Bells Batch 7000 Ale

Within the expansive realm of Imperial Stouts, the Bells Batch 7000 is the pinnacle of filling and fulfilling beers. It is a drink of titanic proportions, wobbling to and fro like a gluttonous, obese giant, packed with the smells and flavors of hearty, meaty foods. It is a meal of sustenance and vitality packed into an elegant , almost svelte bottle that belies a brew fit for the tireless lumberjack. Immediately after the pour finishes an enormous, mushroom cloud head blossoms in the glass. After it reaches its billowy zenith it settles back down into a pocked and rippled texture of an appearance strikingly like soft tofu. The body from which this spongiferous blanket sprouts is itself a mundane dark, clouded brown. The color is in fact exceptional because of its ho-hum hue. So many Imperial Stouts pour like a liquid black hole, making a colorless blob in the glass. The aromas from the drink do not disappoint. Initially it is creamy with a cornucopia of fresh root vegetables – carrots, potatoes, maybe even beets. There’s also a strange tint of acrylic paint in the smell, though I find it rather nice, and suitable in the concurrent aromatic milieu of open air market. A sample taste doesn’t waste time in broadening the comestible scope of the beer, rushing in with bucolic earth tones like clay, and spicing them up with a dash of cumin. I also taste white rice –something all too familiar to anybody with a large appetite and a small budget in Japan. Behind the white rice is a bit of rum and a spoonful of brown sugar. In a wider perspective, Bells Batch 7000 is very “steaky” with some meat and char to it (a good thing), sweetened by a generous portion of molasses flavor. The mouthfeel is very sudsy and bubbly, but also a bit chalky in a favorable disposition to the earthy qualities of the flavor. The aftertaste is the finest moment in a sip of this beer, cascading with flavors of a delicious, well grilled steak: steak again, charcoal, steak sauce and soy sauce. It is a savory, luxurious end to a fifteen course beer, and should leave even the heartiest trencherman patting his belly in satisfaction.

Bottle picked up in Minnesota by my pops about a year ago. Cellared in Minnesota. This is its 3 day in NC. It didnt last long! Pour is dark brown with a thin tannish head. Nose is interesting--smells a lot like an old ale--lots of molasses, brown sugar, sweet malts, and overall roastiness. A nice mix of smells, but a little off for an imperial stout. Flavor is much deeper and more honest to style with deep coffee and chocolate throughout. Mouthfeel is medium to thick with a nice bitter palate. This beer is a bit misleading with the nose, but really comes through when it counts. I’ve had this at a couple tastings (but i was too far back to notice the incredible flavor of this brew) and am very happy to try this with a sober mind and a ready palate. Thanks Hyerum Tyerum!!!!

Bottle from Silphium. Pours a syruppy thick dark, dark brown with a substantial light brown head with good retention. Aroma is a delightful blend of deeply roasted malts, chocolate, molasses and nuts. Flavor is a surprisingly balanced mix of malts, chocolate, coffee, molasses and a little licorice. Alcohol is pretty noticeable - seemed to linger a bit on the tongue. This beer is not for the faint of heart.

Bottle. Thanks to Walt. Opened with a slight hiss sound. Poured a lighter black body with a nice head, wow what legs on this one. Aroma is licorice, choclate, malty, nutty and some oxidation. Flavor at first tasted like burnt malt with quite a bit of oxidation. As it warmed it mellowed to a nice smooth body and mouthfeel - very nutty and lots of chocolate tones to it. Lite sugar and at the end I was loving it. Leaves my lips nice and sticky sweet - mmmm...stout lips!

The initial pour hit me with a sound that poped and crackled as soon as it came out the bottle. Pours a dark muddy black color with a thick chocolate milkshake look to it, has a smell of nuts, and almonds. The first taste bites the palate with a strong expresso taste that is a bit bitter and chewy. The alchohol is noticable and you get sort of a woody, dry smoked flavor that would make this a great beer for 12%. Some cocoa and dry cranberries seem to swirl into your mouth but the dont last as long as the first taste.

Bottle from cbkschubert; Thanks Craig! Nose of raisins, chocolate, molasses, and coffee; dark black with a ring of cinnamon tan bubbles; flavor shows lots of strong, bitter coffee, chocolate, and licorice. Thick body with a nice hop finish.

drank this beer after a year in the cellar. a dark black and rouge color is tiooped by a thick brown head . and we could actually see a tiny, glossy and shiny layer of alcohol at the top. cocoa powder, bitter coffee, and smoke dominate the nose. the front is alcohol, followed by a cocoa and soy sauce flavor that finishes smokey. thick, creamy and bitter smoke fill the mouth. tastes of worchestireshire sauce, smoked ham, and brazil nuts are there as well. quite a treat. thanks jeff

(Bottle thanks Ughsmash) Pours very black. Heavy coffee aroma with smaller notes of black chocolate, dark tar-ish liquorice and some sweet dark fruits. Extremely heavy nose with some asphalt. Hops are also well present with notes of resin and grapefruit. Really dry coffee and liquorice flavour with a lot of tar and salt. Hops are also well present in the flavour with tones of pine, resin and a touch of citrus. Dark syrup and dark malt. Heavy, fiery tar-ish mouthfeel. Lingering dark tar-ish malt aftertaste. Full body. Decent bitterness. As good as Expedition Stout=ass kickning.