Beer Review: Bell's Lager of the Lakes

photo by Kevin Gibson

Here’s a widely available, easy-drinking lager beer that isn’t too hoppy

When I’m asked what my favorite beer is, I usually respond with the cliché of, “Whatever’s in the glass I’m holding.” Har har.

But honestly, if pressed, if required to choose one beer that, if it came down to it, I would for some unknown reason be forced to drink exclusively for the rest of my life here on planet Earth, it would be Bell’s Two Hearted Ale.

I don’t think I’m alone in this, as when I tell people this face to face, I usually am met with a nod and, “Ah, yeah.” Maybe they’re just being polite, but for me, Two Hearted is simply what my brain has locked in on in terms of, “This is what beer should taste like.” I like lots of beers. That’s one I don’t have to be in a certain mood to enjoy.

One Bell’s Brewery product I’d only had a passing taste of, for some reason, is Lager of the Lakes. One of Michigan’s finest, Bell’s is probably best known for staples like Oberon, Hopslam and the aforementioned Two Hearted Ale.

But, for some reason, I don’t run across Lager of the Lakes too often, and when I do see Bell’s beers, it’s usually one of the big three I named. So when a friend gifted me three cans of the lager recently as a thank you for a favor, I was plenty ready to revisit this beer.

For starters, six weeks in the fermenting vessels shows in the final product. You don’t make a good lager without spending some time and resources, and Bell’s clearly has done just that with this beer.

This one pours from the pale blue can—which is decorated with a map of the Great Lakes area and symbols of the region—with a pristine, white head and straw colored, translucent body. The nose here is subtle, but hints at the biscuity-meets-herbal flavor that reveals the quality grains used to make the malt for this beer. After a few sips, one can even sense a hint of citrus notes.

True to style, the beer’s body is crisp, but with a hint of softness that takes the edge off, a quality missing in some lager beers. That balance only increases the drinkability of Lager of the Lakes. And, as with any good lager beer, the hops really assert themselves with the finish, adding a spark of spice and bitterness that serves to counter the sweetness of the malts.

That said, for any of you who might be hop averse (you know who you are), this isn’t an American IPA level of hops we’re talking about, or even in line with some of the modern “hoppy lagers” some breweries experiment with. The hop levels found in Lager of the Lakes serve as a distinction, not an assertion. Tastes like Hallertau hops, which would be style-true.

From the clean drinkability to the moderate 5% alcohol by volume, this is one of those beers you can take to a cookout or picnic and please pretty much everyone. No, it isn’t exactly your father’s beer, but it probably should be. Pop one open with Dad (or Mom) and watch them nod in approval.

And, fortunately, Bell’s brews this one year-‘round. Not a bad one to have in any season.