Bells Batch 7000 Ale

Formerly brewed at Bells Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Bottle. Pours pitch black with a thin dense mocha head that slowly recedes to a thin ring of foam around the top. Lacing is extremely good. Huge roasted malt aroma up front with very sweet licorice, molasses and dark fruit undertones. Bakers chocolate and espresso are also present in the nose along with a hint of alcohol burn in the nostrils. The taste is massive on this beer with a huge bakers chocolate sweetness up front on top of molasses and dark fruits. This gives way to a heavy roasted malt backbone which gives way to the bitter roasted espresso that lingers into the dry finish. Mouthfeel is absolutely luxuriant - silky smooth and just coats your mouth with all the complexity of the taste. The finish is slightly dry and bitter, but in a balanced way on top of the chewiness of the tastes. This is a wonderful beer and can be treated as a dessert due to its decadent taste and mouthfeel.

Thanks to ironchefscott for sharing this one at Lost Abbey release of Isabelle Proximas. This was the tastiest beer of the morning line tasting. Excellent aromas and flavors. Very good.

Big thanks to BDR for sharing this one! Intense dark brown pour with a thin, toffee head. Rich aroma of roasted malt, coffee and chocolate. Taste similar plus licorice. Thick, smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Awesome beer!

Another beer that my brother got me from a bar in Indy. Smells absolutly great. Smells of coffee, chocolate, raisons, all put together and slightly roasted. The palate is extremely smooth. Wonder what it tasted like fresh. This imp stout aged could possibly rival dark lord...

Had at a casual Carolina Crew gathering. Poured a very dark black that allowed no light. Thin dark tan head. The nose and flavor both exhibit a very prominent molasses character. The aroma is also sweet, has some coffee, light soy sauce character, roasty, mild alcohol, chocolate. The flavor is a bit thinner than the aroma at this point in its age. Coffee, light soy sauce, mild alcohol, well hidden for the strength, roasty, chocolate, and a tad bit of hops towards the end. The mouthfeel is nice and viscous with a bit of a waxy hop presence making itself evident. Finishes with molasses and a tad bit of warm alcohol. Glad I finally got to taste this one.

Major thanks to Pailhead for sending me this as a bonus! Thanks Kevin! This is my 500th rating! Nearly black pour with a dark brown fairly quickly receding head. Aroma is strong coffee, chocolate, raisins and alcohol. Taste is very bitter coffee, chocolate, hops and raisins. Sticky mouthfeel. A little odd, but in a good way.

Had this for our Bell’s Batch 4000 - 8000 tasting 9/22/07. HellsBells24 (Joe) used one of his bottles for the tasting. I’ve had quite a few of these since its been released a few years ago and this seems like a good time to rate it. Appearance: This shit is DARK. It looks like motor oil with a 1/2 inch tan head. I don’t even think a spot light could get through this. The head faded slowly to leave a nice trail of lacing on the glass. This is what a double stout should look like. Aroma: I can’t believe how hoppy this still is after 2 years of aging. There are some orange and chocolate notes that go with the piney hops. The hops are similar to the Batch 6000 we just had, just more pronounced. Could use a little less hops and more chocolate and malt notes and this would be perfect. Maybe in a few more years. Flavor: Starts with some nice chocolaty malts. The hops come through with hints of orange and lots of piney resins. This is not your typical stout, but damn its good. Palate: This is still pretty thick. The flavors don’t go away for a while. This is dangerously drinkable for 12%. The flavors, even though strong and complex, blend well an help to make this pretty smooth for the strength. I can and have sipped on a few of these over the years. Overall: This is the best double stout I’ve ever had. I said that when I first had this, and I’ll probably still say this in 5 - 10 years. I’m glad I have a nice stash of these. This is probably the best beer Bell’s has every made and one of the best beers I’ve had. I wish all of thhe future batches are stouts, because thats what Bells does best. If you ever see this (not likely), you’d be dumb not to pick it up.

No head, dark black mocha tinge. Smell of dark flaky chocolate, cocoa, booZe, prunes and woodiness. Taste of cherry, roastiness, worstershire with minimal coffee. Mineral aftertaste with a salty nutty raisen bread character left in the mouth. Thanks Pepsican.