Smitten
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
- From:
- Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
Ranked #1,159 - ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 83
Ranked #33,111 - Avg:
- 3.68 | pDev: 11.68%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 357
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 18, 2026
- Added:
- Jun 14, 2008
- Wants:
- 43
- Gots:
- 368
SCORE
83
Good
83
Good
Drawn from one of our oldest recipes, Smitten Ale began as part of a series of rye beers at our Eccentric Café. The combination of sharp citrus & resinous flavors from the hops with the earthy, rustic overtones of the rye malt contribution yield an interesting take on the American Pale Ale.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri
4.06/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Here is a style and a taste that doesn't seem as common as it used to be. Copper-gold in color with a tall white head. Huge retention. The aroma is of fresh classic hops with an undertone of malt. The taste is balanced, if not mildly sweet, but has clear and present pale malt and American hop flavors. Lingering hop finish. More flavor than I expected.
Apr 03, 2026
Reviewed by LoftusTheBeerEngineer from Wisconsin
3.68/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
Look:4.00 golden light haze substantial head dense foam
Smell: 4.00
I cracked a can I smell hops that's a good sign. Into the glass is a floral smell. It smells really good.
Taste: 3.25
old school hop bitterness, Hop are on the boil, what's the IBU? There's malt but there's a sweet aroma, honey esters rather than malt sweetness. Rye comes in late in the profile as it opens up.
Mouthfeel 3.25
A lingering dryness and sweet like honey in the afterglow. Rye comes in late in the profile
Overall: 4.00
I'm really glad I tried this... And I'm thinking if you have to put rye in your beer because that's all you got then this is damn good. Kind of like if you need to make some wine, but all you've got is dandelions? God bless you!
Mar 18, 2026Smell: 4.00
I cracked a can I smell hops that's a good sign. Into the glass is a floral smell. It smells really good.
Taste: 3.25
old school hop bitterness, Hop are on the boil, what's the IBU? There's malt but there's a sweet aroma, honey esters rather than malt sweetness. Rye comes in late in the profile as it opens up.
Mouthfeel 3.25
A lingering dryness and sweet like honey in the afterglow. Rye comes in late in the profile
Overall: 4.00
I'm really glad I tried this... And I'm thinking if you have to put rye in your beer because that's all you got then this is damn good. Kind of like if you need to make some wine, but all you've got is dandelions? God bless you!
Reviewed by GratefulBeerGuy from New Hampshire
3.79/5 rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A sharp hop and rye bite hits hard. Dry rye, earthy dirt and dried leaves with bread and sour green tones underneath. Super fluffy white foam leaves a stash. Makes you wanna chugg.
Mar 13, 2026
Reviewed by BruChef from New York
3.41/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.41/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a willi becher glass. Nice, creamy, white head with smaller bubbles. Some short lacing and residual foam on top after head subsides. Golden light amber. Cloudier than I remember. Aroma is slightly piney, pink grapefruit, white pepper, herbal, earthy, orange zest.
Taste profile is classic, old school, midwest/west coast pale. Tannic, almost bracing hop resin. Spicy, earthy, caramel rye sweetness.
Pretty rich and full bodied for a golden ale. Filling with med carb.
Hard to remember if I like this beer more or less than when I drank it years ago. Nostalgia helps. And I’m a sucker for rye beers. Enjoyable.
Mar 08, 2026Taste profile is classic, old school, midwest/west coast pale. Tannic, almost bracing hop resin. Spicy, earthy, caramel rye sweetness.
Pretty rich and full bodied for a golden ale. Filling with med carb.
Hard to remember if I like this beer more or less than when I drank it years ago. Nostalgia helps. And I’m a sucker for rye beers. Enjoyable.
Reviewed by Cdriver0414 from Kentucky
3.5/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
For me, this beer is a perfect definition of just ok. It's not bad but there is nothing that stands out either. I usually enjoy big bitter beers. This one has mild sweetness on the front and too much bitter on tge back. I would drink it if someone offered but I probably won't buy again.
Mar 01, 2026
Rated by PapaGoose03 from Michigan
4.25/5 rDev +15.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +15.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From the Throwback Pack, Best by 28June26. Love the choice of hops that compliment the spiciness of the Rye malt.
Feb 14, 2026
Reviewed by MrOH from Virginia
4/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Slightly cloudy, reddish gold, big off-white head, good retention, lots of splotchy lace
Lots of mixed citrus hops and some earthy, bready malt aromas
Orange zest, broiled grapefruit, earthy, deeply bready flavor
Medium-light bodied, slightly oily, appropriately carbonated
Nice for a change of pace. If this was a shoulder season release, I could see drinking it regularly
Jan 24, 2026Lots of mixed citrus hops and some earthy, bready malt aromas
Orange zest, broiled grapefruit, earthy, deeply bready flavor
Medium-light bodied, slightly oily, appropriately carbonated
Nice for a change of pace. If this was a shoulder season release, I could see drinking it regularly
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