Bell’s kicks off 2022 releases with debut of new beer

Bell’s kicks off 2022 releases with debut of new beer
<strong> Courtesy Bell's Brewery </strong>

Bell’s Brewery is kicking off a year of changes to its lineup with the release of a new low-calorie wheat beer this week.

The Comstock-based brewery said Thursday, Dec. 16, it this week released LoSun, a low-calorie wheat ale that has started to land on store shelves and in coolers. The new offering will continue shipping into early January.

LoSun is the latest release in Bell’s Rotational Wheat Series, which includes Bright White (also currently available), Rind Over Matter and the summer staple Oberon Ale. This new wheat offering will be available in bottles, cans and on draft across Bell’s distribution footprint.

“We’re known for iconic IPAs and wheat beers,” said Carrie Yunker, Bell’s executive vice president. “Building upon the success of beers like Light Hearted and Oberon, we saw an incredible opportunity to introduce a low-cal option to our Wheat Series.”

LoSun is brewed to be refreshing and packed with fruity, dry-hopped aromas and flavors like citrus and pineapple. It has the qualities of an IPA combined with the smooth mouthfeel of a wheat beer, Bell’s said. It clocks in at 4% ABV and 110 calories per 12-ounce serving.

“That’s just the beginning. There will, of course, be a few unannounced additions that will pop up from time to time,” Yunker said. “We’re not going to steer away from that tradition.”

The brewery’s other plans for 2022:

  • Taller Hopslam: Bell’s Double IPA will return to 12-ounce cans and also debut in a taller option (16-ounce cans packaged in four-packs) when it returns in early January.
  • More variety packs: In addition to a third round for Jingle Bell’s, a brand-new variety pack will start shipping in mid-January just in time for Valentine’s Day, featuring Two Hearted, Light Hearted, Black Hearted and Cold Hearted. Bell’s Box of Hearts will include three 12-ounce bottles of each variation. This is the first time Black Hearted and Cold Hearted will see wide distribution. Two Hearted and Light Hearted are available year-round.
  • Additional variety pack releases, which include four new Flamingo Fruit Fights flavors, will be announced later in 2022.
  • Not sorry at all: Distribution of No, Yeah will expand to more states in the New Year: Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Michigan also will start to see 12-packs of this award-winning, easy-drinking beer in January. No, Yeah is available year-round in states where the beer is distributed.
  • Even more sunshine: Tropical Oberon will return for a second year in mid-April.
  • More 16-ounce cans: Hopslam isn’t the only Double IPA to get the taller can treatment. The double version of Bell’s Two Hearted also will debut in this popular packaging option for the first time. Double Two Hearted will return in August.

Close to home, two new series of beers will debut at Bell’s General Store and pub, the Eccentric Café.

  • Eccentric Exclusives: Formerly known as the Bell’s General Store Exclusive Series, these small batches of special releases won’t be available anywhere else. Bell’s has a tradition of brewing small batches just for those who visit its original location and live in the area. More of them now will be bottled and sold exclusively at the brewery’s General Store and on tap at the adjacent café.
  • That’s The Idea: Have you ever wanted to be a beer taste-tester? That’s the idea behind this series of small-batch brews. People can take a sip of what’s on Bell’s brewers’ minds, share their thoughts via QR codes on the six-pack carriers, and be part of Bell’s brewing tradition.

Returning favorites to Bell’s lineup in 2022 will include Two Hearted, Light Hearted, Amber Ale, Lager of the Lakes, Official Hazy IPA, Oberon Ale, Rind Over Matter, Kalamazoo Stout, Porter, Hopsoulution Ale, Octoberfest, Special Double Cream Stout, Christmas Ale and many others.