Hoppy New Year with a "Glass of the Bubbly"

So here comes 2010. I hope everyone has had a safe and enjoyable New Year's. Once again I chose to stay inside to avoid the amateurs, plus nobody wants to babysit on a holiday like this. Some people like to make resolutions for New Year's. I like to stick with with resolutions I can keep, so I'm choosing to drink more beer and exercise less. I figure that's a safe bet.

To bring in the New Year, I decided to go with Bell's Sparkling Ale.  This is a Tripel style, and the label describes it as their take on a "glass of the bubbly".  This is a fairly new addition, I do not remember Bell's Sparkling Ale offered before.  This was priced as a standard Bell's special release at $12.  Since Champagne is also referred to as "bubbly", I figured tis is perfect for New Year's.

12 oz bottle poured into a Boulevard Smokestack chalice.  Light white head goes up to the rim from a solid pour, a half inch or so.  What is left after a minute is a thin frothy looking cap.  Lacing is thin and spotty across the glass with each sip.  Color is a clear, clean looking golden yellow.  Very active carbonation.

Smell has a slight musty whiff of Belgian yeast and a mild pear sweetness.  Taste is more with the pear.  Nice crisp fruit flavoring.

Mouthfeel is a slight weight to it.  Not exactly light bodied, but less than medium bodied.  Very crisp carbonation keeps each sip fresh.  I have a tendency to ignore Tripels, which is why I often miss out on tasty beers like this.