Bell's Oberon Ale - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

ManekiNeko

Virginia

4.65/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2003 version served chilled in a pint glass.

Appearance: Cloudy, golden yellow with a modest white head. Only retains a small ring of bubbles after a minute or so. No lacing to speak of.

Smell: Buttery, yeasty, and vanilla aromas, with faint orange and honeysuckle if you look for it. Wow!

Taste: A yeasty, bready taste with lemon and orange flavors in the background. Nummy.

Mouthfeel: Slightly buttery mouthfeel, but very light on body.

Drinkability: Oh great beergods, why doth thou taunt me so? Such heavenly ambrosia is only available to me via the kindness of other BA's. There's a certain Joni Mitchell song from the Blue album that pretty much says how much of this stuff I'd love to have.

Again, a hearty thanks to feloniousmonk for opportunity to try this.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2003 06:02:56 | More by ManekiNeko

dmarch

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Orange-golden in color with a thin white head. Appears to have a high level of carbonation. Aroma is a lot of yeast and some orange peel. Taste is predominantly wheat with a lot of yeasty flavor as well. I won't go out of my way for this, but I can see myself drinking this if I ever find myself in Michigan.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2003 15:58:53 | More by dmarch

Morris729

Texas

3.88/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orange-golden color with a creamy white head that dissipates into a fair amount of lace. Nose is sweet malt and yeast with some faint notes of orange zest. The same sweet malt is also present upfront in the taste along with some wheat followed by a bit of soured yeast. Touch of fruit towards the end with a mild bite of citrusy hops in the finish. Light to medium in body with a lively and refreshing active carbonation. A nice summer beer. Thanks to feloniousmonk for the sample!

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2003 02:59:31 | More by Morris729

Elemental

Oregon

3.85/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The color is wonderful, nice and pale but hazy with a slight orange hue to it. There is a nice medium amount of head, with a wonderful aroma. Nice and wheaty with a grassy earthy smell. As I kept drinking I noticed more and more fruity (orange) smells coming out. The taste is slightly tart with a nice body. Good mild hop flavor and bitterness which is what you expect from the aroma Overall a pretty good beer (and I am not a Hefe drinker, but of all the hefes I have tried this is on of the better ones out there)

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2003 01:01:47 | More by Elemental

Bruiser81

Kansas

3.4/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer was a light orange color and very cloudy with a solid white head, which didn't stick around long. The aroma was nice, orange peel, coriander, wheat, and a sort of grassy hop character. The taste wasn't bad but not near as deep as the smell. A slight bready flavor hits up front followed by a citrus-wheat flavor. At the back of the throat is when the slight hoppiness kicks in for a nice finish. A bit of yeast in the aftertaste. The carbonation is low so it goes down very smooth. A thin to medium mouthfeel. This beer would be very drinkable during those hot summer days.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2003 02:48:59 | More by Bruiser81

Fabric8r

Montana

3.73/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a slightly hazy yellow typical of a heffe. Bell's Pale Ale was more hazy than this though. Anyway this was a delightful beer, refreshing with a hint of the wheat flavor. Do they use honey at all? I am not sure if I could taste the residuals of honey, but the flavor made me think of it. Good beer, refreshing, wished I had more than the one bottle from tavernjef.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2003 18:14:23 | More by Fabric8r

nomad

Kansas

2.93/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured a beautiful, tasty-looking orange color that was very murky but concealing plenty of carbonation. Had a thin sponge head sitting eternally and lots of good wheat beer lace. Smell was faintly of summer fruits and serious hay and wheat tones. Taste was a firm wheat with fruity tones to it. A long bready finish slowly rolled into hops. But, like many a good American wheat beer, this has it all except the yeast to give the great scents and flavors of a traditional hefe (see Paulaner, Weihenstephan).

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2003 19:44:43 | More by nomad

PhantomVodoo

Ohio

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy yellow to golden color. Head is just slightly off-white. Lots of yeast sediment in the bottle.
Nice aroma that really does smell like a summer afternoon. Wheat is prominent with lemon and orange citrusy notes. Some yeast as well.

Wheat is also prominent in the taste. Tart and crisp, yet relatively smooth. Nicely balanced. Citrus not as noticeable in the taste as in the aroma. Yeast plays a role here to.

Good mouthfeel.
Good drinkability.

Overall, this a good wheat ale. Nice summer beer woth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2003 23:14:17 | More by PhantomVodoo

Tballz420

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Now this is a fine summer drink. It pours out cloudy with a large foamy white head. Its a murky gold color with sediment actually visable (maybe i didnt mix it in well enough?). Its taste is quite good, citrus flavor in front of a spicy hop bite in the back. One of the better hefes that i have had. Try it out on a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2003 20:22:09 | More by Tballz420

freed

Oregon

4.33/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A light, dry, transparent straw color, quick head. Smells of the yeast, and an unleavened bread feeling takes over. The taste is very pleasing, much like the bread. Somewhat dry feel with a nice bitter taste and a fresh citrus quench. One of the best Wheat's I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2003 16:24:53 | More by freed

granger10

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a nice orange color with a nice sized head that leaves a solid amount of lacing down the sides of the glass. Aroma of yeast and hops with a slight fruitiness. The main flavors are of tarty fruits, esp. orange. Saaz hops are used and are a perfect complement to the tartiness. Grainy malts seem to be in the mix as well. Coriander is also a strong flavor in this beer. I don't really know if this should be called a hefe but I do know that this is one great beer from one great brewery.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2003 13:24:44 | More by granger10

TheDM

Indiana

3.2/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This brew poured a very large invigorated head of finely sized white bubbles and a cloudy orange unfiltered yeasty body. It had a decent hop aroma and was slightly fizzy in its initial mouthfeel while coming to a smooth finish with its mild hop flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2003 22:25:46 | More by TheDM

xgrigorix

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Twelve ounce brown bottle - no freshness / bottling date.

Pours cloudy yellow / orange with a fluffy white head that won't quite. Loads of sticky lace left behind.

Nose is clean and fresh, with citrusy lemon notes.

Has substantial body, smooth & creamy. Is this really a wheat beer?

Sweet & raw grain flavors up front, goes slightly spicy in the middle. Finishes lemony, tart, tangy, & dry.

This one just begs for a piece of cheese to enjoy with it!

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2003 11:57:02 | More by xgrigorix

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

The rains-a-comin' down outside, no fireworks, so let's try the Oberon...

Light, cloudy, tangerine color. Sparse bits of sediment settle to the bottom. No head, just a crown of bubbles on the outside.

Light floral aroma, very unassuming, but pleasing.

Light and fruity taste up front, oranges and lemons, a light hop bite, very delicious! Aftertaste is just slightly bitter, wonderfully balanced. Mouthfeel is smooth with adequate carbonation, clean enough for a summer ale.

Drinkability - Wow. A nice summer brew with great flavor and balance, just enough taste to lure you into more. Perfect for summer.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2003 08:30:13 | More by brewdlyhooked13

SheepNutz

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this one in a 12oz. bottle poured into a Bell's pint glass. It pours a slightly hazy yellow-orange with many yeast chunks floating about. There is only 1 small finger of head, and almost no lacing. The smell is full of fruit, some citrus aroma, maybe orange. The taste has some citrus and peach flavor. It is a little yeasty, but quite refreshing. The body is fairly heavy for a wheat. This fine summer ale also has a great drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2003 18:30:07 | More by SheepNutz

IrishRedRock

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very cloudy light orange color, little head but white lace retains well. Enormous chunks of yeast sediment floating throughout the glass, some of the biggest I have seen. Grassy aroma in the nose, as well as orange and yeast.

This wheat ale is very well balanced in my opinion. Begins on the fruiter, wheat side. Finishes slightly dry and mildly hoppy. Mouthfeel is such that it takes nothing to sip this brew, and one could easily have many on a warm summer evening. Slight carbonation to start with, and finishes smooth and dry. A nice interpretation of an American wheat, and a great summer brew at that.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2003 16:52:21 | More by IrishRedRock

daledeee

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had a draw of this while in Wisconsin, This prompted me to by a six pack. The tap beer was GOOD! Good head nice taste. I bought a six pack of it to bring home. I opened the beer. No head. The nose was still OK. Some fruit, yeast and malt. The taste still had some bite. But overall it was just flat tasting compared to the keg stuff. The only thing that saved the review is that this is good tasting beer. Good malt character and some bite. I will try this again. It must be the batch.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2003 16:29:56 | More by daledeee

MissOrch

New York

4.08/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I poured one of these for me, and one for a friend. Hers was a lovely, smooth, cloudy caramel color, and mine poured lots of yeasty, chunky sediment. The head on both was thin and fine, with delicate lacing down the sides.

The beer smelled strongly of apricots and slightly yeasty. The fruity smell was more tart than sweet, and reminded me of Magic Hat's #9. There was no sweetness or tartness to the taste. It was very crisp and clean, a little yeasty, and a very light mouthfeel. This is decent summer ale, light, no heavy tastes, although the flavor is slightly lacking. It's extremely drinkable, however. I had two, and that's a lot for me in one setting (short attention span).

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2003 07:17:20 | More by MissOrch

BierReise

Florida

3.18/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Looks like a Belgian Wit, deep honey colored with thin white head., wnd little retention. Aroma is a bit yeasty with heavy wheat malt presence. Very crisp on the palate which reminds me of a belgian style. Flavor is mediocre. A somewhat generic bland flavor to it that reminds me of Blue Moon's white. No great flavors really jumping out at you. Finishes slightly bitter, and a little stale.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2003 13:06:07 | More by BierReise

Mitchster

Michigan

4.55/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

OG=1.057, 6.0% ABV.

Brewed with wheat malt and Saaz hops.

One of my favorite things to look forward to in the summer, Bell's Oberon is my quintessential summer beer. Poured with the yeast, the lovely brew is milky peach with occasional flocculant clumps of white yeast floating down the side of my goblet. The head is decent sized, but quickly thinning, white in color atop fine bubbles. The retention and lacing are "just" good, which prevents it from getting an exceptional rating for appearance. Carbonation is less than most wits, in the mild to moderate range. Aroma is tantalizing: husky, sweet pale malts, a very fruity ferment with notes of peach, red apples and pears, filling it out is wet, yeasty bread dough and barely detectable alcohol. Hops are barely discernable, if at all. Mouthfeel is unbelievably smooth and creamy for a bottled beer..it covers the tongue and leaves a pleasant lingering sweetness with a wet finish akin to an authentic English Mild. Taste begins with bready malts, has just a smidge of hops balancing out the fruitiness, doughy yeast fills the mouth, ending in a silky smooth, very mild bitterness.

Addenum: I have been drinking this beer for at least 10 years (back when it was called Solsun) and my only beef is that it is the most inconsistent of Bell's brews, even varying between bottles of the same 6-pack. I have tried this about 10 tens this year (2005) and all 10 times it has sucked. If I were to go by this years experience, I would be hard pressed to give it a 2.5. Since the move to Comstock, this is now a yeasty pungent swill. Somebody has fucked up big time. The rating above is based upon my prior tastings, and I can't recommend it any further.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2003 15:06:07 | More by Mitchster

jcalabre

California

3.23/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Originally sampled on 2 October 2002. This beer pours a cloudy yellow color. The flavor has a nice bite on the palate. It very much reminds me of a white beer. I think that this is a pretty good American wheat. Not one of Bell's best, but certainly very good.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2003 20:35:19 | More by jcalabre

hotstuff

Indiana

3.03/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured a large envigorating white creamy head with fine bubbles. The aroma appeared to be citrusy. The lacing was sparse on the sides of my glass. It was bitter tasting and it left a lingering aftertaste. I was expecting a better brew than what this one turned out to be.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2003 08:09:09 | More by hotstuff

Brent

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I'm not sure what I have here. Certainly a wheat, lightly tart and clean, but not at all a phenolic German, a fruity Belgian or an insipid American. Surpising caramel malt notes well balanced with the wheat flavors. Not like any wheat I've had before. Not spectacular, but interesting and ejoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2003 07:16:17 | More by Brent

Winter

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy golden orange with a fluffy white head. A lot of particles are visibly suspended in the body. Aroma consists of wheat, citrus, baking pizza dough, some sweetness and just a hint of banana. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, starting off smooth then turning crisp. Pleasant wheat flavor with a hoppy bitterness in the middle. A citrus finish rounds things out and has a lingering grainy quality to it. A very refreshing summer ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2003 10:29:43 | More by Winter

francisweizen

Australia

4.2/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

An excellent American wheat beer. This pours a nice peach-y colour with an ample, creamy head. The aromas are of wheat, yeast, and spice. The taste? A combination of the afforementioned three things. The mouthfeel, not too thick and never too thin. The drinkability? Endless. One of the best American wheat beers.

Cheers to KennyD for the sample!
-F

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2003 12:49:13 | More by francisweizen