Bells Eccentric Ale

A 2007 bottle from JCapriotti via trade. The pour was a beautiful mahogany color with a short, almost tan head and not much in terms of lacing. The aroma was honey, cedar, alcohol and tobacco. The flavor was honey, spices, hops and tobacco with a welcome surge of alcohol on the finish. Medium bodied, almost slick in the mouthfeel. A real treat.

Bottle: Thanks Eric! Pours a dark brown muddy color with a thin slick of head. This one feels quite aged but it’s still very sharp and bright. A nice rich cherry and sherry note along with light alcohol and hops with some tobacco and dark caramel malts. Creamy body and a nice tart finish to round out all this decadence. Light hops in the end but great and spicy. Thanks Eric!

Bold spices and rich chocolate swirl with abundant hops in the nose. Dark brown pour with an ample beige head. Flavor is certainly spicy, with rosemary pushing to the forefront. Chocolate notes mix with a complex nuttiness, and then move towards the bitter hoppy finish. Mouthfeel is nice, but overall, goes down less smoothly than I’d like it to. The rosemary is interesting, but overpowering for me. I’m very glad to have tried this one. Takes on an extremely quirky old ale essence to me. Commendations all around for stepping out of the box!

Bottle shared by Eric over Jordan’s place, thanks man! 2004 edition. Pours a dark brown color with a nice beige head. The aroma is sweet, syrupy, dark fruits. A rich flavor of so many things; roasted malts, sweet spicy flavors, a bit of oxidation, a trace of hops and a rich dark fruit. Really interesting, the kind of beer I need to try multiple times to figure out. Very nice.

2006 bottle; Sampled August 2009
A solid pour produces a two finger thick, nicely brown tinged, tan colored head. The beer is a dark brown, concentrated amber color. When held up to the light the beer shows a murky, dark plum color. The aroma smells of richly concentrated malt, dark fruit and even some brandy notes. The dark, concentrated fruit notes are the most prevalent here and remind me of raisins, roasted prunes and some Concord grape notes all of which are a little broiled. There are some spicy notes here that in combination with the warm alcohol produces notes of brandy, dark rum, and more than anything some bourbon-like notes. Underneath the concentrated fruit notes are some richly toasted, brown sugar encrusted, whole grain bread notes. There are some rich earthy notes here, a musty damp cellar like note, perhaps even a touch of lightly oxidized note (but really this could just be the rich fruit character). The nose on this beer is incredibly rich and complex.

Sweet and thick feeling as it first hits my tongue; this isn’t quite as sweet as I might have guessed though. The beer finishes with a mix of toasted grain, spicy alcohol, and even a bit of a tongue numbing sensation. Rich, lightly oxidized, deeply caramelized malt character lingers on the tongue and mixes with a concentrated fruit notes of prune, brandy soaked dried figs and rich raisin notes. The tongue numbing in the finish seems to be a mix of alcohol and turpene like effects (even some clove notes). This beer is just incredibly rich, it is quite the sipping brew with lots of strength, though it is not overly hot. A touch of astringency and spice to the finish reminds me of a hint of oak, and perhaps even some oaky Bourbon.

This beer seems to make my ears tingle with warmth. I do wonder what the vegetables add to this beer, and what vegetables were actually used. The beer is not quite as complex in the flavor as it is in the nose. This is a very interesting beer, definitely quite enjoyable. It could perhaps hide its strength just a little bit better, but it is still quite nice.

From a trade many moons ago...thanks to whomever for getting this one my way. Pours a deep mahogany with no head to speak of. Aroma is robust, sweet, and full of dark fruit, particularly raisins. Flavor is incredibly sweet and syrupy. Lots of dark fruit, some cinnamon, and what seems like a shot of maple syrup...mmmmmmm good. Slight bit of oxidation on this that was expected, and if anything contributes to this beer. Palate is full and rich, with little carbonation evident, but again, this did not detract from the experience IMO. Only regret here is that I have but one to enjoy...a great sipper to get through some desk work with! Prosit!

[Bottle] shared by Dalzale. Pours mahogany with a medium tan head. Aroma is rich and sweet, cherries, caramel, maybe some honey, and prune. Flavor has lots of prune, other dark fruits, maple, some tartness, and spices coming through on the finish. Really nice, soft palate.

(bottle shared by Dalzale) Been wanting to try this one for some time, now I can cross it off of the wants list. Pours dark brown with a light tan head. The aroma certainly is variable, with notable scents of prune, brown sugar, fruity pebbles, and melon as well. Upon swirling, hints of spice begin to make their presence known. The taste is very strong of dark fruits, with light roasted malt, that yields to quite a unique finish that’s herbal, nutty, and tea-like (Assam) all at once. The maple is also there upon warming with a bit of salt too. Mouthfeel is full with smooth carbonation. Really nice and unique. Thanks for sharing this Greg!