Bells Batch 6000 Ale

Formerly brewed at Bells Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

A deep amber color, pretty low carbonation; when swirled an amber brown head is summoned from the depths of my glass. The aroma is of hops and alcohol. The aroma has components of grapefruity, caramel, and a certain hot alcohol spiciness. First sip; Wow, very thick bodied, like taking a draught of hop nectar. A strong malty presence is overcome by the even stronger hop character. Packed with both a hop flavor and a balancing bitterness. Definite grapefruit and citrus character contributions from the hop. The density of the malt contributes a ripe fruitiness to this beer that mixes with and boosts the fruit-citrus character from the hops. This is a really good Barley Wine, and it has perhaps rekindled an interest in Barley wines in me.

Coloring very dark brown. An unbalanced barley wine. Varied flavor. Not too bad to start with, but wouldn’t make it my last one.

It's a bit funny, but I managed to sample this twice in the same weekend while in Atlanta. Deep brown with a splash of ruby. It's very hoppy, but it's hoppy more on the bittering end than on the aroma end. There's a bit of barley wine fruit going on and I keep picking up something that makes me think of smoke. It's not strong smoke so if it was intentional, it's subtle. The finish is a lingering bitterness from the hops. It should age nicely.

Dark brown with a hint of ruby around the edges, small ring of head, jelly lacing. Aroma is sweet smoke malty and intoxicating but not overly strong. Palate is thick, as would be expected in something this malty and strong. Caramel, dark chocolate, vague fruits, almost too sweet but saved by an alcohol warmth and a well rounded hop resin. This is surely one to age, as good as it is allready.

Bottle courtesy of the most kind and generous Slob. Wasn’t sure what style this one was and upon opening initially thought, eh, smells like a dIPA, not sure I’m in the mood (oops, should read before opening). A few more whiffs persuaded me toward a barleywine, and I was much more interested. The bottle was in stellar condition, strong phsstt upon opening, great carbonation revelaed after the pour, remaining long afterwards, leaving a nice half finger head that thinned to a covering, yet all the way down coating the glass walls, nice wavy rings around the glass, off-white tannish color. The aroma was rich, maple-like at first (said, uh oh, too old?), but quickliy picking up pine and even some grapefruits with tobacco, cherries, and grapes behind it all, one of those strong American Barleywines stirring underneath it all. Flavor was malty assertive, all sorts of light and dark fruits there, caramel, oak or some wood and toasted notes, molasses,and whamo strong hops still in the finish. How old is this sucker I wonder, the hops must have been killer when fresh, as they’ve held up quite well, very firm, lots of zing on the tongue, even if the malt is more at a balanced level now? Mouthfeel is full bodied, starting slightly sticky, yet kept sharp and tingly with those hops. A very nice take on the style, couldn’t imagine what a vertical of this one would be like. Bert, my friend, a great big thanks for this wonderful treat!

This brew pours with an opaque brown body topped by a medium thick head with a decent amount of lacing. The aroma is sweet, grapefruity and hoppy with a slight piney note and a touch of malt. The flavor is slightly sweet, piney and hoppy with a slight grapefruit note and the slightest touch of malt. Medium to full bodied and slightly dry.

Bottle, courtesy northernbrews. The pour yields an extremely dark, coppery-mauve colored body, lightly hazy in consistency, with a small, frothy, khaki colored head. Dense sheeting stains the glass a bit, leaving behind some slow micro-spot drips. The aroma is ultra rich and malty, yet equally earthen and roasty. Notes of burnt caramel and singed toffee play off of deep, smoky molasses and stewed figs, with a good amount of bitter barley roast and hints of raw cacao. Flavors are just as deep and complex, torched caramel and toffee backed up with sweet fig, all colliding head on with bitter, earthy hops and staunch roast. Shades of molasses and marzipan come through, as do hints of just-burnt toast and even some torched marshmallow. The palate is full, coating the mouth substantially, finishing a little hot from the booze and massively bitter, despite it’s advanced age. Even at six years of age, this beer is rocking. Great barleywine.

Bottled. Dark foggy brown with a thin lacy head. I think that it was poured a little quickly. Super generous malty flavour. Bitter kicker if you can wait long enough for he sugars to clear your palate. Luckily Silk and I are shooting the breeze at pace, so time is breezing by. It certainly is complex, revealing itself at different times, in different ways. Thanks to Nuffield for giving this beer to Silk, which I have eventually shared in.