Bell's Brewery (2023)

It is now an American Lager. It was a Bohemian Pils.

 

Okay... just picked up some Oberon cans -- packaged 03-16-23.

Don't know who had clear stuff, but my first pour looks like a NEIPA. probably more cloudy than past years.

Flavorwise -- it seems a little more tart or sharp than past versions. That yeasty character is overpowered by a bit bigger hop bitterness.

Am I disappointed? Maybe a little. Oberon was always a smooth, flavorful drinker to look forward to each spring. This isn't awful, but I think it's a little one-dimensional. There are some fruit esters and grainy malts trying to be recognized, but the sharp, bitter hop character rules the palate.

Yeah, someone's being "innovative" with the recipe.

 

Just had my last bottle last month and now I'm also down to my last Larry's Last.

 

Yeah I'm in the same boat. He was pushed back there with the Uberon next to some BBA Expedition but still in front of the Black Note Vanilla. Funny enough behind that Black Note Vanilla I have a Blackbeards Bear Hug, Black Note 16 &14, Batch 9000 and a 25th Anniversary. It's like a sad All Stouts Day back there.

 

Opened my first bottle of the year, and it’s definitely more clear than I remember. The pic is actually a bit misleading, as there’s not much haze, just some serious carbonation. This drinks like a soda with prickly bubbles.



Packaged on 2/16/23, so a MONTH older than yours. Agreed that the taste is fairly one-dimensional and a bit disappointing. More tart than usual and a weirdly bitter hop bite on the finish.

 

So, I wonder if it's a bottle vs. can inconsistency going on?

 

Just stopping by to say Smitten would be tasting damn fine right now. God forbid the new over lords bring that back to the lineup

 

That was the perfect spring beer.

 

Sorry, I keep forgetting to share this pic of the new Bell's hazy IPA... uh... Oberon.



Looks very different from @CB_Michigan 's bottle pour.

 

yup, that’s a how every bottle in my twelve pack poured.

 

Poured the fifth Oberon from my pack today and thought I was going to need to post another image because it looked clear... then I poured the last 2 ounces and all of the haze made its appearance.

 

Grabbed a sixxer of Oberon today. I've never LOVED the beer but usually grab a 6 each year. I also agree that it's much more clear now.

Strangely, I'm enjoying it more than I've ever remembered. It's remarkably less sweet than in the past which has previously always put me off to it. Also getting a waxyness on the tongue though which is odd and not additive to it.

 

I haven’t bought any yet, because I’m drinking down my cellar, but the bottles I saw in the store looked clear with a sediment packed on the bottom.

Regardless, I’ve always swirled the last 1/3 of the bottles/cans (like a Weiss) to get everything back in suspension.

 

For the past, what? 20 years? I've never needed to do "the swirl" with Oberon. Always poured hazy, if not necessarily cloudy.

 

I never needed to, but did it anyway. ‍

I’ve never seen the kristall Oberon (or Solsun) until this year. I wonder what caused the haze to drop this year with the bottles because I don’t see anything noticeable has changed in the description/ingredients on the website

 

And why in the bottles, but not the cans?

If I buy it again I'll have to get the bottles for a comparison.

 

Just grasping at straws here- I’m wondering if a process deviation (quick temperature crash) for the bottled batch would cause the proteins to drop. I’ll have to check another bottling date later this year.

 

I saw Lager FOR the Lakes in 12-packs at a decent price today (first sighting), but I just couldn't bring myself to gamble on a whole 12 just yet. Although, the sessionable ABV had me debating.