Bells Batch 7000 Ale

bottle: 100th rating pours a very very dark black with a nice faomy cocoa coloured head. very strong nose of roasted chocolate, dark fruits, and licorice and some alcohol i think i even get some molasses cookie in there. wow the flavour is rich deep dark roasted chocolate, molasses, and some sweet dried fruit in the finish. very thick mouthfeel. a most enjoyable 12% beer

Thanks to OhioDad for sending this my way. Very black beer with a thick pillow/creamy dark brown head. Aroma of dark chocolate, heavy roast and some soft earthy hop notes. Very intense cocoa, salty/briny aroma that seems almost light and licoricey. Flavour is intense, sweet chocolate, bitter cocoa. Intensely flavoured, chewy malts, dark chocolate, some molasses, herbal/earthy hop flavour all the way throughout. The herbal hops back up the rich cocoa/charcoal flavours. Further warming intensifies the herbal hop flavour. There is peppery ethanol retronasally. Intense beer, well made, but not my favourite type of IS.

Pours pretty dark with a substantial brown, yellow-tinted head that takes a few seconds to appear after pouring. For a long time, the aroma is dominated by rum, raisins, and a light sambuca. after 30 minutes, the aroma finally comes alive with cocoa, coffee and citrus, and the rum is less dominent. Taste starts with a citrus tang, followed by cocoa, raisins, rum, black coffee, light licorice. Wow, the finish is really strong. There’s plenty of hop flavor well integrated into the beer, but the finish is very bitter. I’m still tasting rum, with some dark chocolate and a lot of burned black coffee. Great thick creamy non-cloying mouthfeel, but I can tell the alcohol is there. Oddly, the beer seems less smooth when it warms. Flavors are nicely layered, but I think the finish could be a bit smoother and less rummy. For whatever reason, this is becoming a little tougher to drink as time goes by, which reminds me of having my first imperial stouts. THanks to Walt for the bottle, who is now sexier in my opinion for letting me try this.

This beer pours like 90W 120 gear oil! Very big flavor. I am very greatful to Mike and Ron forgiving me the privilage to tasing this beer.

Bottle. #300. Pours black as night, with a miniscule dark brown head. Aroma is chocolate, burnt sugar, molasses, roasted malts. Flavor is dark chocolate, molasses, tobacco, pepper, alcohol, vanilla and raisins. Palate is ultra full, almost non-existant carbonation, thick, creamy, resinous, malty, bitter finish. This is a mouthful, coats the back of a spoon. I actually tried this when it first came out but wanted to re-rate after a good long while. Much better now, alcohol is well hidden.

First off, thanks to Badgerben for sharing. Very dark black with a brownish head. Lots of chocolate and port in both the nose and the flavor, with a lot of malt. Loved trying this one.

Txs to Drewbeerme, wow Guru i thought this was an excelent brew. Black pour with no head, disel thickness with a typical cherry, vanilla and roasted nuts and malts all over. Bitter coffee and tobacco with a sweet and salty finish. A nice rendition of an imperial.. almost no alcohol hints until your done.

Summary: Just because it’s limited doesn’t mean it’s good, which is really too bad. Pours black with brown head that thins to a yellowish tinge collar that laces the glass with an oily appearance. Aroma is a tad scotch/ethyl alcohol with a mildly sweet chocolate and black malts. Flavor is nothing like the nose, instead delivering a mouthful of intense burnt coffee, burnt caramel, licorice, and alcohol. The smooth body is offset by the harsh flavor that lingers. I was sorely not impressed and would suggest pretty much any other imperial. Luckily this will not be made again and better luck for Batch 8000. Author’s note: I’ve poked fun at another beer rater before for a beer we’ve disagreed on, however that rater and I actually agree on this one...