Wheat 6 Ale
Bell's Brewery in Galesburg, Michigan, United States 🇺🇸
Weizen - Dunkelweizen Series Out of Production|
Score
6.63
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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
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5.1/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
A muddy orange-brown beer with a huge orange head. The aroma is a mixture of wheat and dish-wash water. The flavor is sweet wheaty with notes of caramel, leading to a dry wheaty end.
Tried
on 03 May 2006
at 09:06
7/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
A quite smokey, chocolatey wheat ale - I taste many flavors I’ve never experienced in a wheat beer before - maple syrup, coffee, some earthy, wood notes - quite an interesting beverage indeed.
Tried
on 26 Apr 2006
at 21:13
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Large, foamy head from this highly carbonated dunkel — in tune with the style. Aroma of yeasts, banana and clove with hints of dough. Medium bodied and soft. Flavor is a respectable blend of malts, caramel and bread. Enjoyable.
Tried
on 21 Mar 2006
at 15:18
5.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 5.5
(Bottle 35,5 cl) Pours a hazy, dark amber with a gigantic, off-white head and a rather high carbonation. Distinct yeasty aroma. Weak fruity notes and a lightly sulphurous finish. 150306
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Mar 2006
at 16:47
4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 4
Flavor 4
Texture 4
Overall 3
Cloudy orange-amber color. Some dry caramel, some what aroma, too high carbonation, too poor.
Tried
on 15 Mar 2006
at 12:27
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Pours darker than Wheat Four... a little more copper. Aromas are more grassy, caramely and cloves come through more. Flavor is offset a little by a phenol/alcohol presence. Toffee and cloves are dominant in flavor. Mouthfeel is a little chalky.
Tried
on 14 Mar 2006
at 20:22
7.4/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Batch 7119 consumed on 3/3/06.
Deep rufous with a dark-toned, layered sunset of oranges, coppers, rubies and deep beige highlights. Dark beige head is medium-sized. In the light you can see horizontal patterns in the bubbles. Laces well.
Smells nutty, with light, light clove and touches of other peppery phenols. Peanut skins and a light brace of caramel sweetness. Touch of firewood and light coffee on the backend. Very weak strength overall.
Flavor immediately rushes in with chewy English butter toffee and light, creamy coffee suggestions washing softly over the palate, carried by tiny, tingly bubbles. Phenols lightly pepper the corners of the mouth, adding balance. Wheat germ and creamy wheatmeal notes continue to smooth things over, while a lightly roasty coffee note begins to grow. Plenty of texture and the caramel and toffee add enough sweetness, though I can’t deny looking for a little more flavor, though that may just be the mood I’m in. Dry wheat also builds, over time, but I see none of the extreme toasty/peanut skin astringency from the eight. Breadiness adds balance as it warms. Maybe some light, spicy hop notes after warming, as well, but it’s marginal. No alcohol. Aside from the phenols and a light Belgian yeastiness (clean, light fruits and bubblegum), it’s surprisingly clean. Reminds me of a light pikantus or aventinus (though obviously, much more toned down in all aspects than either of those). Thanks for the bottle, Joel!
Deep rufous with a dark-toned, layered sunset of oranges, coppers, rubies and deep beige highlights. Dark beige head is medium-sized. In the light you can see horizontal patterns in the bubbles. Laces well.
Smells nutty, with light, light clove and touches of other peppery phenols. Peanut skins and a light brace of caramel sweetness. Touch of firewood and light coffee on the backend. Very weak strength overall.
Flavor immediately rushes in with chewy English butter toffee and light, creamy coffee suggestions washing softly over the palate, carried by tiny, tingly bubbles. Phenols lightly pepper the corners of the mouth, adding balance. Wheat germ and creamy wheatmeal notes continue to smooth things over, while a lightly roasty coffee note begins to grow. Plenty of texture and the caramel and toffee add enough sweetness, though I can’t deny looking for a little more flavor, though that may just be the mood I’m in. Dry wheat also builds, over time, but I see none of the extreme toasty/peanut skin astringency from the eight. Breadiness adds balance as it warms. Maybe some light, spicy hop notes after warming, as well, but it’s marginal. No alcohol. Aside from the phenols and a light Belgian yeastiness (clean, light fruits and bubblegum), it’s surprisingly clean. Reminds me of a light pikantus or aventinus (though obviously, much more toned down in all aspects than either of those). Thanks for the bottle, Joel!
Tried
from Can
on 05 Mar 2006
at 11:34
7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Thanks to CaptainCougar for this! Pours a thick, creamy off-white head that holds well above a fairly clear deep amber body that shows orange highlights. Spicy, yeasty aroma with a bit of banana. Smooth and sweet with a filling delivery. The best I’ve tried from this series so far.
Tried
on 02 Feb 2006
at 18:40
6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6
Bottled. Batch 7119. I led a "horizontal" tasting for the Bell’s Wheat Project, but because I was leading, I didn’t get a lot of notes. I could only find the 6, 8 and Love in Michigan, but I’ve just now seen the 6 and 8 at Foremost. Anyway. Sugary Begian smell upon opening. Pouring into a wheat glass, it’s more coppry than any European wheat should be, with a good, well-knot head of foam. Some very toasty malt notes strike up first. Then there’s the more familiary whiff of banana and coriander from most wheat beers... but just a whiff. A cloudy beer, with the usual Bell’s unfiltered appearance. Slight touch of cherry toward the end. This is a pretty interesting project, but I think the end result may be coming across more as a "suicide" of several beers poured together, rather than a batch of distinct new beers.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Jan 2006
at 22:20
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Well this is a step back in the right direction after the Four. Somewhat cloudy dark brownish-orange color with a thick and foamy off-white head. The aroma is wheaty and malty. Medium-bodied with a smooth and soft texture. Flavors of wheat, citrus and caramel malt are well-balanced. The finish is wheaty with a pleasant spice and herb aftertaste. Enjoyable from start to finish.
Tried
on 09 Jan 2006
at 08:40