Wells Banana Bread Beer 5.2% ABV
English Strong Ale
Wells & Young

As a young child, I believe I was 11 years old, I remember waking up from a nap, rather being awoken from a nap, by the exquisite aroma of baking bread.  Not just any bread, baking banana nut bread, my favorite of all breads.  I rose from my bread as the banana nut bread was rising.  I placed the pads of my feet on the cool tile floor and made my way to the kitchen, my nostrils raised as they were leading the movements of my person.  I gained full consciousness and realized I was standing, mouth already salivating in anticipation, right before the bread maker.  I cared not that I had to wait to taste this delicious mixture of yeast, water, and banana.  I just wanted to bask in the wonderful aroma that life (more specifically my mother) was providing me at that moment.

I opened my Wells Banana Bread Beer and was hit by the same aroma, which sent me back to the delightful memory stated above.  The vivid memory inducing aroma had won me over, before I even had a chance to taste it.  I like this beer.

As with the baking bread, so to with this beer, I was almost, almost, content to just sit and occasionally bring the glass to my nose and inhale the delicious aroma it has to offer.  This is a beer review website though, and I’m not just going to sit and let the beer go flat.

My first sip, okay I’ll admit it was more of a gulp, was no disappointment.  The brew has a true banana bread flavor.  It is not overpowering, rather it’s banana bread flavor has a consistency that exudes through from front to finish.  I was frankly surprised that this brew has a 5.2% ABV.  Usually with fruit or vegetable flavored brews the alcohol content is lower, sometimes as low as 3% ABV.  Wells does a great job of keeping this beer at a solid alcohol content while still providing a rich banana bread taste.

This would be a great stepping stone beer for those who haven’t ventured into the craft beer world.  If you are more of a Miller, Coors, or Budweiser drinker but are looking to expand your horizon, give this beer a try.  It is definitely still a beer, with the normal beer qualities but with a nice nuanced banana bread flavor.  It is ideal for letting the average beer drinker taste what the craft beer world has to offer in terms of variety and flavors.  For non beer drinkers I’d say this is still a bit of difficult bridge to cross.  They may want to start with the Fruli Strawberry beer, which I’ll be reviewing in the coming weeks.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a wonderful half and half idea to use this beer in.  Young’s Double Chocolate Stout and this Wells Banana Bread beer, I have heard, pair wonderfully together.  Who doesn’t like some chocolate and banana flavor mixed together?  If anyone has tried this or other half and half ideas with the Banana Bread beer, please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Yet another thanks, in a long line of thanks that will heretofore be proceeding, to my sister and brother in law.  For those consistent readers you will by now know that they gave me a wonderful assortment of 12 different beers for my birthday, this being one of the 12.