REVIEW: Bell's Winter White & White Christmas

Some of my parings this Christmas season have been a little weak. Friday's was a little thin, and I'm sure  it won't be the last. Today's is a little on the obvious side. Bell's Winter White and White Christmas. I looked at Bell's other seasonal beer last year, Christmas Ale, a very tasty Scottish ale. Check out my thoughts on that one here. Bell's seems to be determined to subvert the usual expectations for Christmas beers. Their Christmas Ale is a simple sessionable Scottish ale, and Winter White is a Belgian style witbier. None of the hearty, ABV heavy, spiced ales that we're used to this time of year. But if Winter White is half as tasty as their Christmas Ale, then it absolutely will not disappoint.

REVIEW: Bell's Wheat Love Ale

So I really have no idea what this beer is. Wheat Love Ale Really isn't the most descriptive name. From the back of the bottle I was able to glean that it checks in at 8% ABV. That doesn't really help me out that much though. I think it's a fair guess that it's brewed with wheat, but that doesn't really narrow it down. Is it a weizenbock, dunkelweizen, some kind of imperial hefeweizen, imperial Oberon? (Oh man, that last idea has me intrigued.) Well, whatever it is, it's a new (to me) beer from Bell's That's enough for me. To the beer!

REVIEW: Bell's Oarsman Ale

More spring beer! The weather has cooled off since, but a couple of days ago it was downright hot. The weather had me craving something lighter and refreshing. So I turned to a bottle from one of the best. Oarsman Ale from Bell's, a sessionable Berliner weissbier. I didn't quite care for the first Berliner weissber that I had here on this blog, Dogfish Head's Festina Peche. But this is Bell's and I'm willing to give anything they brew a shot. Let's get to it. To the beer!

REVIEW: Bell's Hopslam

So we finally get to Hopslam. A bit of a holy grail for some beer geeks. If I'm being honest though, a bottle of Hopslam isn't really that hard to find. If you're on the ball, you can come across some fairly easily. I just walked into Krogers and walked out with a six pack. It's not like this beer is Dark Lord or Canadian Breakfast Stout or anything. But there certainly is a fair amount of hype swirling around this beer's release each year. Is that hype for hype's sake though, or is it warranted? Only one way to find out. To the beer!

REVIEW: Bell's Expedition Stout

While the Sixpoint Diesel I had yesterday sure did hit the spot, It did not quite sate my thirst for stouts. Although, I strongly doubt that could ever happen. I don't think I will ever get to a point where I say, "you know, I think I've had enough stouts." But it is finally legitimately the season for stouts. There's a couple of inches of snow on the ground and we're supposed to get more on Saturday. This weather demands a hearty beer that will stick to your ribs. Enter Bell's Expedition Stout. A 10.5% Russian imperial stout. I can't wait. To the beer!

REVIEW: Bell's Christmas Ale

I mentioned on Monday's post that I really appreciated that Southern Tier went in a new, weird direction with their Swedish Glögg inspired 2XMAS. It's always cool and fun to see brewers blaze new paths and do something different. Bell's has done something different with their Christmas Ale as well. But they've done something different, well, differently. Instead of a big spicy winter warmer, Bell's Christmas Ale is a sessionable Scotch ale brewed entirely using Michigan malt. Not a hint of seasonal spice to be found, no high ABVs, nothing extreme or wild or out of the ordinary. Just a good, drinkable beer, perfect for drinking a few at a holiday party. So, how does it stack up? Only one way to find out. To the beer!

REVIEW: Bell's Lager of the Lakes

I have no idea why it's taken me this long. I've been writing this blog for six months and I'm just now getting to my first beer from Bell's! It's shameful is what it is! But anyway, I rectify this egregious omission today. And what better way to celebrate Independence Day than enjoying a beer from one of the greatest American craft brewers? Of all of the beers from Bell's to start with, this is a bit of an odd one, for me at least. A lager. A simple, American, pale lager. I'm more familiar with Bell's big IPAs and Stouts. And the lager is kind of the domain of the big boys. The Budweisers, Millers, and Coors of the world. I started drinking craft beer because I was tired of pale lagers. But Bell's makes outstanding beers. How will this one stack up? To the beer!