Bells Christmas Ale

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Scotch Ale
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Deep rich amber coloured body with a strong ruby highlight and a perfectly sized dense tan head. Aroma of fresh hops, caramel malt, a bit of light spices and some light fruity sweetness. Medium-bodied; Strong hops up front with a potent nuttiness following behind, all followed off by a period of prolonged malt bitterness. Aftertaste shows a lot of malt, some hop bitterness (pine & flowers) and a light nuttiness. Overall, a good beer, I felt this was more of an English Pale ale rather than a Scotch - but I’ve been wrong before. Regardless, it’s a good beer, but not great. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased from Norm’s in Vienna, Virginia on 25-November-2008, sampled on 09-January-2009 from home in Washington.

Picked up a 6 since it was $8. Red in color with a good amount of head. Interesting smell, though somewhat muted. First taste is a wide array of spices and malt, which clear up with continued drinks. Small hops and go well with the different spices used. I think it started off as a scotch, but doesn’t really hit that style to well, which Bells seems to do more and more, and i like it. Not offensive in any means and very drinkable, but in the same breath you know your drinking a micro beer. Above average because of the turn it took with the style.

batch 8803. bought this single in lexingtonn for two dollars. pours plum red, clear, half in foamy heaad. very carbonated. lightly hard candy malt aroma. nice light flavor, toasted malts pretty apparent, decent caramel charactr.slightly spiced.

On tap at Chumley’s Pours a deep burgundy amber with white head. Unfortunately the aroma was undetectable due to smoking being allowed in this particular bar. The flavor is of grains, hops, and biscuit malts - reminds me of a pilsener. The mouthfeel is soft and smooth. Overall this is a good beer.

Bottle thanks to bu11zeye. Smell is malts, hops, caramel, and spices. Look is a clear copper color with not too much head. Taste is malts, hops, spiced. Not that great.

bottle from secret santa! Nice! Cloudy amberish color with a light head. Aroma is very faint. I get some average malts, some spices and not much else. Flavor is very malty and a bit on the sweet side. Some spices are noticeable, but very lightly. Not bad but a little subpar for bells.

Bottle thanks to Butters. Batch 8803. Nice dark red orange with a finger of sawdust colored head and some small floaties. Very malty aroma, light spice. Taste is smoky peat, malt, just a touch of clove spice and a nice hoppy bitterness.

Nice painting of a fir tree on the label. Quick fading, bubbly head. Nose of sweet malt and iron. Smooth on the palate with a fully hopped flavor. Pretty dry and lightly astringent, but enjoyably so. No spices. This did not really seem like a Christmas brew or a scotch ale. To me it was more like a pale ale or a bitter, and a good one.