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

nmyers

Michigan

3.2/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

It poured a cloudy golden almost orange color. The aroma of this beer has hints of sweet citrus and bananas and some Belgium candy sugar. The taste of this beer was similar to smell hints of sweet sugars and citrus and banana notes were also present. This drinkable beer was smooth but had a slightly bitter after taste. Overall this was an average winter beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2008 19:03:29 | More by nmyers

BlindPig

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- Thin white head on a cloudy golden body.
S- Big banana with orange peel come through right off the bat. Some spices like cloves, pepper, and maybe even a hint of cinnamon.
T- Kind of mild in flavor. Flavors match well to the aroma just if you tone everything down by quite a lot. The bitterness is on the bigger side for this style. Leaves a nice little bite with orange peel.
M- Medium/thin body with low/medium carbonation.
D- I think it is decent but nothing outstanding. I'm not sure how old this beer is so not sure if it is past its prime. I would think its a few months passed it's peak and starting to show signs of oxidation.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2008 02:16:17 | More by BlindPig

dfuller

Arizona

3.23/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance: cloudy yellow with a fine white foam that laced the glass nicely for a light brew.

Nose: fairly clean, with a light whiff of citrus.

Taste: Light, crisp hops are obvious right away. The citrus notes are light, but present after the early hops and through to the aftertaste. The finish is clean, leaving a bit of citrus behind.

This is a bit cleaner beer then I had anticipated, but it would make a good session beer when in season. Oddly enough, though, with its clean nose and finish I think I would rather drink it on a hot day than a cold one.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2005 04:14:52 | More by dfuller

Golden2wenty1

Wisconsin

3.23/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up a single at Riley's here in Madison.

Pours the cloudiest, orange-juice gold with a finger of white head on top. Nose is peppery, with hints of clove and banana esters and musty wheat. Taste is extremely dry, pepper/clove spicy and heavy on the yeast. Mouthfeel is pretty thick due to all the suspended yeast, co2 is lively. Overall wasn't too impressed with this one. I looks pretty, but is so dry it lacks any real character.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2005 22:16:28 | More by Golden2wenty1

bunnyhustle

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from bottle into tulip glass. Pours hazy yellow (mainly) with 1 finger white head. Poor retention and lacing. Smell was strong of yeast, some spice and a little bread. I thought this beer had a unique taste, I think it tasted a little like a spicy hefe. Some banana and bubblegum with some corriander and other spices. Yeast and dry malt as well. Mouthfeel I felt was a little water and slightly undercarbonated. Overall not a great beer but not bad, I should note I'm not a huge Witbier fan though.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2009 02:40:19 | More by bunnyhustle

merc7186

New York

3.23/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had this beer on tap at Smokin Joes in Pittsburgh.

The beer poured average with a hazy golden straw, lemon yellow color, a mild white head, and minimal lacing on the glass. The beer smells average with mild notes of lemony zest, banana, clove, and yeast. The taste is decent with a good blend of banana and clove up front with a lemony zest, yeasty, bready finish. The mouthfeel is average with the beer being mildly carbonated, light bodied, and a mild bready taste lingering. Overall, it was okay but nothing special..under carbonated for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2011 03:00:34 | More by merc7186

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

An odd choice for a Winter Ale. Very wheat-ey. They upped the gravity to make a creamier and more flavorful Belgian Wit, but it still lacks the punch in malt complexity and alcohol for me to consider it for a winter beer. Having said that, it's a good beer. spicy, sweet, bananna-ey, citrucy, peppery, sweet, and subtle. Little dryness or lingering. Creamy and silky to the palate. I'd put another lable on it and drink it into the spring and summer.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2005 15:29:52 | More by BEERchitect

battlekow

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Looks like lemonade on the way out of the bottle, a runny yellow color with globs. Settles to an impenetrable pear color with a decent, attractive white head. The label says the beer is "seasonally nuanced," which I take to mean has wintery spices added; ironically enough, then, I think the beer smells less spiced than most witbiers I've had. I mostly get warm, bready yeast. Taste is similar, plain-jane yeast and wheat flavors with a bit of the promised holiday spice.

I think Bell's should rename this beer "Wheat Zero."

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2005 06:14:02 | More by battlekow

hwwty4

Missouri

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 12 oz bottle into a chalice. The beer poured a hazy orange/yellow with a very thin white head that left no lacing. The beer actually looked like a pulpless grapefruit juice. The aroma was of ripe apples and bananas. The taste is of wheat and bananas. It leaves a yeasty aftertaste in your mouth that I didn’t much care for. The mouthfeel is decent, medium bodied with little carbonation. Not a bad beer, just nothing exciting to talk about.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2007 20:40:58 | More by hwwty4

CReilly

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

1/14/09

Bell's Winter White Ale:

App: Orangey yellow haze sits quietly under a slight white head which dissipated within the first 30 seconds... a nice effervescence was seen throughout the life of the beer however somehow did not contribute to head

Aroma: Classical wit character of sweet wheat, coriander and a slight citrus nose.. Pleasant overall

Taste: Slight spicey coriander with sweetness derived from a nice wheat backbone, and a mildly hoppy bitterness to round it out

Mouthfeel: Medium light body that was broken up by the more than adequate carbonation. this beer ended with slight bitter sweet mildly hoppy end that almost seemed dry to a small degree

overall the taste was good but the head retention awful... barely any head to begin with.

would give it another try

poured into a small pilsner glass

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2009 04:12:31 | More by CReilly

birchstick

Missouri

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - hazy golden yellow with a nice head that fizzles and pops from the carbonation and slowly dissipates

S - smells of wheat, coriander, and hints of bubblegum

T - tastes as the smell suggests - Starts off spicy, with coriander, banana, and wheat. It finished slightly dry with some grassy hops.

M - very smooth and creamy, albeit a bit thin

D - this is a pretty good wit. Nothing stands out or blows me away by it, but nothing disappoints me either. This is a pretty decent wit, but I would reach for something else by Bell's.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2009 05:10:40 | More by birchstick

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle courtesy of russpowell. Thanks Russ!

5.0%abv listed on the label.

It pours a cloudy yellow colour with about an inch of foam. The lacing is ok for the style.

The smell is...funky and yeasty with good notes of banana and anise with a lemon hop aroma bringing up the rear. It smells inviting to me.

The taste is of wheat, bananas, light lemon zest, and a bit of bread. I like the smell more than the taste for some reason. Maybe the overall flavours come off to me as being bland.

On the low side of medium bodied with low levels of carbonation. At this time, the foam is gone and no more lacing.

Drinkability? It drinks ok but following one bottle with another, if I had one, would not be something I'd do.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2010 18:23:28 | More by Bitterbill

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

My next door neighbor gave me an entire 6/pk of this stuff as a Christmas present.

A: When I think winter, I don't exactly consider Witbier, but I'll bite anyway: Poured a grainy, murky orange, with a slight head that basically withered away to nothing.

S: Banana and coriander spice beer on the nose, with maybe a hint of freshly filtered H2O. This wasn't too potent, but still was pleasant.

T: What happened here? While this wasn't terrible, it was one of the more bland Wits that I've had in ages. I got a fair bit of fruity, coriandery, spicy slurp on the front end, but there was absolutely no explosive late aftertaste of flavors to make this one worth coming back to.

M: A bit thin and infinitely forgettable, with a bit of slight carbonation which I guess was fine, and not much lacing at all.

O: 6pk = Register checkout: house beer, $1 even. Meh...

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 23:48:08 | More by Chaney

Brent

Kentucky

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Very hazy, with an unusual appearance, a cross between orange and grapefruit juice. Something funky in the aroma that was a touch off-putting at first. Very much the classic spiced Belgian witbier, substantial yeast and spice flavors. According to the bottle, this is a wheat with seasonal spices - quite frankly I was a bit let down - not that there is anything wrong with the beer, just that I don't detect anything that particularly distinguishes this beer from the rest of the spiced wit pack. A nice-enough beer, but it seems a poor choice to tout as a winter seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2004 00:31:07 | More by Brent

atsprings

North Carolina

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Batch 7760. Never had a witbeir as a winter seasonal before, so this should be interesting. Poured a hazy diluted orange with no head whatsoever. Smell was somewhat more complex than many witbeirs, some spices present. Has some spice present in the taste. Almost like a witbeir impersonating a more heavy, darker winter warmer, just not doing a very good job at it. Definitely not as light as some wits. Mouthfeel is a little heavier than I'm used to in this style, I guess this works since it is a winter beer. Somewhat drinkable, but I'm glad I only bought one bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2007 07:30:53 | More by atsprings

argock

Virginia

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz brown bottle into a clear pint glass

A: Hazy yellow-orange with short white foamy lace and scant lace

S: Coriander, cloves, bananas, and orange citrus

T: A bit flat in light of the encouraging preamble of the aromas. Some yeasts and bready wheat and malt flavros with coriander and orange sprinkled in, but it's missing some punch.. Ethereal, even for a wit.

M: Smooth and medium-bodied, not thin and watery like some wits. Acive lively carbonation.

D: Nothing objectionable but not a home run or even a double. Bell's is a great brewery on the whole, but this isn't one of their best. Solid but under the bar for Bell's.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2008 16:56:40 | More by argock

Clydesdale

District of Columbia

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a cloudy yellow-orange with a medium, foamy white head with average retention and lacing.

S: Wheat, yeast, some cloves and perhaps banana. Some coriander and citrus aroma is also detectable.

T: Crisp wheat flavor, with some floral hops to provide a slight bite. Coriander, clove, allspice, and orange juice flavors as well. A bit of drying, husky graininess at the finish.

M: Very crisp and fizzy, with a somewhat light body. A vaguely sticky and dry aftertaste. A seltzery feel to this one, with an acidic, carbonated twang.

D: This one tastes pretty decent, but what makes it a winter beer, exactly? The mouthfeel especially seems off - too much like club soda and without the creamy texture you'd expect from a witbier.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2008 21:50:10 | More by Clydesdale

dougriddle

Missouri

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a wide pilsner glass, this "winter white" displays a lovely dark to lighter golden sunburst color, when in lower light conditions. I poured looking for a more vigorous head, and am a little disappointed with how low the retention is. After a couple of drinks, there is absolutely none to be seen, nor is there any lacing after a couple of drinks.
After a quick sniff, I get a hoppy, citrus blend that is characteristic of most wit beers.
Once this beer hits the mouth, one can notice a fair amount of carbonation. But once the beer is swallowed, it leaves behind a film on the back of the mouth that reminds me of Schlafly's Saison Ale. Unfortunately for me, I do not like this feeling.
As far as taste is concerned, the hop combinations are fairly subtle throughout, but then leaves a strong hop after taste.The spice use is also very subtle. On the whole, this has more of an earthy taste to it, but not a lot of strong flavors. I want something more to jump out at me here. Again, this tastes closer to a Saison style than a wit-hence the "Winter white" moniker I suppose.
Overall, this beer is very nice to look at in the glass, but I need something more from this beer, especially if it is going to be priced at $10.99 for a six pack. You fooled me Bells. I would much rather save $3 and get any Saison six pack.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2009 05:13:20 | More by dougriddle

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Got this one in a great trade with Noslenwerd. I wanted to help out his cause for 365 beers in 365 days. For those who haven't heard of his quest, try this website:
http://365beers.wordpress.com/

Anyways, he sent me a bunch of stuff I can't get here, including a slew of Bell's beers, and I decided to review a bunch tonight. This is the next on the list, and helps me to go through a bunch of winter beers that I'm questing to do as well.

A: Has a light airy and fluffy 1/2 finger head that keeps itself well. It's an incredibly hazy, so much so I almost expect the blob to step out of this thing. It also has a murky pale bright yellow color.

N: Nose is loaded with wheat, banana, and spices. It has a lot of reminiscence of a Belgian wit beer. Lots of wheat as a base, then a nice creamy banana flavor, and some spices, perhaps clove, coriander, and hints of yeast. And even some hints of orange peel but very light.

T: Very similar to the nose, but the spices come out a lot more. This is now loaded with clove, coriander, orange peel, and other winter spices, but its not overbearing, just over the top. The some wheat and banana try to come through on the back end. A very light sweet malt flavor.

M: Semi thin, decent carbonation but I would expect more for the style, a little spicy.

F: Comes off pretty dry on the finish, with a big load of banana and more spices. It has a touch of spicy heat, some acidity. The spices seem to linger for a while, with even more orange peel this time. Its not a bad beer, a decent Belgian wit crossed with winter warmer, which is starting to become commonplace. This goes a little heavy on spices but not too much to still enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2010 00:56:45 | More by jlindros

teovaldi

Michigan

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a clear yellow with a small head that dissipates quickly.

Smells of wheat, citrus hops and spicey.

Taste starts out sweet with malted barley and wheat. Finishes slightly citrusy and spicey.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is alright, a bit too spicey for me. Could use some more carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 08:34:14 | More by teovaldi

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - pours a completely clear bright golden color. no head to speak of.

S - nicely spiced with notes of cardamom and citrus with some bready undertones.

T - some bready malt character up front, bright citrus and spice character in the center which lingers on past the finish.

M - light bodied slightly watery, medium to high carbonation.

O - decent white ale. nothing is wrong with it except the lack of visible yeast but it is nothing that exciting.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 05:25:17 | More by Teleweizen2

KajII

North Carolina

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

[Suggested Glassware: Weizen Glass]

The pour was a hazy yellow with and orange/brown hue and a large (2-3 finger) white fizzy head that quickly diminished, down to a thin puddled film with a medium collar and had fair spotty lacing.

The aroma was of a light grain malt and a funky Belgian yeast with notes of citrus (orange) and coriander.

The taste was lightly sweet and very yeasty with a bold citrus presence throughout, with the finish having a slightly bitter citrus peel bite along with a hint of spice towards the end. The flavor lasted an average duration proceeding the swallow, with a light spicy bitterness left behind.

Mouthfeel was light in body and dry in texture with a mildly soft carbonation.

Overall this was a pretty tasty Witbier that had a lot of citrus flavor, which worked very well with the funky spicy yeast taste...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 15:45:55 | More by KajII

Georgiabeer

Georgia

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

Pours a cloudy golden with a decent white head and no lacing. Smell is nice- classic wit beer with banana, clove, and bubblegum aromas along with a hint of spice. Taste is a little restrained, doesn't really wow me. Some nice bubblrgum flavors on the finish are especially noticeable as well as hints of clove, maybe some coriander and a slight hint of bitterness that runs through the taste. Mouthfeel is smooth but a little thin. Could use a little more body and carbonation. Fairly nice, but not my first choice.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2007 02:35:48 | More by Georgiabeer

BeerBelcher

Ohio

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

I expected a great deal from this beer, and it was...OK. If you love clove, you might think it's better than OK.

Appearance is a greasy-looking clear yellow color with a fairly minimal head. Aroma is non-descript spice at first, but subsequent whiffs revealed a more solitary aroma of clove. Taste was 100% cloviness, and quite strong. Not bad, as long as you like clove. Mouthfeel is not bad, but unremarkable. This beer is fairly drinkable.

All-in-all, I guess I'd recommend it, but not my favorite wit.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2007 23:00:51 | More by BeerBelcher

Fish113d

Pennsylvania

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

Pours a pale straw color with a fizzy white head that dissipates quickly to a slight surface layer. Body is a bit cloudy.

Aroma is of some pale malt along wwiht just a hint of spice; coriander and orange peel is what i find mainly. A slight grainy aroma comes through a bit also. Kinda plain.

Sipping reveals a rather balanced flavor between the sweet malt and some hops. Some spice comes through a bit on the swallow, and just a hint of orange peel, but I was hoping for abit more spice.

Tingly carbonation up front, and a rather watery finish with very little aftertaste. Rather lite.

Very drinkable, in that I could drink a case of it and keep on going (okay maybe that's pushing it), but overall, i was rather disappointed. I've had better from Bell's.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2007 02:11:17 | More by Fish113d