Third Coast Beer

Third Coast Beer is Bell’s "lightest" offering, but if you know Larry, light means lightest in color, not character and flavor. This beer is an American Pale Ale by style, and is one of the most delicious, and drinkable examples of that style I have ever tasted. I stress this point, because Bell’s has another beer called Bell’s Pale Ale. Two pale ales? Why not! Larry Bell does brew four different kinds of stout, there should be room for two pale ales. These beers are actually quite different, the Third Coast Beer being an American Pale Ale, the Pale Ale being more in the British vein, being hopped with English hop varieties. Third Coast Beer pours to a slightly hazy, pale golden color, with a bright white head, and a soft carbonation. The nose is wonderful on this beer. Lots of citric, zesty, hop aromas marry with aromas of ripe fruit, and pale malts. The palate is firm with good pale and biscuit malt flavors, and light and jammy touches of estery fruit. This beer finishes with more good pale malt flavors, then dries with a very citric hop bite that lingers.

What an incredibly useful beer! I can serve this in place of a lager, so I can see why this may seem like a superfluous entry for Bell’s. I like the fruity component that is there, as well as its depth of flavor and mouthfeel. I wasn’t looking for overwhelming beer, so I am a fan of this one. Great on draught with food.

Named after what in Michigan thinks of Lake Huron as being its third coast of the Great Lakes, first and second are Lk.Superior and Lk.Michigan. Nice looking lager, soft hazy yellow, more orange at the top with a big luscious, pillowy head of stark whiteness that faded somewhat fast but always leaves a solid thin skim of foam the whole glass through, lacing is in stringy patches. Aroma is all malts, very biscuity, and bread doughish, with a slight soft touch of apple and citrus. Taste is darn nice, layered and fairly complex malts, soft and appealing, slight breadish quality with subdued yeast and hops that lend a bit earthy, nice mellowing bitterness and dryness follows through and lingers longly into the back of the throat and tongue. Very well balanced. Feel is a lighter medium body, pretty full too, with a bizaar light creamyness in the middle and giving way to a slight tingly dryness into the finish. This was a surprise to say the least, wasn't expecting it to be this good after reading so many mixed reviews. I figured its a Bell's it can't be all bad. And its not. One heck of a easy, well balanced little brew.

The aroma is absolutely clean with notes of bread, cookie, graham, crisp hops, Bell's signature yeast, and quite airy. The mouthfeel has a tonic side. Lemony notes and pale malt foundation here remind me of a crisp Pilsner. This is a great example of a delicately balanced APA. Mine has been sitting on the shelf for quite some time. Some age has done this some some good in comparison with other ratings. A perfect Summer drinker.

This is a horribly underrated beer., 42nd percentile, com’on. It’s delicious and lovely especially in the summer time. A lighter beer that still packs nice hoppy punch. Way more flavor and character than most APA’s.