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

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

A. Pours out a murky orangeish-straw in color with a two finger fluffy white head with decent retention and lacing.
S. Extremely fresh and delicious spicy banana clove scent and minor elements of fruity bubblegum esters.
T. The flavor is somewhat less ester fruity than the nose would lead you to believe. More coriander and clove focus on top of a sweet wheat malt with plenty of bready and yeasty goodness.
M. Light body with a smooth texture, well carbonated.

I recommend this one, it is well worth trying. Has the "big beer" Hefeweizen sort of rich and bready flavor profile on a sessionably low ABV with the texture and easy drinking qualities of a regular witbier.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 20:35:59 | More by WastingFreetime

brystmar

New York

3.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to CPditka for the extra!

Cloudy orange pour yields minimal head that retreats quickly. 5 minutes after the pour, there's no head or lace in sight. Aroma is full of banana esters, cloves, yeast, and malt.

Taste follows suit, with an abundantly sweet flavor profile. Spices linger in the back of my throat after swallowing, which is a nice tough. About average for the style though, maybe even slightly behind Hoegaarden.

I used to love these Belgian white ales, but it's safe to say I'm over them. One every now and then is a refreshing change of pace, but even then I'm looking elsewhere for my wit fix.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 01:34:30 | More by brystmar

steve8robin

Massachusetts

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

Got this beer in a recent trade. 12oz bottle, packaged 11/15/11...

A: A hazy lemon color with a small 1/2 inch white head that fades at a decent pace. Decent.

S: I get a musty lemon scent upfront with some spices quickly becoming prominent. Decent.

T: I get an acidic mild breadiness upfront quickly subdued by a mild puckering lemon blended with some breadiness. Decent.

M: Medium body with a huge carbonation. A bready finish. Decent.

O: All in all, I'll preface by saying I'm not a huge fan of witbiers. That being said, this one is a little syrupy and has that classic Witbier taste. A good representation of the style, but overall not a great beer. It's decent, but nothing to write home about. Try this if you like the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 02:55:30 | More by steve8robin

OleJohnnieAle

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours a very cloudy, pale straw color minimal head that fell quickly. Nothing left on top of the beer and no lacing. Lots of sediment left in the bottle.

S- sweet aroma of corriander and slight citrus.

T-Lots of spice flavors. Lots of corriander and heavy wheat flavors. Has a creamyness to the taste as well.

M-Feels creamy yet is fairly light bodied. decent carbonation

O: I am a white ale fan and I was really suprised by this one. Had a great creamy spiciness to it. Well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 00:35:02 | More by OleJohnnieAle

littlelorib

Virginia

3.43/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pale yellow cloudy brew with only a thin white head, dissipating quickly. Smell is light and yeasty with not much else going on. Taste is yeasty and spicy, with a hint of clove and coriander, and maybe some fruit in the background. Mouth feel is very light and with highcarbonation.

Different for a "winter" beer. Definitely not my favorite witbier, and like most witbiers i can't figure out if i like it or not.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 00:31:34 | More by littlelorib

Hoptometrist

Oregon

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Served from the bottle into a Napoli Grande glass. Bottled on 12/19/11

A- Semi hazy/semi clear straw yellow/golden color with high carbonation and soapy head leaving no lace

S- Coriander, citrus, and belgian yeast aroma. Very spicy aroma

T- Very traditional tasting witbier, big on coriander, belgian yeast, lemon, light orange citrus, wheat, and a slightly salt like taste on the finish. Finish is a little off putting but mild

M- Highly carbonated, very refreshing, smooth, finishes dry, very effervescent

O- A good witbier, hard to believe this is not brewed with any spices, it is very coriander forward tasting.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 00:34:29 | More by Hoptometrist

mjpolzin

Wisconsin

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

In fairness, I drank this beer to cap off a night where I had already drank my top 2 rated beers on this site and was just looking for something that didn't leave me completly hung over the next morning. This beer tasted like a nice wheat beer with a little bit of winter spice kick. The color was really light which was a nice change of pace for a winter brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 05:09:54 | More by mjpolzin

sommersb

Tennessee

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Tasted On: 01-25-2012
Freshness: Bottled on 11-23-2011
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle
Glassware: Hexagonal
Purchased: Single from Publix, Huntsville

Pours a cloudy, yellow-orange color, with a small amount of bubbles in the glass. The white head is a meager finger high. Both retention and lacing are fairly low.

Aromas of light wheat malts are clean and supported by oranges and spices.

Taste is mildly sweet, with some tangy orange favors and spices. The body is thin, with high carbonation. The finish is dry and slightly tart.

Overall I think this is a good refreshing brew and a nice winter alternative.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 02:18:45 | More by sommersb

legalpete19340

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a light yellow/gold color with a big two fingers of fizzy and fluffy head that hung around for the entire drink but laced minimally.

S: Spiced bread, banana and grass.

T: Starts off a crisp clean wheat/grass flavor that immediately is erased by a massive spice profile of coriander, pepper, cloves and some cinnamon. This eases into spcied bread then notes of banana and lemon before the yeast gives it a biscuit finish. All the usual suspects well balanced.

M: Light and fizzy.

O: This is a well balanced Witbier. The usual spices and fruit notes play well together and dont overwhelm.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 17:20:10 | More by legalpete19340

teromous

Virginia

3.43/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: A light yellow color, similar in appearance to lemonade. The head is white and creates a small layer on the surface. There is some spotted lacing.

S: I get a very light Belgian yeast scent. There is a light zesty smell.

T: It has a huge wheat, grainy taste. It's like eating shredded wheat cereal. I get a very light banana flavor, but it's very light on esters and spice.

M: The mouthfeel is very nice. It is smooth and has just the right carbonation. The beer has a nice light body but fills the mouth. It's a very easy beer to drink.

O: Overall I'd say it's pretty good. It's not the best wit I've had, but it's not bad either. I probably wouldn't buy it again but I wouldn't turn one down. I'd still recommend it, because it's a good wit.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 00:08:01 | More by teromous

jeffmart22

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Pours a hazy nearly opaque yellow with a one finger head that dissipates to just a thin film. Very little lacing on the glass.

A - Strong citrus zest and a peppery spice aroma. Nice farmhouse type of funk from the yeast. Nice smelling Witbier.

T - Very easy to drink. Starts a little sour with some citrus flavor that leads into a slightly sweet mandarin orange flavor. Very refreshing.

M - Light in body, Flavor duration is short to moderate.

O - Nice and refreshing Witbier. Would be great in the hot summer weather.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 19:22:43 | More by jeffmart22

chilly460

Virginia

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a honey gold with a finger of white head. Good lacing.

S - Has a nice wheaty aroma with a bit of lemon zest and herbal hop aroma.

T - Nice light wheat sweetness. Some light banana as well, then plenty of coriander and light clove.

M - Light-Medium Bodied and medium carbonation. Smooth.

O - Very refreshing, good mix of flavor and not overly sweet

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 16:21:46 | More by chilly460

Nerudamann

Arizona

3.43/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Look – light golden color, clear, with very good carbonation and about half a finger’s worth of grayish foam that dissipates slowly.

Smell – hoppy, but with the wheat coming across pretty clearly, although not overwhelmingly.

Taste – much like the smell, but reversed. First I notice the wheat in the taste, and only then do I feel the hops. The wheat comes back in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel – pretty well balanced overall, not leaning more toward the waterier or creamier sides.

Overall – Not a bad-tasting brew at all, but not a whole lot of complexity to it.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 17:16:09 | More by Nerudamann

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

CFHMagnet

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Stopped 3/4 of the way through the pour to agitate. Got a finger of white head that dissipated in less than a minute. The body is a yellow gold color with a lot of suspended sediment observed. No lacing seen throughout consumption.

Yeast and wheat are the main nose staples in this style, and this beer stays true to that. The faint aromas of banana, some mild citrus and spices with clove being a big feature are also noted.

Yeast and wheat bread goodness. I don't even like real wheat bread, but I love the taste in my beer. A mild citrus offsets the banana flavor and clove, coriander and other spice make a nice medley that finishes this beer off.

Mouthfeel is light on this beer, carbonation isn't over the top either. Technically it would be chuggable, but then you wouldn't be enjoying it, would you?

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 19:12:49 | More by CFHMagnet

adman08

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours a very cloudy, pale straw color with a moderate amount of white head that leaves a thin layer of foam on the surface of the beer.
S-Aroma of slightly sweet spices like coriander. Slightly butterscotch belgian yeast aroma.
T-Fairly spicy, not spicy hot but spicy as in baking spices. Some sweet spice flavor like coriander. Obvious flavor of wheat.
M-Fairly light bodied but that's to be expected for the style. Slight spice warmth, decent carbonation.
Overall, a very good version of the style. Slight wheat body, slight spice flavors and fairly light bodied.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 19:30:26 | More by adman08

barleyroad

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -24%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Cloudy gold in appearance. Smell is to much like your typical Witbier. Mouthfeel is standard for this syle of beer. Falls short for a winter style beer. Taste, the spices stick in the mouth, this takes away from the desirability. Overall this beer is way to typical and the spices take away from this beer. Not our cup of brew. Drinkable, just not something we prefer.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 00:23:03 | More by barleyroad

MelissaJ

Indiana

3.78/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle to conical pint glass
A: Pours a light cloudy yellow with a thin white head that quickly dissipates

S: Lemons, spices, wheat

T: Strong citrus and wheat taste followed by lemon and spice (coriander?) notes

M: thick body, light carbonation

O: awesome drink-ability, but not very interesting, pretty basic. Definitely a spicy/winter drink. It's nice, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 00:14:03 | More by MelissaJ

McNealc31

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Don’t expect this to be a big, spicy winter warmer, it’s more to get you through the cold times and see that spring is not far away. Hazy gold with a fluffy white head and endless carbonation. You’ll notice the familiar banana, clove, coriander, and citrus flavors shining through. Exceptionally light and creamy, and at just 5% ABV, it’s a very tasty session ale.

It doesn’t particularly stand out from other Belgian Whites, but it’s a solid brew from Bell’s.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 03:34:17 | More by McNealc31

chinchill

South Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2 Nov. 2011 bottling, served in a pint glass.

Golden-yellow color with thin, and short-lived, white head. Cloudy. Looks like a typical wheat beer rather a typical "winter ale", but then this is a "Winter White" and is a witbier.

Aroma -- Wheaty and yeasty with hints of citrus and apricots.

Taste -- Largely follows aroma: Wheaty and yeasty with hints of citrus, bananas, nutmeg, cloves and apricots. Lightly tart.

O -- a fine example of the style, with only a slight departure from normal witbier prep. -- without the packaging, I would not have noticed this one is "seasonally nuanced". A winter ale for the tropics, perhaps.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 19:52:23 | More by chinchill

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

maxk

Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served chilled in a BrewDog tulip. Bottled 10/17/11.

Pours a hazy, bright orange color. A tiny bit of fizzy head which settles down to nothing in moments. Absolutely no lacing.

Very subdued aroma, I put my nose over the tulip and keep sniffing but its smell still isn't so pronounced. There are little bits of coriander and orange underneath a bit of wheat

There's lots of wheat flavor in here with a nice amount of coriander spice. There are nice citrus hints, including a good orange sweetness. The mouthfeel on this one is a little lackluster, it's a bit thin and undercarbonated.

I suspect that this batch is a little old which is why it's a bit underflavors and doesn't live up to expectations of some other witbiers. It almost tastes like it's been watered down. Still definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 22:30:34 | More by maxk

warnerry

Michigan

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

A - Pours a cloudy straw color with two fingers of quickly dissipating head.

S - Aromas of coriander and a small amount of citrus.

T - Tastes of wheat, some faint citrus hops and spices, mostly coriander. Flavors balance well. They aren't too exciting, but not bad.

M - Pretty light mouthfeel, but I guess appropriate for the style.

O - A pretty easy drinking, if not particularly interesting, wheat.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 22:26:07 | More by warnerry

gotweid

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a lottle to a pilsner glass. Very cludy pale yellow in apprearance with a small white head that fades. Grassy aroma. Taste is grassy with wheat and hint of citrus. This tastes like a thin Hefeweizen. Strong carbonation. Smooth mouthfeel, tasty and overall a pleasant beer to drink, just don't expect a punch.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 20:54:43 | More by gotweid

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: A translucent yellow with a minimal-to-no head.

Smell: Aroma is typical for a Witbier. Grainy with a touch of fresh sweetness.

Taste: Wow! Totally unexpected vibrancy here - bright banana flavor followed spices and a crisp snap of hops towards the end.

Mouthfeel: Coats the mouth nicely and is very refreshing. A bit of a dry finish which is in contrast to the more 'juicy' initial feel.

Overall: Although the first impression is not great going by the appearance and aroma, it's one of the better Witbiers I have experienced. Well done once again, Bell's!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 02:04:54 | More by Neorebel