly citrusy, and again with that odd spice.   That spice isn't far off from perfumed hairspray.   While not bad, it doesn't really add to this beer.   Finishes with a somewhat medicinal flavor.   Body & mouthfeel seem alright, but the aroma and strange flavor throw me off.   Thanks goes out to MarkR for the trade!

On tap at Capital Ale House - Downtown. Very hazy orange body with a small creamy white head. Sweet caramel and spice flavor with a wheat background. Sweet fruity flavor, some caramel hints, some spice and a gentle banana ending.