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

Pooltime AlePooltime Ale
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From:
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Witbier
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.63 | pDev: 12.4%
Reviews:
126
Ratings:
393
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 07, 2022
Added:
May 13, 2008
Wants:
  15
Gots:
  71
Formerly Bell's Poolside Ale

Pooltime Ale is a refreshing Belgian-inspired Wheat Ale with light clove notes. The truly distinguishing feature is the use of 100% Montmorency tart cherries grown in the Traverse City region of Michigan. These cherries add a subtle tartness and bright counterpoint to the other flavors, enhancing Pooltime’s fruity character and making it the perfect beer for all summer activities.

Original Gravity: 1.05
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Mindcrime1000:
Photo of Mindcrime1000
Reviewed by Mindcrime1000 from South Dakota

3.51/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a can into a tulip.

Pours a murky reddish-orange that gradually settles to cloudy. A three finger foamy head quickly rises and falls, but excellent lacing persists. Not dishwater ugly but not pretty either.

Esters (cherry, lemon, orange), wheat and coriander all waft the nostrils, although the cherry is faint. The aromas are nice but very subdued.

The brew hits the tip of the tongue with plenty of wheat and spice. General bready and banana ester sweetness shows up in mid-palate, with the cherry that was so subtle on the nose showing more here, but awfully sweet. The brew finishes with coriander and a bit of welcome, but belated, sourness.

The brew is definitely heavier than a typical wit, but never reaches medium bodied. It is well-carbonated and has a nice finish.

Overall, this is a unique take on a favorite style, and it is actually very drinkable. The typical ester flavors don't quite mesh completely with the cherry, however. Perhaps if the cherry was presented as a sour counterpoint instead of another sweet note, it would work better. As is, a decent brew from a brewer that usually provides better than decent.
Sep 14, 2019
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.71 by Mavigo from Michigan

Feb 07, 2022
Photo of chum_husk
Reviewed by chum_husk from Minnesota

3.64/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz can from the variety pack at the liq sto' near me

This was an enjoyable one, jsut a refreshing wit with a tart-azz cherry zing added in

Perfect pool bier
Aug 09, 2021
Photo of Mindhealer
Rated by Mindhealer from Florida

4.49/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Beautiful summer beer
Jul 01, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by mpenske from California

Jun 16, 2020
 
Rated: 4.02 by Blogjackets from Ohio

Mar 19, 2020
 
Rated: 4.34 by ImperatorScab from Tennessee

Feb 02, 2020
 
Rated: 3.79 by TP2MSU from Michigan

Jan 14, 2020
Photo of bushbeer75
Reviewed by bushbeer75 from Michigan

3.52/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
poured from a 12oz can

Bell's Pooltime has a cloudy red gold body. Atop sat a 1-finger off-white head that left behind chunky doamy lacing. The nose picked up a subtle tart and fruity aroma. The taste follows the nose but has a stronger tart cherry flavor and also wheat added. The tart cherry flavor lingers at the finish. Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

I am not a fan of tart/sour drinks or candy. So, if you like that taste this ale is for you.
Jan 03, 2020
 
Rated: 3.77 by HardyA34 from Michigan

Jan 01, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by rare_bird from Michigan

Dec 02, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by ElGallo from New Hampshire

Nov 04, 2019
 
Rated: 3.98 by cdub70085 from Connecticut

Oct 30, 2019
 
Rated: 3.3 by StevenMilligan from Florida

Oct 10, 2019
Photo of russpowell
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas

3.74/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a very effervescent & hazed amber with much cream colored head. Nice head retention & lacing

S: Wheatty, grassy, hint of cherry

T: Follows the nose, a little clove as well & faint traces of juicyfruit up front. Cherry builds a little as this warms, just a little bit of juicyfruit & grassyness as well. Finishes with a little sour cherry and juicyfruit

MF: Medium body, fairly restrained carbonation

Pretty drinkable, the cherry juice addition worked for me
Sep 20, 2019
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bell's Brewery "Pooltime Ale"
12 fl. oz. can coded "24968 PKGD 04:41 041519 041439" and sampled on 082919
$2.79 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ

Notes via stream of consciousness: It's always interesting opening a can of fruit beer because you never know what it will look like. I was expecting this to be a hazy pinkish color, and it is, except that it's also a little orange, and much cloudier than I thought it would be, It's got a big head of white foam atop it and I can see bubbles racing towards the surface within the glass. It actually looks a little bit like a hefeweizen. The label reads "Belgian inspired wheat ale with cherry juice" and that's exactly what it smells like. I got the Belgian yeast phenolics first, and then the cherry, which isn't a bright cherry, but more like the pulp of the cherry. It's authentic is what I want to say, and not overdone. Usually when I smell a beer and get that bright cherry aroma it's from an extract that's got an amped up cherry aroma, or, they've used tons and tons of cherries to get it. This isn't like that, it doesn't smell like a cherry Jolly Rancher candy. On to the flavor... there's a nice spiciness from the Belgian yeast , and that works really well with the cherry to liven it a bit. As I suspected from the aroma, the cherry flavor is mid-range; you definitely recognize it but there's no too much of it. I like that. It's got balance. The head has dropped at this point but it's still got a solid surface covering, and there's some really nice rings and patches of lace left behind on the glass. I'm not fond of the cloudiness but the color and lacing are great. And I can't fault them for the cloudiness, I'm assuming it's unfiltered to maintain its fullest flavor. That's a trade-off I can live with. It's not that bitter but there's a little bit there, and although you sometimes find some acidity with fruit beers there's really not that much, just a touch. As it's warming I'm getting more of the phenols from the yeast, and more of the sweet malt. It's very nice, and really well balanced. I sat on this for a long time because it's a cherry beer, but I now wish I hadn't because the cherry isn't overblown at all, and there's plenty of Belgian yeast character to it. I'm assuming this is a seasonal and now I'm going to have to rush to see if I can get a case of it before the shelves are covered in pumpkin beers. OK, let me wrap this up. In the mouth it's medium bodied and crisp with a lightly effervescent, moderately elevated carbonation. It seems natural although I can't imagine that's possible. I guess it's just becasue it's unfiltered. Regardless, it's got a great mouthfeel. I wasn't expecting much from this, and I've been completely turned around by it. Great summer beer!

Review #6,676
Aug 29, 2019
Photo of MNAle
Reviewed by MNAle from Minnesota

4.07/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Aroma is wheat, cherry, spice: coriander and pepper.

Hazy reddish-orange, some rising bubbles. Tall white thick head, creating an uneven surface as it drops. Draperies with stalagtites dropping from them form the lacing.

Taste does contain the wheat and spice, but the cherry is more to the front than in the aroma. The cherries are very slightly tart, but mostly sweet. No bitterness. Actually, quite delicious.

Feel is light to medium with nothing from the carbonation.

The sweetness is pretty much gone by the finish, leaving it mostly dry and slightly tart.

Very enjoyable and refreshing. Excellent tart cherry taste.
Aug 25, 2019
 
Rated: 2.93 by BlueTomorrow from Michigan

Aug 14, 2019
Photo of Amendm
Reviewed by Amendm from Rhode Island

3.67/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
An average pour from a 12-oz. can yields a finger of off-white creamy and rocky foam with
a hint of pink and small blotches of lace. Strange cloudy orange-pink color, almost opaque.
Sweet and tart smell of cherries, wheat and lemon/lime zest, The taste is semi-sweet despite the light tartness and sourness. low on bitterness from spice-not hops.
Malt with a taste of Wheat Thins battles for the top flavor against the items from the smell.
Cherry flavor lingers without the sourness. Medium-light body with average CO2, the finish is less tart/sour and leaves behind a sweeter taste. Lightly tart and sour, cherry and baking spice build up the flavor but do not overpower the wheaty malt.
Aug 05, 2019
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Canned 6/8/16; drank 7/21/16 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque dark orange appearance.

A rough pour yielded a huge, noisy eggnog head; frothy lace.

Banana, clove, candle wax & faint cherry notes in the nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Candle wax & mild cherry flavors up front; mild banana & faint clove notes on the finish.

A balanced, interesting summer sipper. I'd have another...
Jul 22, 2019
Pooltime Ale from Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 393 ratings