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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7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle. Nice banana wheat aroma. Cloudy reddish amber color with small head. Slightly sweet banana and wheat malt flavor with some bitterness coming out as the beer warms. This is more fruity than the Wheat 4 and I enjoyed it more. Will compare more after tasting 8.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Dec 2005
at 21:41
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
bottle - Pours a nice cloudy brown color with an average head. Light carbonation, satisfying blend of the wheat and barley, though I didn’t notice quite as much wheat character as I’d have expected. Overall it works and I could easily have more than one. I may have to try other beers in the Bell’s wheat series.
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Dec 2005
at 18:24
6.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
A tremendous improvement over the four, but only an ok beer. It starts off good with a pleasant appearance. Dark and cloudy orange, and a thick tan head that laces the glass. The aroma has coffee and malt. While cold the flavor is a near clone of New Glarus Black Wheat with wheat in the flavor as well as a full-bodied roasted flavor, which is really what the beer is all about. Behind the roasted malt is a weird Belgian weirdness thing going on, that definitely has potential in its own right but doesn’t really work in this beer. Light aftertaste of bitter medicine. At least it is unusual; extra points for that.
Tried
on 06 Dec 2005
at 22:44
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Murky orange-brown body, thin off-white head. Aroma somewhat similar to Wheat Four, with wet hay, banana, and a touch of clove, but toastier and with a more cerealy (Cheerios) nature. The flavor is quite distinct, though, fruity and toasty with Cheerios interplaying with sweet, almost cherry-like notes and hints of cinnamon. Banana and wet hay persist beneath the characteristic flavors produced by the Belgian yeast strains. An interesting mix of subtlety and complexity, as this beer is of no higher ABV than the former two, yet harbors characteristics more typical of beers in the 9%+ ABV range.
Tried
on 13 Nov 2005
at 20:28