Bell's Pale Ale

Man, there is a lot of crap floating around in this beer. According to the all knowing internet this is normal, thank god. It creeps me out every time a beer is unfiltered and looks like a petri dish when you put it up to the light. I guess I just don't like sea monkeys in my beverages.

Bell's Pale Ale is fairly tame stuff, which I am ok with. Lately all the Pale Ales I have had have been extreme hop bombs, its nice to come across one that has a little restraint. Yes, it has a bit of a kick, but it isn't overwhelming at all like so many of its kin. It's fairly drinkable, goes well with food and would be a great introduction to pale ales. I like it and I think you will as well. Bell's has another winner.

At the same time I feel as if something is missing from this beer. I am steadily getting more and more into hoppier beers, which is bothering me. I really don't want to become a 'hop head' but I see myself getting closer to that every day. The term 'hop head' sounds like what sixties parents would call beatniks. Because of this Bell's Pale Ale feels like it still has training wheels on. Hops for beginners. I am getting pretentious, I know.

Bell's Kalamazoo Stout

My friends Andy and Ben both gave me beer to blog about this week, which is awesome. The funny thing is they both gave me some Kalamazoo Stout so I ended up with tons of this stuff. Luckily for me this is great stuff!

Bell's is a little bitter which is offset with a nice creamy head and lower alcohol content. This is a great beer drink while killing a Sunday, which is exactly what we did, Ben and I. At first I didn't find the Kalamazoo Stout very distinctive but then it hit me that Bell's strength was in how well balanced it is. Yeah the aftertaste is kind of nutty and I swear there is some toffee in there somewhere, but that isn't why you should pick up the Kalamazoo Stout. You are grabbing this beer for one reason: lazy Sundays.

Bell's Oberon Ale

"An American wheat ale brewed with Saaz hops. Spicy and fruity, Oberon is the color and scent of a summer afternoon".

Oberon is the perfect summer beer and I'm bitter that it's not available in Chicago anymore. For those not aware, due to Illinois distribution laws, Bell's decided to pull all of its beers out of Illinois locations. If you're interested in more information, check this out:

Bye-Bye Bell's

I was able to pick up a six pack of this stuff this past weekend in Indiana, and the fact that it's available is a sign of summer approaching. It's crisp, refreshing, light with a hint of citrus, and blows Goose Island's 312 out of the water. Hopefully, someday, this stuff will be readily available in Chicago again.