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

Raspberry AleRaspberry Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Fruit and Field Beer
ABV:
5%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.59 | pDev: 14.76%
Reviews:
20
Ratings:
75
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 20, 2019
Added:
Oct 13, 2003
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  2
The vivid red hue and tart finish of Raspberry Ale comes from the use of massive amounts of Michigan-grown whole raspberries. Intensely flavorful, Raspberry Ale focuses on the contribution of local agriculture and follows a Bell’s tradition of leaning towards using tart flavors to complement malty notes, rather than additional sweetness.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BEERchitect:
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

3.65/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Where most fruit beer makers like to celebrate the candied fruit components of raspberry, Bells prefers to draw from more Belgian-esque form and employ a more tart and true-raspberry character that chases from nose to finish.

Certainly fruit-centric, the ale pours with a mauve body but capped with a modestly pinkish froth. Light and and foamy, its head retains half the session before giving way to the acidity of the fruit. After which, a memory of lace adorns the glass in the beer's wake.

Fruit forward for certain, the culinary experience starts with a must fruit scent and overtones of raw raspberry. Settling in a bit its taste is semi-sweet and semi-dry with the robust character of vine-picked raspberries. Both its delicacy and its racy acidity plays out on the bed of dry cracker malts that provide the most modest of sweetnesses- its an ale that plays off of the fruit but doesn't entirely rely upon it.

Mid-light in body, its early malt and embedded carbonation gives creamy impressions, but after that, win-like acidity and dryness balances that of malt for a finish that's fruity, semi-dry and lingers with a memory of berry.

I love the ale- but I understand that as a fruited beer, its potential is limited. It's easy, effortless and straddles the fence of what's sweet and what's sour. But its sessionability is not questioned as it can be enjoyed all summer long!
May 26, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by JimboBrews54 from Michigan

Aug 20, 2019
Photo of TheeWarPig
Rated by TheeWarPig from Michigan

4.82/5  rDev +34.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
ABV @ 5% but was very good in a different way. Huge smell of raspberry, obviously.

Nicely done.
Jan 18, 2018
 
Rated: 3.81 by Nat1975 from Indiana

Aug 07, 2017
 
Rated: 3.24 by Zazzi82 from Tennessee

Aug 29, 2016
 
Rated: 4.07 by tommy5 from Michigan

Aug 26, 2016
 
Rated: 3.98 by Tbone2131 from Connecticut

Aug 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.8 by BeerOps from Illinois

Aug 07, 2016
 
Rated: 4.15 by mcrawford from Michigan

Jul 05, 2016
Photo of bluehende
Rated by bluehende from Delaware

3.29/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
The raspberry flavor tastes fake to me like a syrup.
Jun 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.27 by khargro2 from Tennessee

May 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by dataylor21 from Kentucky

Feb 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.79 by stortore from Illinois

Feb 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by CaptainFleeker from Illinois

Dec 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by wethorseblanket from California

Dec 02, 2014
 
Rated: 2.75 by adeliciousadventure from Illinois

Nov 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by rudabegga9 from Georgia

Nov 26, 2014
 
Rated: 3.76 by McBAINx from Washington

Nov 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by dcf5ve from Illinois

Nov 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.33 by clager from Michigan

Oct 26, 2014
Raspberry Ale from Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 75 ratings