Bells Batch 7000 Ale

pitch black. smelled wonderful but tasted totally alcoholic. really short flavor profile, but a lasting alcohol finish. sucked.

12 oz bottle, pre-Noog fest. Hue is nearly opaque and devastatingly black which looks great alongside the short brown and immensely creamy head. The aroma simply drips in rum and raisin notes (mmm…rum-raizin oliebollen) along with dark and rich chocolate, dark roast coffee, anise, molasses, brown sugar and soft floral hints. The flavor brings out a pleasant and welcomed dark (more than I was expecting) dried fruitiness of black cherries, raisins and red grapes. Extraordinarily sweet flavor is balanced by a significant roasty bitterness. The mouthfeel is simply amazing and is, quite literally, chewy. Sticky, viscous and oily to the nth degree. The soft carbonation does nothing to interrupt. Divine.

Bottle from TAR (Thanks Jeff!) After a little wait and finding out that I am going to be able to trade for more of these, I had to indulge and drink this one. Pours out like old motor oil with a thick tan head. Smells sweet, roasted, malty, slightly hoppy, and a little bit of alcohol. Taste is similar with there being a large dose of hops in it making the beer slightly more bitter than I am used to for an Imp Stout. This one is not as good as expedition stout, but it is up there, and with some age this could be as good if not better than expedition stout. It needs some age though, quite a bit of it. Awesome stout though.

Pours dark brown, purple-ish color with thin dark tan head. Dark fruits, almost a wine aroma, some apricot, grape, perfume, milk chocolate, marshmellow, almond, molasses, syrup, and coffee in the aroma, which was amazing. seriously, the best smelling beer. Flavor is astringent with burnt nuts, black coffee, and baking chocolate. Not as smooth as expected, but not a disappointment. With some age, this should be fantastic.

Bottle courtesy of Silphium. Pours a deep dark black with a huge lasting foamy light-brown head -- it looks great! Wonderful aroma of roasted malt, chocolate, molasses, dark fruit, coffee, nuts, hops and more -- quite complex and smells amazing. Upon my first sip I think I orgasmed, my god that’s delicious! Roasted malt, lots of chocolate and hops, coffee, molasses and alcohol with a dry roasty/hoppy finish -- all perfectly balanced. Full bodied with a thick syrupy mouthfeel. What a surprise this was, I knew it was going to be good but not this good, this is a tremendous Imperial Stout and another fantastic Bells beer.

Dark brown almost black. Smells like wine/ grapes. Has port flavor with bitter hop aftertaste. Thanks Ryan.

A pitch black appearance with a moderate tan head. An aroma filled with dates. raisins, molasses, and caramel. The flavor leans toward the bitter side with a huge coffee and whiskey flavor. Some licorice and dark chocolate presence. A very warming beer.

Wow, what a surprise, and a big thank you to Ohio Dad for this one! My geeking level has fallen over the years, so i had no idea that this one was an Impy Stout! The pour was deep ebony with minimal brown head. The aroma...my God. Tons of dark roasty patent malt, chocoff, molasses, brown sugar, hazelnuts tingle and tantalize the olfactory neurons. The flavor is hefty yet super velvety and smooth, and very complex. Definitely one of the best balanced and complex beers I’ve ever had. Mix 3 parts Stone RIS with 3 parts Dark Lord and 3 parts Bell’s Expedition Stout, throw in a part Mephistopheles and a dash of Speedway, and you have this beer, the best beer I have had in 2006. Ohio Dad, if you can get me a sixer of this, I’ll sell you my soul! (Actually, just one bottle would make my year). Do yourselves a favor and get ya some of this, folks, and do it pronto!