Wheat Four Ale
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store

Wheat Four AleWheat Four Ale
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From:
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Pale Wheat Beer
ABV:
5.6%
Score:
78
Avg:
3.38 | pDev: 19.53%
Reviews:
93
Ratings:
95
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 11, 2013
Added:
Oct 28, 2005
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by hero27:
Photo of hero27
Reviewed by hero27 from Minnesota

2.17/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
12 oz bottle. Batch 7104.

Pretty dark for a wheat beer. A definite amber color with a huge billowing head..maybe they overdid the carbonation a bit on this batch. I like to drink my wheats out of the fridge pretty cold, not wait ten minutes for the head to recede.
Taste is dominantly spicy, with pepper flavors taking control more than anything. There is some light citrus and lemon, and a mild wheat aspect, but the spices are in the drivers seat here.
Mouthfeel is just too bubbly. The carbonation is ridiculous. From reading some other reviews, it doesn't look like I got a bad bottle..maybe a few batches were like this..I'm not sure. I hope they didn't intend on it to be this way...

It's about 85 degrees today here in Iowa, and I think I'd rather have an imperial stout than this wheat on a hot day like today.
Jun 05, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 2 by matjack85 from Illinois

Feb 11, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by Tyrawlings from Ohio

Feb 19, 2012
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

3.26/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12oz bottle acquired in a couple of trades.

This one poured all head. Finally settled down to a deep and hazy orange color. Aromas of yeast, wheat, and all around musty. Tastes of yeast, spices (pepper), wheat, and lightly fruity. Over carbonated (which explains the huge head).

Notes from 5/28/06
Nov 14, 2008
Photo of BeaBeerWife
Reviewed by BeaBeerWife from Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +28.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Batch 7104. (AGED)

Maybe I will be the last to review this beer!?

Because it has been aged for almost 3 years.

Was expecting it not to age well since it is not loaded with alcohol, but surprisingly a great aged beer.

Carbonated really well, retaining an awesome head, does justice while drinking it. No off flavors, but one really smooth consistent flav of 'caramelized-wheat'. Slight Belgian style yeast flavs, but not in-your-face. I am not picking up any of the fruity/nutty flavs that others have posted about, I suppose they grew too old?

Impressive, as other Bell's beers I've aged have not turned out so kindly.
Jul 21, 2008
Photo of HumuloneRed
Reviewed by HumuloneRed from Oregon

3.97/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz. Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy light copper with some head and lacing. The aroma is sweet and yeasty. The flavor has notes of sweet caramel, toffee , and caramel in the front with a rich malt presents that drops off and finishes slightly dry. I had bought 2 of this one a year ago. The flavors come through a lot better with a year of age on it. Well made beer.
Jul 18, 2007
Photo of Pegasus
Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas

3.53/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Massive four finger head tops a somewhat murky copper-colored body, which is graced by streams of profuse carbonation.

Aroma: Sweet, mildly fruity aroma, with notes of apricot, tropical fruits, cinnamon, and cloves, which flow together in a splendid complexity.

Taste: Opens with a wave of spices, with a solid wheat backbone throughout, finishes with a lingering yeast note and slight herbal bitterness.

Mouth feel: Smooth and pleasant, with some zesty carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: A pleasant and very drinkable example, quite unique.
Nov 25, 2006
Photo of biegaman
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)

3.43/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Thanks Grub for the Bell's Wheat Series Horizontal Tasting! Much appreciated.
Wheat Four Ale would gush. Its gushing would eventually settle into an abundance of head and leave dense lacing. The body is a translucent off-amber shade. A little dopplebock-ish by the scent of things. A good presence of wheat in the mouth. A hinting suggestion of dried fruit, nuts, figs. Some faint alcohol too. A strong showcasing of amber malt. Would be almost a little bland if not for a fading Belgian yeast character, mild spice, and bits of yeast funkyness.. At different stages I tasted uniquely German, American, and Belgian qualities - a neat little fusion actually.
Nov 10, 2006
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

2.99/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Pours a hazy copper color with a gargantuan head that becomes problematic but does leave good lacing

Smell: Slightly sulphuric tones negatively impact the toasted wheat aromas

Taste: Starts out with a toasted wheat flavor that, after the swallow, is negatively impacted by a metallic and sulphuric aspect; complex yeasty elements, however

Mouthfeel: Light bodied but way overcarbonated

Drinkability: Maybe it's too old, but this beer has some problems that I didn't find in the other bottles I tried from the Project
Nov 06, 2006
Photo of grub
Reviewed by grub from Canada (ON)

3.65/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
horizontal tasting of the four in the wheat series.

pours a slightly hazy copper colour with a massive rocky white head. split into three glasses, with about 1" of beer and 5" of head in each. takes about 5min for the head to drop and leaves lots of thick clumpy lace down the glass.

aroma is good. lots of wheat and funk. corriander for sure. maybe a little alcohol.

taste is nice. nice bitterness level. orange peel. the mouthfeel makes me think of clove, but no taste of it. a little corriander. not much malt, and it feels a little one-dimensional. a little belgian funk.

mouthfeel is good. feels a bit fuller than i expected. higher than average carbonation is good for the style.

drinkability is ok. not as drinkable as i expected. feeling a little underwhelmed by this one.
Nov 05, 2006
Photo of thelagerheads
Reviewed by thelagerheads from Michigan

3.4/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 2.5
I'm not one to stick my snout into the beer glass and take a whiff nor describe color (mostly because I'm red-green colorblind) or m-o-u-t-h-f-e-e-l (I still refuse to acknowledge this as a word!) but this one smells like a hefe-weizen and sans the spoon of caramel it feels like one on my crestfallen tongue. I'm no sycophant for hefes! I want my wheat beers sanitized with over-bearing muscle fruits and not the starchy pic-a-nic basket banana, citrus or cloves that make me cringe upon tasting in a bready beer. Not vastly different from the Wheat Six but minus the slightly smoky and sticky caramel character.
Sep 14, 2006
Photo of UncleFlip
Reviewed by UncleFlip from Alabama

3.27/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Got this one in a HUGE BS BiF box from mlh1227! Thanks! I decided I had to open it after it fell from a chair and landed on hardwood, causing a tiny bit of the beer to spew forth at high pressure. I immediately stuck it in the freezer for a few minutes (cold seems to retard some spewing properties), even though the spewing stopped after just a second or two...didn't want it charged any more than it already was, I guess.... So after a little time in the fridge, here we go...

Seems to still have carbonation present...and the fill line is behind the neck ring, so obviously not too much got out.

Pouring it into the glass, it;s a creamy white stream as it leaves the bottle. Almost instantly, my pint glass fills more than halfway with a foamy, thick off white head. It loosens out to big ass bubbles, revealing a hazy peach coloured liquid underneath. Time to pour a bit more in...This time, there is actually beer coloured liquid coming from the bottle.. ;)

We'll work on aroma while it settles out.. It's a spicy mix of wheat and yeast, with some banana-orange whip thrown in, and just a note of hop throughout. It's very pleasant, and is wafting around my computer desk, competing only with (through the open window) the faint aroma of the urine that spews forth from the homeless men in my downtown neighbourhood.

(OK, I was kidding about the urine. Really. Can't smell it at all.)

The flavour, unfortunately, does not live up to the smell. It's thin and woody, with some spice icing on the proverbial cake. However, those flavours are rather thin. Near the end, the frutiness does pop in high and airy.

Carbonation is a bit over the top for me (even after the drop)...but the liquid saves the rating from below average, by staying nice and hearty.

Drinkable? Yes. My first choice? No. This falls intot he vast category of beers I would not turn down if offered, but also would probably not pick from the menu.

Be well
-UF
Sep 06, 2006
Photo of weeare138
Reviewed by weeare138 from Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Appears a hazy, cloudy, orange toned light brown with a huge 4 ginger off white head that slowly fades into a small, clumpy head. Spotty streaks of lace are left around the glass.
Smell is of dusty cocoa, caramel, funky yeast, and hits of citrusy hops.
Taste is similar to the aromas but a dull, yeasty wheat fill out with some cocoa, caramel, and toffee notes. Weirdness that I'm on the fence about.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, spritzy, bitter, slightly sweet, and orange peel bitter sweets.
Drinkability...strange brew with funk. Not my cup of tea for wheat beer.
Aug 21, 2006
Photo of bluejacket74
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio

2.93/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a cloudy dark copper color with a huge head. This beer is extremely carbonated. It smells like wheat, citrus, and a little bit of banana. The taste is of wheat, citrus, pepper, and even some sourness. There isn't much of an aftertaste. Mouthfeel is just way too carbonated to enjoy the beer, it makes it a bit too hard to drink. Take away the carbonation, and it's not a bad beer.
Aug 12, 2006
Photo of sullysbeer
Reviewed by sullysbeer from Michigan

3.11/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Aroma: Sweet Belgian Aroma, Alcohol is present, Chocholate, Yeasty and Slightly Metallic.

Appearance: Brilliant Copper. Huge Creamy White Head like a cloud in the sky that lasted a half an inch till the last drop. Racing carbonation bubbles.

Flavor: Sweet Maltiness followed by a huge alcohol flavor mixed with an earthy/spicy bitterness. Very dry finish. Slight hint of vegetal (Cooked vegetable is an off-flavor described best as cooked corn, cabbage or broccoli. It is caused by low levels of sulfur-based compounds primarily perceived in aroma and to a lesser extent in flavor. Primary source is from malt).

Mouthfeel: Medium-Full Body. Overcarbonated.

Overall Impression: This beer is part of Bell's Brewery Wheat Project and is number 4, check this link - www.bellsbeer.com/wheat.asp. I let this beer sit in my fridge for about 8 months and didn't change much. This wasn't my favorite beer from the project. I thought it wasn't balanced with the malt flavors and was too over carbonated. If you read up about the project I think there was too much going on.
Aug 05, 2006
Photo of jpkoch1962
Reviewed by jpkoch1962 from Indiana

3.35/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pour a pale, golden, almost light copper that ends in a thick head, and pleasant cirtus aroma. For an American Wheat Ale, this beer lacks tarness, but makes it up with a smooth malty body. The citrusy hops give this beer a nice balance. I really enjoyed the crisp, clean finish. This ale may be lacking in tartness, but it is a nice summer session beer.
Jul 03, 2006
Photo of mcallister
Reviewed by mcallister from Ohio

3.13/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Just had a wheat 2 and now too the 4. This one is about the same shade of dark masculine copper/golden but seems to be unfiltered. Very cloudy and not as pretty looking. This one was also extremely carbonated. Poured with a 4 inch frothy as hell head that made a bowl outside my hefe glass. Good retention with good lacing down the glass. Plenty of carbonation bubbles in this one as well but yet to see any yeast floaties.

Some corriander but in the background, a smell of malt, of course wheat, cider, other oaty grains.

Nice dry finish, but lacks some complexity, seems to leave a film of residue on the tongue that I wouldn't call appetizing. Bitter apple, whole grain, corriander, and some other fruits in the mouth.

Not crazy about the residue that is left on the palate and the whole finish is rather unenjoyable.
Jul 02, 2006
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Reviewed by orbitalr0x from Illinois

2.5/5  rDev -26%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
My second attempt at this brew as my first seemed to be infected. Pours from the 12oz bottle into my tulip glass a murky brown amber and immediately produces a freakin mountain of bubbly foam, nearly overflowing my glass and I was pouring carefully! After a good five minutes the head falls and I pour a bit more in. Aromas of big spicy yeast tones atop rotting apples. Cloves, a touch of citrus, wheat husks and pepper. Muddled and odd really, can't say it's enticing.

First sip brings a creamed wheat upfront with a splash of apple juice and light citrus. Cloves, pepper, banana and a strong yeasty flavor follow. Kinda chalky with the yeast that I accidentally let slip in the glass. It just fails to work for me on the whole. Unfortunately I can't say this is enjoyable.

Mouthfeel is a bit light with excessive carbonation that deters from the overall drinkability. Almost arid as it goes down. I don't think my stomach could handle more than one with all the carbonation. My least favorite in the wheat series by far...but hey, every experiment has to have a failure now and again.
Jun 16, 2006
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Reviewed by mobyfann from Ohio

2.19/5  rDev -35.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
Paid $1.59 for a single...

The beer overflows with carbonation and takes forever to get it settled, afterwards, a cloudy amber colored base, long head retention and nic elacing effects on the glass. This beer has a strong wheat smell but it is as if the bread has a little mold characteristc?

The taste is about the same, characteristically as the smell, not impressed, worse in the mouth than on the nose. Heavy carbonation really distrubed my palette while drinking this, definately on the low end. Drinkable? No way, I had trouble finishing this beer.

Final Thought: Was it a bad batch, old batch or does this beer contradict what I thought was the best small-microbrewer in the Midwest? This title is leaning towards Great Lakes now...
May 18, 2006
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Reviewed by mentor from Colorado

2.09/5  rDev -38.2%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5
Huge thanks to CRJMellor for this one, I thought I would miss out on the wheat series issued by Bell's. Massive hiss when I started to wriggle off the cap. I was afraid it would gush. Instead I got a third of a glass of beer before the top reached the top--5 or 6 fingers worth. Plus, the hiss released a smell very similar to the stink that arises from a bad poop that's laid sometimes by one of my cats. Not a good start. Patiently waited for the head to settle before pouring in more...repeat as necessary until everything is in the glass (including the sediment).

Ok, finally getting to try this one with a two finger head on the top of a super-murky apple cider. Smells lightly of Granny Smith apples, spice, field wheat, and gentle clove. Taste holds a punch of clove that imediately fades to a falling malt sweet. Hop bitterness jumps in with carb sting later, accompanied with a touch af vodka-like alcohol. Dry rough finish is not entirely pleasant. Burnt grains and grassy in the aftertaste. Dry phenolic funk rises into my nose. Eesh. This is a Bell's offering? I suggest you approach this one with a Biere de Gaarde mindset (but don't expect too much). I'm not sure I can finish this one.

Well, I came back to this one after a while and it's *much* better when cellar temperature. A bit of honey sweet is now present. Plus, the edgy flavors are more tightly packed Still a burnt flavor that's detracting.
May 05, 2006
Wheat Four Ale from Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 95 ratings