Midwestern Pale Ale - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

scruffwhor

Illinois

2.78/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Some tiny sediment particles hang around this bronze and amber, slightly hazey APA. One finger of head and a thin layer of foam for most of the twelve ounces.

The aroma is very weird. I poured this beer into a clean pint glass. There's some citric hop aromas, alittle biscuity, toasty malt. But overwhelmingly vomitous!? There's a vomit aroma thats a little off puting to say the least. My guess is I got an unlucky bottle of some sort.

Crisp and grainy palate with a lighter than expected body. Biscuits, crackers, and bread crust with a strong funky orange and earth almost barnyardy flavor. I don't really know what to make of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 15:32:55 | More by scruffwhor

Dave_in_GR

Michigan

3.74/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a pint glass from a 12oz bottle.

Appearance is a light amber with lots of white, foamy head. Nice lacing as well.

Smell is a bit surprising, not a lot of citrus in this, but some floral notes from the hops.

Taste combines floral and spicy flavors with some sweet malts.

Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with medium carbonation, but there is an unpleasant lingering aftertaste.

Overall this is a surprisingly flavorful ale, the spicy and floral hops are really pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 00:33:36 | More by Dave_in_GR

PopnLoads

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +25.7%

05-20-2013 02:07:27 | More by PopnLoads

Turbo

Minnesota

3/5  rDev -11.2%

05-19-2013 22:36:25 | More by Turbo

NJB145

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

05-19-2013 01:05:01 | More by NJB145

hemorhoidzz

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +33.1%

05-18-2013 19:56:58 | More by hemorhoidzz

Brenden

Ohio

3.61/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This one is a hazy dark yellow, just a bit lighter than amber. On top rests an off-white head somewhere between one and two fingers tall with good retention. Lacing is deposited in thick patches and in pretty impressive density.
Grassiness is big in the aroma, though some floral notes are part of that. There's a mineral edge that reminds me of particular English varietals, though I imagine that's just how it all plays together. There's a bit of sweetness lent from a citrus element and a pithy sort of dryness coming out with a note of rind.
Much the same can be said of the flavor with a few exceptions. This isn't an especially hoppy pale ale, but bitterness picks up in mostly floral and herbal notes. An underlying grains note remains stronger underneath, and a bit of peppery spice from the hops is also more noticeable. There's a touch more sweetness from notes of fruit.
Crispness comes out strong right up front and stays strong. There's also a moderately smooth feel in the light-medium body. Carbonation may have a little too much bite to it, but it works together fairly well.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 13:26:52 | More by Brenden

MickeyMonk

Arizona

3/5  rDev -11.2%

05-17-2013 02:39:13 | More by MickeyMonk

BurnMeInMyBar

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +40.5%

05-15-2013 21:06:21 | More by BurnMeInMyBar

jwat

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%

05-14-2013 04:47:30 | More by jwat

AmandaSchaefer

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -11.2%

05-13-2013 22:41:54 | More by AmandaSchaefer

Roman5150

Michigan

3.45/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

bottle into pint glass

appearance: cloudy unfiltered light orange/yellow, huge foamy head

smell: smells more like a lager or a pils than a pale ale, sublte citrus/lemon and faint earthiness

taste: very light flavor, i feel like this is more of a lager than a pale ale, not much hop presence. Watery, and very bready flavors come through in the finish, hint of Rye as well.

mouthfeel: not much carbonation, very very light on the palate

overall: A great summer pils or lager type beer, I don't understand why this is labeled a Pale Ale, probably explains the poor reviews. Either way, if you're looking for a hoppy pale ale, look elsewhere, if you want a smooth summer beer that tastes more like a czech pils or lager (a very good one at that) try this, it has subtle flavors but not much complexity. Great session beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 02:22:48 | More by Roman5150

Bill235

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

05-12-2013 23:07:55 | More by Bill235

HarmonMW

Michigan

3/5  rDev -11.2%

05-12-2013 00:27:16 | More by HarmonMW

Slay40

Michigan

3/5  rDev -11.2%

05-10-2013 21:30:23 | More by Slay40

Artjsantos

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

05-10-2013 16:19:54 | More by Artjsantos

george42

Illinois

4/5  rDev +18.3%

05-08-2013 23:36:28 | More by george42

BMart

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -11.2%

05-08-2013 19:06:28 | More by BMart

markcp

Iowa

2.75/5  rDev -18.6%

05-07-2013 21:08:45 | More by markcp

Gatordaddy

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +10.9%

05-05-2013 01:22:05 | More by Gatordaddy

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -18.6%

05-04-2013 22:30:30 | More by ZEB89

EricReynolds

West Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

05-04-2013 01:44:14 | More by EricReynolds

amcaleh

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

05-02-2013 12:35:13 | More by amcaleh

stewart124

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Back of the bottles labels this a home grown blonde ale.

Hazy orange to dark gold in color. Nice white lacing.

Nose has plenty of bread in the nose. Spice and light citrus from the hops.

Medium bodied with a tasty dose of spicy hops. Peppercorns, bread and a lemon zest help pull this off. Light in bitterness for an American pale ale but seemingly on target for a blonde ale. Lots of biscuity character that builds well with the noble hops. Sharp finish and a dry spicy bite.

I feel that I should be reviewing this as a blonde ale and not an APA. This is a very nice blonde ale and a mediocre pale ale. I can see why it would review so poorly.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 00:42:43 | More by stewart124

bpfrush

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev +3.6%

04-27-2013 02:56:28 | More by bpfrush