Name: Oarsman Ale
Brewer: Bell’s Brewery Inc., Comstock, Mich.
By the numbers: About 130 calories per 12 oz; 4 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is a very light beer, both in terms of taste and alcohol content. Brewed as a Pale Wheat Ale, it also comes across a little like a Saison with a fruity sour aroma. The label says that Bell’s uses “traditional sour mash methods” which the website refers to as “classic German brewing techniques.” The color is a cloudy pale yellow and the taste is lemony and tart. I guess I could see this as a summer beer, though Bell’s brews it year-round. While I’ve enjoyed most of the Bell’s beers I’ve had, I wouldn’t actively seek this one out again.
Try it with: A hot day of pulling weeds in the garden. Really any light wheat beer or American-style lager tastes good after you’ve put in several hours in the yard. In fact, it’s one of the few things that can make even a Bud Light taste not too shabby.
— Posted by Mike Freimann
