Bells Batch 7000 Ale

Formerly brewed at Bells Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Picked up a single bottle at Cheesehead YeHa in Milwaukee, WI and sampled at MN Ratebeer Winter Gathering in Maplewood, MN. From a 12-oz bottle pours an opaque dark brown brew with a thick tan head that has some good retention and lacing. Aroma of dark roasted black malt, some black licorice, tobacco, molasses and plenty of flowery hops. Taste is full bodied, light carbonation with flavors of dark roasted malt, some dark chocolate, molasses, and some coffee. Finish is semi-bitter with a citrus zest and dark roasted malt aftertaste.

Bottle sent by Miketd. Thanks!
Poured black, with a semi lasting brownish head. Smell was roasty but with some sort of off aroma I want to describe as oxidation. Taste was roasty with a touch of dryness and a slightly tart and bitter finish. Overall, nice, but for some reason I felt something was off. For 12%, well hidden alcohol, as well, though. Thanks again Mike!

You gotta wonder about the kids that want to turn it up to eleven and then when they do, it’s just not enough. What’s going to happen when turned to 7000? You’ll be hoping and praying for this. Nothing falls short of hitting the mark excpt for me wondering if it might call me at 3AM. I mean, it really seems it could have the power to do that. How many beers could follow other great and awesome ones and still make you want to sip it all night long and hope the glass never runs dry? Thanks so much Deniz, what a brief but awesome impromptu tasting.

In short: Top class Imperial Stout with mixing chocolate and fruity flavours
How: 2 year old vintage bottle shared by an exceptionally generous MartinT. A few years of friendship finally pays-off.
The look: Black body with a medium tan head
In long: Very creamy yet very roasted filthy rich body. Chocolate cake, blueberries, dates, tobacco, molasses and just about everything you can expect from a high-class imperial stout except maybe coffee beans. Resinous hops are still doing their jobs after two years. Too bad that nowadays this beer is harder to find than a bingo hall in Tibet.

This has been on my want list a bit too long, and I feel a little embarrassed to thank the 3 people who have sent me some; Silphium, Ughsmash and tytoanderso.
Pours deep brown with a smallish head. Aroma of roasted-dark malts, liquorice, prunes and charred coffee. Velvety drinking texture and heavy body. Sweet taste; reminds me of raisins covered in a coffee/chocolate sauce. Finishes with just a bit of hops bitterness.

Bottle. Pours black with a nice light brown head, looks like an oil spill. The aroma is a rich roasted malt, dark fruits, brown sugar, and coffee. The taste is great; a smooth dry roasted malt, plums, apricot, some coffee and dark chocolate. Similar to the expedition stout, and both are amazing. Really great!

Pours opaque black as oil with a dark chocolate head. Smells roasty, oatmeal, a little coffee grind. Taste as it smells, nice complex flavors with each presenting themself in succession. Medium in the mouth with a bitter finish on the tongue. ABV is non existant. Delicious.

12oz Bottle thanks to Axilla. Poured black opaque with a small brown head. Aroma is strong baker’s chocolate and caramel. Taste is quite roasty with hints of orange peel and dark fruits. The alcohol is exceptionally hidden. Well balanced and truly amazing.