Wheat Love Ale
Bell's Brewery in Galesburg, Michigan, United States 🇺🇸
Barley Wine - Wheat Series Out of Production|
Score
7.13
|
|
Bell’s Wheat Project (2005) is an experimental foray into the development of complex flavors in beer.
The Project comprises five new ales, four in series and one specialty strong product.
The first four, Wheat 2, Wheat 4, Wheat 6 and Wheat eight are all made using 55% Wheat (either wholly or mostly malted) and 45% Barley malt.
The barley malt makeup is exactly the same in each of the four and consists of three different malts.
The total amount of grain in each of the four is also exactly the same, so each of them should have a virtually identical original gravity. The type and amount of hops in each of the four is exactly the same. And the processing through the brewhouse and fermentation is also exactly the same. The changing factors between the ales are the composition of the 55% of wheat used and the type and number of yeast strains used. In Wheat 2 the 55% of wheat is made up of two different kinds of wheat malt, and this ale is made with two different yeasts. Wheat 4 is made with four different wheats and four yeasts. Wheat six and eight made with six and eight wheats and yeasts respectively.
The final product, Bell’s Wheat Love Ale, is made with the eight yeasts of Wheat eight and is a strong, but relatively light colored, “wheatwine.”
2. Basic Content List for the Wheat Series:
Wheat Two
Wheats: White, Dark
Yeast: Bell’s house ale strain, WLP410 Belgian Wit II
Wheat Four
Wheats: White, Victory, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied
Yeast: WLP550 Belgian, WLP570 Golden, Wheat Two blend
Wheat Six
Wheats: White, Dark, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied, Red, Caramel
Yeast: WLP500 Trappist, WLP530 Abbey, Wheat Four blend
Wheat Eight
Wheats: White, Dark, Victory, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied, Red, Caramel, Chocolate
Yeast: WLP4000 Belgian Wit I, WLP565 Saison, Wheat Six blend
The Project comprises five new ales, four in series and one specialty strong product.
The first four, Wheat 2, Wheat 4, Wheat 6 and Wheat eight are all made using 55% Wheat (either wholly or mostly malted) and 45% Barley malt.
The barley malt makeup is exactly the same in each of the four and consists of three different malts.
The total amount of grain in each of the four is also exactly the same, so each of them should have a virtually identical original gravity. The type and amount of hops in each of the four is exactly the same. And the processing through the brewhouse and fermentation is also exactly the same. The changing factors between the ales are the composition of the 55% of wheat used and the type and number of yeast strains used. In Wheat 2 the 55% of wheat is made up of two different kinds of wheat malt, and this ale is made with two different yeasts. Wheat 4 is made with four different wheats and four yeasts. Wheat six and eight made with six and eight wheats and yeasts respectively.
The final product, Bell’s Wheat Love Ale, is made with the eight yeasts of Wheat eight and is a strong, but relatively light colored, “wheatwine.”
2. Basic Content List for the Wheat Series:
Wheat Two
Wheats: White, Dark
Yeast: Bell’s house ale strain, WLP410 Belgian Wit II
Wheat Four
Wheats: White, Victory, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied
Yeast: WLP550 Belgian, WLP570 Golden, Wheat Two blend
Wheat Six
Wheats: White, Dark, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied, Red, Caramel
Yeast: WLP500 Trappist, WLP530 Abbey, Wheat Four blend
Wheat Eight
Wheats: White, Dark, Victory, Toasted sprouts, Torrefied, Red, Caramel, Chocolate
Yeast: WLP4000 Belgian Wit I, WLP565 Saison, Wheat Six blend
Sign up to add a tick or review
7.2/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Amber coloured body with a thin tan head. Aroma of fresh malt and hops along with sweet pit fruits and a bit of cherries. Medium to Full-bodied; Strong alcoholic flavours emerge and a bunch of nice sweetness fills the palate. Aftertaste is fairly nice, a bit strong - but easy to placate. Overall, a good beer, not absolutely amazing, but a good and very strong ale. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased from Merchant’s in Dearborn, Michigan on 19-May-2007 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 May 2007
at 23:21
4.8/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 5
(Bottle 35,5 cl) Courtesy of CaptainCougar. Very unclear amber golden with a small, dense and creamy, off-white head. Lightly tart, citric aroma. The body comes medium with distinct notes of wheat and yeast. Appears a bit tired - perhaps oxidized. 060407
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Apr 2007
at 13:52
7.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle from bgburdman9; Thanks! Nose of clovey spices, light fruit, and yeasty breadiness; hazy orange with a small off-white head; flavor of bananas, cloves, wheatiness, and a slight bit of alcohol lasting to the finish. Definately an unusual barleywine. Could be a new style: HefeWinesen!
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Jan 2007
at 18:47
7.3/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 4
Overall 7
Bottled at Akkurat, Stockholm. Clear amber, average head. Estery aroma of raspberry candy and mashed banana. Sweet with dense, compact mouthfeel. With it’s estery candy banana flavours zipped together with salt it strikes me as an imperial weizen with all the flavours of a hefeweizen concentrated, sacrificing the refreshing functions of the weizen on the altar of Flavour. I like it - I think... At least on a dreary night in mid-November at 60 degrees north. Cheers to experimental brewers!
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Nov 2006
at 01:34
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
This was a rather interesting beer. Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this beer poured a very cloudy butterscotch color with a small tan head that faded quickly. The aroma was sweet and wheaty with elements of orange and vague spices. The flavor was sweet orange, spice, caramel and brown sugar. There was a spice profile vaguely reminiscent of pumpkin pie. Tasty.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Oct 2006
at 20:37
2.1/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 1
Flavor 2
Texture 4
Overall 1.5
My first barley wine. Medicine aroma. Looks like yuengling original lager. Slightly less than average carbonation. Surprizingly bitter but not like an IPA or stout. For something called ’wheat’ I was expecting something like wheat beer. However, the ’love’ part must be the addition of the bitter finish, unlike good wheat beers. If it said ’barley wine’ on the label, I would have bypassed it because I know barley wines may be bitter. Will not buy again.
Tried
on 17 Oct 2006
at 16:16
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle drunk on 8/12/06.
Moderately dense white head tops the lightly-hazed straw/gold colored body, with a good deal of carbonated activity in the liquid. Not as much head and without the caramelish-tint, but still similar to a German Hefe in appearance, with fairly strong retention, though not as much lacing as expected. Sediment left behind in the bottle.
Sweet fruits wrap around the nose, with rich honey and caramel drenched white bread. But a lightly-to-moderately acidic wheat note, some grassy hops and quite a distinct Belgian yeast dry things nicely and balance the aroma. I love the softness the blend of yeasts provides, adding light fruits, soft dough and, in general, a more fluffy nature. Most wheat wines are so heavily dry, sharp, acidic and alcoholic. Other than a touch of warming/esterization, I get almost no alcohol from the aroma. Furthermore, while one can expect and appreciate some sweet, chewy malts at this strength, I don’t find them overdone. Boisterous nectarines, smooth wheat and some definite clove/banana/bubble gum, though again, not overdone.
Initially sweet in flavor, the heavy honey/light-caramelized malts add a thick, chewy nature, that when taken with the low, natural carbonation, seem to spell cloying. But before I can even imagine this, the delightful yeast adds light phenol/ester activity and the lighter wheats cut an even path of dryness/nuttiness through the malts. Soft hoppiness is well-received and as the beer warms, I really am reminded of a Double Hefe Weizen. The malt sweetness is certainly a little more dominant than the balancing dry aspects, but a careful acidity helps mitigate. The low carbonation could use some tightening, to clear some of the syrupiness, but this is an adventurous beer and still quite drinkable for its strength. Some spicy phenols and alcohols on the finish, but not too much a problem. Another Bells beer that should continue to surprise and delight as it ages.
Moderately dense white head tops the lightly-hazed straw/gold colored body, with a good deal of carbonated activity in the liquid. Not as much head and without the caramelish-tint, but still similar to a German Hefe in appearance, with fairly strong retention, though not as much lacing as expected. Sediment left behind in the bottle.
Sweet fruits wrap around the nose, with rich honey and caramel drenched white bread. But a lightly-to-moderately acidic wheat note, some grassy hops and quite a distinct Belgian yeast dry things nicely and balance the aroma. I love the softness the blend of yeasts provides, adding light fruits, soft dough and, in general, a more fluffy nature. Most wheat wines are so heavily dry, sharp, acidic and alcoholic. Other than a touch of warming/esterization, I get almost no alcohol from the aroma. Furthermore, while one can expect and appreciate some sweet, chewy malts at this strength, I don’t find them overdone. Boisterous nectarines, smooth wheat and some definite clove/banana/bubble gum, though again, not overdone.
Initially sweet in flavor, the heavy honey/light-caramelized malts add a thick, chewy nature, that when taken with the low, natural carbonation, seem to spell cloying. But before I can even imagine this, the delightful yeast adds light phenol/ester activity and the lighter wheats cut an even path of dryness/nuttiness through the malts. Soft hoppiness is well-received and as the beer warms, I really am reminded of a Double Hefe Weizen. The malt sweetness is certainly a little more dominant than the balancing dry aspects, but a careful acidity helps mitigate. The low carbonation could use some tightening, to clear some of the syrupiness, but this is an adventurous beer and still quite drinkable for its strength. Some spicy phenols and alcohols on the finish, but not too much a problem. Another Bells beer that should continue to surprise and delight as it ages.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Aug 2006
at 10:51
6.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
An unclear orange beer with a thin white head. The aroma is very sweet with notes of caramel, coriander, sugar coated fruit, and mango. The flavor is sweet with notes of candy and mango, leading to a dry wheaty end.
Tried
from Can
on 28 Jul 2006
at 17:34
8/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 10
Overall 8
Probably the best of the Bell’s wheat series. This beer is a sweet, thick hefeweizen. It is opaque orange with a thin head and has a great appearance. The aroma is banana and light spice and yeast, like a hefeweizen but without the fruit. The flavor is sweet wheat, light fruit and citrus. Very much like a wheat beer with an increased alcohol content that is completely hidden in the aroma and flavor. A very thick and heavy beer. I wasn’t a big fan of most of the wheat series, but this is quite good. I do wish I drank it a bit colder rather than cellar temperature.
Tried
on 17 Apr 2006
at 22:53
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
bottle - Pours a hazy orange with a slim head that has some legs. The aroma is very yeasty. It’s easy to drink but has a moderate to full mouthfeel that’s very nice. The flavor is pretty sweet. The alcohol is very well hidden. Bell’s once again did a nice job here.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Mar 2006
at 16:06