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

Schwab

Florida

3.38/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer yesterday (9/5/09) at the Yardhouse in Palm Gardens.

A - Beer was poured in regular pint glass and left a small head, somewhat short of 1" what unfortunately quickly disappeared. Great mahogany, amber color!

S - Almost typical Bell smell. IMO smells is very similar to Bell's Two Hearted Ale...

T - A true amber ale; HOWEVER, beer is a very close taste to the Two Hearted Ale. I'm sure similar malt, yeast, hop schedule, etc contribute to the similar taste. Definitely great but I was somewhat surprised to have such a similar taste between the two beers.

M - Smooth amber ale that appears to be very well balanced. Definitely an easy beer to which the light/medium body contributes a fair amount.

D - As already said, beer is very smooth and refreshing. Great beer for all occasions! Not too wild/crazy in variation to its style.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2009 04:45:22 | More by Schwab

drtth

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a standard shaker glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As served the beer is a nice medium dark amber or copper color with a 1/8" off white head that recedes quickly to leave a ring of foam and a couple of patches on the surface of the liquid. Sipping leaves only the ring and a couple of small legs of lace. The ring and any speckles of lacing are pretty much gone by half way through the beer.

Smell: The aroma has some soft malt (caramel) with no immediate hop presence but then you become aware of an earthy spicy undertone that moves in and prevents the malt from dominating the aroma

Taste: The flavor starts with sweet caramel and sometimes bready character but then the spicy earthy hops chime in and take over the beer.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is medium bodied with light carbonation. The long finish starts almost sweet and then slides slowly into a long dry ending in the back of the mouth.

Drinkability: This was a beer I grew to like more and more as I sipped my way through it. At first I thought it would be OK for an occasional beer, but as I finished the beer I came realize it is nicely drinkable. I'll definitely seek this beer out for a few more before I decide if I'd be willing to drink it though out an evening of good food and good conversation with friends. However my suspicion at the moment is that I'll like it better and better the more I have it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2009 18:34:41 | More by drtth

Mistofminn

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this on tap at Bryant Lake Bowl celebrating a friends birthday with some beers and a round of bowling.

Color is hazy reddish brown, otherwise known as amber. Thin half finger foamy off-white head. Decent retention, nothing impressive. Minimal lacing.

The aroma displays a nice battle of earthy and citrusy hops, with the earthy hops winning this time. Huge malt backbone, caramel and buttery.

Initial taste is citrusy hop bite that gives way to the malt backbone after a few seconds. Sweet malts, with caramel and a toffee like character, and a fair bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium bodied with a nice carbonation. Nothing too impressive. Drinkability is good.

Overall, a solid beer. This is a beer I've passed up in stores since...well...ever, and that may have to change. Good stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2009 01:01:48 | More by Mistofminn

gunnerman

Florida

4.08/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured on tap into a pint glass, pours a rustic redish amber with a a bit of head that leaves minimal lace on the glass. Smell has that sweet hoppy smell with a bit of bread and clove. This beer has a taste of sweet bread with a nice malt tone and some nice earth hop flavor in there, very well balanced and the drinkability is high on this fine product. Overall a regular that I go to and a nice session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2009 14:13:00 | More by gunnerman

dublife1

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had this on Cask at Tap and Table in Emmaus, Pa. Perfect two finger head and smells of roasted grains and caramel. Taste is so crisp and slightly malty. FANTASTIC!!! Mouthfeel is incredible and so much better than in bottle form. This is a session beer for sure!!! Bell's is no doubt an incredible craft brewer that the USA can be proud of! Well Done!!!

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2009 01:11:31 | More by dublife1

Anthony1

Colorado

2.9/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Serving Type- on tap poured into a pint glass

appearance- mildly cloudy amber color. small head with not too much lace, but what it did have stuck.

smell- a hoppy citrus. smells of orange and lemon

taste/mouthfeel- a bit malty hops with an citrus flavor, tipped with a bit of banana. hoppier then i expected with a bitter after taste. medium body with ok carbonation

drinkability- wasn't impressed for a brand i've been waiting for. not much of a defining flavor

Serving type: on-tap

05-28-2009 13:09:51 | More by Anthony1

Cyberkedi

Georgia

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

Comes out of the tap a hazy dark honey-amber with a thin but fine-bubbled off-white head. Appetizing malty aroma has fruity and hoppy hints. Thick, malty flavor has a hoppy undertone and a touch of banana. Texture is thick, smooth and fizzy. Definitely worth seeking.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2009 00:15:28 | More by Cyberkedi

cadenwhitaker

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours an almost clear amber, just a little cloudy.

Drink is lots of caramel, its almost like the subtle hops are just to add a bit of crispness to the taste.

This beer fits into a particular style that I enjoy, on the spectrum of amber ales this could almost lean towards that of an Oktoberfest. Almost.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2009 18:00:59 | More by cadenwhitaker

LittleDon

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From the tab, I get a slightly darker than amber cloudy beer with a fine off-white creamy head that sticks around for a bit. There is slightly toasted caramel and hint of hops in the nose, all slightly subdued. A big chewy somewhat-sweet caramel flavor greets me on the first taste. The finish is a bit subdued, nothing to write home about.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2009 02:33:07 | More by LittleDon

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bell's- Amber

A- Hazy reddisn brown with a small light foamy head.
S- Cherry licorice and buttery malt.
T- Sweet sugary cherry licorice and caramel malt. Good buttery shortbread biscuit. So malty.
M- Thick sweet malt throughout. Slightly spicy and dry in the finish.

Overall- Very good, so easy to drink. Sweet like candy, my pint was empty in less than 10 minutes.

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2009 22:42:37 | More by NJpadreFan

spointon

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this one on tap at Galway Tribes on 1/7/2009.

A= Poured a hazy amber color with a 1/2" off-white head that quickly dropped to a skim. Slight lacing down the glass.

S= The aroma was filled with a big nutty, toasted grain character on top of a nice malty base.

T= I found malty sweetness which quickly was run over by that delicious nutty character noted in the smell. Faint toffee and some citrusy hops in the middle and finish.

MF= Medium body with a moderate carboation level.

D= I like this beer a lot in the bottle and I liked it even more on tap. Very drinkable and quite sessionable, especially with food.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2009 03:42:31 | More by spointon

UDbeernut

New York

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

poured into pint glass

a: copper color with minimal head, slight carbonation

s: light malt smell, not much else to it

t: nice sweet malt taste, well balanced beer not overly hopped

m&d: medium bodied beer, decent mouthfeel. Finishes slightly dry but clean

Good beer true to the style

Cheers!!!

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2008 17:36:27 | More by UDbeernut

adamette

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Ballantine in Willoughby, Ohio a few hours ago. Poured into a clean, clear pint. From notes on the menu: "Slightly sweet flavor copper color."

A Minimal head but with big bubbles, light brown. Body is a new penny copper color. Looks nice.

S Not much smell. What there was revealed a light amber malt smell with maybe some sweetness to the nose. Nice.

T Nice gentle amber (medium malt) bite with the sweetness that was described in the menu description. Really quite pleasant and true to style.

M Light with just a bit of medium malt amber bite to keep it from being too light.

D Really good. I could have 4 to 5 of these without much trouble at all.

Notes: Nice, light amber. True to style and very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2008 02:05:42 | More by adamette

Durge

Connecticut

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Discovered at an obscure little airport cafe in Minneapolis this brew poured a cloudy amber color with a modest light tan head and outstanding lace. The aroma was mild roasted malts and peanut butter toffee. The taste was crisp grassy hops and sour malt, medium body, melon hints and a good peppery bite on the tongue. Not my favorite Bells but a good quality brew none the less.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2008 00:43:45 | More by Durge

nrbw23

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a hazy light brown color with a good sized head that leaves a decent lace.

S- Sweet malts, fruity with a light hop back.

T- Pretty simple and kind of bland. Malts and mild hops balance out decently. A slightly sweet taste that is of caramel and a hint of alcohol.

M- Medium in body feels clean and crisp

D- Easy to drink just not a whole lot going on.

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2008 22:25:30 | More by nrbw23

Biggness

New York

4.22/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was my first beer @ Bell's last night. Seeing as it is their flagship beer I might as well give it a shot. I was impressed and delighted, especially after I had tried the Amber ale from another local brewery a few days ago and I could BARELY finish it. This poured a golden copper and had a slight head. The smell was nice and hinted to a great beer. The flavor was complex yet refreshing with hints of many great ingredients. The mouthfeel was nice and its certainly a beer I could see myself relaxing on the deck drinking a 6'er

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2008 12:25:45 | More by Biggness

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

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