Looking at the 5-day forecast, it’s easy for us Midwesterners to get excited about a few days above 50 degrees—the possibility of another snow ever-looming. But this week—rain or shine, snow or sleet—there’s one thing we can all count on: Bell’s Oberon is here for another season.
Seen as the unofficial first day of spring by many, Oberon’s near cult following has created an infectious buzz around its annual March release date and customers go to great lengths to get their hands on the freshest glass possible. Its drinkability and approachability attract all types of beer drinkers and we were fortunate to sit down with David Munro, National Field Services Manager for Bell’s Brewery, to talk about Oberon and why it’s one of the most sought-after beers of the year.
Lakeshore Beverage: How would you explain Oberon to someone who’s never had one before?
David Munro: I would say, if you’re looking for a beer that is going to give you some identifiable flavors without crushing your palate, this is the beer. It’s an introductory beer. There are flavors in here and there’s a balance to it that’s not going to offend anybody. Its got a little spice and crispness. Because it’s fresh and because it’s balanced, it’s very approachable for everyone. It makes people happy, it really does. When they see the Oberon tap handle, when they see the Oberon six-pack at the supermarket, the smile on people’s faces is incredible. It’s that right of passage to summer.
Lakeshore Beverage: Give us your tasting notes on Oberon.
David Munro: Once it’s poured into the glass, you’ve to to make sure it has that look of Oberon—it has that turbidity, that golden color. Then you start smelling the beer. You get that aroma–a little sweet, a little spicy. A lot of people think we put in coriander, oranges, all sorts of stuff in the beer. There’s none of that. All of the aroma and all of the taste comes from the use of our house yeast—the Bell’s house yeast—which really gives it a beautiful sweetness and a little spice. It’s such an unbelievably balanced beer, it makes you want to drink it as soon as you smell it.
Once you smell how good that beer is you’ve got to drink it. The way to do it is to take a sip, let it sit on the palate for a little bit, and then breath out and smell it all over again. Feel that light carbonation. You have that nice little bite, that sweetness—it screams summer.
Lakeshore Beverage: Why is there some variable in the turbidity of this beer?
David Munro: It’s unfiltered, unpasteurized. It’s a live beer. I think a good word for it is quirky. There’s a spectrum of Oberon. You want to have that yeast and that protein in there creating that turbidity. It’s part of the mouth feel, part of the flavor, part of the look of Oberon.
Lakeshore Beverage: Why is the beer unfiltered and unpasteurized? What does that mean and why is it important?
David Munro: We don’t pasteurize or filter our beer because we want a living, breathing, drink. Beer is a great thing and with Oberon, you want to drink it as fresh as possible.
Lakeshore Beverage: What is it about Oberon that invokes summer?
David Munro: It is summer in a glass. When you know you’re going to have an Oberon on the patio or around your fire pit at the cabin, you just know you’re in a good place. You know it’s summer, and it’s refreshing. Its got 5.8% alcohol so its got a little bit of a kick to it!
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