No introduction needed for Bell’s, so let’s get to the website, bellsbeer.com, and see what the commercial description has to say about the Pale Ale.
Pale Ale stands apart from the model of completely hop-dominated pale ales, offering a noticeable degree of malt body to counter the hop bitterness. A blend of floral & herbal hop notes provide the aromatic & flavor highlights, alongside the distinctive contribution of our house ale yeast. A crisp bitterness finishes the experience without being harsh.
Let’s drink.
This beer has an ABV of 5.2% and it comes in a 12 oz. bottle.
It poured a very hazy, orangish/yellow color with quite a bit of sediment present throughout. The cap was small, soapy and white. The retention time was weak and the lacing was thin and insignificant.
The brew smelled of toasted biscuits and grain. A light orange citrus hint as well as a small floral component. That’s about all I got honestly. It was pretty straight forward for the most part.
The orange citrus came out a touch more in the flavor. A very solid bitter “bite” accompanied the fruit. An expressive amount of bready/biscuit malt and grain brought about a sturdy footing. Like the aroma, mostly simple and conventional.
The mouthfeel was medium bodied. It was somewhat dry, crisp, kind of refreshing and thirst quenching. The carbonation was good and decent amount of flavor was left behind after each gulp.
Well. This beer was ok. Nothing crazy or special in my opinion. All in all, just an average beer for me. It wasn’t bad or off putting, but it didn’t really knock my socks off or provide anything to get overly excited about either. It seems to fall a bit short when compared to some of the other Pale Ale’s that are being produced today. I wish I had more to say, but that’s about it really. I’d say give the Bell’s Pale Ale a try if you see it. You may find it to be the one beer you’ve been looking for. Be sure to leave a comment if you sample it. I love to hear a second opinion.
Thanks for reading everyone. I really appreciate it.
Until next time. Cheers.
Score: 3.2 out of 5
Grade: C+
Beer Apprentice - Craft Beer News, Reviews, Interviews and Info. 
Clutch
May 31, 2012 at 11:08 am
Right along with what I would say about that brew.
Clutch
May 31, 2012 at 11:08 am
Right along with what I would say about that brew.
Scott Shrewsberry
May 31, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Clutch,
Thanks for reading and commenting. I really appreciate it.
Yeah, even though I respect Bell's and do enjoy some of their brews quite well, I just found this one to be… “meh”. It seems as though a lot of their “standard” beers are just that, standard. I must admit that Bell's was one of the first craft brewers that I began experimenting with, so I'm sure I will revert back to their products from time to time, but I definitely do not seek them out like I used to.
Cheers,
Scott
Scott Shrewsberry
May 31, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Clutch,
Thanks for reading and commenting. I really appreciate it.
Yeah, even though I respect Bell's and do enjoy some of their brews quite well, I just found this one to be… “meh”. It seems as though a lot of their “standard” beers are just that, standard. I must admit that Bell's was one of the first craft brewers that I began experimenting with, so I'm sure I will revert back to their products from time to time, but I definitely do not seek them out like I used to.
Cheers,
Scott
clueless_brewer
May 31, 2012 at 5:40 pm
I'm right there with you as well. A middle “C” grade from me. When you compare it to pale ale masterpieces like Three Floyds Zombie Dust or New Glarus Moon Man, it really falls flat.
Cheers!
clueless_brewer
May 31, 2012 at 5:40 pm
I'm right there with you as well. A middle “C” grade from me. When you compare it to pale ale masterpieces like Three Floyds Zombie Dust or New Glarus Moon Man, it really falls flat.
Cheers!
Scott Shrewsberry
June 1, 2012 at 1:20 am
clueless_brewery,
Couldn't agree with you more. Doesn't even come close to Zombie Dust.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers,
Scott
Scott Shrewsberry
June 1, 2012 at 1:20 am
clueless_brewery,
Couldn't agree with you more. Doesn't even come close to Zombie Dust.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers,
Scott