Wheat 4 Ale
Bell's Brewery in Galesburg, Michigan, United States 🇺🇸
Weizen - Dunkelweizen Series Out of Production|
Score
6.11
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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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8/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Vertical opened by SuIIy on 4/10/07
This is more an update of how the wheat series has aged thus far. I left this one unrated because I thought it had the most potential, but to my surprise, every single one of them had improved (except possibly for the 2, though it hadnt become worse).
4 Far and away the most improved, though I thought it was quite remarkable fresh, it now posesses a striking similarity to a saison and I’d almost classify it as such. Despite a deeper, more apparent/complex yeastiness, replete with light tartness, tons of esters and dryness, it still seemed even more richly textured and malty than I remembered it fresh. A medium-sweet toffee-caramel is cut with cranberry-cherry like tartness and a very profound earthiness, though it never seems stale or old/dusty. Rich barley notes in both aroma and flavor with some light twang from the wheat. Wondeful carbonation is tight and produces a large, well-retained head that laces well. Body is a cherry-amber-beige with a medium-beige head. Definitely shares many characteristics to a saison.
6 Soft and creamy, with a seeming milk chocolatey sweetness in both aroma and flavor. Light creme brulee notes and just a bit of hazelnut help balance, while the wheat seems extremely creamy here. Not too much tartness, and it seems like more of a brown ale now, but still very drinkable with its balance, texture and strong malt flavor. Esters have relaxed and it’s not pumping out banana and clove, (they are there, of course). There were some apple notes when fresh that werent very good. They’ve completely passed now and what’s left is a very clean beer. In fact, all of the beers were markedly cleaner than when fresh.
8 My least favorite when fresh, and still probably my least favorite here, but actually enjoyable and now a much better beer. The obnoxious peanut/walnut-skin astringency, light metallic flavors and overly attenuated, somewhat scorched malts seem only a shadow of their former selves. Still some nutty, hazelnut-like astringency, but very marginal and much more relaxed by the solid maltiness and creamy texture. Not quite as thickly malted as the 6, this one has more creamed-wheat flavor and less caramel, with more medium-dry chocolate notes, a touch of fruitiness and light vanilla. Flavors taper off rather quickly on this one, leaving a bland wheat note with light nuttiness/roast.
Love Sweet and succulent honey and grains mix about in the nose, with light clove and vanilla. The flavor has lost a good deal of the sharpness that it had before. Much fruitier, but in a softer, more reserved way (nectarines and peaches atop shortbread) with an almost oatmeal and vanilla iced cream finish that shows some fantastic oxidation giving the beer more character and mixing with the creamy honey-vanilla to produce a very, very light note reminiscent of sherry. Some light acids are still notable, providing balance, but the beer is much more approachable. Alcohol very well-controlled.
This is more an update of how the wheat series has aged thus far. I left this one unrated because I thought it had the most potential, but to my surprise, every single one of them had improved (except possibly for the 2, though it hadnt become worse).
4 Far and away the most improved, though I thought it was quite remarkable fresh, it now posesses a striking similarity to a saison and I’d almost classify it as such. Despite a deeper, more apparent/complex yeastiness, replete with light tartness, tons of esters and dryness, it still seemed even more richly textured and malty than I remembered it fresh. A medium-sweet toffee-caramel is cut with cranberry-cherry like tartness and a very profound earthiness, though it never seems stale or old/dusty. Rich barley notes in both aroma and flavor with some light twang from the wheat. Wondeful carbonation is tight and produces a large, well-retained head that laces well. Body is a cherry-amber-beige with a medium-beige head. Definitely shares many characteristics to a saison.
6 Soft and creamy, with a seeming milk chocolatey sweetness in both aroma and flavor. Light creme brulee notes and just a bit of hazelnut help balance, while the wheat seems extremely creamy here. Not too much tartness, and it seems like more of a brown ale now, but still very drinkable with its balance, texture and strong malt flavor. Esters have relaxed and it’s not pumping out banana and clove, (they are there, of course). There were some apple notes when fresh that werent very good. They’ve completely passed now and what’s left is a very clean beer. In fact, all of the beers were markedly cleaner than when fresh.
8 My least favorite when fresh, and still probably my least favorite here, but actually enjoyable and now a much better beer. The obnoxious peanut/walnut-skin astringency, light metallic flavors and overly attenuated, somewhat scorched malts seem only a shadow of their former selves. Still some nutty, hazelnut-like astringency, but very marginal and much more relaxed by the solid maltiness and creamy texture. Not quite as thickly malted as the 6, this one has more creamed-wheat flavor and less caramel, with more medium-dry chocolate notes, a touch of fruitiness and light vanilla. Flavors taper off rather quickly on this one, leaving a bland wheat note with light nuttiness/roast.
Love Sweet and succulent honey and grains mix about in the nose, with light clove and vanilla. The flavor has lost a good deal of the sharpness that it had before. Much fruitier, but in a softer, more reserved way (nectarines and peaches atop shortbread) with an almost oatmeal and vanilla iced cream finish that shows some fantastic oxidation giving the beer more character and mixing with the creamy honey-vanilla to produce a very, very light note reminiscent of sherry. Some light acids are still notable, providing balance, but the beer is much more approachable. Alcohol very well-controlled.
Tried
from Draft
on 24 Apr 2007
at 14:32
5/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5
A muddy orange-brown beer with a huge orange head. The aroma has strong wheat notes, but also come cardboard notes. The flavor is sweet wheaty combined with notes of caramel and straw.
Tried
on 03 May 2006
at 06:31
6.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
This wheat series has really helped me to appreciate wheat beer a little more - this one pours a cloudy orange with an insanely huge, lasting head - aroma of marmalade, caramel, loads of grain - a little thin in the flavor compared to the others in the series - very milky texture - herbal, grassy qualities - the fruity esters present in many of the others don’t come out here - my least favorite of the series.
Tried
on 27 Apr 2006
at 17:51
6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
bottle - Pours with a ridiculously huge head. I wondered if the bartender shook up my beer first. One warning, this was served too cold and they gave me an ice cold glass too. Meh. Anyway, once I could actually drink it, it was an okay beer, but still kind of lacking in flavor. I also dispute the Dunkelweizen categorization. I’d say it’s an American Wheat or a Hefeweizen perhaps, but not a dunkelweizen. The flavor is of malt, yeast, and very mild citrus. The finish is pretty clean. It’s alright, but it’s my least favorite of the Wheat series.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Mar 2006
at 22:02
4.2/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 3
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 5
(Bottle 35,5 cl) Strongly unclear orangey golden with an off-white head - looks like river water just after a flood. Sourish, urinal aroma. Light-bodied with distinct, wheaty esters and a lightly sulphurous finish. At least the flavour is better than the aroma - markedly. Dunkelweizen my ass. 150306
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Mar 2006
at 16:33
5/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 5
Muddy blond color. Common wheat beer, with a nice spicy character, good body structure.
Tried
on 15 Mar 2006
at 12:34
6.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Beautiful honey, wheat, lemon and hops aromas over a massive (massive, massive) head that covers a minimal ammount of crystal clear amber liquid on my first pour. I’m going to have some down time waiting for it to go down enough to put the rest in the glass... In the mean time, it is lacing nicely on the side of the glass, and on second examination, the sweetness of barley is present in the aroma as well. After about five minutes (no joke) I managed to get about 2/3 of the bottle’s contents into the glass and gave up waiting. The foam is different tasting, sawdust, yeast and cream. The beer itself is very smooth and creamy caramel. There is a phenol like burn to the alcohol content, and the flavors of caramel come through huge. I’d say the carbonation gets in the way a bit on this one...
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Mar 2006
at 18:12
5.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Thanks to CaptainCougar for getting this for me. I thought I was going to really enjoy this one. I respect almost anything that Larry Bell brews, but this one just didn’t do it for me. Just the same, I hope this brewery continues to explore and invent. I thought that perhaps my bottle had gone south when I poured this big gushy head out of the bottle. I took a sniff while I waited for the thick off white head to subside and was greeted with a sour off putting aroma. The big 3-dimensional head finally melted into a dark orange body that became murkier the farther towards the bottom of the bottle I poured. the flavor was spicy and lightly sweet, much better than the aroma had prepared me for, but still far from what makes a good Dunkelweizen one of the styles that I really like. Excellent experiment, poor beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Jan 2006
at 07:53
6.5/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Poured murky copper with huge, unmanageable tan head. Aroma filled with bready yeast and hints of wet leather and grass. The flavor was earthy with notes of clove and nutmeg, banana and citrus. Medium body helped extend the finish. Moderate chewiness.
Tried
on 21 Jan 2006
at 15:19
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Thanks to Darkover for the trade. Light copper color with an off-white head that literally fills the entire glass after only a small amount is poured. Aroma of malt and grain. Light-bodied with an earthy malt and clove flavor. There is a strange bitterness that is off-putting though. The finish is mildly wheaty and a little sour. I did not enjoy this one much.
Tried
on 08 Jan 2006
at 23:18