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

TheBierBand

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on-tap at Dewey's Pizza. It arrived at my table in a pint glass with a scant 1/4" of left-over head that quickly diminished to a thin cap. The color is clear and medium/dark yellow.

The nose is not readily apparent... just some slight toasted malt.

Taste: This is one SOLID AMBER. Malt sweetness, a little buttery smoothness and a tiny hop bitterness at the end that makes for a well-balanced brew.

MF: Medium carbonation, buttery smooth, nice aftertaste.

Drinkability: Hech yeah!... have these all day long.... this one is all about sessionable goodness.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2008 13:24:10 | More by TheBierBand

cbleary

North Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This was a disappointng beer. I especially enjoy Bell's Two-Hearted Ale but this one did not agree with me nearly as well. It arrived a bit lighter than I expected for an amber ale. The taste was of sourish malts and bitter hops, but they didn't seem to balance or mix very well. It was a bit of a lopsided brew. Decent, but not extraordinary. Maybe it's better out of the bottle?

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2008 01:21:43 | More by cbleary

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a nice light burnt amber color with a creamy tan head.

S: soothing sweet caramel and fruitiness

F: For flavor there is a big creamy caramel palate, apples, some citrus hopping and a nice soft roasted character. The flavor is very rich, caramel malting, a well balanced floral hoppiness.

M: The mouthful is moderate with some warm caramel apple notes upon warming on then tongue.

D: A decent malt bill with good drinkability making for a good session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2008 00:11:22 | More by beerthulhu

GRPunk

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From the cask poured into a nonic pint glass.

A- Nice hazy amber-orange with a 1" fluffy white head.

S- Quite balanced. Sweet malts with some floral hops.

T- More balance in the flavor. Sweet up front with some light hops to clean up the finish.

M- Smooth as silk.

D- Very. I would have had many more, if there weren't other great tap selections to try.

Overall- I've had this beer many times from the bottle or a regular tap and thought it was pretty decent. However, it's a whole different experience from the cask. It really seemed to up the smoothness of this beer.

Serving type: cask

11-17-2007 16:02:34 | More by GRPunk

cabsandking

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A dark shade of amber with a dense, creamy off white one finger head, and super retention leaving lacing to the bottom. The nose is faint with notes of candied sugar, nutty malt, and a light fruit scent. A remarkably smooth mouthfeel thats even, creamy, slightly chewy and just enough carbonation to develop a fizzy build at the end. Flavors of toasted grains, bready, caramel, mild tartness midway through, and a flash of spiciness just before it goes down. The finish is semi-dry with much of the roasted malt residual and nuttiness.

Serving type: cask

09-12-2007 16:06:23 | More by cabsandking

JohnW

United Kingdom (England)

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap while in Tampa FL. Medium dark bronze color, though not much head (but that could be due to the 'pour') and it did not last long. Decent aroma, inviting, mix of sweetish malts and the bitterness of the hops - but not sour or of sulphur. Taste follows the aroma well, slight sweetness of the malts at first, with reasonable bitter aftertaste from the hops, making it well balanced and not "OTT" in any sense, and the texture and body is fairly light. I enjoyed this, and it is similar in the style of an English 'bitter' beer. Easy to drink and would make a good session beer, though I think the taste would be impaired if served too cold.

Would definately have this again.

JohnW (written while in Tampa FL May 2007)
B"ham UK

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2007 19:24:12 | More by JohnW

adammills

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer on tap in a glass beer mug. It pours a pleasing amber with a frothy white head. Its smell like its taste is malty and slightly bitter. There are some solid citrus undertones, easy drinking. Light to moderate mouthfeel. Very drinkable. This is a good cross over beer for a macro drinker that like Killians.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2006 13:18:09 | More by adammills

PartyHatjo

Ohio

2.8/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Good amber color, leaning more towards red than yellow. Head was nonexistent (likely due to the pour quality, why don't bars know that some head is good on beer?).

Aroma: Malty, biscuity notes, slight earthy hop tones, not enough for what I think an amber ale should have--disappointing in general.

Taste: Quite malty/nutty flavor with overtones of biscuit, but it's lack of hop flavor/aroma was really a detractor for me--flavor balance in this brew is shifted heavily towards malt (maybe I'm too used to troeg's hopback, which has great malt/hop flavor balance). Taste is more reminiscent of an ESB than what I'd consider an amber.

Mouthfeel: Nice bitterness, decent sweetness and carbonation was good enough. There's a bit of pungency that comes through the nose that I'm not too fond of.

Drinkability: Nothing spectacular, I didn't really want another one, in fact, I could barely finish the first one.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2006 03:30:18 | More by PartyHatjo

redmosquito

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Amber in color indeed! With a nice lacing white head, as well. The aroma is malty, bread and caramel tinged with toffee, and light hops. As it warms the aroma shifts more to the hops with a definate citrus and pine scent, and a slight bit of diacetyl. The flavor is sweet, toasty, with fruity yeast in the background. Decent bitterness and a smooth mouthfeel finish this one off. Overall this is still a great beer, it's nice to see Bell's still getting the job done.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2005 17:24:32 | More by redmosquito

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tried this one on a recent business trip, with a heavy potato sausage dinner. It appears as an amber, hazy liquid with a thin, but firm and lasting white head. Aroma is very pleasing…malty and doughy, ripe fruit, and a little butterscotch. Caramel and some flowery hops. Foretaste is a little sweet, with a solid malt flavor. Hops really come out in the mid-taste and the beer finishes with a notable bitterness. It was a very nice accompaniment to my meal…exactly what I imagine in a drinkable, flavorful ale.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2004 13:01:11 | More by Suds

CortexBomb

Michigan

3.23/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pretty plain looking brew, deep muddy orange with a small bit of head on top that left pretty quickly. Smell was middle of the road as well, some faint traces of yeast and background hints of fruit, but nothing beyond purely average.

Taste was what I would consider the average macro amber lager with a minor zing of floral (like a severely watered down Two Hearted Ale), and an end which had an interesting hop bite that took me by surprise after the bland opening.

Mouthfeel, meh, plain, some carbonation, some body, but not much in either...drinkability was pretty good I have to admit, but like most of Bell's lighter beer offerings this just doesn't offer enough to bring me back with any regularity.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2004 03:41:33 | More by CortexBomb

canoehornpoint

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Very nice. Poured a nice light amber with little head but very clingy. Light malty aroma. Light creamy malty swee taste with a hint of black currant, nicely offset with finishing hops. Surprisingly light mouthfeel considering the taste. Finishes a bit fuller than the start. Even though I prefer a hoppier beer, I could enjoy many more of these. Very well done.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2004 02:05:41 | More by canoehornpoint

Reneejane

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer was poured with a thick off white head. The color was a light amber color that was slightly cloudy. The aroma was of a citrusy/fruity hop. The taste was yeasty with an estery taste with a bit of a fruity hop kick. It finished with a slightly sweet, yet slightly bitter flavor. But it leaves the mouth quite clean.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2004 19:35:52 | More by Reneejane

DrunkMcDermott

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served on premise at KBC. A little cloudy, and the color is a bit lighter than other ambers. A thin head. Good biscuity malt profile. Likeable, but really not quite the thrill I had been led to expect from a Bell's. But what the hey, Kalamazoo seems to be a brewpub heaven, on to another... and another...

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2003 14:44:40 | More by DrunkMcDermott

ngandhi

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Along the lines of a malty pale ale, Bell's Amber is a fantastic balance of malt and hops. Cascadey, but milder like Willamette, the hop aroma and tongue are fleetingly bitter, floral, but without the perfume of Two Hearted. This must have been designed to be a session ale and, indeed, it is. I had a pitcher to myself with Mexican food at Fiesta Cafe in Champaign, IL (only 8.00).

Highly recommended, this is certainly unlike any bock. The opening is malty and sweet with a hop bitterness and the finish lightly crisp, bitter, and still malty. Toffee. Consistent and entirely enjoyable. This might be my favorite Bell's brew.

Drink it.

Relax, relax.
ng

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2003 03:55:47 | More by ngandhi

hotstuff

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I had this beer on tap at Bell's and I really, really enjoyed drinking it. In fact, this is a beer that I would drink all night at a bar or party. In fact, one just wasn't enough as it went down very smoothly and I just had to have more and more and more. It ended up being a fun night at Bell's!

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2003 10:10:44 | More by hotstuff

TheDM

Indiana

3.48/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This brew has a mild aroma if any at all. Its head died out very quickly. It has a nice amber brown color. My initial taste contained a hint of a fore taste that I later tasted on the back of my throat. It contained some carbonation and was a little watery in flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2003 09:14:30 | More by TheDM

Redrover

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this one on tap at the Wild Goose in Chicago. Nice brown/amber color and tan head. Decent lacing.

Beer smelled of bread, malts and fruit. Very nice.

Taste was great. Some grainy (not adjunct) backbone. Nice malt sweetness. Just enough hops to make everything work. Beer had excellent carbonation. My only complaint (minor) is that the mouthfeel was a little thin. Easy drinking beer here. I had not had one of these for a year or so, so it was nice to revisit an old friend!

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2003 10:45:08 | More by Redrover

jaz

Indiana

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This mildly hazy, medium amber beer was a true delight. The small head provided good lacing about half way. The aroma was fruity and sweet. Taste was clean and smooth, with a nice sweet middle and hoppy finish. Some acetic flavors were present in the aftertaste. A nice, easy drinking beer with good flavor and mouthfeel.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2003 10:39:54 | More by jaz

Sixpack595

Michigan

4.3/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear copper color with full white head. Slightly sweet, floral aromas and taste. Hops are citruicy, giving great aroma, and good taste. I have heard bad thing about it in bottles, but I drink it on tap quite often with no complaints. Really a great beer that everyone can enjoy.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2003 22:58:31 | More by Sixpack595

AaronRed

New York

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A very inviting looking beer. Nice amber hue, just perfect for fall. Hops are present, as is a clean malty flavor. There is something very simple about this beer, but there is a rich hop note that clings to your tongue. Very easy to drink and could be one of those "anytime" beers.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2002 18:36:03 | More by AaronRed

Jason

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: On tap, served in a 16 oz. American tumbler glass.

Appearance: Cloudy orange hued amber with a well dispositioned tiny bubbled lace leaving several thick rings on the glass.

Smell: Malty sweet with overtones of fresh toasted grain and a subtle flowery oily hop holding a citric nose.

Taste: Well formed malt sweetness within the medium body, moderate crispness from the carbonation. Faint buttery diacetyl, toffee and toasted malt make for the base of this brew, a tamed yet multi-layered hop runs through a pungent bitterness, an oily flower and a citric flavour towards the end. After taste lingers long and hard with more toasted and citric flavours.

Notes: This is an awesome example of the American Amber Ale Style, robust and very flavourful yet still not a problem having a few or even making it a session beer. Right up there with Full Sail or Anderson Valley in greatness in this style.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2002 06:14:19 | More by Jason

Wildman

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

@Betty's:
Okay, it has a nice gold/amber color and creates a nice bubbly off white head. A little light for this style, but I beginning to feel this is what this company aims for. An aroma of malt and cirtrus. A flavor of malt, hops and citrus. A good beer, just lighter than I think this style should be.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2002 17:27:19 | More by Wildman