News

We’re excited to announce that we’ve begun the process to bring our beer to three new states in 2016. Bell’s beer will head to the great states of Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas next year, filling in our southeastern footprint. As this process has just begun, no specific launch dates or other details have been finalized. “We start with making sure we have the right people in any new state, then start looking for a distributor that believes in and follows the same standards of quality that we maintain,” Bell’s Vice President Laura Bell said. “It’s about having the right partner(s). It will take a little time, this is a long-term relationship, and we want to make sure we follow our due diligence,” she said. Construction at our Comstock Brewery is ongoing with new packaging equipment and fermenters recently being delivered. The expansion is not expected to be completed until the spring and summer. The search for a Lead Brewery Sales Representative for Louisiana has also begun. Application details can be found here. Additional details will be announced at bellsbeer.com and on social media as they become available. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest and Flickr.

[[{"fid":"368","view_mode":"default","type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":1200,"width":700,"style":"width: 300px; height: 514px; float: right; margin: 15px;","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]Beginning in March, Bell’s Oarsman Ale will be available exclusively in 12 oz. cans, packaged in six-packs, and on draught. Available year-round, Oarsman (4% ABV) is a bright tart, refreshing, and drinkable Wheat Ale that was first released in 2010. “Since this beer is so versatile, canning this beer made a lot of sense and will allow it to be enjoyed in a wider variety of locations. It’s perfect to enjoy outside, but this beer is ideal in any situation and perfect for a wide variety of tastes,” Laura Bell, Bell’s Vice President, said. Oarsman Ale grew out of a desire to explore the tradition of session beers with the idea to trade intensity for finesse. It is not a Berliner Weiss, but its acidity and tartness is influenced by a classic German technique and developed naturally in our brewhouse. Citrusy hops lend bright notes to its aroma while its signature tartness adds another level of complexity to this beer. That tartness takes on a palate-cleansing role, making it perfect for pairing with any menu whether it be in a fine dining restaurant or at home in your kitchen. Oarsman cans will ship to all 23 states we distribute to in addition to Washington DC and Puerto Rico. Oarsman is the seventh beer in the Bell’s portfolio to be canned. Two Hearted and our seasonal offerings (Oberon, Best Brown, Winter White and Smitten) are packaged in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans. Two Hearted (year round) and Oberon (March - August) are also available in 12-packs of 12 oz. cans. Hopslam will be available exclusively in cans when it’s released in January. More details will be available on our social media sites (Facebook, Twitter and Google+) and at here bellsbeer.com as they become available.

A Ferris Wheel, great beer from some great breweries, great people, fireworks and so much more. Back in September, we celebrated our 30th Anniversary at Homer Stryker Field, home of the Kalamazoo Growlers. Here's a video recap of our Funvitational Beer Festival from our friends at Rhino Media.  Enjoy.  PS - Do you have photos from Funvitational that you would like to share with us? Send them our way.

COMSTOCK, Mich. – Winners of the 6th Annual Bell’s Homebrew Competition were announced Nov. 1st during the 7th Annual All Stouts Day at Bell’s Eccentric Café. Eleven homebrewers placed out of the 132 entries that were submitted. This year’s winners list also features some familiar names from past competitions. First place went to David Hellen for his Farmhouse Ale brewed with HBC 438 and Mosaic hops. HBC 438 is an experimental hop, available exclusively to homebrewers. All proceeds from the sale of this variety go toward finding a cure for ALS via the Ales for ALS program that Bell’s has been a part of since it started in 2013. Hellen will get to brew his recipe at Bell’s original brewery to then go on tap at the adjacent Café. He will also head to the 2016 Great American Beer Festival in Denver as a guest of Bell’s and compete alongside a Bell’s brewer in the Pro-Am Competition. “We had a good mix of experimental and classically defined beers ­- a lot of variety this year. IPAs usually dominate the final round of judging, but this year that was not the case,” David Curtis, Bell’s General Store Manager and competition organizer, said. Second place went to Nick Rodammer for his Gose inspired, dry hopped sour ale. Rodammer took first place in the 2012 Bell’s Homebrew Competition with the recipe for Manden Med Leen, a Black IPA brewed with Belgian yeast. Third place went to Jennifer Bilyk for her salted caramel Stout. This year’s runners up are (in no particular order): Larry Yuhas – Coconut Vanilla Porter Diane Spencer – Imperial Nut Brown Ale Gregg Updike – Imperial Stout Scott Feldpausch – Coconut Porter Brian McHugh / Gary Howard – Light IPA with Blackberries Joe Nielsen – Coffee infused American Stout Gary Strappazon – IPA with Mosaic and Centennial hops David Lyman (2013 winner) – Session IPA with Mosaic and Citra hops “Homebrewing is where it all started for us. To be able to provide this opportunity on this scale and to see that familiar passion and drive, especially as we look back over the last 30 years is very rewarding,” Laura Bell, Bell’s Vice President said. More information about when this year’s winning recipe will be tapped at the Café will be released as it becomes available. Judges' comments are available to be picked up at the Bell's General Store. 

We have teamed up with the Kalamazoo Coffee Co. to create a brand new specialty stout.  Bell’s Milchkaffee (5.5% ABV) is a sweet, milk stout brewed with a blend of two coffee beans, Pressed for Success, a medium roasted Nicaraguan coffee and Killer Beanz, a dark roasted Papua New Guinea coffee, roasted just a block away from our original brewery, next to our pub, the Eccentric Café, in downtown Kalamazoo. “It’s exciting to work with another local Kalamazoo business and create something new that combines both of our passions,” said Bell’s Vice President, Laura Bell. “This collaboration is another great example of what makes our hometown special and unique,” she added. Milchkaffee is a German phrase which translates to “milk coffee” and refers to a drink similar to a Café au lait. The coffee used in the brewing process was made using a cold brewing technique which extracts the coffee aroma and flavor without any acidic or acrid notes. Combined with lactose, this technique gives the beer a smooth, gentle coffee character. Lactose also lends a silky, slightly sweet note to Milchkaffee. “We are proud to work with Bell's. There is nothing better than to have local businesses working together to create something special for their community, that in itself is what helps create community," Garrett Krugh, owner of the Kalamazoo Coffee Co. said. Only available on draught, this beer will be part of a special celebration at the Café on Nov. 11 featuring live performances from Kalamazoo’s Ghost Bunnies and Saxsquatch & Bridge Band. Coffee samples from the beans used to brew this stout will also be available to taste alongside the beer. Doors will open at 7 p.m. and music will start at 8 p.m. There is no cover (this event is 21 and up with valid ID). A limited amount of this collaborative beer will also head to some events outside of Kalamazoo later this year. Details will be posted at on our Events Calendar as they become available.

Ever want to join the Bell’s family? We currently have several openings, including positions for a tour manager, creative manager, and marketing manager. Upper Hand, our sister brewery in the Upper Peninsula, has an opening for Facility Maintenance Manager. These are some of the open positions. See all current openings here. Bell’s has more than 440 employees in Michigan and across 21 other states it distributes to. For more information, please email employment@bellsbeer.com.

Bell’s Brewery is releasing its first beer fermented in 100-year-old wooden cypress tanks that were used by Stroh Brewing Company in Detroit. Andrews’ Ale is inspired by the traditional English style Extra Special Bitter and uses a semi-retired malt variety, Chevallier, that was popular during the 19th Century in England. The tanks came to Bell’s from Detroit, where they were sitting in a warehouse for more than 50 years. They were transferred in pieces and reassembled by local carpenters at Bell’s. Each tank is about 12 feet in diameter and stands about 8 feet tall. Bell’s Director of Operations John Mallett’s idea for Andrews’ Ale was to make a beer with a heritage barley malt. The wooden tanks were used because it was the material used in fermenters when the style was popular. Chevallier was the primary barley grown in England through the 19th century. By the late 1880s, it made up 80 to 90 percent of all the barley grown there. Today, it has all but disappeared. In 2012, it was grown in small quantities in England where it was malted as a test plot. Our friends at Brewers Supply Group had some of the malt available this year but in limited supply. Bell’s was one of the few breweries that were offered some to brew with.  The name “Andrews’ Ale” is derived from one of the laborers of the Reverend John Chevallier whose surname was Andrews. In “Malt: A Practical Guide from Field to Brewhouse” Mallet writes that the barley originated from a laborer named Andrews. While walking through a field of barley, Andrews plucked a couple of ears out of the ground. Upon returning to his cottage, he tossed a few kernels into his garden to feed the chickens. The barley grew quite fine and well, so much so that Chevallier decided to try and cultivate it. The beer is 5% ABV and is toasty, biscuity, with notes of caramel and a grassy hoppy flavor. Andrews’ Ale is on tap at the Eccentric Café. You can see the wooden tanks from our brewery gallery. See them during public museum hours or during a tour. Learn more about visiting Bell’s.

One of our most sought after beers, Hopslam Ale, will be packaged solely in six-packs of 12 oz. cans and kegs when it returns in January for its annual release. The Double India Pale Ale, brewed with Michigan honey, will not be bottled as it has been in the past. “With construction here at the brewery on top of an already very busy schedule for our existing Bottling Hall, this was the only way to ensure that this beer got to market as quickly and as fresh as possible,” said Bell’s Vice President Laura Bell. “Our Canning Line is very well equipped to lend a hand and help get this aromatic beer to our fans and customers so that they can enjoy it as it is intended,” she added. Our current expansion will almost triple our Comstock Brewery's footprint once it is completed next year. Part of that construction is a new Bottling Hall that will be able to run at triple the speed of our current bottling line. Future packaging decisions, beyond 2016, will be decided at a later date and as construction wraps up next year. Hopslam (10% ABV) will be the sixth Bell’s beer to be packaged in cans. Two Hearted and Bell’s seasonal offerings (Oberon, Best Brown, Winter White and Smitten) are packaged in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans.  Two Hearted (year round) and Oberon (March - August) are also available in 12-packs of 12 oz. cans.

Bell’s beer will be flowing in Colorado this week in celebration of the 2015 Great American Beer Festival. Here is what we are pouring at this year’s festival, Sept. 24-26. Oarsman Ale Tart and refreshing, this sessionable Wheat Ale presents citrus and lemony aromas and trades sour intensity for finesse. A perfect pairing with any menu (4% ABV). Bell’s Octoberfest Beer Crafted as a flavorful session beer, this amber lager spends a full six weeks maturing in our fermentation tanks. It focuses on light caramel malt notes that lend body without too much sweetness, balanced by a refreshing bitterness from noble hops (5.5% ABV). Mango Habanero Oberon Brewed in Bell’s original Kalamazoo location, Mango Habanero Oberon takes the recipe for our summer seasonal and adds pureed mango and habanero peppers during fermentation. The full-flavored, medium bodied wheat malt used in Oberon along with its signature citrus notes, provide the perfect canvas for a colorful interplay of tropical, ripe mango aroma and distinct habanero warmth (5.8% ABV). Bell’s Belgian-Style Pale Ale A new hybrid of American and Belgian flavor profiles, Bell’s Belgian-Style Pale Ale explores the harmony between fruity, spicy Belgian yeast and pungent, tropical American hops like Mosaic, Citra and others (5.4% ABV). Events With help from our friends at Crooked Stave, we also be celebrating at the locations below. For help locating our beer elsewhere, please contact your preferred bars, restaurants and retailers directly for more information and availability. Please remember, quantities are limited and only available while supplies last. Tuesday, Sept. 22 Crooked Stave Takeover: Park Burger Rino, noon – 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23 CSA Takeover: Hops and Pie, noon – 5 p.m. - The Wild One, Double Two Hearted Bell’s Tapping: Star Bar, 2 – 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 CSA Tap Takeover: First Draft Pour House, 4 p.m.–11:30 p.m. - Two Hearted, Coffee Mustache (winner of our 2015 Homebrew Competition) Friday, Sept. 25 Crooked Stave Takeover: World of Beer Cherry Creek, 7-11:30 p.m. p.m. After Party/Industry Party: Finn’s Manor, 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Bell’s Tapping: Falling Rock Tap House, 11-11:55 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 Crooked Brews & Chef Dudes: Mercantile, 6 p.m. – paired dinner with four other breweries. Limited seating. Untappd badge To mark the occasion in style, we are also offering a special “Bell’s in Colorado” badge for one week only, Sept. 21-28. To unlock it, check-in to one (1) Bell’s beer anywhere in the great state of Colorado. Cheers!

Our beer will begin heading to Tennessee in early November, making it our 23rd state we distribute to (in addition to Washington DC and Puerto Rico). We will be working with Central Distributors, Inc., Clark Distributing Co., Inc., Volunteer Distributing Co., Budweiser of Chattanooga, Budweiser of Clarksville, Budweiser of Cookeville, BountyBev, LLC, Holston Distributing Co., Eagle Distributing Company-Memphis, Eagle Distributing Company-Knoxville, Mid-South Distributing and Tarver Distributing Co. Inc. to bring our entire portfolio to the counties listed below. “We are extremely excited to work with each and every one of our new distributor partners. With their help, we will be able to continue the level of customer service our fans expect in Tennessee,” Bell’s Vice President Laura Bell said. “The level of excitement and enthusiasm (since we first announced this expansion) has been incredible. We are very grateful and appreciative of all of the support we have received,” she added. We announced in June that we had begun the search for a distributor partner to help bring Bell’s beer to Tennessee. For help locating our beer, please use our Beer Finder (beginning in November to see which bars, restaurants and retailer will be carrying our beer. Distributor/county breakdown Central Distributors, Inc. Chester Decatur Fayette Hardeman Hardin Haywood Henderson Madison McNairy Clark Distributing Co., Inc. Crockett Dyer Gibson Lake Lauderdale Tipton Volunteer Distributing Co.           Benton Carroll Henry Obion Weakley Budweiser of Chattanooga          Bledsoe Hamilton Marion Rhea Sequatchie       Budweiser of Clarksville                Dickson Ft. Campbell Military Reservation Hickman Houston Humphreys Montgomery Robertson Stewart Sumner (partial)                Budweiser of Cookeville               Cannon Clay Cumberland DeKalb Fentress Jackson Macon Overton Pickett Putnam Smith Van Buren White BountyBev, LLC Cheatham Davidson Rutherford Sumner (partial) Trousdale Williamson Wilson      Holston Distributing Co. Carter Greene Hawkins Johnson Sullivan Washington Unicoi Eagle Distributing Company-Memphis    Shelby Eagle Distributing Company-Knoxville     Anderson Blount Campbell Claiborne Cocke Grainger Hamblen Hancock Jefferson Knox Loudon Morgan Roane (partial) Scott Sevier Union       Mid-South Distributing  Bedford Coffee Franklin Giles Grundy Lawrence Lewis Lincoln Marshall Maury Moore Perry Warren Wayne Tarver Distributing Co. Inc.                           Bradley McMinn Meigs Monroe Polk Roane (partial)