Bells Batch 6000 Ale

12oz bottle Thanks to Slikwily for this one! Well, I’ll say that I had a 2002 3rd Coast Old Ale earlier tonight...Since then I’ve eaten, and drank a bunch of water. I can’t really distinguish this beer from the 3rd coast! Aroma is a bit more dull, malts are a little more pronounced and the tropical fruity finish of the 3rd coast is missing. I’m not sure which I like better, so I’ll rate them the same, basically. I’m not so sure this one is so commerative, but maybe more bitter, which I like, although this one is certainly more fresh, so that could be a factor. I’ll take this one by a hair.

What a sweet aroma this has.Tastes of the dark fruits like dates and prunes.Has a slight sweetness to it.The alcohol was present but not overpowering.This was one of the better barleywines I had.

Decent head of light orange brown. Dense and settles slowly. Malty aroma. Sweet with caramel, molasses and some prunes. Color is a cloudy, dark mahagony brown. Flavor is rich and creamy. Noticable hops presence. Loads of roasted malts and grains. Slight metallic taste to the head. A little medicinal going down with a nice alcohol warming. Finish is bitter and the hops and alcohol show up strong. A decent barleywine but seems a little hot to me.

This is a great barleywine but it’s too hoppy for my taste. A great beer today, but it shuold be even better in a year or two once there is less green in the hops, allowing the tremendous malt flavor to come up to balance.

This is a great barley wine. I have sampled this young, and now with almost 1-1/2 years age on it. Pours dark amber and cloudy due to yeast floaties. What head develops is small, and deep tan. Aroma is somewhat sweet and fruity. Very rich flavor. Tastes of dark fruit and carmel. Almost no alcohol detectable.

Drinking my last bottle, Oct. 2006. So it’s about 3 years old now. Big caramel, sweet malty aroma. Flavor is rich of fruits, caramel, malt. Big and bold. It’s really effin good. It does have some character that is similar to Expedition. It’s almost like, this is what Expedition would be as a barley wine. It’s one of the best barley wines I’ve sampled, wish I had more.

Cloudy, mahogany appearance. Sweet, malty aroma with dark fruit and molassas overtones. Good hop bite in the full-bodied flavor that pairs well with the sweet, smooth taste. Long lasting, lingering finish. I’m trying to imagine this one aged in a bourbon barrel. Thanks, Bert.

heavily sedimented ruby body with a dissipating light cocoa head that cling to the glass. initial hop bite, citrus and ripe fruits prevail. some esters and phenolitic quality. alcohol and notes of leather. a slowly emerging chocolate component. pretty potent! Great warmth in chest. strength is initially balanced by the full and heavy malt profile of caramely grains, light roastiness and flaked barley. dries up with a strong astringency. almost too big for me, it could use a few years to calm down.

As barley wines go, this is not amoung my favorites list. Has a severe malty start and a sickly sour finish, not hopsy enough and does not balance flavors though it is unendingly complex on the tongue. Needs a couple years to be drinkable to the extent of enjoying rather than tolerating this beer.