Wild One - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.36/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle purchased in March 2012. Bottle #496 of 826. Batch K10857.
Poured in to snifter.

A - Medium copper/brown with a ruby glow around the edges. A ring of white head formed around the edges of the glass.

S - Sour and funk up front with oak and some berry notes.

T - A big tartness with some funk. More tart than sour. A big oak presence, some sour cherry and raspberries.

M - Light to medium body. Dry. Moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 16:16:09 | More by TheSevenDuffs

claspada

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed at a recent tasting hosted by hoppymcgee.

Pours a bright fall orange/light brown color with fizzy light off white head.

Aromas begin with lots of white vinous grapes. Golden apples, pears and a Champagne effervescence.

The tastes are highlighted by a dry, earthy oakiness. I am looking for more but the flavors are fairly one dimentional. As it warms you get a little more with some sour tart cherries and light lemon. These are very tart. A big vinegar and acidic flavor.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. The finish is very tart and bone dry; really really crisp and drying on the palate. Too dry to be honest for me.

Overall this was an okay beer but the base malt flavor profile didn't quite meld with the intense drying oak flavors. Not bad by any means, but not one I will be seeking out anytime soon. The small sample was enough to know this was not my cup of tea.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 16:25:46 | More by claspada

sweemzander

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz tap pour at Bells Eccentric Cafe

(A)- Pours a hazy reddish caramel color. Produced a good white head that dissipated after awhile.

(S)- A nice earthy dry brett funk with tart fruits in there too.

(T)- A good dry acidic tartness with nice fruits and dry funky earth.

(M)- A nice crisp carbonation level and a great balance. Not very sour, but carries a good acidity and funk.

(D)- A nice example for the style coming out of the midwest! I do wish it had a bigger sourness, but this is definitely a mellower, more balanced example.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2011 16:39:42 | More by sweemzander

mcallister

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reddish copper colored with a little head of white and hints of lace. The lack of head would be a culprit of the pour I would guess.

Tea, candy sugar, berry aromas, cherry, sweet tart and hints of red licorice. Brett?

Full of cherry in the mouth. Highly carbonated and drinkable. Sour, tart, and juicy. Very lively acidity and refreshing sour cherry with a side of brett. Vibrant and drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2008 22:25:17 | More by mcallister

scottfrie

California

3.48/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Batch K10851 336/826. Thanks Mike! Reviewed from notes.
A: Pours a dark ruddy iced-tea color with red highlights. Very thin short lived white head faded to collar.
S: Cherries, low acid, sweeter fruit juices and light funk and oak.
T: Buttery oak, twinge of acid, vinous red fruits and red berries dominate, buttery finish. Hints of brett are light.
M: Tingly carbonation pops up on my palate, medium body, drinks pretty easily.
O: A less exciting sour but still very drinkable and delicious. Not super complex. Thanks colonelforbin.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 16:30:18 | More by scottfrie

CrellMoset

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bells Wild One, on tap at Brick Store Pub, Decatur, GA. Reviewed from phone notes.

Appearance: Arrives a pleasant dark amber - an unusual but not unheard of hue for a wild ale - with some great stick from a foamy, creamy head with above average retention.

Aroma: Tannins tannins tannins are rampant here, juicy, tea-like, and leafy. Wine-like tartness and Brett-influenced sour apple notes mingle with lots of amber malts and caramel, roasty notes.

Taste: Tart but not puckering, which I imagine is largely a byproduct of the wine addition. Moderate funky Brett notes - not sour in origin - intermingle interestingly with slight buttery overtones. A roasted, caramel-like sweetness if soft but crisp, with the spy crispness mingling well with the tartness.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and pretty even, with fine carbonation amplifying the tartness without making it overbearing.

Drinkability: Apologies for the brevity of this review - this was a beer I had later in the evening, if you catch my drift. Regardless, I remember being a big fan of it. A lot of flavor going on here, with the wine addition both tempering and amplifying certain characteristics of the Brett (for better and for worse). At 6.6%, you can afford to have this one more than once to try and figure out exactly which characteristics get what treatment, too.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2010 05:16:20 | More by CrellMoset

homebrew311

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this while at the Eccentric Cafe.

A: no head, appears a brilliant deep red with good clarity, no lacing

S: familiar aroma of lactobacillus up front with a big tart cherry character. Notes of vanilla and grape skin, very fruity on the finish.

T: there is a nice tart puckering as the beer first passes across the palate. The sour character gives way to cherry and grapes, and a crisp tart finish. Nice balance going on between the sour and sweet components of the beer.

MF: spritzy carbonation, crisp

D: this is a dangerously drinkable sour. It would make a great entry for anyone who wants to get into sours, as it is balanced well. Hope to see this in bottles soon.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2011 08:27:44 | More by homebrew311

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750mL bottle poured into taster - thanks to erikkoppin

Pours a dark reddish color with pink and purple hues. Thin beige head fades away into some webbed lacing on the glass.

Plenty of red wine and dark fruit character in the nose. Funky and sour with a touch of vinegary acidity. Raspberry and cherry, oaky tannins, red wine and grape skin.

Strong sourness snaps at the tongue, attacking with dark fruit, cherry and raspberry. Red wine character, vinous with grape skins and acidity. Oak tones, earthy backbone and a soft funky touch. Warming, sour and dry on the finish.

Lighter medium body, higher carbonation, bubbly, dry and sticky on the tongue. Well-crafted, red wine/dark fruit-infused wild ale from Bell's. I wish this wasn't so limited, otherwise I'd be all over it.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 16:03:55 | More by xnicknj

jsanford

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Brewvival 2011.

Pours a surprisingly dark amber with a thin white head. Has a lot of nice Brown Ale characteristics of dark malt, roasted nuts, caramel, and brown sugar, but with solid Brett flavors of lemon, barnyard, and funk added to it. Light-bodied with crisp carbonation. I could drink a lot of this, it was a nice Dark Horse pick for one of my favorites of the day.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2011 23:43:30 | More by jsanford

jera1350

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Bryant Lake Bowl.

Pours a scarlet red color with good transparency. Not much in the way of head, but kind of expected.

Sour smelling with undertones of oak and cherry.

I would call this moderately sour for the style. Not overly sour, but more than enough to capture your palate. Sour cherry notes along with a nice woody oak taste in the finish. Very little sweetness.

Very dry as expected, lighter bodied.

This is a nice wild ale. It represents the style well and can appeal to sour heads and maybe some novice sour drinkers as well. It is a bit of a challenge to finish a whole glass alone, but I'm glad I tried it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2011 23:15:45 | More by jera1350

Gobzilla

California

4.03/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured an reddish orange in color with pinkish highlights that had a thin head and left very little lacing sticking to the glass.

S: cherries and raspberries were noticeable on the first whiff with signs of vinegar, subtle bretty funk like the description mentions, wine barrel character, slight vinous notes and hints of dark fruit.

T: fruit forward it is with raspberries and cherries leading the way alongside nice brett funk accents, mild vinegar flavor, great vinous wine barrel notes with a touch of citrus twang, mild must and a little underlying dark fruit.

M: the brew was light to medium in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a fruity, slightly vinegary, funky, woody, vinous tart and crisp finish.

O: solid brew all around, definitely glad to finally try a sour beer from bells.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 07:46:26 | More by Gobzilla

aasher

Indiana

3.63/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This one pours a dark cherry red with little to no head. It smells very tart and bitter, like tart cherries. The tastes is very tart and very, very dry. Like a fellow sampler put it, it's like a cherry wine with the after taste. It's very tart, very dry, and very bitter. It drinks crisp and fresh and very dry. It lacks true complexity. It doesn't offer any other fruits, yeast, funk, etc. It's kind of like a middle of the road kriek. The dryness definitely carries over to the after taste, leaving a tart cherry flavor behind. It's just ok as far as I'm concerned for a wild. I expected more. It's more like a middle of the road kriek than anything, and not very complex.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2010 05:47:52 | More by aasher

david131

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- The beer was a deep red, almost brown and pretty murky looking. The head was very small and white with no real retention.

S- A little sour and funky with hints of apple cider. The maltiness shows a little bit as well in the background.

T- Wow this is tart. This is definitely a naturally fermented beer. Lots of apple flavors blend well with the malt backing. Even with as sour as it is, a Bell's-ness flavor shines through.

M- Very tart and crisp. Leaves a very clean, mouthwatering feel to my mouth.

D- I was very happy to see this beer at the Eccentric Cafe and it was something nice for a change. Nice job Bell's.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2008 23:38:32 | More by david131

birchstick

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - pours deep ruby reddish color ¬¬without much of a head

S - nose is vinous with berries notes

T - starts off with citrusy vinous flavors. These fade to berries and lots of vinous character comes through on the finish. A little bit of booze, but not much, is on the finish as well.

M - medium to full body with an average amount of carbonation that has a dry finish

D - pretty solid wild ale. Lots of wine character with some good wild characteristics. I feel like time will do this one a favor. It still seems a little raw and not quite fully developed.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 15:34:36 | More by birchstick

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.23/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml caged and corked bottle. Bottle # 142 of 826. Batch K10851. Poured into my Lost Abbey tulip. This is BA review #400.

A: Pours a nice looking reddish, brown color. Good carbonation but only a thin layer of off white head. Drifts into a ring quickly

S: Tart black cherries. Vinegar. Mild funk. Doesn't smell to crazy.

T: A very good Flemish red or Oud Bruin style. Best if the night for me, other than some of the European varieties that are out there for much cheaper purchase price. Nice mild tartness. Definitely pulling those tart dark cherries. Maybe some of the green apple/crap apple character as well. Not overpowering balsamic. You do get a little oak toward the end of the palate.

M: Medium bodied. A little more robust than other sours of the night.

O: I really like this one. It's not the biggest Flemish sour out there but very good.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 13:51:53 | More by inlimbo77

AleWatcher

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Reviewed from voice notes taken at a previous tasting.
Typed up in an attempt to finally consolidate all of my reviews in one place.

I've had this on tap.... numerous times... And out of the bottle numerous times as well...
And yet I find that I haven't reviewed it? How is this possible?

Reddish pink in color. Pink-hued tan head becomes a cloud of wispy bubbles. Nice legs-- like a white wine almost.

Reminds me of some sort of sparkling cider or something in the nose-- ;lots of fruit notes that really work well. They're light, crisp, bright, tasty, and sour with raspberries and cherries leading the way. Very tasty.

Body is just about spot on.

overall-- very pleased that Bell's is bottling this one and I hope it gets released much more frequently.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 00:33:44 | More by AleWatcher

elNopalero

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

In looking back I now realize that my introduction to sour ales came much earlier than I previously thought, as I remember tasting the Wild One long before I had anything from Russian River or overseas and that was only because it was at Bell’s. So a note of appreciation, and a nod to this brief trip down memory lane.

This pours a burgundy color with thin to no foam remaining. There’s a tart, tart, tart aroma noticeable at first sniff. I pick up black cherries and maybe some sherry? The tartness is present at first sip as well, mouthpuckerinly so, mouthpuckeringly soured with more of the dark cherries and intense tartness that lasts through the finish. A wild one indeed. Fantastic.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2012 20:26:44 | More by elNopalero

Urbancaver

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at bells in december

Pours a beautiful purplish red with minimal head. smells very tart and sour. A bit of sweetness on the nose. Tastes like sour sweet tarts and lots of wine characteristics. Too bitter and sour for my taste but overall pretty solid. Okay mouthfeel but overall not something that sits right on my pallette.fairly drinkable for such a sour beer

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2011 05:06:12 | More by Urbancaver

spointon

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at the Eccentric Cafe on 8/28/2009, poured into a stemmed goblet. From my notes:

A= This ale poured a murky red-ish color with pretty much zero head and no lacing to speak of.

S= The aroma was pretty faint but to me it smelled more like a nice fruit brandy than anything else. Some wild yeast did come through as well though.

T= This was as much about tart fruit flavor as it was about any strong wild yeast sourness. The tartness is all over each swallow lending hints of blackberry, cherry, and raspberry combined with a hint of vinegar sourness and a classic dry finish.

MF= Thin side of medium bodied with a crisp, tiny-bubble mouthfeel.

D= Kudos to Bell's for making a very drinkable and palate-accessible sour beer. Though some will criticize this as being too middle of the road, I think its a perfect beer to bridge the gap for those who like sours and those who don't.

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2009 05:04:07 | More by spointon

BMoney575

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled on 4-26-08
On-tap at Bell's Eccentric Cafe

A cool dark and cloudy brown in the glass, with no real head, and thin lacing.

Smell is very Belgian, in a natural fermentation way.

Taste is mouth-puckeringly tart, with lots of Belgian and sour flavors. A subtle malt makes up the backbone, but the tartness overwhelms everything.

Mouthfeel is very good, the carbonation and tartness work well together.

Drinkability is good, if you like super sour.

Overall, this is a great beer that Bell's should bottle. It is a style completely dominated by Jolly Pumpkin, and a little competition is good for business.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2008 23:28:11 | More by BMoney575

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap in a cervoise at the Great Taste of the Midwest.

Appearance: My pour is an amber raspberry color with a delicate fluffy white head. The head bubbles away, but a little bit of lace sticks on the side of the glass.

Smell: Lots of lactic sourness and some Brett in the nose. Some cherry notes, and a little bit of musty oak as well.

Taste: This is a good example of what I look for in a sour mash beer. Some light sweetness up front, but the flavor becomes progressively more sour. Tart and refreshing, with lactic acid undertones and a general berry fruit sour flavor. The finish has a light, lingering sour flavor.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation is on the lighter side, but combined with the sour flavor, it has some zing to it. Crisp, a little bit vinegary, and refreshing. Medium bodied.

Overall: I was impressed by Bell's wild ale venture. With the flurry of beers served at this event, it was hard to sit down and really enjoy it, but I hope to be able to have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-29-2011 19:33:27 | More by KickInTheChalice

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

reviewed from notes taken on 5/19/12.

bottle 36 of 826. Batch K10851.

750ml cork and cage bottle poured into snifter glass.

Appearance: reddish copper bodied beer with thin white head. Drops quickly to no head.

Smell: tart cherries, mild funk, hay and wheat.

Taste: The beer is mild to moderately tart. Tart cherries and crab apples, hay and funk are not short to follow. The beer is also has hints of musk, vinegar, and has a fairly dusty flavor to it. Finish has some mild oak notes.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with low and delicate carbonation. Dry finish.

Overall: A really solid sour made by Bells. Its a little bit pricey around $20 a bottle, but I still enjoyed it none the less.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 03:53:52 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

brew3crew

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at the cafe. Served in a Sniffer. my first sour

A-Reddish color with no head
S-Very tart and sour. Way top sour if you ask me.
T-tart and funky. Very suprising as I loved the taste. Fruity and very smooth
M-Very smooth. wish this was bottled
D-Loved this beer. Gone with my drink in no time.
Didn't think I would like the sour but it came highly recommended, and it didn't disappoint.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2011 20:50:06 | More by brew3crew

seaoflament

California

3/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to hoppymeal for this surprise in our recent trade. A 500ml hand-bottle. The beer was shared among friends at the recent Stone Sour Fest 09.

The beer was a brown color with hints of strawberry red when held to the light, no head and quite flat unfortunately.

Bits of toast, caramel, vinegar, a bit vegetal too, herbal, and red apples. Not as "wild" or funky as I thought it would be. The vegetal note took me a while to pinpoint, it was the best I could describe it and was a distraction in the aroma.

Grainy flavors, a bit of vinegar, toast, red apples, grapes, a little more tart with a few sips. Semi-dry finish, a bit syrupy because of the lack of carbonation.

Would really like to try this again to give it a more fair review, but for now I have an idea on how the beer tastes like.

Serving type: growler

07-21-2009 02:30:23 | More by seaoflament

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.26/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750 ml bottle, generously shared at the Peg's tasting on 3/8/13.

A- Pours a hazy amber color, leaves a small off-white head.

S- Tart aroma of fruit, a Flemish-red sorta cherry aroma, lactic and vinous characters. Really nice, complex aroma.

T- Tart flavors of fruit, cherry and lactic acidity, has a nice musty funk and some wine-barrel oak flavor. Malt is a bit sweet.

M- Medium-bodied, smooth feel with nice carbonation, dry finish.

O- A nice sour, lots of Flemish red influences with good balance of tart, fruity and sweet malty flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 00:33:30 | More by WillCarrera