Bells Batch 5000 Ale

Formerly brewed at Bells Brewery
Style: Smoked
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

On tap: smoke and wood apparent in the aroma and flavor. Delicious with a pork sandwich. Complex, a little vinous. Warming, but concealed, alcohol. Glad to have found a diamond in the rough so long after the release.

re-rating the bottled version: super-smokey; almost salty. reminds me of preserved meats, but it’s enjoyable. definitely a unique experience, but it would be very easy to see someone absolutely hating this beer.

draft at eccentric day 2004. described as ’smoked barley wine’. definitely smells smoky, looks like a murky regular barleywine-- deep burnt garnet. reminds me of smoked whitefish from michigan’s upper peninsula. intense malt, liquid smoke, light dry bitter finish. smokey and sticky lingering at the end. glad i got to try this before it disappears forever!

Color is a deeply clouded milkyness of burnt orange, more darker brown nearer the top as apposed to the bottom and edges of the glass. Waffer thin crown of yellowed tan, keeps a thin and sturdy collar and minimal spotty lines of lace decides to stick. Aroma is a calming smooth, tangly sweet smokey wood or fish thing over a small caramel malt. Quite tangy and sweet with the smokey thing thats not overly powerful but definately present. This ain’t no mild nose, even after some age. Impressive. Flavors are tangy and sweet with malt and smoke, plain and simple. Quite a good load of them. Smooth, not overbearing. Caramel underneath, some slight dark cherry and pruney flavors kinda play in there nearer the finish. Finishes a bit rough with some yeasty alcoholic spiced heat and smokey leftover tingey tang. Feel isn’t as smooth as the flavors, quite jagged and rough; though, nearly full with a solid malt base and smokey sweet tang keeping a whole bunch of things a goin’ on. Gets better as it warms. More so towards the finish, it starts out with a quick grab, settles in, then takes hold again. Uff-da, what a ride... I was hoping for Third Coast with a smokened lightness in there, but this was a whole nother beast, in fact. nothing near my hopes. Yet, this came across as a good Ol’ fashioned smoked ale thats been beefed up. Quite an interesting treat and damn good too.

Light smoke flavor almost undetectable. It’s certainly not the predominant theme, as the barleywine notes are to the fore. Quite sweet and LOTS of alcohol evident (could have been better hidden, I think). Lots of roastiness with a tad bit of hops. I’m surprised this beer hasn’t scored better than it has.

Aroma is that of an ashtray, not really my thing. Pours a dark brown with small white head. Flavor is very smoked as well, with sweet notes. Like drinking a campfire! The smoke is too overpowering for me. Thanks for "smoking me out" DavidP

12 oz bottle-thanks to jpdispo on this one (your beers will be on their way next week). pours a deep brown hue that was very cloudy (unfiltered and aged). Minimal tan head. Smokey, roasty, meaty aroma with hints of butterscotch sweetness. surupy palate. flavors are sweet, smokey, sugary, and a slight touch of roastyness. light hop presence. very robust palate especially after amost 3 years of aging. I bet this was pretty harsh when it was fresh. I think this is a fine brew-why the low ratings?

Ruby, amber color with off white head and nice lacing. Aroma is mostly somkey. Flavor is somkey and sweetly malty, however with a lot of depth and charchter. Very nice.

nutty aroma, dark amber/red in colour with no head. Spicey flavour with warm port mouth feel. Big thanks to secret santa.