Bells Wheat Love Ale

(RETIRED)

	Percentile
	91
	overall

A Barley Wine formerly brewed by
Bells Brewery
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

bottling
unknown

on tap
available

Local Distribution
Find this beer

Send Corrections

Ratings Average Score Seasonal ABV Style Pctl Serve in Advanced
261 3.63/5.0 3.63/5.0 Special 8% 58.6 Snifter P Stats

Commercial Description:
Bell’s Wheat Project (2005) is an experimental foray into the development of complex flavors in beer. The Project comprises five new ales, four in series and one specialty strong product. The first four, Wheat 2, Wheat 4, Wheat 6 and Wheat eight are all made using 55% Wheat (either wholly or mostly malted) and 45% Barley malt. The barley malt makeup is exactly the same in each of the four and consists of three different malts. The total amount of grain in each of the four is also exactly the same, so each of them should have a virtually identical original gravity. The type and amount of hops in each of the four is exactly the same. And the processing through the brewhouse and fermentation is also exactly the same. The changing factors between the ales are the composition of the 55% of wheat used and the type and number of yeast strains used. In Wheat 2 the 55% of wheat is made up of two different kinds of wheat malt, and this ale is made with two different yeasts. Wheat 4 is made with four different wheats and four yeasts. Wheat six and eight made with six and eight wheats and yeasts respectively. The final product, Bell’s Wheat Love Ale, is made with the eight yeasts of Wheat eight and is a strong, but relatively light colored, “wheatwine.” 2. Basic Content List for the Wheat Series Wheat Two Wheats: White, Dark Yeast: Bell’s house ale strain, WLP410 Belgian Wit II Wheat Four Wheats: White, Victory, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied Yeast: WLP550 Belgian, WLP570 Golden, Wheat Two blend Wheat Six Wheats: White, Dark, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied, Red, Caramel Yeast: WLP500 Trappist, WLP530 Abbey, Wheat Four blend Wheat Eight Wheats: White, Dark, Victory, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied, Red, Caramel, Chocolate Yeast: WLP4000 Belgian Wit I, WLP565 Saison, Wheat Six blend

Most Recent

Top Raters

Highest Ratings

Who's Rated This?

MAP (910), Lakewood, Ohio, USA

3.8	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.8	8/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	17/20

Jan 16, 2006
Grassy wheat aroma with a nice sweet sugary citrus backing. A slight hint of caramel as well. Flavor is more of the sweeter side, light citrus and coriander notes coming through with a bubbly sugar taste sweetness. Palate is quite smooth, it has some initial grainy feel to it, but smooths out from the sugars mixing with the alcohol.

coyotehunter (35), , Michigan, USA

3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3	4/10	5/5	4/10	4/5	13/20

Dec 2, 2008

A special thanks to MrBunn for this one. Batch 7155.This beer didnt impress me the first time, and again it didnt the second. I found myself hoping for something better, but I think this one has aged past its prime, and at the time of production may have been better. Its ok, kinda sweet and malty...but a little thin. lasting wheat finish.

fordest (1857), Santee/San Diego, California, USA

3.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.5	7/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	15/20

Oct 8, 2008

12 oz bottle. Dark fruit aromas and flavors. Some banana in there for interest. Touches of wheat twang on the finish. Not to bad

stefanje (609), (Santee) San Diego, California, USA

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	6/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	15/20

Oct 5, 2008

12 oz bottle courtesy of fordest. Poured a cloudy dark yellow. Aroma was light with biscuit and fruits. The flavor showed mangoes, apricots and slightly banana tasting wheat. The mouthfeel was full and malty. The finish was long with a bit of lingering spices. Overall: A very good beer, I was expecting and hefe or wit, so this was quite a surprise.

padrefan98 (659), (San Diego) Santee, California, USA

3.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.5	8/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	14/20

Oct 5, 2008

Bottle shared by fordest at his house. A Barley wine? Hmm. I wasn’t expecting that. Pretty good. Honey and clove detected.

kmweaver (2273), Nicaragua

3.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.2	6/10	4/5	7/10	3/5	12/20

Sep 23, 2008

12oz bottle. Pours a clear, bright orange color; off-white head with fine-bubbled lacing. Overripe light fruits, honey, and light spicing in the aroma; slightly overripe with plenty of honeyed sweetness; light wheat. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: sweet honey, very light spicing, and mildly husky wheat; overly sweet, under-carbonated, and lots of sticky sweetness; seems a bit past its prime at this point; sweet, honey-laden wheat beer. Some dried caramel and sweet sugar. Lengthy finish: cardboard maltiness, honey, and sweet sugar; most definitely ends on the sweet side.

would you like to read more ratings?

Then join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community. Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings.

Desired User Name
*

Valid Email (Needed to verify your account)
*

Relax. RateBeer is 100%, guaranteed spam-free. That's our promise to you.

I agree to the terms of the RateBeer User Agreement

RATE THIS BEER
Aroma
Appearance
Flavor
Palate
Overall impression
TOTAL SCORE
Comments

More Barley Wines

Hair of the Dog Dave (4.45)

Lost Abbey The Angels Share (4.27)

Lost Abbey The Angels Share (Bourbon Barrel) (4.24)

Iron Hill Oak Aged Old Tom (4.18)

North Coast Old Stock Cellar Reserve Brandy Barrel (4.18)

AleSmith Barrel Aged Old Numbskull (4.16)

Stone Bourbon Barrel Old Guardian Barley Wine (4.14)

Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine (4.11)

Kuhnhenn Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine (4.1)

Barley Johns Barrel-Aged Rosies Ale (Batch 2) (4.07)