Pale Ale
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store

Pale AlePale Ale
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From:
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
78
Avg:
3.41 | pDev: 14.66%
Reviews:
623
Ratings:
1,203
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 05, 2019
Added:
Dec 11, 2001
Wants:
  20
Gots:
  74
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by orbitalr0x:
Photo of orbitalr0x
Reviewed by orbitalr0x from Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Batch 6821. The Bell's Pale Ale pours from the bottle into my glass a golden honey like the warm summer sun. A creamy froth of white appears on top with big airy bubbles. Aromas of sweet pale malts touched with caramel intertwine with herbal, fresh wildflower hops and light citrus spice.

First sip brings a refreshingly sweet pale malty backbone enlivend with bold flowery, herbal hoppiness that takes hold mid palate. Hints of citrus fruits and mellow spice as well. A refreshing pale ale with an interesting hop profile. It's nice to see something other than the normal citurs/grapefruit hops used in most pale ales. Lingering bitterness on the finish with wildflower hop burps!

Mouthfeel is nearly perfect with enough grist to make it feel full in the mouth. Another easy drinking brew from Bell's. I could see a sixer disappearing from my fridge quite quickly. Thanks to kmpitz2 for the single.
Jul 30, 2005
More User Ratings:
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

3/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
From old, undated notes. Poured from the bottle.

Very malt forward, both in scent and taste.

Almost has a burnt chocolate smell in fact!

Lager-ish light golden color; pretty murky.

Nice lacing!

Thin mouthfeel; nice slight carbonation bite.

A bit of a corn-like flavor seeps in.

Nice enough on a summer day but not going to blow anyone away.
Jul 05, 2019
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.22/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
When I looked at the style information on this website, I looked to see if it went as an English pale ale. That really tells you where this review is headed doesn't it?

So, back in 2001 when I arrived in the Midwest, there were a few beers that could rock the hopwagon. For whatever reason, Bell's was putting all their hoppy eggs in the Two Hearted and Hopslam baskets. This shit was like an afterthought. Poured a honey like color that revealed a bit more malt than you standard pale ale or even ipa in this day and age. Was the malt toasted more, did they go Golden Promise, did they use the similar colored honey malt? All three? Who knows, but the bottom line, this beer was decidedly on the maltier side of balance compared to those hop monsters from the turn of the century in Kalamazoo.

So where did this beer find its niche? Well, it wasn't overly bitter, it did showcase a decent grain collection, get your loving imagery of the grain elevator and shit in the heartland and bam here you go. What was this hopped with? Liberty or something similarly tame? Either way, it was a pale ale that leaned away from the hops like its brothers.
Dec 26, 2018
 
Rated: 3.3 by Foxman27 from Iowa

Mar 26, 2018
 
Rated: 3.53 by BenHoppy from Michigan

Jan 04, 2018
 
Rated: 3.35 by HopHEAD1522 from Michigan

Jul 14, 2017
 
Rated: 2.8 by Benjolovesbeer from Michigan

Nov 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.83 by Jodio from Texas

Jul 24, 2016
 
Rated: 3.52 by RAFH from Michigan

Apr 12, 2016
 
Rated: 2.61 by Jackalope1977 from Michigan

Feb 22, 2016
 
Rated: 2.55 by BadFishNY from New York

Jan 31, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by rossracing from Illinois

Jan 29, 2016
Photo of TryThemAllOnce
Reviewed by TryThemAllOnce from California

2.39/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
12oz bottle, packaged date 9/92015 - (over 4 months ago... uh oh.) Poured into a snifter glass.

Never tried any products from Bell's until this one, apparently a poor choice. It does little in any area to impress, very quickly disappearing head, little aroma, a bit over-carbonated, and worst - just does not taste great or even interesting. One of my worst recent buys. Sad that there are 5 more bottles to not enjoy. Will someone take them away?
Jan 26, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by Zylod from West Virginia

Dec 30, 2015
 
Rated: 2.47 by wells2123 from Tennessee

Nov 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.62 by SMH_NWI from Texas

Nov 18, 2015
Photo of 50marathons
Rated by 50marathons from Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Nice clean hop flavor. Lemon and honey in the front.
Nov 15, 2015
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.59/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
{from notes}
A good looking pale ale with a hazy, yellow-golden body topped by a good head.

The aroma is, perhaps lightly mild for a APA and slightly more yeasty. The flavor is mildly fruity and spicy. The hops mainly come out in the finish and aftertaste.

Feel: a bit too light bodied but well set carbonation level.

O: very good.
Nov 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by csv from Michigan

Oct 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.69 by Moondoggy68 from Ohio

Sep 23, 2015
Pale Ale from Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 1203 ratings