Bells Batch 3000 Ale

Greyish brown hue. Cinnamon, chocolate, some light fruit in the aroma, pit fruits mainly; it certainly smells a bit dull, like a chocolate pudding more than chocolate, like toast with cinnamon on it more than cinnamon.

Taste shows a little wet wood, and its more obviously oxidized than the aroma would suggest. But there is still a warm and ample nutty malt flavor, some blueberries, and no burnt or truly worn out flavors, except that it occasionally tastes like overripe banana. For the most part the decline seems to have been really slow, because it still tastes fine.

Mouthfeel is medium, still fairly carbonated. A nutty bittersweetness and a mild ashiness in the finish. Overall surprisingly resilient, and pretty pleasant. So cool to try this, thanks Zac!

And with this bottle l pull into the lead as no.1 for Bells. Biggest thanks to Trevor for this. Pours a reddish brown with no head. I’m a bit concerned that there’s no pop to the top.regardless the flavor has held up remarkably well for it’s age. Notes of caramel, some apple and strangely in the finish some chocolate. Good alcohol finish. Yea!

Bottle with the hugest thanks to coyotehunter. Pours a reddish brown with a thin head quite a bit of carbonation and aromas of plum, wine, caramel and oxidation, but it’s fared pretty well considering its age. Flavor is sweet with lots of fruit and caramel malt. There us a little bit of chocolate that seems a bit out of place.

(bottle shared by hellomynameis) Pours dark brown with no head. The oxidation is present in the aroma, but the smell is decent, with scents of chocolate pudding, roasted malt, and a bit of prune as well. The flavor has some chocolate, a bit of roasted malt, and a touch of beef jerky as well, that finishes with a tea-like bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium with low carbonation. For how old this is, it has held up really well. Thanks for sharing this rarity Zac!

[Bottle] shared by hellomynameis. Pours hazy almond brown with almost no head. Aroma is sherry-like oxidation, slightly sweet, a touch of smoke, caramel, and some roasty notes. Flavor is fairly oxidized, some caramel, little roast flavor. This really doesn’t seem like a stout at all, but it’s definitely had a graceful decline from what it once was.

Holy... Shit... Zac, you are the man!

12oz bottle. Faint aroma. Nutty sherry-like oxidization has set in, but it’s not horrible. Some wet cardboard. Toffee and caramel. Milk chocolate. Not a whole lot going on, but not horrible. Pours a nearly still cola-brown with virtually no head and no carbonation. Flavor is slightly nutty, a little boozy. Little stout characteristics... more like a thin Old Ale. Some spiciness... maybe a bit of nutmeg or liquorice? A slight bitterness rounds out the faint maltiness. Slick body with minimal carbonation leads to a slightly toasty and spicy finish. Zac... thanks a ton for this insanely rare treat!

Dark dirty dishwater brown. Pretty still but there are some signs of carbonation. Hard getting much out of the aroma. This has held up well, certianly has some oxidation, not a ton of flavour in here though, a little roast and slight hints of chocolate malt. Has a slight brown ale quality to it also. Not bad, not great, just glad I was able to try it.

It’s been so long I honestly don’t remember a ton of details to describe. I do remember it being in typical Bells fashion, bitter finish(not bad however) after the chocolate/licorice.