Bell’s Poolside Ale

Bell’s Poolside Ale is a Witbier brewed with Montmorency tart cherry juice, 5% ABV. Packaged on 06/17/16, opened on 08/13/16, the shelf life of this beer is listed as six months.

There is a natural cherry color to this beer, not the kind of bright cartoonish red people think of, but the cloudy orange/red color of the flesh. I am getting a lot of sweet cherry on the nose along with some cinnamon and clove, an almost cherry pie like thing in the aroma. (It’s not nearly as cherry pie intense as Founders Cerise, if your remember that amazing beer) I am all in on the the appearance and aroma, but they are loosing me a bit on the taste. A nice start with a solid amount of the Witbier itself coming out in the taste first, and right behind that is the tart and sweet fruit. The problem for me isn’t either the simplicity of the beer, or the fruitiness of the beer. The problem is the “artificial flavor” and mild plastic taste I’m getting. This was rather surprising since the appearance and aroma clearly prove that there is nothing artificial about the cherry flavor. I guess it could be something about the combination of the cherries and the Witbier, but whatever the cause it is creating an unpleasant finish for me.

Individual palates can vary widely on a beer like this, so I would not forgo trying this based on my review. Let’s face it, Wheat Ales and Fruit Beers are generally not my favorite styles anyway, if they are styles you tend to enjoy I think this one is certainly worth a try.