Why We Picked It: Bell's Two Hearted has won are beer loving hearts, and it's always fun to throw a wee heavy into the mix.
What Bell's Says About It: This traditional Scotch Ale is rich and malty with notes of caramel and a warm finish. Certain to make any occasion festive, or at least a bit more bearable. Enjoy with the company of friends and family.
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
ABV: 7.5%
IBU: N/A
Website: http://www.bellsbeer.com/
To Better Know A Brewery: Bell's Brewery, Inc. is a family-owned craft brewing company with operations in Comstock and Kalamazoo, Michigan. Bell's brews acclaimed beers such as Hopslam Ale, Oberon Ale, and Two Hearted Ale. It operates a brewpub and a store selling merchandise and homebrewing supplies at its Kalamazoo location. Begun as a homebrewing store in 1983, and producing beer since 1985, it is the oldest existing craft brewery in Michigan. As of 2019, it is the largest independently owned brewery in the state and the 7th largest craft brewery in the United States. The company owns Upper Hand Brewery, a separately operated division in Escanaba, Michigan.
Just a heads-up, the vote says it's for Van Dammit.
ReplyDeleteThanks. It's corrected.
DeleteI am going to hold off until the Zoom happy hour, but its hard. Hope some folks can make it! Check you email Zoom info.
ReplyDeleteRespect to ya. I don't have that self control.
Delete"I'm out. I'm out of the contest".
Great episode
DeleteHaha, I didn't think anyone would get that one. Good job Adam.
DeleteDrinking mine now since I'm not sure that I'll be able to make the Zoom tonight (if not, hope to meet you all another time). Like last night's, it's not bad as far as Christmas ales go. Can't really go too wrong with Bell's, but I'm just not a big fan of malty beers these days.
ReplyDeleteI'm present today, taking my sips while I type....
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of bells, they do good. Like that they're still independent too.
I think I'm a little fatigued on these style beers as once again I'm not getting the differences of these porters, farmhouses and dark ales. They're all hitting the same 3-4 notes in different volume combinations. I guess not unlike music, that should provide for variation, but alas, it does not.
Digging deep now, there is some stronger hints of fruit...berries? Plums? Can't tell. The main flavor running through start to finish is the scotch and it postures stronger than it is. Just from the flavor I thought I was tipsy but I'm not.
Overall, good execution, if I was vested in these.beers I'd ask for less sweet.
3/5 Rock the Bells, mama says some call it a comeback.
Ahh Scotch Ales. I credit these beers with teaching me that while I really enjoy drinking beers and trying new things....most beer styles are not my thing.
ReplyDeleteIn my younger days I was a people pleaser, a go with the flow, pretty quiet guy. One time out drinking at the OG Frisco location (RIP to that whole shopping center after the explosion.... also used to love that Mongolian bbq place many years ago) I ordered a Scotch Ale. I used to order them a lot .... I never liked them but I liked the idea of a stronger beer, I liked the rich and malty descriptions, and it was a kind of beer I thought I should like with “better tastes” and not a college kid beer. They bartender brought it over and I took a sip. My buddy asked me if I liked it I said yeah it’s good. Then I paused and thought why did I say that I don’t like it...so I said actually no I hate these beers but I think I should like them. He looked at me and said why do you think you should like them ... I had no answer. He said who the f cares what you think you should like get what you want. For some reason my people pleaser keep quiet personality never really did that. So I got a nice crisp lager and it hit the spot. My kind of drink and I thought yeah f’ other people. Let me do me.
For some reason that simple conversation really changed my thought process. Everytime I feel a little introvert or feel like I should keep to myself I immediately do the opposite. Now, sometimes it can be a little much and I can come on strong, but it has served me well personally and professionally. I now feel that I have a lot of confidence and I tend to really push myself to be more outgoing then I really am. All because of how much I don’t like scotch ales!
Oh yeah the beer ... they all kind of taste the same a little sweet a little alcohol and a whole lotta nothing else 2.5 out of 5 who cares what others think.
FYI - That old location is almost rebuilt.
DeleteMy whole beer journey was birthed with a certain amount of people pleasing. While generally some thing to avoid, I actually think it at time forced me to give beer types multiple chances. Now I just do it for more honest reason.
DeleteHaha yeah it’s weird. I only think about peer pressure as a young kid, but it’s really a subconscious thing of trying to please others that still lingers as you get older.
DeleteCan't have a 24dob without Bell's.
ReplyDeleteScotch ales are always a little too malty for me. I liked them in my early-20's but they are too heavy the 40+ year-old me.
ReplyDeleteI like this as a good dark winter brew
ReplyDeleteGlad to finally put some faces to the comments. Had this on the zoom. Thought I'd had it before and somehow I hadn't. Thought I didn't like it, but that wasn't true, possibly because I'd never had it before. I found this to be a nice, malty, winter beer. I thought Ro would like it but she claimed it tasted of cherries. I hate cherries and am getting no cherries. Just malty goodness. 4 out of 5 ill-timed Peyton Ramsey interceptions.
ReplyDeleteI got cherries, but it was subtle and I like cherries.
DeleteFirst of all, thanks to all for joining the Zoom call tonight (and some even jumping over from Google Meet). It was great to connect with folks.
ReplyDeleteLike Bill, I'm shocked that - according to Untappd - I have had this before.
I tend. To not love wee heavies as they are too malty. This was malty with light scotch flavor and prety well balanced with the caramel and holiday flavor giving it a nice finish. 4 out of 5 zoom meetings.
Another nice malty holiday beer - not going overboard with spiciness or gimmicks and just relying on being well crafted. I like it.
ReplyDeleteSo, Father Murphy gets up in front of the congregation, and he's holding a bottle of this Christmas Ale in one hand, and a picture of one of Danny O'Brien's sheep in the another...
ReplyDeleteNo, no...I will spare you all of that. Anyway, it was great to meet so many of you via Zoom last night, and only sorry that I could not get on the call earlier.
I thought this one was very solid. I kinda liked this one. The scotchy/malty stuff is not always my bag but thought this was a true "holiday" beer. 3.75/5.00 goats for me.
Love Scotch ales. The scotch portion is very subtle but it’s followed by flavors that remind me of Christmas without being too overbearing
ReplyDelete