Bells Batch 7000 Ale

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

On tap at Bryant Lake Bowl and in the bottle. Beautiful dark, thick and sticky. There is a ton going on here and as it warms it becomes more complex. As it warms the burnt malt mellows out into hints of dark chocolate and espresso and the hops give this a distinct cherry flavor. This seems like a cross between an imperial stout and an old ale with some funk. This is similar to Dark Lord- not quite as thick, a bit less hop and a lot less expensive. Delicious.

Thanks to hummm...think it was Sully for this one. Pours out a deep black color with a small brownish head. Aroma is very roasty. Mouthfeel is rather thick. Taste is roasty with some coffee and some dark fruit, maybe prune or fig here or there. Smoky/burnt taste on the finish, a very nice beer. Thanks a lot man!!!

Pours a deep black with just a trace of brown highlights and a dense layer of fine burnt orange head. First sniff, quite a bit of grapefruit, second sniff, very good chocolate, third sniff they have blended together nicely and added coffee, cognac and maybe just a touch of oak. Plum wine shows up after a little more warming. Alas. This was all going so well until I tasted it. Very present alcohol. Kind of hot, and by far the most prominent flavor. Not jet fuel harsh--more like somebody spiked it with a shot of bourbon. Chocolate liqueur, a lingering dark chocolate bitterness that transitions into grapefruit rind. A little cough medicine taste left on my lips. I can see how this could turn into something truly amazing, and I’m kind of kicking myself for not waiting a few years to try this. It does get a little less hot and green in the second half of the bottle. Or maybe it just toasted my palate. Thanks so much Hezron, for the bottle! I’ve been hunting this for a long time, and I’m inspired now to find another one to lay down for a few years.

(03.13.06) 12 oz brown bottle purchased from Archer Liquors, Chicago, IL. Pours opaque black with tiny tan head. Soft carbonation. Prunes, roasted malt, and chocolate nose. Very full bodied stout that starts with a dried fruit (prune), expresso coffee, and burnt malt flavors . Smooth, rich and creamy. Some sharpness (carbonation?) in the mouth. Finishes with a roasted coffee, burnt malt fade. Some lingering bitterness. Definite alcoholic warmth. Burnt tasting and intense, this is a take-no-prisoner stout that you could either love or hate. I loved it. My friend Scott L, a homebrewer who specializes in stouts, thought it was unbalanced but could improve with about one year of aging.

Pours very dark black with a highlight of amber. Very little brown head. Smells of molasses, smoke, and some floral hops. Mouthfeel is thick and oily. Coats the back of the mouth. Tastes of choclate and roasted malts. Can definately taste the alcohol. Strong hop finish.

Pours dark brown, almost black, with a late forming head. Chocolate and malt dominate the aroma, with a small amount of hops present. Thick and oily with a strong bitterness. The alcohol is quite present at the finish. Overall, an impressive beer. But, not something I would drink daily.

As soon as the cap is popped off of the bottle a nice hearty aroma of hops enters the nose. Upon further sniffing the fragrances of caramel, nuts, and a mild hint of alcohol can be detected. This thick black liquid fills the glass with the consistency of motor oil. This heavy solution settles under thick mocha colored head that fades rather rapidly to leave just a glaze of bubbles floating on the surface. This thick beer spreads through the mouth smoothly with a bitter sweet introduction. After swallowing, the tongue is left tingling with the flavors of caramel, yeast, barley, roasted nuts, and a mild hint of cactus. There is hint of alcohol that can be detected in the background.

Dark muddy black with frothy head, good lacing. Aromas of molasses, chocolate, cough medicine, tootsie roll... very complex aromas. Full bodied thick texture, drinking this you can guess what drinking chocolate syrup would be like. Flavor long in duration, moderately sweet start with alcohol ending. Beer had a whiskey quality, not a session beer. Excellent beer!