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(Courtesy Bell’s Brewery)
Bell’s Oberon Day 2024 is ON in Michigan, where the annual release of the heritage Wheat Ale is an official state-wide holiday, that is now celebrated by serious beer lovers well beyond the Midwest.
If you’re a seasoned craft beer lover, we don’t have to explain the whole Oberon phenomenon, but its backstory is still very cool. And in a beer world dominated by IPAs, the resilience of this 5.8% ABV Wheat Ale, brewed with wheat malt, hops and spices, and fermented with Bell’s signature house yeast, is truly amazing.
Based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Bell’s was founded by Larry Bell who turned his love of beer into a homebrewing store that evolved into Kalamazoo Brewing and became Bell’s Brewery in 1985.
And in 1992 the now-retired brewer launched what would become one of the most popular Wheat Ales in the nation, a beer available for just a limited time each year from March to September.
Larry Bell originally named the beer Solsun but changed its name to Oberon as a result of possible legal action by Mexican brewing company Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma, the Mexican brewer of a beer with a similar name, Sol.
As we’ve written this beer is so treasured in Michigan that it has its own “official day,” an annual celebration which draws thousands to Kalamazoo to celebrate spring’s arrival, warmer weather, and a one-of-a-kind beer.
And today, March 25, 2024 is Oberon Day.
“No other beer is launched successfully year-over-year like Oberon, and it’s been remarkable to see its growth and how our dedicated fans created a celebration that is completely their own,” said Carrie K. Yunker, Bell’s Executive Vice President.
“For me, Oberon Day symbolizes the hard work of Bell’s industry-leading team who are integral to the brand’s continued success.”
It’s an anomaly in the brewing biz, a seasonal beer with a “core” identity, but Oberon is that rare beer which captures a season, as well as the spirit of the entire Bell’s team, and the city where it was it was born.
Now available in all 50 states, Oberon Ale is truly is a beer worth celebrating today, wherever you are.
