Bells Batch 7000 Ale

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

A pitch black beer with a brown head. The aroma is sweet malty with notes of roasted whole coffee beans with this oily sensation you can find, but also with notes from the brewed coffee with a slight acidity. The flavor is sweet malty and again I find this oily sensation from well roasted coffee beans, combined with alcohol, leading to a dry roasted end. Nice one.

(Bottle 35,5 cl) Pours completely black and opaque with a creamy, light brown head. Fat, vinous and very rich aroma of dried fruit and some alcohol. Very full-bodied with plenty of roasted malt, roasted and not really burned. Fruity and quite alcoholic with a malty bitter dry finish. A big beer indeed, to be enjoyed in very small quantities. 030606

12 oz bottle. Pours black with a little dark brown head. Dark roasted malt, coffee, liqourice and bourbon like aroma. Clear alcohol presence. Lovely blend of liqourice and chocolate in thick oily blend. Minor citric fruit note. Alcohol does shine through. Very strong bitterness. Very strong brew.

Bottled. Very black, dark brown head. Spicy licorice aroma. Tastes like cask strength whiskey with loads of licorice added. Sweet with somewhat raw and inky mouthfeel. Plenty of tar. Lingering finish with enormuos licorice character. Powerful, but nowhere near balanced.

Bottle. Very nice vanilla aroma. Black colour, small dark brown head. Very nice and flavour, some pepper, barley bitterness. Creamy flavour, a little vanilla. Nice and sweetish. Coffee aftertaste and thick, swelling mouthfeel.

Bottle. Black coloured with a beige head. Roasted aroma of coffee and hops. Very roasted flavour of coffee, liquorice, hops and grape fruits. Long and dry roasted finish.

Name: Bell’s Batch
Date: 12/03/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Strong Ale fest, 2005
Vintage: 7000

black with ruby edges, rich sweet fruity malt aroma, rich toffee flavor, light bitterness, hint of alcohol, will be wonderful with age
-------- /> Name: Bell’s Batch
Date: 04/28/2006
Mode: bottle
Source: brewpub
Vintage: 7000
Score: ii+ to iii

fruit is getting riper, alcohol is still present but not overpowering
-------- /> Name: Bell’s Batch
Date: 05/20/2006
Source: tasting
Vintage: 7000

alcohol continues to fade as some bitterness grows,
-------- /> Name: Bell’s Batch
Date: 10/21/2006
Source: tasting
Vintage: 7000

picking up roasted and chocolate in the aroma, lots of roasted flavor coming through, minimal alcohol, only a hint of fruit that hides until warm, much more about the rich roasted malt flavor than the fruit, getting better
-------- /> Name: Bell’s Batch
Date: 06/23/2007
Source: tasting
Vintage: 7000

still roasted over fruit, needs more time

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.8/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

(12oz bottle) Small tan head atop a solid black body. Aroma is medium sweet, molasses, coffee, pistachio, black cherry, light chocolate. Taste is sweet, coffee, chocolate, roasty, date, some pine, earthy/herbal. Some alcohol warming in the finish, but not overpowering despite the ABV. Creamy full body, remarkably drinkable.