Midwestern Pale Ale - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.19/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Who needs the Subcontinent when you have the Midwest? Boom. Anyway, this stuff pours a lightly hazy brass topped by a finger of lightly off-white foam. The nose comprises biscuit, light corn, and a hint of both grass and flowers. The taste holds notes of grass, lemon peel, light greens, and a hint of soft biscuit way in the background. The body is a hefty light, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, a meek pale ale with hardly any character of its own, much less the usual strength thereof normally found in Bell's beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 16:45:21 | More by TMoney2591

metter98

New York

3.48/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

On-tap at Thirsty Monk, Asheville, NC

A: The beer is slightly hazy yellowish amber in color. It poured with a thin off white head that died down and left a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of caramel malts are present in the nose along with hints of citrusy hops.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has a balanced mix of citrusy hops and caramel malts. No bitterness is perceptible.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink but nothing interesting stands out in the smell or taste. This would make for a good session beer for someone who is getting into craft beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2013 14:17:47 | More by metter98

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.63/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Packaged 11/05/12, qish I'd seen that, shame on Missouri Wholesalers, they let stuff pile up in wharehouses until stock is shifted...

Pours an effervescent amber with 2+ fingers of cream colored head. Slightly hazed, goof head retention & nice lacing

S: Grassyness & lemon peel & a bit of floral hops, the nose was the best part of this beer

T: Light biscuitty malt, grassyness & whispers of lemon up front. Grassyness & wheatyness as this warms, slight peppery spiceyness too. Finishes grassy, a little grainy with lemon zest notes

MF: light/medium bodied & crisp carbonation, decent balance

Refreshing & easy to drink, but nothing special. I'd rather have Boulevard PA which is $2 a sixer cheaper than this & way more flavorful

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 03:48:24 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Packaged 10/27/12, so just under two weeks old. It pours into a large mug with a billowing head of white foam, copious tendrils of sticky lacing coating the walls of the glass. The head maintains itself for the duration of the glass. Color is a hazy gold with suspended micro sediment giving in a moderate haze.

Sulfuric aroma when first poured, pretty off putting, although when allowed to sit for a couple minutes the skunkiness dissipates. Left behind is a yeasty chalkiness, raw grain aromas, and some sweet malt presence. Can't say it appeals really.

Smooth feel, light carb and a mild astringency, mild hop bitterness in the aftertaste with some florals and grainy, nutty notes of basic barley malt in the middle. Pretty simple and straightforward as intended, though not especially exciting. The language on the back label calls it a Blonde Ale, despite it's name, which is more fitting for it's stripped down character.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 02:02:13 | More by emerge077

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Great looking beer creamy textured soft off white cream colored head settles on a semi clouded amber copper colored body, with thick creamy bands of chunky lacing left sporadically not in any ornate patterns. Aromatics contain pleasant bready malts, a hint of earthiness, toasted nuts with a simple single dimensioned mild citrus hop edge. Pretty pleasant straight forward mildly hopped pale ale, this is trying to showcase their Michigan grown malt and it's tasty no complaints filed here. Bready grains hints of caramel and ample bitterness in the backend to balance it out, earthy herbal flavors from the hops not much else going on here. Mouthfeel is medium to lighter bodied with natural flowing carbonation each sip is inoffensive on the palate as the next. Overall a nice session beer, one meant to be enjoyed more than one at a time and still not exhaust your live or palate.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 02:50:41 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Looks nice, even though it is cloudy. Nose is like hay and grass. Normally, I may be okay with that. But this is a pale ale, and I feel like there should be some sort of hop presence around. It drinks okay, but it's so earthy and grassy, that it just doesn't strike me as a pale ale. I expect a lot from Bell's, and rightfully so considering all of their releases. The people that make Expedition Stout should be able to do better than this.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 03:26:56 | More by RblWthACoz

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a tulip glass)
11/26/12 on bottle
A- The hazy deep orange body supports a beige sticky film and a carbonation of big bubbles pop of the base of the glass.

S- The pale malt has a hint of hair perm with some pine hops in the finish and a light raw silage aroma grows as the beer opens.

T- The pungent bitterness has a sulfur hint and a pils male with a dry hop spice that starts to come through as the beer opens. The pine hint is a bit stronger in the dry finish and has an astringent quality to it.

M- The light mouthfeel is finished with a tight little fizz

O- This beer is light on hops and is a bit too dry in the pale malt flavor. It is kind of blah tasting and a bit boring to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 14:02:53 | More by rhoadsrage

avalon07

South Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had an orange color and a cloudy texture. There was a small amount of foamy head that quickly dissipated. Decent lacing.

S: A sharp, but somewhat odd aroma of hops, citrus, and a grainy quality.

T: Tasted of hops, citrus, grain, malt, and a bready quality. The problem with the flavor here is the hoppiness. It's simply overhopped. Much too bitter and harsh. The other elements are fine, but overpowered.

M: A well-carbonated beer, but has an overly bitter finish. Light-bodied.

O: Not the worst APA I've tried (there are definitely blander ones out there), but terribly uneven.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 01:36:07 | More by avalon07

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy pale yellow to orange-ish color with a white head. In the aroma, a mellow orange citrus hop. In the taste, a bit dryer and watery than expected, a mellow hop and a balance maltiness. A small bite, yet mainly smooth and a lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a lightly dry, light malt in the aftertaste. Mellow and easy, balanced and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 18:09:56 | More by OWSLEY069

scruffwhor

Illinois

2.78/5  rDev -17.3%
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

Tone

Missouri

3.81/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a slightly hazy, golden/copper color. 5/4 inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of hops, hop oils, slight floral hops, sweet malt, hint of pale malt, and a hint of earthy malt. Fits the style of an American Pale Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of hops, sweet malt, slight pale malt, hint of citrus (grapefruit?), hint of nuts, hint of roasted malt, and a hint of floral hops. Overall, not complex, but good appearance and session-able.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 12:22:56 | More by Tone

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +28.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a Bell's imperial pint.
5.2% ABV, 11511 PKGD 10/27/12

A - I have a Bell's bumper sticker which I've since turned into a magnet that reads, "If God wanted us to filer our beer, he wouldn't have given us livers." It comes as no surprise to me, then, for this bright pale goldenrod beer to be filled, bottom to top, with suspended particles. After all, I did dump the whole beer in the pint which produced a loose, tall white head. Plenty of lace coats the glass after said head disappeared.

S - Deliciously grainy pale malt does well to whisk one away to the scene of the painting; an open field of grain and light fall breeze. Notes of pilsner sweetness are tucked behind providing good balance to the light hop experience. Subtle floral attributes brush against the bigger herbal earthy notes for a laid-back, Midwestern aroma.

T - Malts and hops come together in mutual matrimony, celebrating each others presence without ever becoming dominant. Grainy pale malt gives this beer a nice farm feel, again, and the herbal, earthy hops mimic that notion while subtle pilsner malt sweetness and smoothness frolics with gentle floral attributes in the background.

M - Smooth feeling with a light carbonation prickle, this pale has a sturdy malty body but isn't sweet per se. It's also not bitter or hoppy, though it leans slightly in that direction, finishing with a kiss of dryness that brings you back for another sip.

O - A lawnmower beer at it's finest, Bell's Midwest Pale Ale perfectly captures the Midwest mindset in regards to drinkability and hop usage; easy going and balanced. The label captures the spirit of the beer equally as well; simple, steadfast, and free. This pale has nice flavor and nuances if you're looking for a "lighter" beer to kick back with and enjoy but it will also work tremendously well with a number of foods. Well done, very well done.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 02:29:28 | More by BeerFMAndy

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.69/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Mixed and matched this one at the House of 1,000 beers. New Bell's beer? Awesome!
Bottled 10/27/12 so over 3 months old

A - Pours a small 1/4 inch of sticky white head with enough supported carbonation to keep it atop. OMG a crap ton of floaties in my glass like a heavy snowfall but it seems to be an orange yellow in color.

S - Some wheat, citrus hops, and a twang of pale malts. Smells fairly nice.

T - A touch smoother than the pale ale, citrus hops are nice but their is a sort of skunked wheat flavor I can't put my finger on. Maybe it was caused from the Blonde ale clashing with the pale malts? Other than that it's kind of drying but somewhat enjoyable.

M - Light to medium, crisp, spot on with carbonation.

Overall it's not an over the top experimental but it's quite a different take on a pale blonde ale. Maybe the rye will be better because I actually enjoy the regular pale more...

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 02:18:55 | More by DrDemento456

tdm168

North Carolina

3.44/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

A - orange with a big, soft, pure white cap of dense head that has great retention

S - bready, doughy malt

T - bread, faint toast, citrus, mild hop bitterness; very light flavor

M - light to medium bodied, well carbonated

This is a disappointing pale ale. The flavor is very mellow. It's predominantly malt with a faint hop presence, but there is little to get excited about. It's really easy to knock this back, but it's boring all the same. This won't be a beer I'll pick up again.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 02:14:50 | More by tdm168

morimech

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Hazy golden color with an attractive two finger head that had good retention before settling to a thin cap. Moderate amount of sticky lacing is left down the glass.

Strong malt aroma that is grainy and slightly musty. A touch of lemon grass as well.

Malt forward flavor. Slightly toasted and bready. A touch of peppery hops add some flavor but this is a malty first beer. Dry character.

Solid body and carbonation. Nice drinkable texture is a nice feature.

Not sure what Bell's was trying to achieve with this beer. Certainly is not going to appeal to beer geeks but I enjoyed the malt profile and I even liked the hops used. Just wish there was more hop balance.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 19:36:51 | More by morimech

Brenden

Ohio

3.61/5  rDev +7.4%
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

Ryan011235

Ohio

2.74/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.75

Poured into an Olde Hickory glass on 1/20/13

11639 Pkgd 12/19/12

Golden yellow with a dulled cloudiness to it. Two fingers of foam are topped by loose bubbles. The head recedes slowly leaving ample lace across the glass.

Aromas of grass, honey suckle, flowers, pollen, biscuit and orange peel. Toasty and very slightly herbal. More layers of grass as it opens up. The taste and feel are both succinct. Very grassy with a hint of herbal twinge on the finish. Mild bitterness. Toasted grains throughout. The body is light, though somehow kind of syrupy. Carbonation is sharp. This beer is not one to dally.

Overall, this is drinkable but I made the right choice to hold out for a single bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 20:47:07 | More by Ryan011235

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.99/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance – The beer is served a hazy orange color with a one finger white head. The head fades relatively quickly leaving a moderate level of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell- The aroma is heaviest of an earthy and citrus hops along with a nice bready base. Along with these aromas are some lighter notes of tropical fruit as well as a little bit of apricot.

Taste – At the start of the taste a bready and grapefruit flavor greets the tongue along with some more grassy hop flavors. Some flavors of a light fruit flavor as well as a little bit of pineapple flavor soon come to the tongue. These sweeter flavors disappear soon however as flavors of grapefruit citrus hop grow stronger in nature with them being joined by some hop flavors of an earthy variety. When combined with the rest of the flavors, a bitter and dry, hoppy and bready flavor is left on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The beer was slightly on the creamier and thicker side with a carbonation level that was average. The thicker body was nice for the bready flavors of the brew as well as gave a chance for all the hop flavors a chance to e fully sensed by the tongue.

Overall –A pretty nice English style IPA. It’s on the drier side with a good blend of citrus, earthy and herbal hop. Well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 01:54:18 | More by Darkmagus82

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Bottled 02/06/13. Emptied into a shaker pint.

Looks a hazy golden blonde, almost looks like a wheat ale. No real collar formed. Thin lip of suds and surface spore foam resides. There are even tiny floaties in suspension.

Floral in aroma. Notes of dead grass, white pepper, and biscuit bread. Mild herbal quality dries out the nose even more.

Appealingly dry and unmistakably floral and grassy. Specialty and pilsner malts can be tasted. Dry and crisp for an ale. Late estery notes remind me of crabapple in the finish. Lightly soapy. Swallowed up by more bittering dryness.

Drinks decently. Pins-and-needles effervescence generates the coarseness in the mouthfeel. That seems a little mucky mixed into a slightly oily body.

Not too shabby for a pale. Unimpressive, but sessionable. Not the best from Bell's.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 04:09:05 | More by thecheapies

rlee1390

Indiana

3.36/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A-Cloudy yellow/orange one finger head that doesn't last.

S-A malty mess, lots of wheat, no hops very slight grass.

T-Lots of bread, malt and wheat. Not well balanced, Something is off. No hops. Orange and grass.

M-Light not much carbonation.

O-Bell's Pale Ale was bad, this was bad. If they can make Two Hearted you think they'd be able to make a good pale ale. Guess not.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 22:11:15 | More by rlee1390

gatornation

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottled on 110512

A- pours a straw golden sunshine color with a white 1 finger head some lacing looks good

S- pale malts and fruit a hint of spice

T-watery with a hint of beery like fruit a touch of citrus hops and dry spices

M- tart and dry with berry like flavors

O- just an average pale ale watery with not alot of taste or hops drinkable for sure just not one i would reach for when i want a PA

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 22:17:47 | More by gatornation

secondtooth

Indiana

4.23/5  rDev +25.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a cloudy golden with a superlative white head and attractive tree-line lace. Lovely!

Nose is crisp malts and a snappy citrus hops presence. Seems balanced and enticing.

Taste is nicely hopped, but not overly so given the style. I get a complementary malt bill alongside the hops. Overall, a perfectly balanced and exemplary pale ale. Top marks for the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 23:37:33 | More by secondtooth

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Midwestern pale with Michigan barley is a worthy attempt but comes up a bit short.
Color is golden and a bit light for a pale, maybe more towards a blonde. Has a hazy appearance, and sports a really nice fluffy bright white head.
Aroma lacks hops. I can detect none at all. Malts are nutty and bready. Taste is for want also, drinks flat with a nutty grainy malt flavor no hops that I can tell.The finish is abrasive and dry.
This beer is only a month old so its not stale hopefully the recipe will be tweaked as they become more familar with their own particular barley.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 14:37:18 | More by micromaniac129

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a Half Acre snifter.

A- pours a caramel color with a 2 finger off-white head. Big bubbles and blotches of lacing remain.

S- light caramel, lemon, light spice and pine.

T- pale malts, caramel, lemon, light citrus rind/pine bitterness.

M- medium body and carbonation. Syrupy surprisingly with crisp finish.

O- just a ok beer. A little to golden ale/pilsner ish for me. Maltier than a pilsner but just not like most pales.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 02:05:49 | More by kawilliams81

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.31/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip.

Midwestern Pale Ale comes out of the bottle a full, mostly transparent golden color. A frothy off-white head forms about an inch high initially, but it fades quickly to a few wisps on top of the beer.

The aroma is fairly light. There is a biscuity malt presence for sure. Grassy, slightly floral, with a little bit of lemongrass in the hop aroma. Overall the nose is pretty light, though.

Unfortunately the flavor really follows the nose. There is a bit of malt sweetness up front with a biscuity tone to it. A rising bitterness has a mostly grassy character, with a little bit of citrus and lemongrass as well. The finish is lemony and bitter, with a rather unpleasant aftertaste. There is not that much here, and what is here is not that good.

The mouthfeel is within the normal range for this style. Smooth, filtered, with a lightly crisp and moderately creamy carbonation. The body is a little bit lighter than medium for what I would expect.

I am rather let down by this offering from Bell's. I can usually pick something up from them and feel confident knowing that it will be a solid beer. While there is not anything technically wrong with this beer, I feel they are insulting the great beers that come out of the Midwest.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 07:19:52 | More by KickInTheChalice