Sugared Scotch malting drapes roasted barley and dry powdered cocoa, impacting cracked wheat spine. Dim molasses-honey tinge peters out. Toss to amber ale fans. Brewery defunct: circa 2004.
All posts by John Fortunato
CASTELAIN CH’TI BLONDE
Lightly gold-hazed ‘Biere De Garde’ spreads musty yeast above spicy citrus. Deceptive dank-cellared moldy fungi waft juxtaposes tidy lemon rind souring and peppery-hopped ginger-spiced clove-allpsice continuance. Banana-breaded white peach-pear-quince illusions round out earthen clay-like backdrop of busy blonde ale.
(DUVEL) BEL PILS BELGIAN LAGER
Pungent barley-oats aroma seems too brash compared to pale yellow hue and flowery hop fizz, though dense sugared wheat thicket and spicy white grape finish offer wine-like White Ale or French Beer essence. Carbonation softly dissipates on tongue, flattening quickly.
BELL’S WINTER WHITE ALE
Soured grapefruit-peach merger lightens as dry hop protrusion rises. Grassy wheat retreat picks up banana, clove and bubblegum notes by faded finish.
BELL’S WHEAT LOVE ALE
Doughy yeast sediment stirs up fervid bruised orange mouthfeel, surging floral-hopped apricot-tangerine-pineapple piquancy, and latent vanilla-cloved banana bubblegum splurge. Candied medicinal finish girded by rising juniper-peppercorn bitterness and transient mint spicing.
(BELL’S) TWO HEARTED ALE
Glowing sunset hue, spryly summery citrus zest, and piquant floral spicing immerse delightful spruce-malted India Pale Ale (inspired by Hemingway’s trout fishing ventures). Sharp dry hop bitterness nicely counters fruit salad sweetness and swelling orange peel zesting.
BELL’S SPARKLING ALE
Complex pale-hazed medium-bodied Abbey-styled triple with viscous nature and teensy yeast sediment pinning juicy peach-grapefruit-pear-cantaloupe tang to bright orange marmalade nose. Peppery rosebud bitterness, floral hop décor, and honeyed clove-coriander sway linger to phenol medicinal finish.
BELL’S PORTER
Dry mocha bitterness and ashy oak tones consume nutty coffee-cappuccino invigoration. Sour black chocolate malts addle mild molasses finish. Just needs sharper overall fortitude.
BELL’S PALE ALE
Butterscotch frontage, calm mocha serenity, and ashy wood tones lather spice-hopped pale ale. Heavy yeast particles in viscous rust setting add mid-palate honeyed depth to oncoming tangy orange bitterness and floral-herbal assist. Compares favorably to finer California microbrews.
BELL’S OBERON ALE
Briskly citric-spiced, highly-hopped medium body retains lively lemony orange zesting, spritzy mandarin orange Seltzer spray, tart white peach snip and illusive dark fruitiness over mild roasted grain base. Corn-sugared caramel malting contrasts herbal florality beneath the mildly creamed oated wheat surface.
BELL’S KALAMAZOO STOUT
Hearty wood-burnt stout with aromatic coffee pungency, pliable bitter mocha resolve, and buttery cocoa repose. Bittersweet chocolate, black cherry, and raisin gain extremely dry affluence by lingered rich coffee finish.
BELL’S JAVA STOUT
Compellingly cascading cocoa-colored beads climb to top of frothily radiant brown-bodied brilliance. French-roasted coffee bean essence, creamy espresso-cappuccino punctuation, and thick caramel-burnt malting usurp dry cocoa souring. Vegetal peat earthiness, black-tarred charcoal bittering, and rummaging black licorice sweetness furnish undertones. Superb!