Third Coast Old Ale

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

Bottle. Thanks to kramer17801 for this one. Pours a dark amber color with a small off-white head. Malty caramel aroma with hints of dark fruit. Sweet malty hoppy bitter caramel flavor with some hints of dark fruit. Sweet malty warming finish with some hints of dark fruit.

Original Rating 12/3/2007. Bottle. Not my favorite barley-wine. Flavors don’t seem to meld quite right until the beer was quite warm. Pours brown and cloudy with sediment. Taste of molasses and hops. Thick mouthfeel, as expected. 5/3/7/4/14/3.3

Rerate 6/25/2008. Batch 8269, bottled 1/11/08, from Market Street Wine Shop Downtown Location. Cloudy reddish brown pour with a tiny but persistent head. Aroma is very sweet and reminiscent of baked goods. Taste is dark fruits, brown sugar and a strong hoppiness. Thick mouthfeel. 7/4/7/4/15/3.7

Pour: hazy dark amber/brown with floating sediment. Head: thin, medium tan, creamy. Aroma: candy like, dark fruit, alcohol, sweet malts, caramel. Flavor: alcohol, candy, dark fruit, molasses, sweet mlats, caramel, English BW. Palate: smooth. Finish: warm.

Bottle, I like the barleywines that are a bit sweeter, but have a hint of bitterness. This definitely fits that mold. Pours with no head, clear in the way industrial gelatin or liquid fat is clear (with an amber hue). If I knew anything about cars I gues I could compare the color to some type of engine fluid, but I don’t, so I won’t. Very very good, words can’t do it justice.

Thanks to someone in a trade. Pours a deep brown, rich brew, reddish in the light. The head is thin and tan, coaxed a one fingger orange head. The aroma is very rich, sweet, English for sure, toffee, caramel, butterscotch, alcohol, very rich malt aromas. The flavor was rich, mild hop waxy noticeable at first, toffee, caramel, malty, vinous, dry alcohol, English. The palate was rich and thick, warm and dry, and a bit of a waxy character. Has a long, warm, and waxy finish. Very nice.

Bouteille 12 oz (batch 7800), courtoisie de Hogtownharry. De couleur brune et voilée. Nez malté de caramel toffee légèrement boisé et aux notes terreuses, moyen de pain et de noix, léger de houblon herbeux, de sucre brun et d’alcool doux avec des notes de levures fruitées (figues, notes de cerises et de prunes). Ronde en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture riche, moyennement crémeuse et aux notes liquoreuses. Moyen goût de levures fruitées (figues, léger de prunes, traces de raisins et de cerises) avec un goût boisé (fumée de bois et fput de chêne) lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute rapidement un goût de malt du genre caramel toffee sucré aux notes fumées, rôties et terreuses (quelques traces de sucre brun) ainsi qu’un goût de pain et des notes de biscuits, parallèlement à un goût moyennement amer de houblon herbeux aux notes terreuses (progressant jusqu’en finale) puis en finale l’on retrouve un moyen goût d’alcool aux petites notes liquoreuses (un peu réchauffant) ainsi qu’un goût de noix asséchantes et des traces d’épices (poivre). Post-goût long et sec, moyennement amer de houblon herbeux, d’alcool, léger de rôti avec un goût fruité (moût de raisins, pelures de prunes) et un léger goût boisé.

Apparently I have much yet to learn about beer, looking over the other reviews. I have to admit I don’t care for scotch ales and was disappointed to realize that this was one. Tastes too much like medicine for me. I hope someday I’ll be able to re-rate more favorably

Had on tap at Brews. Sweet smell of bread. Taste was of caramel, bread, brown sugar and a few hops. Blended very nicely. I like a sweeter barley wine, myself, but this was certainly enjoyable! I never quite like Bells as much as I think I am supposed too though...Not sure why!