Bell's Oarsman - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

LambicPentameter

Kansas

3.46/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at The Foundry in Kansas City, MO. Served in a standard pint glass.

Appearance - Rather disappointing, based on comparing it to my only other frame of reference for a Berliner Weisse (1809). The color is lemon yellow with carbonation bubbles drifting up through the beer as it sits. Head is white and about a half finger at best, and doesn't hang around long, leaving spotty bubbles on top. Looks very flat.

Smell - CItrus, grassy, some twinge of sourness, as well as the wheat characteristics. Promising, especially after the lackluster appearance.

Taste - Actually pretty good. I like the tartness and notes of lemon and lemongrass. Almost reminds me of a shandy with how lemony it is. I could totally drink this on a hot summer day, but I would like it to be more carbonated.

Mouthfeel - Like the appearance, I feel like it was negatively impacted by the carbonation situation. I get some hints of carbonation in my mouth, but it fades quickly, and just feel like a beer that is a little flat. It reminded me in a very small way of the mouthfeel of some of the popular macro lagers.

Overall, an up and down beer. Some elements are really nice, but others are quite uninspiring. I can't help but wonder if the tap was calibrated, because the others at my table seemed to have beers that lost carbonation quickly.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2013 02:55:56 | More by LambicPentameter

Bitter_Echo

Michigan

3.76/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Travelers 14oz mug. An American Wild Ale. Pours hazy lemony yellow, opaque, low head, blotchy lacing. Nose vague, hidden, wet, etoh. Citrus notes, wetness, then light bitter sour notes effervesce. Goes well with salt. Afternotes linger, lactic isn't too biley, clean flavors. Would like to have a more bitter hop bite on this to elevate. Carbonation is finer, moving to lambic, but fatter at the end. Somewhat champagne-like in mouth feel. Low EtOH allows for an easy another.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 00:41:57 | More by Bitter_Echo

downeyj4

Michigan

3.96/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a good introduction to sour beers. It refreshes the palate, but isn't overwhelmingly sour. It finishes crisp and clean. It has hints of ripe fruit like sour apple, but still has a grainy backbone. It is great to drink when the weather is warm, or if you like a change of pace from heavy stouts or hopped up IPAs. It won't knock you out of your chair, but I think that it is definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 05:26:09 | More by downeyj4

Maninthearena

Minnesota

3.16/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Appearance- Fairly unremarkable, typical yellow amber color. Not much of a head. Although this is pretty typical of the style.

Smell- Yeasty with some stewed vegetable/grain qualities. Some vinegar too, "pale" smelling. Felt like there could be more character here.

Taste- Lemon, and definitely the sour elements of lemon rather than the more fruity tones. Sour lactic qualities like a thin sour cream.

Mouthfeel- Very fine fizzy carbonation, pretty thin. Very tarty with some nice snap to it. I came to like the feel more as I progressed through the beer.

Overall- Definitely shows the characteristics of a Berliner weissbier. While I haven't tried many of the style I'm so far not used to their sour flavors making it a bit difficult to gauge its quality.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 00:27:16 | More by Maninthearena

Kelsiemoeller

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Appearance - hazy straw yellow color with a heavy amt of carbonation rising up

Smell - sour funkiness with a hint of lemon scent. Slight wheat presence, smells refreshing

Taste and Mouthfeel- Crisp light wheat flavor and then a taste lemon juice. The sour taste comes in right afterward. Is a bit herbal-tasting

Overall - a great beer for a hot, summer day. It is a good beer to just sit and sip.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 18:24:28 | More by Kelsiemoeller

Thaddeus

Michigan

2.79/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Appearance: Light yellow and fizzy, small white, fizzy head. Clear and sparkling.

Aroma & Taste: Light malt and straw notes, with some grapefruit and pineapple. Light fizzy mouthfeel with moderate acidity. The acidity gives the beer a sour taste that has a slight sweetness to it.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 15:54:03 | More by Thaddeus

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

4.11/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A- Medium yellow to a little golden and very cloudy. Small head that fizzes up quickly, but goes away just as quick. No lacing because of the lack of retaining head. Body is opaque and effervescent.

S- Light and heavy on the grains and wheat notes. Slight hints of spices along with a little hints of the sour mash scent mix together. Really distinct light grains are ended with a very slight citrus scent.

T- Starts with mild grains like on the scent and moves quickly into a mild sour note. More just tart that sour. Mostly a lemon-like sour quality, that is there only for a short bit before moving back into wheat flavors. Grains end it with slight contributions of spice and a hint of hops bitterness, just not much.

M- Light and refreshing. Very highly carbonated, but still very easy to drink. Slight sour kick makes it even more refreshing. Body is still light despite the big grain bill.

Overall, this is a great way to get your sour fill in a cheap and easy to find beer. Great, if not ideal, example of the style. The perfect summer lawnmower beer if shandies aren't your thing.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 14:59:22 | More by boilermakerbrew

noahallington

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

This beer has a pleasantly tart, citrusy aroma. It has a bright light gold appearance. The beer was at first crisp and refreshing, followed with a tart citrus taste, almost like a weak lambic. Very light mouthfeel makes it very refreshing and clean, this beer would be a perfect one to end the day with.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 22:49:44 | More by noahallington

Zraly

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured into a Beach Brewing Co. kolsch glass. Hazy, fizzy yellow with wheat and pale malt nose. Soft but quick-to-dissipate head.

Tangy and sour, but not so sour your mouth puckers, this is a very refreshing and light brew offered by Bell's. Light wheat flavors accompanied by sour candy notes. Lemon and lemongrass hint toward the end. Light bodied and feels a bit like champagne in the mouth. I really like the crispness.

In summary: a light -- but slightly funky -- sour brew that should work well on its own or with some lighter foods (e.g., nice green salad with lots of avocado and tomato).

An excellent summer session ale. Great to drink while grilling -- the low AVB will lead to fewer fires!

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 22:46:39 | More by Zraly

kirs10jones

Michigan

3.4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Love how light and refreshing it is. This beer makes a great all day drinking beer since it's also a lighter ABV. An excellent starter sour beer for those that aren't too familiar with sours. Would like to be able to drink all through the summer though, which sometimes doesn't happen as it's apparently a fall seasonal. The fact that people haven't caught on to how nice this sour is makes it last longer at retail locations though, which is a plus.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 16:36:18 | More by kirs10jones

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

We pour a brew of crisp yellow straw coloring. It holds a one and a half finger head of tight white bubbles. This retains decently, leaving wisps of lacing around the glass. There is a mild haze to the clarity, but no sediment. Carbonation appears light. The aroma gives tart zing of pale grain, with lactics, lemony bite, chalky wheatiness, bright metallics, dried grassiness, and faintly sugary soured cherries. With warmth comes baking flour, acetaldehyde, and raw, tannic white grape skins. Our first impression is that flavoring is much lighter, sweeter, and refreshing than the nose suggests. As we sip, watered pale grain, sweaty saltines, zesty orange and lemon spritz, soured lactics, and mineral start things off. Moving to the peak is a mix of enhanced lemon rind bitterness, light bubblegum ester sweetness, dry and toasty pale malts, and juicy yeastiness. We finish with a light wheaty wash. This effectively cuts much of the prior tartness, helping us finish on a clean, albeit one-sided, note. The aftertaste breathes with sweat, green banana, wheat, lemon rind, chalk, and soured pale graininess. The body is light, and the carbonation is light to medium. The mouth is cooled with each sip, lightly coated, and crisply sucked dry at the base of the hard palate. Slurp, sip, froth, and cream and all lighter, but appropriately so. The abv is way easy, and drinkability is excellent.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this beer was its lightness and ease of drinkability. The aroma introduced a serious sourness and tartness, while the flavoring, via crisp grain and citric inclusions, smashed, smoothed, and blended things into a concise, easy final product. No one component ever became overwhelming, and the wheat stayed right where it needed to be to ensure the strength of the base. If we are being picky, the flavoring does ease up a bit too much at the end of the sip and, at times, can feel watered through. This, however, doesn’t change the fact that this is one clean, refreshing, and sessionable beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 00:57:41 | More by TheBrewo

AmitC

Indiana

3.94/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Color is straw pale. About one finger thick off white colored head with not enough retention. Recedes fast. Excellent lacing on the sides. Hazy and opaque. Calm with very few bubbles.

Aroma is definitely if a wheat beer. A good amount of tartness comes through in the nose. Some clove phenols. Very little banana. The initial sweetness gives way to sour tartness. Very dry smell. Wheat proteins and yeast do come through.

Taste is a lot like what aroma is all about. Dry finish. Tart. Slightly borderline sour. Some clove and spicy flavors. Wheat sweetness and the sourness probably from yeast seem to collide to give rise to a not so sour or sweet taste. Very light at 4%.

Mouth feel is light bodied. Low to moderate carbonation. Dry feel throughout. An easy drinking beer if you like sours/tarts.

Not for me. Once is enough.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 00:48:11 | More by AmitC

Maxwell

Massachusetts

3.79/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

The beer pours a spritzy golden orange with a small, egg shell white head of tight bubbles that quickly fizzles into a rim on the glass. The beer’s body is misty but clear of particles, and chock full of a torrential river of carbonation bubbles that are constantly racing up the glass. For lacing, the beer leaves small slippery strings that do not stay on the glass long. On the nose, the beer smells deeply of cereal wheat, almost like a meaty wheat flake. There is the faintest hint of tartness in the beginning of the nose, but that is quickly eaten up by the thick bready caramel wheat smell that makes me think this beer is heavier than it is. On the tongue, the beer tastes lightly acidic with a nice sweet wheat malt roundness to the taste. In flavor, the beer begins as tart, almost citric acid that washes quickly over the tongue and is replaced by light chewy lemon wheat bread (without the acid) and a touch of citric orange. The finish is of light lemon and orange water, mixed in with a touch of sweet wheat malts. As the beer warms, a wheat flake flavor does enter the beer throughout the taste. The aftertaste is light and tingly, similar to how the mouth feels after a light tea, or flavored water. In the mouth, the beer feels a step above light in body, with a strong prickly carbonation that never grows out of control and helps to punctuate the flavor notes on the palate. The mouth is left fairly clean, with only the faintest feeling of carbonation burn and a touch of sticky malt candy covering the mouth. Overall this beer is nice, and could definitely be a great all day beer. Its light spritziness makes it refreshing and interesting, but I kind of wish there was more tartness to this beer. It’s simple and nice, but it doesn’t blow me away, and it really just leaves me desiring a fuller flavor. A great session beer for sure, if you want something light, but you can find more flavorful beers for the ABV level.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 01:24:07 | More by Maxwell

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.14/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

12oz. bottle served in a Westvleteren 12 chalice. Shared with schen9303.

Pours a .5 finger foamy white head that dissipates quickly. Beer is a clear pale lemon yellow. Lacing is non-existent. Not much going on here.

Nose is a very light tartness mixed with some foaminess. Malty aroma lingers in the background. Moderately aromatic. I'd like this to be a bit more tart and a touch more funky.

Opens lightly tart lemon. Slight acidity with some lemon rind and a crisp, light malt body in the back. Ends wheaty with a slight pucker right at the finish. Aftertaste is sweet and tart. Again, like the nose, not much going on here.

Light bodied with ample carbonation. Light and spritzy in the mouth and crisp and refreshing going down. Accented finish with a rather clean aftertaste. Nice.

Not a bad beer but I expect more from a world-class brewery like Bells. There's just not much going on here as if Oarsman is made to have syrup added to it. There's more interesting beers in the style though this is still worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 00:52:54 | More by SpeedwayJim

TheSSG

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a HUGE, soft, white head that fizzes very loudly as it slowly collapses to form a nice layer across the top. Yeasty goodness and soft wheat in the nose with a touch of tartness. Turbidity gives it the color of light straw. Starts sour and bright, with no real hop presence. A slight flash of metallic as it transitions into a smooth, nice malt finish. Finish is nice, malt, a little yeasty.

Overall, I like this. Is it the best Berliner Weisse, ever? No.
Is it the best session, ever? Maybe.
Clocking in at 4.0% ABV, this is WONDERFUL for drinking. The mouthfeel is fantastic effervescent and light enough to pair well with the tartness. The low ABV keeps this one being REFRESHING! It's my easy-to-get fix for my Berliner cravings!

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 01:50:46 | More by TheSSG

estlinska

Arkansas

3.56/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle to a standard shaker, May 2012. Pours a pale, hay colored yellow with a little haze to it. Very thin head, but very active bubbles rushing up from the bottom. Smells heavy of yeast and fresh bread with a cutting smell of acid and lemon rind as well. The taste and mouthfeel was very clean, like a standard lager but with good body and obvious wheat sweetness to it. It did get a little cloying after a little bit and almost tasted like a lemon jolly rancher. The ABV says sessionable, but it was just a little too sweet to me.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 21:32:50 | More by estlinska

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.49/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Pipeworks Berliner Weiss glass.

A- pours a light pilsner color with a half finger white head. No lacing.

S- pale malts, wheat, slight sourness, and some lemon.

T- light sour mash, light caramel, some lemon

M- light body and medium carbonation. Light, thin feel with very little acidity.

O- average Berliner with very mild sourness and a thinner feel than others I have had.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 00:55:41 | More by kawilliams81

kevanb

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, dated 10/29/2012, poured into a Bell's tulip.

The beer pours a murky straw color, very hazy, hues of gold and lemon zest with a thin, fizzy white head, barely a half finger high, that recedes into nothingness quickly leaving behind a trace of film and no lacing. The aroma is of tart, lightly acidic citrus, lots of wheat with some floral notes. The aroma is quite light, a bit more tart and sour than I'd prefer. The flavors are similar, notes of banana, tart citrus with lots of wheat and some sweet cereal grain at the finish. The body is nice, carbonation is lively, but not prickly and abrasive, finishes nice and smoothly.

Verdict: A bit lacking for such a simple style, the balance of flavors seems to be a touch out of whack and it's lacking brightness and vibrancy that makes this style really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 00:30:29 | More by kevanb

RuEXP1

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured from bottle into standard pint.

A: Light color, slightly cloudy. Heavy amount of carbonation, little to no white colored foam. Lots of bubbles clinging to the glass. No lacing.

S: Smells of citrus and vinegar. Not personally fond of the smell.

T: Tart taste, follows up on the citrus smell. I get a sense of green apples or grapes.

M: Overall good mouth feel. The interplay of the carbonation and the tartness makes for a pleasurable sip.

O: Was not aware this is a sour upon purchasing. That is my fault for not reading the back of the bottle. I just read "ale". Anyhow, I tried to judge fairly based on the fact that I am not a fan of sour beers. The initial pour did not look like a "high end" beer to me. The heavy carbonation and yellow color reminded me of a cheaper light beer. The lack of foam and lacing added to this. However, actually tasting the beer turned it around for me. The tartness and carbonation played well with each other and created a beer that is reminiscent of something like white wine. The aftertaste and smell of vinegar are sort of a turn off for me. I imagine that for people that enjoy sours this is a pretty decent one. However, it is not for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 04:11:23 | More by RuEXP1

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.86/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A- Very pale orange with a slightly cloudy appearance. Thin layer of white bubbles serves as the head, with tons of transparent bubbles clinging to the side of the glass.

S- Slight tart note, dried apricots, some citrus, hint of sweet malt. Smells good, but very weak aroma.

T- Sour and tart with notes of dried fruit. Some citrus comes through as well, along with a toasted malt finish.

M- Crisp and carbonated with a slight tingle on the tongue. Light bodied.

O- Not a bad beer by any means, but not huge of flavor. I could see this as a good option for a summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 23:16:11 | More by stephenjmoore

TucsonTom

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Just what I'm looking for ... a tasty session beer.

I am NOT a Flemish sour fan ... yet (I'm still working to develop a taste for sours). But the tartness of this light-looking beer was just enough to be interesting but not sour. I had a four-ounce taster of the beer, so I don't know if it would have held my interest for a full 12- or 16-ounce serving.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2013 04:10:03 | More by TucsonTom

codysjb

Florida

4.06/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a bottle into a glass.
A: pours a cloudy straw yellow with a head that dissipates instantly. Lots of carbonation.
S: lemon, grapefruit and some minor farmhouse zest combine with a musty sour smell. Nice!
T: minor lemon notes become musty and develop into a nice farmhouse style with slight sourness.
M: watery with minor sour notes.
O: really good, not my favorite style but a nice example.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 23:37:44 | More by codysjb

tronester

Oklahoma

4.03/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a clear, pale yellow with a creamy white head. Aromas of tart fruit, and a hint of vinegar. Taste is an initial sour, tart fruit beginning, followed by a light cracker middle, and a hint of earthiness in an otherwise super clean finish. Mouthfeel is good for the abv. Overall a great true session beer. It's a shame there arent more Berliner Weiss' available in America!

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 01:33:53 | More by tronester

nUgZ

North Carolina

3.79/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12 ounce bottle poured into a Chalice.

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a half finger head and no lacing.

S: Tangy citrus aromas along with some bready malts. Almost a white wine smell.

T: Again, almost like a white wine. Plenty of citrus and some wheat. Tart.

M: Light bodied with good carbonation.

O: This is my first Berliner Weissbier. It's definitely not my favorite style, but not bad at all. I prefer beers with more alcohol though. I'm glad I tried it, but I won't be buying it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 21:45:16 | More by nUgZ

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.44/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a slightly hazy golden pour with a finger of white head which quickly disappeared. smells of citrus (orange), wheat bread.. not much there, smells sweet and citrusy.
slightly sour up front, with a citrusy fruit flavor, lots of bread flavor in the backbone. this would be good during the summer months, but right now, i'm not really feeling it. light body, high carbonation.. sour yet refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 01:24:16 | More by facundoCNB