Bells Batch 7000 Ale

This was a real find for me. I had missed the train on this wonderful beer and gave up all hope of ever really trying it, then randomly stumbled across a restaurant still serving it in Michigan. A thick, black pour, with a complex aroma of malts, chocolate, molasses and coffee. Tastes as good as it smells, and masks the 12% abv very well. Has more of a coffee finish than Expedition but is fairly similar. Very creamy finish with a faint hop finish. A+ work from Bells.

Bottle. Thick oily black pour with a smooth/creamy yellowed tan head...with some really damn good lacing...I normally don’t talk about lacing...but THIS is some damn fine lacing. Big bready malt aroma, along with dark fruits, chocolate, molasses, maybe a tinge of smoke. The flavor has some vinous elements, along with dark chocolate,molasses, booze, plum, and more thick bready somewhat roasty malt..perhaps a bit of bitter apple skin. The vinous qualities are so strong I wonder if this was a slight oxidation? The aroma gains a higher alcohol presence as it warms as well. Thick mouthfeel, this stuff has huge body with sweet/sour/roasty elements throughout with a vinous finish that really sticks around. A big rich brew all around with some bitter qualities that are nice coupled with some of the roasty elements. A nice take on the style that seems bigger and heavier than most of its style counterparts.

From bottle courtesy of Wheninhell. Pours a deep black/brown with thin tan head. Nose is dark chocolate, molasses and vinous. Flavor is dark, bitter chocolate to the extreme and more of the molasses. Thick, luscious palate. Good.

got my hands on this thanks to Brad. Big hoppy green apples pine tree resin aroma. Engine black with 2mm tight brown head, fine lacing. Rich coffee and molasses with perfect hop crisp apple pine grapefruit balance, perfect dark chocolate. Big, rich, heavy, lingering, humongous flavor. Nancy wanted some so bad she jumped up a chair to make sure she got both of the girls share...

Bottle from Ross - a big thanks for this one!!!Black as night with a medium brown well structured head of very fine bubbles, and some fair lace. Coffee, dark fruit, and alcohol on the nose. Superlative mouthfeel - Full, thick, rich, and oily. Espresso and bitter chocolate have immediate and lasting presence, a hint of licorice comes through, and a bit of peppery hops for a satisfying long and bitter finish. I wouldn’t mind trying this again in a year.

Bottle from Bello Vino, Ann Arbor. Pours a deep black colour with a small dark tan head. Aroma of charred malt, chocolate, licorice, whiskey and hops. Soft, creamy mouthfeel. Flavour - wow, this is big. Some sweetness and roastiness off the top, with notes of molasses and chocolate, but it’s quickly overcome by a kick of hops and hot alcohol notes. Pretty over the top, but I loved it.

Bottle, at Jim Busch’s place, July 2006. Very dark, very thick. Beige head. Viscous, oily consistency. Bags of burnt malt. More chocolate than coffee. Very rich. Dried fruit - prunes and raisins - in the background. Late bitterness. Big alcohol kick. Perhaps more hop presence that a typical US Imperial stout and none the worse for that. Everything lasts into a lingering aftertaste. Very impressive.

Aroma is of chocolate,molasses,and coffee.Pours a dark black with a tan head.Nice chocolate,coffee taste.Full bodied with a slight burn in the finish.