COMSTOCK, MICH. – Bell’s Pale Ale is getting a facelift.

While the label and the name are changing, the recipe will remain basically the same except for one small, yet very significant change.

Midwestern Pale Ale will now be brewed with a small portion of barley from the Bell’s Farm in Shepherd, Michigan and will begin shipping in mid-October.

“This is a relatively minor change to the recipe and people won’t notice anything different, however its part of a much larger picture,” said Laura Bell, Marketing Director for Bell’s Brewery, Inc.

It’s a deeper connection to the land, to Michigan and its agricultural heritage and to the Midwest, Bell said.

Barley from the Bell’s Farm is also used to brew two other beers – Christmas Ale and Harvest Ale (also made with Michigan grown hops).

The new label features an original painting of the Bell’s Farm by Kalamazoo artist Conrad Kaufman.

COMSTOCK – Since it was first released in 1988, Bell’s Cherry Stout has always been brewed with 100-percent Montmorency cherry juice made from cherries grown in northern Michigan’s Traverse City region.

We are extremely proud of this deep connection to our home state.

This seasonal beer is released annually in October along with other stouts in our portfolio – Java Stout, Expedition Stout, Special Double Cream Stout and others. Unfortunately, that tradition will have to be put on hold this year.

Warm temperatures followed by multiple frosts earlier this year severely affected Michigan’s tart cherry crop to such an extent that unfortunately, there will be no new batches of Cherry Stout in 2012.

A small number of Cherry Stout kegs from 2011 will be released on a limited basis however.

While we do hope that a bountiful harvest will allow us to bring this beer back to our fall stout line-up next year, more importantly, we are hopeful that it will allow Michigan’s fruit growers to recover as well.

Below is a look at the rest of our events this week in Indiana, North Dakota, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Virginia and Arizona.

Indiana

Sept. 19

Oracle Tapping: Flatwater in Indianapolis

Sept. 20

Bell's Hopped Up Night: Bar Louie in Mishawaka at 5 p.m. - Hopsoulution, Oracle and Two Hearted

Sept. 22

Festiv-Ale: Downtown Indianapolis from 4-8 p.m.  – live entertainment, portion of your ticket is tax deductible (to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation)

Sept. 23

Charity Beer Dinner: Club Soda in Fort Wayne from 4-7 p.m. – six courses, firkin tapping, silent auction. More details can be found here.

North Dakota

Sept. 19

Bell's Beer Dinner: East 40 in Bismarck at 6 p.m. - Two Hearted, Kalamazoo Stout, Porter, Octoberfest, and Le Batteur. Reservations are required.

Sept. 20

Bell's Baker's Dozen: The Walrus in Bismarck at 5 p.m. – 13 beers on tap - Black Note, Roundhouse, Le Batteur, Le Pianiste, Le Contrebassiste, Debs' Red, Kalamazoo Stout, Amber, Oberon Hell Hath No Fury ... Ale, Two Hearted, Smoked Vienna Lager, Golden Rye, and Octoberfest

Michigan

Sept. 19

Bell's Beer Dinner: Benedict's Steakhouse & Grill in Coldwater at 6:30 p.m.  – Roundhouse, Oracle, Octoberfest and more.

Bell's Beer Dinner: Captain Joe's in Whitmore Lake at 6:30 p.m. – Octoberfest, Oberon, Amber, Two Hearted, Wedding Ale (menu above, left)

Sept. 20

Wing Challenge: Buffalo Barbeque Wings in Jackson at 6 p.m. – prizes for the messiest, fastest, barest – Oberon, Two Hearted and Oarsman

Bell's Night: The Hangar Bar & Grill in Kalamazoo – a la carte beer dinner, swag and specialty beers including Debs’ Red and Roundhouse IRA. Take a look at the menu.

Sept. 22

Tap Explosion: The Hofbrau in Interlochen all day - Oberon, Two Hearted, Amber, Lager, Vienna Smoked Lager, Octoberfest, Pale Ale and Oarsman *Apologies - This event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Florida

Sept. 20

Bell's Night: Pele's Wood Fire in Jacksonville from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. – Kalamazoo Stout, Oberon and Two Hearted

Wisconsin

Sept. 20

Bell's Beer Dinner: Red Onion Café in Racine at 6 p.m.

Virginia

Sept. 22

Tops of the Hops: Charlottesville Beer Festival from 3-7 p.m. – Octoberfest and Amber Ale.

Arizona

Sept. 22

Oracle Tapping: Papago Brewing Co. in Scottsdale at 11 a.m.

Looking ahead

Join us at Whole Foods in Louisville, Karl’s Cabin in Plymouth, Michigan, Beer Run in Charlotte and more. Our full calendar can be found here.