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AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 16/20I poured a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass. It was bottled on 5/16/15 and cost $2.65 ($0.22 per ounce).
Appearance: A very hazy shade of brownish orange. No visible carbonation, but it does pour to a larger-than-average off-white foamy head which laces and retains quite well.
Smell: Quite malty, almost like that of raw grain. A slight citrusy component, but otherwise a mild nose.
Taste: The pale ale is an overlooked style these days, so I really appreciate the brews that can make it work. This palette is rather unique in that it’s not a citrus bomb, but actually well-balanced with light malts and some spicy hop character. Light bready notes at first with a tingling bitterness in the background. There’s a bit of a hop bite at the apex followed by a spicy sensation of rye, peppercorn and orangepeel (though none of those ingredients are in this brew). I detect a touch of orange marmalade in the aftertaste, reminds me of a British ESB or similar style. I hope Bell’s has pioneered a sub-genre with this as I’d like to see more beers that aren’t so conforming to East or West coast styles.
Drinkability: What’s impressive about Bell’s Midwestern Pale Ale is that it’s only 5.2% ABV. That’s fairly light for a craft beer these days; but it has the stronger body of a heavier brew. The mouthfeel is crisp from beginning to end with no spastic carbonation. A tad refreshing while crossing the tongue, it leaves a fairly clean finish (the hops do linger a bit). It’d be tempting to session this in the summer, though it’s also strong enough to stand up to a meal.
RATING: 8/10
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