Bells Bourbon Barrel Batch 7000 Ale

On tap at the pre GTMW party at Maduro.
Opague black. Fudgey dense with a ring of brown foam. The aroma reminds me of fresh fudge borwnies with a bourbon chocoalte sauce and some crushed coffee beans sprinkled on top. Little note of vanilla as well. The flavor didn’t dissappoint either. It was just so rich and dense on the palate. The bourbon was a fantastic compliment for an already top notch beer.

On tap at Maduro prior to the 2007 GTMW: Pours an oily opaque black with dark brown edges and a thin coating of frothy, well-lacing dark brown head. Incredibly rich, sweet dark caramel and chocolate aroma has a good amount of vanilla oaky bourbon complexity and some raisins and brown sugar. Body starts with a full sweetness, dense molten dark cocoa and complex bourbon oak with a mild touch of grapefruity hops that are still fairly assertive given the age. Great bourbon balance and thick, yet smooth palate. An awesome barrel-aged imperial stout!

On tap at Maduro – GTMW pre-party. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Take one of my top-notch stouts and give it a little quality time in the bourbon barrel. Poured deep black with a light ring of darker tan head.. highly-viscous. Aroma was of very deeply-roasted dark chocolates and dark fruity goodness smacked upside the head with a powerful (yet somehow intricate and well-integrated) presence from the barrel.. heavy vanilla and bourbon sugars with splinters of oak

Vanilla and bourbon were also major players in the flavor department, and were very enjoyable!.. well-roasted dark chocolate, dry espresso beans and brandy-like vinous sugars ride through the back end to the long and very warm finish. The booze was not shy in this one, but was quite welcomed! Creamy and thick on the palate with well-placed sourness accenting the roasty finish. Fantastic!!

On tap at Maduro’s

This to me was the clear winner of the night. I was fortunate enough to try the Barrel Aged Double Cream/Expedition at the Great Taste the next day. This was in all ways equal. It will move instantly into my personal Top 10 which is quite a feat at this point. The only real flaw in this gem was the alcoholic bite which one will either love or find a turnoff.

Aroma / Appearance - The nose of this is so rich that even the smell of cigar smoke can not mask it. In fact it almost enhanced the rich combination. Coffee, smoke and licorice still stand out from the Batch 7000. They are complimented by the oaky vanilla creaminess imparted by the barrels. The body has not changed color at all - it is murky black even when held up to direct light. A beautiful tan head makes this perfect in all aspects - if you aren’t sure what it looks like just crack open a Batch 7000 and bask in its beauty.

Flavor / Palate - Creamy vanilla flows down the throat along with coffee liquor, anise and cocoa. A slight alcoholic presence begins to slowly gain strength. The mouthfeel is full, smooth and intense. It is perfectly balanced - the bourbon has given this great beer even more quality. The oaky finish leaves a chocolately impression that takes forever to fade. This is the best $4 pint I have ever had to date.

Great taste on tap. Dark brownish black color. Smell of bourbon, chocolate, malt, toffee, vanillia, roasted coffee and dark fruit. Taste of bourbon, oak, vanillia, caramel, dark fruit, roasted coffee and coco. Bourbon dominates the flavor but other flavors come and go with teh sips. Wonderful brew!