Beer of the Weekend #334: Bell's Pale Ale
The brown bottle lunch today is Bell’s Pale Ale, brewed by the Bell’s Brewery, Inc. of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The “PKGD” date printed on the back label is “01/19/12.”
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is hazy, light gold. There are a lot of small, citrusy chunks (reminiscent of lemonade) floating in the beer. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head dissipated to leave trails along the glass, a thin lacing, and a thick ring around the edge.
Smell: Very similar to witbier. Musty white bread, yeast, lemon zest, orange, and coriander. Not exactly what I was expecting, but I’ll go with it.
Taste: Ah — there you are, Pale Ale. The first sip is a surprise of orange, lemon, and pine spice and bitterness; it really wakes the tongue. The citrus spice and bitterness dominate, but the musty white bread and yeast from the smell linger in the background. As the beer continues to warm, the two styles (citrusy pale ale and flat witbier) merge to create a creamy combination.
Drinkability: This is really an odd little thing. It is drinkable and tasty, but I have no clue what is going on. I wish Bell’s would drop the witbier part and concentrate on making this a full-fledged, citrusy pale ale.
Fun facts about BPA:
-Style: BA classifies it as “American Pale Ale.”
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 40-45ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.2 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends Pan Asian cuisine; earthy, nutty, and tangy cheeses (I am tired of typing cheese names!); salad; and poultry.
-Nerdiness from the back label:
-BPA is available year-round and, according to its Bell’s webpage, has a shelf life of six months.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The “PKGD” date printed on the back label is “01/19/12.”
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is hazy, light gold. There are a lot of small, citrusy chunks (reminiscent of lemonade) floating in the beer. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head dissipated to leave trails along the glass, a thin lacing, and a thick ring around the edge.
Smell: Very similar to witbier. Musty white bread, yeast, lemon zest, orange, and coriander. Not exactly what I was expecting, but I’ll go with it.
Taste: Ah — there you are, Pale Ale. The first sip is a surprise of orange, lemon, and pine spice and bitterness; it really wakes the tongue. The citrus spice and bitterness dominate, but the musty white bread and yeast from the smell linger in the background. As the beer continues to warm, the two styles (citrusy pale ale and flat witbier) merge to create a creamy combination.
Drinkability: This is really an odd little thing. It is drinkable and tasty, but I have no clue what is going on. I wish Bell’s would drop the witbier part and concentrate on making this a full-fledged, citrusy pale ale.
Fun facts about BPA:
-Style: BA classifies it as “American Pale Ale.”
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 40-45ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.2 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends Pan Asian cuisine; earthy, nutty, and tangy cheeses (I am tired of typing cheese names!); salad; and poultry.
-Nerdiness from the back label:
A blond ale made from a delicious blend of pale malts with a distinctive spicy, floral aroma and taste. We like it a lot. You will too.
-BPA is available year-round and, according to its Bell’s webpage, has a shelf life of six months.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+.
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