Bell’s Brewing, Inc. in Kalamazoo, MI

Oh, the the signal of summer in the Midwest starts with the appearance of the big blue cases of Bell’s Oberon in every supermarket, beer specialty market, or even iffy-looking convenience store–and for good reason. It’s hard to find a better compliment to a muggy and hot summer day than an Oberon. You’re just as likely to see it in six-pack form or on draft as you are to find it in a mini-keg. It’s never too potent, and it’s never too tame. But I’ve heard rumors from friends who’ve lived in the Western Michigan area that Bell’s Oberon used to be significantly better than what it is today. It all makes sense considering how much Oberon shows up in all regions of the country, and that Bell’s needed to tone-down the product to make it more consumer-friendly (read: cheap) and to push it toward the summer staple category. Well, whatever they did, it pretty much worked.  Ask any Michigander the beer of summer, and they’ll tell you without hesitation that it’s Oberon. Ask any craft beer drinker anywhere now what their summer beer is, and you might hear the same. So upon seeing it at the beer market, I knew summer was coming. And that’s it’s Oberon time.

Oberon just looks like a summer delicacy, filling the glass in a warm-colored combination between a dark and unfiltered lemonade color and an orange juice pumped up with steroids. The thickness seems almost overpowering (almost smoothie-like), with a nose that speaks of spiciness and floral and citrusy-orange pulses. The foamy and off-white head is the only thing that would make you think this isn’t a beast of a wheat beer, but the taste is what convinces you. With the first sips you can already tell this isn’t a dangerous beer, but it’s also no slouch with some smooth and creamy touches of citrus fruit sliding over the tongue like slippery river water. The orange is clearly the most pronounced flavor, but it’s certainly mellow. I’ve  had the beer before at the bar with an orange slice served on the top, and it definitely has a very different flavor profile without the added fruit. But I stand by the assumption that if a brewer wanted it to have more orange flavor, they would have brewed it in.You don’t add extra cucumber to a California roll. Even so, the smooth orange flavor gets patted down by the nice wheat and lemon end notes. Where some wheat beers go for the kill, Oberon hangs back and chooses smoothness over chunkiness. If you’ve ever had a thick and intense wheat beer, then you’ll understand what I’m saying.

Oberon isn’t a beer that’s great year round. You couldn’t convince me to drink this in early January–it just wouldn’t feel right. But when the sun starts showing its face a bit more and when the temperatures start creeping a little higher, you get a feeling on your tongue for something a little fruitier and drinkable than dark sludge. No wonder Oberon has such a following as a summer beer–try one, and you’ll forever associate it with the warmest season. And the best season.