Bells Eccentric Ale

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Batch #7199 from 2005, courtesy northernbrews. Aged 4 years. Pours a dark but translucent mauve-violet color. Small, clear bubbles are framed with tan foam webbing. Sugary legging shows on the glass but leaves virtually no lace. The nose is ultra sweet, showing big notes of rum raisin, figs, dates, and brown sugar coated yams. Traces of oak and vanilla come throught as well. Flavors are intensely saccharine, notes of burnt marshmallow joining the brown sugar malts. Dark rum spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla intensify the liquor-like feel. Lightly carbonated, hot, and syrupy, there are sign of oxidation, but imagine that the palate ismuch better when young. Interesting, but ultimately too sweet and not my cup of tea.

03 bottle at the otown throwdown. Only had the last little bit of this. Incredibly sweet like brown sugar. Definily reminds me sweet potato pie and honey. Hope to have this again. From my favorite brewer.

Bottle, batch 8309, 2007 vintage, bottled 4/4/08. Aroma crazy floral and herbal, easily the most floral/herbal aroma I’ve ever gotten from a dark-colored beer. I can never pick out specific notes from that range, so in addition, there is also a good deal of molasses, char, grass, honey, really crazy and I remain inept to do it justice. Flavor is more of the same, but not in any boring way, in more of a crazy flower-filled way, also with chocolate, smoke, but all those flower/herbal notes really are magical. Like a Southampton Cuvee de Fleurs with dark malt, super complex. Awesome stuff.

Bottle, brewed 2007, batch 8309 thanks to Beerlando. Pours black with a small tan head. Aroma is super sweet, lots of honey and floral sweetness. Flavor is also quite sweet, similar to the aroma with lots of honeysuckle and flowery notes (not sure what, maybe jasmine?). Interesting for sure. but not that drinkable. 6/4/6/3/14 (3.3/5)

Thanks zuluflyboy for the share. 2007 vintage. Pours brown with a small brown head. Nose is chocolate, roasted malt, booze, maple, citrus, coriander, and cinnamon. Flavor is roasted malt, chocolate, maple, spice, dark fruit, honey and depth. Full-bodied and delicious; I would love to get my hands on more.

Bottle. Pour was dark amber/brown with a very malty nose. Flavor was strong with brown sugar, very well mellowed malt, some raisins, and a little bit of yeast. This was a dang good brew that had all of its flavors blended very well together. I’d love to drink this one again.

Number 1500! Bottle from Lampeno420 straight from my wants list. Very very dark brown pour wtih a small wispy tan head. Aroma is very sweet smelling, with raisins, honey, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Flavor profile is all over the damn map. Starts out sweet as hell with notes of honey and brown sugar, then some spice notes hit followed by a bitter finish and then it leaves a fruity sweet aftertaste on the tongue. This is a wildly entertaining beer to drink. Cheers!

Sampled at 3rd Annual Richmond Industry Gathering. Wild aroma and flavor. Wish I had a whole bottle to analyze (okay drink). Roast, chocolate popcorn, malted milk balls. Clear dark amber brown. Flavor had chocolate and dark fruit notes with a spicy finish almost like a touch of chamomile.