Bells Batch 7000 Ale

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

bottle.....unlike the vast majority of the reviews on this one, i was underwhelmed overall......aroma: malt, chocolate, and an array of dark fruit.....appearance: medium thick, deep black pour with a thin cocoa colored head. i like my imperials thick and this seemed lacking in a sense.....taste: a variety of flavors come through here. chocolate, some roasted malt, dark fruit. mouthfeel wasn’t as full as i would have liked it to have been. all in all, a high quality IS but i would gladly pick expedition over this.

courtesy my Secret Santa- A delicious imperial stout...a little too thin, though. Aroma of coffee and alcohol. Pour was a nice dark black with just a little thin tan ring for a head. Taste was very winelike. Dark fruit, coffee and chocolate abound. The dark fruit was a nice suprise. Got some definate nuttiness to it as well as a bitter finish. Thanks Santa

This thing stomps a shithole in Expedition and I love me some Expedition. The pour on this was the thickest I’ve ever seen next to Dark Lord. Pitch black with a small tan head. Huge aroma of cherries, dark chocolate, raisins, and roasted malt. Velvety smooth mouth feel that dissipated after it left my mouth for my anxious belly. The surprising part of this was this massive bourbon flavor that imparted its will on the beer yet didn’t overpower any of the other flavors. Some black cherries and dark chocolate melded well within the brew as well. This is going to get my first ever perfect rating. Hands down, the best I’ve ever tasted.

Thanks to Alex at Belmont Station. Deep black-brown opaque body. Small creamy beige-brown head. Nose of sweet malts and candy sugar. Sharp yet subtle chocolate, vanilla, and coffee notes. Finished like a perfect desert. Scrumptious!

thanx dan. pours like motor oil with a near still initial appearance till it forms temporary brown film for a head. aroma is boozy rum, cocoa, expresso, burnt caramel/toffee,ripe red fruit, and some musty wood. taste starts as a smooth, oily ripe fruit and some burnt caramel. midway through it becomes very sour with wood like esters in there. all the way through the usual suspects are present (roast, choco, etc..) but as you swallow is becomes very dry until suddenly you are blasted with very pleasant coffee flavor. this effect fades as you drink because of the building bitterness. the mouthfeel smooth and oily with just enough carb. very, very good stuff but not quite amazing.

Fantastic - big and delicious. Your normal kick ass pitch black pour. Minimal head - spotty lacing. Aroma and flavor are to die for... like an expedition but a little sweeter with notes of licorice and fruits. Ahhhh, what a mouth coating - thick and chewy - hated watching my snifter go empty. Hopefully I’ll enjoy this again . . . . nice! Thanks ughsmash, this one was epic.

Pours a very dark brown with a nice tan head. Plenty of froth and good lacing on the side of the glass. Smell is roasted goodness. Plenty of dark bakers chocolate with a good amount of coffee and molasses. Taste is all that and then some more. I’m a huge fan of expedition, and I think that this beer has that one beat. Quite an impressive brew. Can’t wait to see what time does to the remaining bottles I have left.

Holy crap this beer keeps getting better every time I have it. Pours a rick deep black, but somehow I think the expedition might be a touch darker than this one. Frothy lasting tight sticky head and good lace. Aroma is loaded up with dark chocolate and modest roasted coffee, some acrid dry malts and faded yet still prominent hops- definitely way less hops than when fresh. Big body and flavor with tons of roasted barley, black maltr and lot sof chocolate- nutty, coffee, bitter dry acrid burnt malts, light smoke, some molasses thick sweetness and licorice root/star anise. Damn smooth finish. Awesome.