Bell's Winter White Ale - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

WwRGSwW

Michigan

3.3/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: bright yellow color with a thick white foam head that quickly dissipates. little to no lacing.

S: Malt hits you first, followed by banana and a slight hint of nuts

T: A combination of banana and nuts. the after taste is nutty, but not offending.

M: Very light and crisp.

D: Very easy to drink. Mine was gone before I knew it. Nothing to really rave about, but good none the less.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2010 03:53:07 | More by WwRGSwW

TheQuietMan22

Iowa

3.3/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is a cloudy straw/gold. Two fingers of white head developed and dissipated quickly to leave a thin, bubbly lacing and ring around the edge. There was a little bit of sedimentation at the bottom, which I coaxed out and poured into the pint.

Smell: Reminds me of summer. Major clove and lemon/orange zest. There are hints of coriander and just a little bit of honey. There is also the customary, and heavenly, yeast aroma.

Taste: Very balanced and smooth, but no flavors jump out or dominate. However, there is a detectable hierarchy of tastes: the yeast, coriander, and clove spice are most prominent, and underneath those are the citrus elements from the smell.

Drinkability: This beer is very drinkable. Tasty and easy drinking, this is a decent witbier despite the fact it is totally out of season. Bell's did not do enough to justify offering a witbier for the winter months. I appreciate the effort, but I expect something more unique than something true to style.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2010 19:24:42 | More by TheQuietMan22

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Here’s a hazy, pale yellow-colored liquid. The head is unfortunately flat. Minimal to non-existent lace. The aroma is a refreshing mix of pepper, lemon, sweet spices, baking bread, melons, and bananna. The taste has a lot of citrus and yeast, along with a little spice. It’s a moderately sweet, but very spritzy and carbonated beer. With a fairly medium body, this is actually a little more full than necessary for the style. The finish is a little tart and palate-cleansing. All in all, this isn’t my choice for a winter beer, but it’s decent despite a few flaws.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2007 10:48:46 | More by Suds

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

3.33/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into Sam Adams lager glass.

Pours a very hazy pale straw, bordering on cloudy, with a half-finger white head that settles quickly into a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass. Little retention and almost no possibility of lacing at all.

Nose is wheaty, lots of zesty lemon, sourdough component towards the back end. Maybe a bit of coriander, but it doesn't dominate by any stretch.

Taste is kind of interesting. Starts off with a combination of tangy wheat and pale malt sweetness, with a big lemony zing and a bitterness towards the finish from the coriander. Yeast is lighter than expected, breadiness from the nose never really shows up in the taste, maybe a bit in the exhale. Yeast takes a backseat in this one, very subtle.

Mouthfeel is thinner than expected, largely because the yeast never shows up. Thinner body, more coarse carbonation (though still quite light), no creaminess. Eh.

Drinkability, what can you say? It doesn't really do much of what the best wits do, but by the same token, it isn't exactly bad either. Really don't get the idea of this being a winter seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2009 02:33:21 | More by JohnQVegas

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.33/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Tried during a recent trip to the Brick Store Pub. Suspiciously, there was no batch number listed on the back in the white box allotted for it. I briefly considered signing my name in it.

Appearance: Pours out a near clear, pale yellow body with a smallish, brief, white head.

Smell: Bell's WA doesn't offer a particularly aromatic bouquet, with only mild notes of barley and wheat with some perfunctory citrus and spice thrown into the mix as well. A bit of a wimpy wit, to be honest.

Taste: Sweet tastes of malted barley and lightly tangy wheat lazily bathe the tongue. Mild flavors of citrus peel and coriander. Faint bitterness. Lightly tangy, lightly citrusy finish; there and gone in a flash. It's one of those simple beers with little to really say about it.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-plus carbonation.

Drinkability: Well, for starters, it could benefit from a bit more effervescence in the mouthfeel department, but even still, it's just rather mild and bland and doesn't really deliver in terms of a fine, refreshing witbier or a winter-based anything.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2009 20:48:25 | More by ChainGangGuy

yeahnatenelson

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Batch 10082

Appearance -- Pours a pale yellow with slight haze and one finger of fizzy lily-white head that soon settles to a white ring about the glass.

Smell -- Cracker-like pale malt, tangy wheat, citrus peel and coriander, and banana. Not especially exciting.

Taste -- Pale malt, cream of wheat, banana and bublegum, and a modicum of yeasty earthiness. Lemon peel and coriander lend a gentle, perfumey roundness. Lingering flavors of pale malt and coriander.

Mouthfeel -- Medium in body with fizzy carbonation. Meh.

Drinkability -- Not a bad beer, but I wouldn't put it in the best of the style or of the brewery; one could certainly have picked worse. Glad I tried it, but I'll likely pass next time around.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 23:11:02 | More by yeahnatenelson

deejaydan

Michigan

3.35/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bell's other wheat beer. Cloudy yellow, decent head that vanishes quickly to a thin blanket. Slight spice and orange peel aroma. Smooth taste, kinda bland. A lil full on the mouthfeel, light carbonation. Not a great beer, but not a bad one. Not something I'd look hard for, but something worth drinking.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2005 01:34:04 | More by deejaydan

cooncat

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Serving was a 12 oz. bottle, chilled, and poured into a pilsner glass.

The pour produced a light gold colored brew with a very foamy, white head which was short lived. Minimal to no sheeting upon swirling the glass, after the head was gone. Aroma approximates a witbier, but on the light side. The taste is similar to an American Wheat beer, with the addition of corriander. It is not over powering, actually, quite well balanced and refreshing with just the right amount of carbonation. No objectionable after taste was apparent. I'd have to give this a "thumbs up", and would say it would make a fine session beer.

Cheers!

Update: Jan. 9, 2007

Another 12oz. bottle sample, poured vigorously into a 16 oz glass. A small head that disappeared almost instantly ... a bit disappointing, really. Nose and taste are as mentioned above. Body is thin, but its still a refreshingly crisp beer, if you enjoy the witbier style. Did not mention that the light golden color is properly cloudy, as a bottle conditioned witbier should be. No sediment at the bottom of this bottle, but I have had some Bell's brews that did have a small amount of sediment. Not much more to add to my previous review.

Cheers

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2006 23:29:57 | More by cooncat

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

3.35/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - this bells offering pours a hazy straw yellow, with a big white head that dissipates to a lace quickly

S - bog spicy aroma, like cloves and coriander, witha strong citrusy note, like lemon zest

T - the flavor totally mirrors the aroma, spiciness riding the back of strong lemony zest

M&D - spicy, a little overspiced, but still very good, the lemon zest enhances the drinkability, a good witbier, wht else would you expect from Bells.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2007 15:14:26 | More by sinstaineddemon

icemonkey908

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy, pale yellow into a pint glass. Smell is not very strong, overpowered by wheat with some hints of banana. The taste follows as slightly tart, dominated by wheat with hints of banana and maybe some spiciness with a moderately carbonated body.

I guess I don't usually see this style called a winter ale... Seems more like a spring/summer offering, but that doesn't matter too much. Overall a decent witbier.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2007 14:43:19 | More by icemonkey908

kkipple

South Carolina

3.35/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I dumped a bunch of yeast outta the bottle into this brew. It's a hazy light yellow, by the way. Big short-lived white head. The yeast may have been a bad choice.

'cause the nose is simply reeking of it. That vitamin B, nearly harsh spicy and almost acidic smell comes quite close to overwhelming everything else. "Everything else" in this case is coriander, spice, malt and citrus. But the yeast... ay ya yi.

Fortunately the flavor holds up alright, it's pretty typical. Wheat and light malt, mild spice, lemon sourness, coriander and pepper. Finishes sour and light, refreshing if you can get past the nose. It's a little bit dry, but there are no obvious flaws. This is decent.

Mouthfeel is middling with a nice carbonation level to keep things interesting. A hint of coriander remains on the tongue well after you drink this. It's dry and I wish it weren't *quite* so. But it's fine.

Bell's Winter White is a pretty good brew if you can get past the absurd yeast in the nose. Not my favorite Wit, but, like most of Bell's brews, it's solid.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2008 02:32:43 | More by kkipple

gford217

Georgia

3.35/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very cloudy, bright yellow with a big puffy white head that dissipated gradually leaving little lacing. Smell is dominated by sweet aromas of wheat, lemons, oranges and bananas. Big spice aroma as well dominated by cloves and coriander. Taste is primarily the big sweet wheat up front with the fruits right behind. Lemony hops are also present. The mouthfeel is light and slick with heavy carbonation. This is a decent wit and very drinkable though not the most complex wit I've tasted.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2008 04:42:32 | More by gford217

LupulinDevil

Michigan

3.35/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the local hang out. Poured with a nice cloudy body and slight head. Aroma was nice with a definte Belgian tonality. Flavor was a bit disappointing in that it was a bit too direct on the Belgain profile of fruit. Pleasant mouthfeel as it is very drinkable and well balanced. A good recommendation for the Oberon fans that get too much of the Michigan winters and long for their "fix"--addicts! hee hee

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2008 05:22:11 | More by LupulinDevil

GrizzlyBrew

Georgia

3.35/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Straw to pale golden, very hazy, nice white head that seems to stick around

S - wow! I'm picturing a lemon with cloves stuck all over it ( like something your mom might use as a decoration at... well... xmas), nice yeast character, some clean malt laying around in the background

T - hmmm... a fair amount of spice bouncing around for its malt support base to get to the party, but it never shows up. a very mild malt character fails to provide the counterpoint to the spice. It just seems too soft overall. I'n not sure if this is what a "winter wheat" is supposed to taste like, but it's just not as refreshing (or spicy, bold, filling) as I would have hoped

M - again, not enough punch for me. I want bubbles, large ones even. There is a neutral balance of malt and bitterness and it's pretty smooth, maybe just not appropriate for style, doesn't scrub my palate like I'd like

O - confuses me, plenty of other white ales I'd rather have

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 04:28:00 | More by GrizzlyBrew

MABZ

Nebraska

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Batch # 7660

This is not one of the better white ales I've tried. I didn't mind it quite as much before one of my co-workers so eloquently described the taste/aroma of this beer as "urinal cakes." Oh, the power of suggestion.

The beer pours to a golden yellow color, a little darker and less hazy than expected, and not nearly enough particulate matter to cast the whiteness in the light. Very little carbonation and head. Retention is quite poor, and subsequently lacing doesn't exist.

The smell is of coriander and curacao orange peel. A bit of banana esters and spicy phenolics. The malt bill seems very cheap. The aromas described above combine to form a distinct urinal cake smell. Not pleasant, but not particularly unpleasant (afterall, urinal cakes are meant to cover up the unpleasant smell of urine). The taste is very similar. Actually tastes good until the finish, when the urinal cake really begins to take hold. Reminds me of a saison with the spices of a witbier.

The body is fairly creamy. Could be much more drinkable. Kind of an odd style for a winter release, though I can see how the "white" would be associated with the season.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2006 07:31:37 | More by MABZ

jwinship83

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a 12oz bottle pulled from the depths of the fridge. the batch number is off center in the box and i cant make it out. oh well. the bottle reads 5.0% ABV

A- this one pours a very murky golden yellow colored body with a small, quickly vanishing, white head. the head leaves behind little to no lacing.

S- very spicy with lots of belgian yeast. the spices smell highly of clove with some coriander as well. a bit of banana and bubblegum. pretty standard.

T- the taste is just as spicy as the nose. lots of clove, coriander, and yeast. the spices linger long into the aftertaste, which is sort of a turnoff.

M- full bodied and thick feeling with a high level of carbonation.

D- i dont think this is one of bell's best beers, buts its not terrible either. just something i wont be trying again anytime soon. thanks to whoever left this at my house, its not something i would have bought/tried otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2009 21:28:04 | More by jwinship83

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz bottle (batch 10021) poured into a shaker pint glass. Lots of yeast sediment was left behind in the bottle.

Appearance: Hazy/translucent golden yellow beer. Foam disappeared quickly and never reappeared again. No lacing either.

Smell: This is a witbier? Smells like a hefeweizen - cloves and banana with a hint of mustiness and pear at the end. Not bad, just not what I was expecting.

Taste: A bit on the sweet side, and definitely tastes like a hefeweizen. More cloves than banana though, with something else spicy in there at the end.

Mouthfeel: Enough carbonation to feel a bit crisp on the tongue so that it cleanses the palate like a witbier should. Beyond the carbonation the beer is a little bit thick and slick at the same time.

Drinkability: Went well with a spicy beans and rice dish, but I can't see myself buying it again. It's just an okay beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 23:23:41 | More by damndirtyape

r3o

Florida

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A:cloudy white with some straw-lke tones, very thin head with little to no lacing
S: yeast and bready smell, a hint of spices
T: there's a bitter taste to this one, like cactus (agave) it's all I can think of, but does not overpower. Some other spices come and go throught out.
M: light, somewhat course, low carbonation
D: it's good but I've liked others white better.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 05:02:15 | More by r3o

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This brew pours out as a hazy yellow color with a fluffy white head. There was a slight amount lacing on the glass. The smell was a little spicy and had some wheat aromas. The taste has a light spice to it with a kind of refreshing lemon zest. Mouthfeel is a little light and is a little watered down. Overall I've never understood why a white ale would be a winter release. I prefer the dark winter brews personally. This is an ok brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 20:30:32 | More by Knapp85

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle thanks to rhong187.
Batch 10766 Bottled 11/01/11

A - Pours a very cloudy, pale yellow with a thin off-white head that fades quickly.

S - Wheat, slightly citrus, lemons mostly.

T - Lemons and wheat.

D - Lower carbonation with a heavier body.

O - Nice flavors, nothing that wowed me. Almost like a hef.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 04:26:45 | More by HuskyinPDX

trancefishy

Colorado

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a very bizarre, hazy, milky yellow. very small head that disappears quickly.

Aroma is that of citrus, and something of a cross between a belgian yeast smell, and a heff-weizen smell. a bit of bread as well.

Taste is all wheat flavour, which take a while to get up to full flavour in your mouth. Has a tart kind of snap to it, very much like a grapefruit and lemon. i almost wonder if there is lemon juice in this beer. aftertaste starts off sweet, but then turns citric tart. the more i drink it, the more this sour off taste of lemons-gone-bad comes out. i've noticed that once the beer warms up a lot, the off flavour turns inot more of a creamy lemonade thing, which is actually quite tasty.

mouthfeel is fine, but i'm still stuck on this weird taste. drinkability i fear is going to be low, as this aftertaste is getting to me.

I do not especially care for oberon, and thought this would be entirely too simliar for me to bother with. I gave it a go, it's nothing like oberon. at first i thought it was worse, but now i think it is a bit more flavourful, and I guess a good way to do a wit for the winter. an alright beer, worth trying if you haven't.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2004 22:01:09 | More by trancefishy

Neehan

North Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This straw-colored, hazy beer poured into the glass and left very little retention. A strong smell of complex spices came through in the nose, but left a bit to be desired in the taste. Honestly, this tastes like a good tripel with a couple ounces of water mixed in. The watery texture dominates the mouthfeel. Interesting for a winter brew... definitely drinkable but nothing spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2007 05:45:31 | More by Neehan

crazybrody06

Indiana

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap. poured a cloudy orange color with small head and no lacing. Smell was wheat with some coriander and clove. Taste is wheat, orange peel, corinander, clove, banana.
Mouthfeel was light with a good amount of carbonation. Drinkabilty was high if you like wheat beers. Not really my favorite style to drink in the winter. Feels like more of a summer beer except for the spices.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2007 16:47:09 | More by crazybrody06

midnite2sixman

Michigan

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Upon receiving this beer via draft at City Flats Hotel in Holland, Michigan it is a hazy, opaque, orange with a nice frothy head that disappears fairly slow. Minor lacing.

Smells yeasty with a nice cool smell, not sure how to describe that but also a nice smooth wheat aroma as well. Sweet and citrusy.

Taste is light and refreshing with a pleasant citrus feeling. This one isn't really a winter warmer but reminds me of the sunshine on a nice winter day. The flavor is a bit mild on this one.

Mouthfeel is very light, a bit champagney with a smooth aftertaste.

Great session beer, perhaps a bit light for some. Most people would probably prefer a warmer to this but nevertheless a nice winter selection from Bell's.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2009 22:50:44 | More by midnite2sixman

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. Straw colored body with some golden hues. Formed a single finger white head that vanished almost instantly.

Has a classic "wheat beer" smell...spice and citrus undertones.

The taste is right on with the smell...a bit grainy.

Thin mouth feel...very drinkable and refreshing. Good example of a white beer, I would have liked a little more "winter" seasoning...

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2009 18:22:04 | More by mgbickel