Bells Batch 8000 Ale

Formerly brewed at Bells Brewery
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Orange hue, thin and disappearing head. It’s definitely heavy on the wheat. They must have gone light on the spices. Not much flavor in there as far as those go. Some nice citrus character. The alcohol isn’t strong at all, which is good. Carbonation is mildly assertive. It’s really drinkable, but at $16 a sixer my wallet doesn’t agree. It’s alright, I’m not buying anymore. Not a very interesting brew.

12 oz bottle from Johnycorkscew (technically). Hazy orange with small long lasting white head. Aroma of spice, sweet malt, clove and coriander, mild alc. Spicy flavor with medium sweet malt, very wit like. Medium body and creamy. Nothing too exciting but maybe it’s just that I don’t like the style.

Pours out a totally hazy golden/copper color with a moderate slightly off white head. Aroma of yeast, straw, orange peel and some spice. Taste is complex with yeast, citrus zest, and a slightly dry/alcoholic finish.

12 oz bottle. Pours hazy golden with a white head. Aroma is fruity, oranges. Some belgian wheat in the flavor. Not really that impressed with this.

Bottle at Rustico in Alexandria, VA. Pours hazy gold with a white head. Medium bodied with a very soft texture and tickly carbonation. Great mouthfeel. Aroma of orange peel and coriander. Flavor of belgian pale wheat malts and yeast that has a evenly blended balance of spices- coriander, and orange zest. paradise. More paradise seed comes forward on the refreshing and semi-dry finish, with the alcohol VERY WELL HIDDEN. I could drink a few of these in a sitting. Looks like a wit, tastes like a wit, so why not call it wit with an asterisk of "high alcohol"? Despite what others think, I am fairly confident that this will NOT improve with age, regardless of the ABV. Drink them now and enjoy.
Bottle opened on 1-6-07. Larry was right, this beer is much better fresh. Some of the balancing sweetness is gone and the finish is more phenolic. Ignore the ABV, these are not cellar worthy. CELLAR CHECK 8-01-09: I forgot about one of these and accidentally cellared it. .I figured I would open it for shits and giggles. Let me tell you, it’s a shadow of it’s former self. While not horrible, it’s way too sweet and malty, with a sour dairy finish and some staleness. If I counted my rating today, it would be a 3.4. But fresh rating stands.

Orange in colour with some haze and somewhat low carbonation. Strong aromas of wheat malt, banana, orange, coriander, and other spices. The flavors are an interesting mix of cookie-like malts, floral spices, a bit more orange, and alcohol. It’s heavy bodied like a wit, but the carbonation is a bit too low. With this style, the high alcohol and the hefty body don’t quite work for me. Interestingm but not a favorite.

Bottle through trade thanks to xnoxhatex. Very hazy blond color, with a yellow-orange center. Plenty of lacing, though not much head. Intense citrus aroma, loaded with lemon and orange, with the coriander making a strong statement. Wheat beers have never really been my cup of tea; I found this to be extremely alcoholic for such a style. The flavor may have impressed me more if it were not for the overwhelming abv presence; palate was tainted with this brew. Worth a try for the value of intrigue of the bold style.

Bottle. Pours a hazy orange-gold body with a creamy medium white head. Smells spicy with fruity cereal (raspberry and oranges) along with bread and minerals. Peppery spices up front in a creamy body with cookie dough flavours and butterscotch candies. Finishing with alcohol warmth.