(WXYZ) — Despite Punxsutawney Phil declaring there will be six more weeks of winter, a small sign of spring in Michigan arrived Wednesday as Bell's Brewery announced release date for Oberon.
The wheat ale will begin tapping once again at the Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo, and in stores around Michigan on Monday, March 21.
It will release in bottles, cans, and later on in the year, around Memorial Day, a mini-keg will also be available.
"Oberon is a wheat ale fermented with our signature house ale yeast, mixing a spicy hop character with mildly fruity aromas," Bell's says on the Oberon page. "The addition of wheat malt lends a smooth mouthfeel making it a classic summer beer. Made with only our ingredients, and without the use of any spices or fruit, Oberon is the color and scent of a sunny afternoon."
In a video posted a couple of years ago, Larry Bell, the founder and president of Bell's, talks about writing the original recipe for Oberon.
"Oberon opening day is, we survived, thank goodness, and I think it becomes a celebration of surviving the winter and the nice spring and summer weather that's about to greet us," Bell said in the video.
He said Oberon has a summer connotation through Shakespeare, as Oberon is the king of the fairies in the play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and Bell played the part in his sixth grade version.
As for if you like an orange slice with your Oberon, Bell said it's nothing the brewery or he ever started, but it just started showing up.
"For years, we never served an orange here at the bar with it," he said. "Then I said, if someone wants to have a piece of fruit in their beer and that's what they like, so what? Let them have it."
