Wheat 2 Ale
Bell's Brewery in Galesburg, Michigan, United States 🇺🇸
Wheat Ale Series Out of Production|
Score
6.84
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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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7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle consumed on 11/25/05. Light, hazy, but not terribly cloudy appearance. Tangerine-golden appearance is much darker than a modern wit, but about on par with say, Abbaye des Rocs Blanche des honnelles, which is supposedly a traditional wit. Head is small and white, with moderate retention and spotty lacing. Aroma has a dry, lightly creamy wheat note, fresh and easygoing. The Belgian yeast contributes light bubble gum notes, not very sweet in nature, with some light orange-peel like citrus. Flavor begins with a dry, lightly chewy wheat presence, mix of Belgian and Bells yeastiness (dry, sourdough and lightly sweet, lightly fruity notes combined). Body is medium, perhaps even medium-light, but nowhere is it watery or thin. Just not tons of sweetness from the barley malt. Natural carbonation is lightly expansive on the end, but not too much so. Texture is lightly chewy, very-wheat influenced. Touches of spices remain on the palate, as well as light bubble gum and a touch of lemon or orange peel. Very sessionable ale, and it’s interesting to now have a Belgian/American wheat from Bells, alongside their German/American wheat (oberon).
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Nov 2005
at 15:42
7/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 10
Overall 7
Closer to a wit than to any other style. The first aroma is strange and unexpected-canned peas. There is some citrus and very sweet malt as well. Looks as good as any hefeweizen. Cloudy gold, nice white head that stays on top of the beer. Several flavors. There is sweet malt with lighter citrus. Only a hint of bitter hops in the aftertaste. Some coriander. Fairly sweet. Thick and heavy, but smooth on the palate.
Tried
from Can
on 18 Nov 2005
at 17:36
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
On tap at Bells. Given the nature of this series of beers, assigning styles isn’t straight-forward. That said, the first of the series most closely fits the American Wheat category, despite the use of a Wit yeast in addition to the house yeast. OK, review. Nice hazy yellow-orange body, medium off-white head. Sweet, tangy aroma, nectary and almost honeyish. The flavor resembles Oberon, with tangy, bready malts and little sweetness (contrary to what the aroma suggested), crisp and fresh with no off-notes. Highly carbonated with wheat in the forefront. The hints of banana make things even more interesting. A solid first offering in the series that I may prefer to Oberon.
Tried
from Draft
on 21 Oct 2005
at 20:37