Third Coast Old Ale

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

What a nice beer, though it tastes like an Old Ale or Malt Liquor. Tastes like a 3 year old Jubilation, except manages that right out of the bottle. Very pronounced chocolate, raisin, malt, brown sugar and maple in the aroma and flavor. Smooth. Very like a Samichlaus, The Beast or the DFH Raison D’s... but this is the beer they all aspire to be.

My favorite barley wine next to bigfoot. This stuff is amazing. Nose is hops, raisins, toffee, bread, and caramel. Flavors of Chocolate, hops, roasted malts. Very complex. Thick inviting palate. As it got warmer it got better. By favorite brew from bells.

Bottle. Very little head with a dark amber color for the body. Aromas of wine, fruit, berries, and hints of port. Smooth texture with an oily feel on the mouth. Very little carbonation as would be expected. Very strong representation of a barley wine.

a very rich, dark ale. My first one from bell’s, recommended by a friend. It begins sweet and rich, with a very smooth, smoky middle finishes a bit harsh out of the bottle, but opened up makes a wonderful ale

From bottle. Poured deep brown/amber with virtually no head. Complex nose of caramel and malt. Flavors include toffee, roasted malt and hops. Long finish. Alcohol is noticeable - may need some time to mature.

12oz. By far the best barleywine I have had to date. Pours a deep, deep amber with red highlights. Nose is loads of caramel apples and sweet breads. Flavors are exquisite butterscotch, toffee, apple cider, overall a fairly sweet experience. The hops are undeniable in this one, bringing some bitter citrus fruit to the profile. Overall, very well balanced sweetness to bitterness. Decent carbonation makes this lively and very interesting. One criticism is that it could be a bit more complex. I am going to put a few of these away.

Beautiful deep copper color with a large tan head. Heavy malty aroma with delicious caramel notes inviting. Malty sweet forenotes followed by solid deep bitterness. Alcohol is apparent but not overwelming. Excellent!

Batch 7236 ~ 2006 Vintage

9/25/2008: Third Coast Old Ale has a deep ruby amber color with a thin beige crown. The nose is greeted by a hearty citrusy hop aroma accompanied by rich caramel, hints of vanilla, and some sweet alcohol. The flavor is very strong and contains a smooth, caramel maltiness, aged alcohol, and a moderate citrus and herbal hoppiness. There is some residual sweetness as well along with notes of prune, dried apricot, and and vanilla. The bitterness lingers on the back of the tongue after each sip. This beer is still quite smooth and easy to drink despite its high alcohol. It is medium-bodied and mildly carbonated. Overall this was a very good barleywine and is well-balanced. However, I would have preferred a bit more sweetness. I’m sure this beer gets even better with another 1 or 2 years on it...

12 fl. oz. bottle (OG 1.098, Alc. by Vol. 10.2%, 335 cal. per 12 oz.). Rating #835 for this beer... Rating: 8 3 7 3 16 = 3.7.
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No Batch # ~ 2002 or Older Vintage (1-piece label and plain gold cap)

9/25/2008: Third Coast Old Ale has a sweet aroma made up of caramel, dates, raisin, complex fruity malt (e.g. Marris Otter) and a hint of vanilla. This beer really smells great. It also looks really nice too. It has a clear, deep honey color with ruby highlights and tight, shimmering carbonation. There is a thin frothy beige veil floating on the surface. The flavor is sweet and still has a decent level of sweet, aged citrus/apricot hop flavor and bitterness. The slightly roasty caramel maltiness is also accompanied by a really smooth whiskey/brandy alcohol tone, prune and other aged fruits. Again, this beer is very smooth and very easy to drink for its high alcohol content. It is medium-bodied and has a mildly syrupy mouthfeel and a sticky quality on the lips. The additional age on this particular bodied has helped the sweetness come through the normally high bitterness level. It has developed a wonderful aroma and the flavor is quite good and balanced, but some complexity may be starting to fade away at this point...

12 fl. oz. bottle from West Side Wine and Liquor Store in West Harrison, Ohio. Rating: 8 4 8 4 17 = 4.1.