As I poured this beer into a pint glass on March 31, snow lined my driveway and my hometown fishwrap teased a three-inch snowfall for Easter Sunday. Beer creep is a lot like holiday creep. Back to school gives way to Halloween in mid-September, which gives way to Christmas on November 1. The spring IPAs come out in January and February, summer ales appear in March, the Octoberfest marzens come out in August, and the winter beers show up in September and October.

So, I don’t particularly like the idea of drinking a light, summery beer while my furnace cranks heat throughout Al Dente HQ. But, I do it for you, dear reader.

I’m late to Bell’s, the Kalamazoo, Mich. based brewer best known for its Two Hearted Ale. This is a solid brewer that makes a remarkable range of ales, including its summertime Oberon Ale. My first of many Oberons came last summer while chowing down on tacos at Otro Cinco. Bell’s hosted a release party for the 2015 Oberon at a local beer bar, but my aversion to drinking with large groups of people got the best of me.

Oberon is a hazy wheat ale built on the brewery’s proprietary ale yeast. There is a faint hoppy character that provides the citrus kick, but this is a wheat ale all the way. Clean drinking with a creamy mouthfeel, it doesn’t feel as heavy as it actually is. This is definitely an ale through and through.

My problem is that I didn’t think it was as good as the 2014 edition. I remember this having more punch last year, edging close to a pale ale. This edition is milder in flavor and focuses on having a smoother texture and flavor. Not to be greedy, but I would rather have both. I would even sacrifice a little of the creaminess for more bitter.

It’s a good enough ale for summertime and I might even order it again if faced with few other choices. It’s just not the summer ale for me.

Brewer: Bell’s Brewery

Beer: Oberon Ale

Style: Wheat ale

ABV: 5.8% IBU: n/a

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Price: n/a (purchased as part of a mixed six) Point of Purchase: Wegmans, Syracuse, N.Y.

To The Eye: Golden and cloudy with a fluffy head that disappears after a few minutes.

To The Nose: Faint hints of lemon and hoppy pine.

To The Palate: Sweetness from the wheat, which is enhanced by flavors of lemon and pineapple. I caught a little spice from the hops but not much. Very creamy mouthfeel that is lighter than you might expect.

Aftertaste: Clean and unremarkable.

Boozy Factor: It’s deceptive. One might find themselves in trouble after the second or third of these.

On a Scale of 1 to 10, with 10 as highest: 7