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

gregoryhersh

Texas

2.53/5  rDev -28.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a pint glass. Rich golden color. Nice head, but dissipates almost immediately.

Smell is tangy and citrusy.

Taste takes some getting used to. Has an aftertaste almost like an old cheese in the first sip, but gets much less abrasive after that. Not the ale taste I'd expected with the coloring. Light and flavorful, while maintaining a malty aftertaste. Tart.

Mouthfeel is OK. Light at first, but continues more than I think an ale should. Seems a bit overwhelming. Not the refreshing beer I'd expected.

Not my favorite. Maybe good with a meal, but not just as a casual drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 20:51:12 | More by gregoryhersh

matjack85

Illinois

3.13/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I picked this up as part of a build-your-own six pack for $9.99 at the Binny's store in Bloomingdale, IL. 12oz brown bottle with a date of 10/25/11 on it. Hope this is a bottled on date and not an expiration date as it will be 2013 at midnight tomorrow. In either case it's over a year old. Wish I had seen that before I bought it.

The beer poured a rather clear, pale gold color - surprising for a wheat beer. Just a ½- finger of white head that dissipated in under 10 seconds and left virtually zero lacing.

Tart green apple smell along with plenty of grainy wheat.

Green apple/lemon tartness with a slight mineral water flavor. Other than that it's all wheat.

Light with moderate carbonation.

1st time trying this style. It's not going to be a favorite of mine, but it's a nice change of pace beer and easy drinker if you don't mind the puckering sourness. Didn't try it with the addition of flavored syrup like they do in Berlin. Would be interesting to see what that does for it.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 04:21:05 | More by matjack85

Redrover

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into an Imperial pint, the beer is gold with a slight chill haze.

It has an aroma of grains and something a bit sour like a green apple.

It is tart, slightly sour and a bit grainy. I like the interplay between the yeast and acid. More tart apple mid-glass. This is a pretty approachable beer for folks new to this style.

The mouth is decent, with a low carbonation level. For some reason, I would like more active small bubbles, not sure why, the beer just seems to call for it. .

I like this one and think Bells has a winner here.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 00:11:16 | More by Redrover

tjsdomer2

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Very pale golden. Pretty girl lacing. Carbonation is flat, but I think that makes sense given the acidity of this beer.

Smell: Smells like an aged cheese. Lots of bacterial/yeasty scents coming from this.

Taste/Mouthfeel: More bacterial flavors. Bleu cheese and orange peel are also very evident. I would like this more, but it's a bit to tart in the finish. Mouthfeel is clean overall.

Overall Drinkability: A very drinkable beer. Refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 21:24:37 | More by tjsdomer2

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I tried this on draft here in philly a few times this summer and was able to pick up a case about mid summer - still had a few left.

Poured into a pint glass, color is transparent gold, head is barely there, but my pour was slow and this brew has been in the fridge for months.

Smell is tart, tangy, fruity, mild wheat and pilsen malt notes.

Taste is light, but very flavorful, nice tart, sour slightly lactic flavor, mixed with mild wheat

Mouthfeel is great, light and balanced with solid carbonation backing up the lactic tartness

Overall, a very great take on this style - probably buy a case of this one every year.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 23:44:23 | More by mvanaskie13

kojevergas

California

3.7/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this one up at Ramirez Liquors in Los Angeles. I'm always glad to see increased distribution of a brewery with a reputation like Bell's, but I was really disappointed with Expedition Stout. I'm hoping this one changes my mind about Bell's. Bottled 09/07/12. Reviewed live. 4.0% ABV confirmed. 355ml brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California.

Expectations are above average; I've only been disappointed by this brewery but I'm hoping that was a fluke. This style is very hit and miss, though - especially with American breweries. At least there's no candi sugar added post-brewing, so that's a leg up on some German examples of the style.

Served after a period of rest from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger beige colour head of fair cream, decent thickness, and average (~2 minute) retention. Colour is a cloudy pale lemon yellow. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Nontransparent; largely opaque. Suits the style.

Sm: Lactic, even a bit acidic. Some funk; I certainly get the sour mash from the aroma. I'll risk pretention and call it horseblanket. Some lurking sweetness. I find the aroma a bit of a turnoff, actually. There's a lemon citrus ester in there that I like, but the rest seems off. Moderate in strength. Assertive.

T: A bit funky on the finish. Clean pale sour mash malts. Lemon citrus, though diluted. It's best on the finish, where the acidic lemon comes through for a crisp clear moment - a change from the murky build of the body. A bit tart, sure. Very clean throughout. No real yeast comes through. Quite lactic throughout; lactic notes are dominant. Balanced if simple. Actually one of the better examples of the style in recent memory.

Mf: Crisp, clean, smooth, light, and wet. A touch overcarbonated. Good thickness, supporting the flavours adequately. I'd stop short of refreshing, but it flirts with it.

Dr: Very drinkable. Low ABV. One of the better beers I've had in this style. I might try it on draught. A solid effort from Bell's. There's serious promise here.

B

Would suit an acidic salad magnificently. A good beer for food pairing in general.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 05:13:15 | More by kojevergas

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.35/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into an Allagash chalice.

Appearance - Pale yellow with a touch of haze. White head isn't too shabby. Looks like a Budweiser, though.

Smell - Grainy as hell. A ton of wheat. Pale malt. No hops to speak of. Not a very interesting aroma.

Taste - A fair bit better than the aroma, but it's still nearly water. A touch of lemon tang and buckets of wheat and grain. I don't get a lot of hops. Maybe part of that citric aroma is hops, but it's indiscernible to me.

Mouthfeel - Light, sprizty. Gulpable. Definitely on point with their description. Sessionable, if not very flavorful.

Overall - I think I've had this before, but I couldn't remember so I picked it up. I doubt I'd pick it up again, but if there were a cooler of this at a party I'd drink the hell out of it on a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 00:56:15 | More by Alieniloquium

Gobzilla

California

3.98/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured a translucent golden yellow in color with pale yellow highlights that had almost no head and virtually left no lacing sticking to the glass.

S: a lot of qualities that indicate tartness in the aroma with some lemon citrus, maybe a little grapefruit character coming through and it was pretty grainy as well.

T: Like the aroma it was also very grainy in taste upfront in the taste alongside some tart notes, citrusy accents. a touch of pineapple, mild funk and a little dry at the end.

ML the brew was medium in body with a low amount of carbonation which had a grainy, citrusy, slightly fruity tart and dry finish.

O: very good berliner weiss but was not surprised. It was just a tad too grainy

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 01:08:58 | More by Gobzilla

ribby

Michigan

3.55/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I'm trying to be fair here as I am new to the style. The appearance is slightly cloudy as all Bell's brews are, and pale yellow in color, maybe a hint of amber, but it is so light it is hard to tell. The head is coarse bubbles, which fade quickly, not lacy or foamy at all. The taste is predominantly sour, and very lemony. The low alcohol content makes this interesting when you want a low alcohol beer, but the sourness is too much; still, if that is what the style is, I would say it is successful.

I read the description of the style which says 'tourists in Berlin will often order on as a "Berliner Weisse mit Schuss: Himbeere."' Luckily, we have raspberry syrup lying around the house. About one tablespoon or little less is just perfect. It cuts the sourness. I put the syrup in the glass and pour the beer over it, and the result is a very nice foamy head. This is the way to drink the beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 22:20:05 | More by ribby

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Hazy pale yellow with two-finger, white, lumpy, creamy head that a minute or two. Okay lacing.

S: Citrus, tartness, and wheat.

T: Moderate sweetness and light bitterness. Way more tart than I expected from the aroma.

M: Light to medium bodied with lively carbonation. Crisp, slightly dry.

O: This beer was okay. Pretty average. Good tart taste though.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 23:23:55 | More by SolipsismalCat

RickS95

Indiana

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

Pours a very light, pale, milky golden straw yellow. It's cloudy with a nice head initially, that quickly dissipates into nothing.

Lacks much smell. I could pick up some crackerlike yeastiness, but nothing else.

Very much a warm weather taste...yeast, lemon, pear.

Tart, but not overbearing. Crisp and dry. Carbonated.

It's an ok beer. Not a good drink for the colder months, but would be money as a hot weather session beer. I'd look forward to one of these after doing anything to work up a sweat. Easy to drink, won't land you in jail.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 02:27:08 | More by RickS95

chanokokoro

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a Bell's tulip glass

Pours a hazy pale straw yellow with a bright white one and a half finger head which quickly dissipates. Grass and flora, light sour citrus notes, and a very light accent of funk on the nose. Green tea, fresh grassiness, slight tart light lemon and bready yeast midpalate that finishes dry slightly tart and refreshing. Light body, mild carbonation. The concept behind this beer seems to be a less intense Berliner weiss-style beer. Bell's is successful in accomplishing that. Oarsman Ale is a good introduction beer, however it may seem to be a bit lacking to those fairly familiar with the style and other sour styles.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 05:18:29 | More by chanokokoro

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

2.95/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass. Bottled on 8/13/12. Batch 11404.

A - Pale golden color with almost a finger of head that's gone in seconds. No lacing whatsoever.

S - Lemony citrus scent. Wheaty. Some tart and funk to it also.

T - Heavy citrus from beginning to end. And I mean HEAVY. You get the wheat again in the finish. This is almost to the level of a shandy.

M - Very light. Moderate carbonation. Finishes very clean.

O - I guess this is well done to the style, but it's really just not for me. Probably a good introduction to craft beer for some people. Sessionable but too tart to really be all that sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 00:09:52 | More by mikeburd1128

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bell's Oarsman Ale, Brewed and Bottled by Bell's Brewery, Comstock, MI. "Buoyant, tart and refreshing from using traditional sour mash methods. Great for you and your crew." 4.0% ABV.

What does this tell us? How it tastes, how it drinks, how they made it, and what activity it's use is best with. What if I'm not in a boat. And would I like it with a goat?

Clouded, golden, small head, lasts as a thin, white ring.

Aroma: light citrus, light hops, a touch of sourness, a smidgen of sweet. Bit of a funk effect, too. Pleasing enough.

Taste: Brisk, tart, and, yeah, refreshing. A little tingle on the palate, a bracing quick minute of sour, a squirt of citrus, the flash of wheat texture and mouthfeel, and nothing but smoothness and extra-easy drinking.

One thing very much missing in the information given to us by Bell's Brewery is the style of this brew, or even what general area it's shooting for. Not a hefe weizen, not quite a Berliner Weisse, either. Maybe a mix of the two?

I'm also puzzling over the meaning of the name. Why Oarsman? Is there a fondness for rowing at the brewery? Is it an alternative to a "lawnmower beer", a "rowing ale"? So many mysteries.

Another conundrum is how long it took me to take notes on this Bell's beer, having come out so many years ago. It was draft only for years, and I sampled it now and then, but it never quite grabbed me. It's a well-made beer, certainly quaffable, with enough of a tartness to keep it interesting. It's fun, and tasty, and the 6-pack will be done quickly enough. I probably won't return to it very often, though.

Although… although…I am liking it more, at the end of bottle #2. Maybe I'll be a rootin' tooting' booster before too long.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 07:07:31 | More by feloniousmonk

GossageBrewery

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured this 12 oz Weissbier into a pint glass. Poured a cloudy straw color, and produced an average white head. Featured average retention and it left a nice amount of lacing on the glass. The aroma had a base of malted wheat, lemon rind. Medium in body, this brew had a classic malted wheat base, and the tart flavor of lactic acid due to the sour mash process that was used to brew this beer. By far, not the best sour beer that I have had, but is an excellent gateway into the category. Nice session beer. Excellent summer beer. I would order this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 22:18:06 | More by GossageBrewery

wethorseblanket

California

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

Thanks to whoever shared this at Benny's tasting.

A: Pours a hazy very pale yellow with a thin white head having little retention and leaving a few spots.

N: Lemony, minerals, grainy wheat and some tartness.

T: Follows nose with some grassy notes.

M: Light body and carbonation. A tiny bit thin on the finish.

O: Refreshing. No notable metallic notes here. Pretty basic Berliner.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 01:10:43 | More by wethorseblanket

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

look is hazy light gold orange. smell is musty wheat, dust. Taste is a very sour lemon/watermelon with a wheat background. Seriously, this is the sour-est beer I've ever had that's not skunked out.

Good and sour wheat beer. I might have to pick this up again.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 08:54:38 | More by jimmah120

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +23%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very bready with lemon and citrus tones, but with an excellent mix of characteristics that lets a lot of things show through and lets no one thing hijack the ride. Berliner Weisse characteristics abound. Good feel, very easily drinkable. I could actually go for many of these in one sitting. A really excellent production, imo.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 23:13:53 | More by RblWthACoz

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a semi hazy yellow color with a very slight head. Scent is grassy and grainy with hints of citrus. Taste is light, refreshing, and very easy sipping with its grassy, earth taste. Overall a very smooth and light beer. I was really shocked by how light tasting this was from being a Bell’s brew. Great for summer, but don’t expect the bold Bell’s taste you’re accustomed to.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 17:42:43 | More by Lemke10

cfrances33

Illinois

4/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 7/24/12, enjoyed on 8/13/12. Served in a FFF pint glass.

Pour: Lightly hazy yellow, with a finger and a half white head. Diminishes to a rim, and leaves light lacing.

Smell: A funky wheatiness, as well and a nice lemon rind. Thats about it.

Taste: Nice, light sour lemon, with a delicious bready maltiness. Really two dimensional here, and I'm perfectly ok with that.

Mouthfeel: So light and refreshing. Tartness is just barely there, but is really nice.

Overall: I really, really like this beer for what it is. I would love this in cans.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 00:01:33 | More by cfrances33

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: minimal head, orange-brown in color, cloudy, moderate carbonation

Smell: sou mix and a hint of grain--not very strong a smell

Taste: honey, grain, wheat, and light sour mix that is present throughout

Mouthfeel: medium carbonation, light bodied, sweet with tartness that is present throughout and really picks up at the end, prickly

Overall: Another excellent beer after a long day of hiking. Not as good as the German counterparts I have had, but certainly a beer I could do a six of. Wish the smell was a bit stronger here.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 16:55:22 | More by tigg924

rlee1390

Indiana

3.83/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-Clear yellow, some carbonation, two finger head that doesn't last long.

S-Wheat, some tart notes, a little skunky, along with floral notes.

T-Light wheat notes, barely even tart, no bitterness, some lemon. Floral notes.

M-Light, tad watery, not much carbonation.

O-A nice easy drinking beer, not as tart as I was expecting, but it would be a nice intro to tart brews.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 23:02:27 | More by rlee1390

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

about 7 months of age on this brew. So we'll see how it goes. Didn't mean to age it, its just how the beer was brought to me.

Cloudy pale golden hue with a thin lace of head. Rich nuttiness on the nose along with a certain yeast like character. Lightly fruity and lightly perfumey.

Nice body thats on the lighter side of medium. Sweet bright citric fruits with a tarty dried fruit aspect on the middle of the tongue. Very nice actually with the right amount of balance between sweetness, acidity, and sourness. The sourness is a little stronger than the other aspects of the beer but is rounded out by a faint creaminess. For being 7 months old the beer held up quite well and retains amazing qualities that a berliner weiss should have. Now to find a fresh one! Very good brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 03:58:18 | More by jtierney89

mscudder

Georgia

3.18/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - A very light yellow, almost pale hue with a fair white head.

S - Tart lemon and some acidic notes. Nothing to really love here.

T - Starts off following the nose, making me pucker up to a small extent, and closes with some soft yeast and a bit of bready malts.

M - Crisp but light bodied and heavily carbonated. Refreshing for sure, leading to a high dirnkability that would appease me a few times over on a hot summer day.

O - Not nearly as enjoyable as I recall from my first sixer around a year back, but hey everyone's palette progresses. I will not be revisiting this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 07:02:25 | More by mscudder

GR_Rick

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed from the bottle at a barbecue in June 2012.

NOTE: I'm looking forward to giving this beer a more formal and thorough review and will update when I do that.

A: Unable to assess, as it was from the bottle at a barbecue.

S: Smelled nice and tart.

T: Nice, light, slightly tart/sour flavor. Unlike any beer I've had before, with a tartness that really isn't "lemony".

M: Nice, easy drinking beer.

O: I really, really liked this beer. I've not had significant experience with the Berliner Weiss, but reading the label on the bottle, I think Bell's hit right on with what they were trying to do. I'm very much looking forward to trying this again soon, and will update my review when I do.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 03:18:47 | More by GR_Rick