Day 3 of the 5th Annual Advent-ure Calendar

Day 3: Bell’s Brewery Bright White Belgian-inspired Wheat Ale

Bell’s Bright White (formerly Winter White) is a staple in our fridge during the month of December. A crisp wheat ale is a nice alternative to have when you have a fridge full of dark, malty Christmas ales. From the brewery: “An alternative to dark and heavy winter warmers and stouts, Bright White (formerly Winter White) is a stylish and refreshing Wheat Ale. Fermented with a Belgian ale yeast, this blend of barley and wheat malts yields a mixture of clove and fruity aromas, all without the use of any spices.”

Reflections

Beard & Broad
Beard: There’s two types of beer I enjoy as an alternative to dark, malty beers during winter: crisp, light IPAs and boozy Belgians. This is kind of the best of both worlds, crisp and light but it has those spicy clove-like Belgian characteristics. This is one of my go-to’s every winter in terms of lighter holiday fare and I swear it gets better every time.

Broad: I always say this is one of my favorite holiday beers but it may actually be one of my all time favorite beers. It’s crisp, light and also Belgiany. I love Belgians but only when they’re not super boozy so a wheat one is right up my alley. Yes, I know it does not look or even taste like your typical holiday beer but it’s marketed as an alternative and its great to have in your fridge to mix things up a bit.

Adam & Alex
Adam: Well its Promoted as an alternative to the traditional holiday beers and in that it certainly succeeds. It tastes nothing like any of the spices that conjur the merry and bright moments with kith and Kin.  I get notes of banana and lemon, almost like a hefe. If you told me this was a Franziskaner I would believe you.  This isn’t to say I dislike this beer. It’s refreshing and nice. I would enjoy this at a colder weather spring baseball game.

Alex:  Bell’s Bright White tastes mostly like a wheat beer to me with a hint of Belgian.  It is definitely not a traditional holiday beer, but it is enjoyable and is a nice change from the standard spices you usually find.  I feel like I can taste some citrus and maybe a hint of the clove because I think it is a little spicy at the end.  I would definitely drink this one again.

Scott & Christa
Scott: I’m a hypocrite.  I criticized beer #1 for not being holiday-like enough and this beer shares the same criticism except I really love wheat beers.  I like them enough that I drank a beer tower of blue moon in Daytona Beach in the summer…which is not recommended. This beer has a great label, a really light taste but also has enough flavor to not be forgettable.  Bell’s knows how to make beer.

Christa: Bell’s Winter White is a nice little refresher in a typically stout-y rotation. It’s crisp and fruity as you’d expect of a Belgian. It’s really good, I used to only drink wheat ales so I’m having a great time BUT I am not sure what makes it a winter or holiday ale. I’d drink quite a few of these during any season so cheers to you if you’re just looking for a great beer to drink but if you’re looking for a holiday beer for your line up, I’d probably skip this one.

Tony & Megan
Tony: Is this a “holiday” beer? I don’t know MARGOT! I don’t think it is but they tell you right on the bottle they’re not trying to be a dark malty holiday beer so its a very self aware beer. I can respect that. Its blonde in color, pretty good flavor if you like white belgium ales which I do. Reminded me a lot of a Hefeweizen style beer. So I liked it but its something I would drink in the summer, wouldn’t be on my list for winter/holidays.

Megan: This beer is as described, a crisp, clean and light beer set apart from the warmer malts of the the winter season. For a lighter beer, it’s still flavorful and not too watered down. I like it and now that I know what it tastes like, I’m more inclined to buy it if I see it in the store, but I don’t know if I’ll remember it at the end of our festive advent-ure.

Brad & Heather
Brad: It’s good. It’s drinkable. It’s no different than every other Belgian wheat I’ve had.

Heather:  Oh man. I love this. I am a HUGE fan of Belgian Ales in general, and this is right up there with my faves. I feel like going skiing and drinking it from a camelback on the slopes like the basic B I am. Clove really lives up to its reputation as a warming spice in this beer, wrapping itself around me in a big comfy hug, smooth enough to be my favorite sweater. Or, whatev, a standout element to a balanced Belgian.