Bells Batch 8000 Ale

Very handsome pour, a rich golden body with a lofty, spongey, stained head that does some odd patchy lacing. The nose is fruity with bananas, fresh peaches, and one orange. Plenty of aroma from the coriander and paradise seed, too. Quite lively and peppery in the mouth, it delivers flavors of wheat malt, loads of spices, bananas, citrus fruit, and more spices. Nice tangy, spicy dry finish. A nice job by Bells... whithout being a stout or a hop bomb.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=5495>Pat’s Liquors, Porter, IN<font size=-1>

Bottle at Birreria Paradiso. Blazing shade of apricot orange. Thick body. Sweet, lively oranges, coriander and tangy, bright grains on the nose. Obvious, but spot-on. Subtle intimations of maple and white almond-frosted cake. Taste is is wound tightly and carefully. Crunchy, sweet granola-like malts, musty carpet, and spiked lemonade. Heavy, indistinct fruitiness. Alcohol comes through a bit in a glass cleaner finish. Palate is exceptionally smooth considering the size and modest wheat base - it could have been so much hotter and uglier. Well-attentuated with a familiar balance of greenish spice and sweet fruit, set apart by that thickness of texture. Not so untraditional in the end. Predictably, finely executed.

Bottle purchase. Pour is an orange yellow hazy body with a creamy thin head. Aromas are some banana, orange, corriander, and some peppery spices. The ABV on here is hardly detected. Hard to imagine some saying this is too "Hot". To me, it’s just about right (although I admit I don’t totally understand aging in general). Just a slightly sweeter wit bier and personally I like it. I actually expected it to have a slightly more robust flavor. Flavorful, but not to the extreme. Thus, a deduction in points there. But still, this is a solid beer that deserves some worthy attention. IMO, not as good as Batch 7000 (haven’t had the 6k or 5k). But still worthy in its own right.

Bottle. Pours a hazy orange yellow with a white head. Aromas of light bready malt, lemon zest, coriander, yeast, wheat, light pepper and spices. The flavor holds the spice elements...some of the orange peel really comes out here along with dry almost rye-ish like malt...yeast and roasted pine nuts. Medium-thick body...present but not overwhelming carbonation...nice balance between nutty, spicy, and dry...some nice earthy sweetness as well...dry/spicy finish. Nice brew.

Bottle and enjoyed in my Hoegaarden tumbler: Pours initially clean amber hue (2nd pour was hazy from the yeast) with a fading white frothy head, some lace.

The aroma has notes of coriander, orange zest, Bird of Paradise, clove and lemongrass spices along with wheat and biscuity malt, some caramel does show as it warms as does some phenols too.

The taste is wit on roids with lots of fruity and grainy overtones with a base layer of wheat. The finish is a tad chalky and chewy. I went into the tasting think this would not be so good but I really dug it in the end. Will go get some more methinks. Geez 109 ratings already!

Great looking coppery pour with a big luxurious white head that lingers long. The aroma is spicy...typically yeasty with hints of citrus. zest. The flavors are big, bright and refreshing. Big spicy yeast fruitiness, lemon and orange zest, wheaty banana and clove hints, and a well hidden alcohol note. The mouthfeel is spritzy and lively on the tongue. Very refreshing warm-weather brew, but with enough alcohol body to be consumed as a winter warmer as well. Another winner from Bell’s. Thanks to buddy jackson 220 for obtaining these samples whilst on vacation in Michigan City.

On tap at Capital Ale House - Innsbrook. Murky orange body with a medium creamy off-white head. Sweet banana, spice aroma. Sweet caramel and spice flavor, light banana hints, slightly sugary.

Name: Bell’s Batch
Date: 08/17/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party
Vintage: 8000

Appearance: opaque light orange, wispy head,
Aroma: sweet spicy orange aroma,
Body: creamy body,
Flavor: rich malt flavor, nice orange sweetness, lots of spicy character,
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Name: Bell’s Batch
Date: 09/25/2007
Mode: bottle
Source: roadtrip
Vintage: 8000

Appearance: clear dark gold until the yeast is added and then becomes cloudy orange,
Aroma: sweet fruity aroma with a nice spicy character,
Flavor: rich and fruity flavor, bitter finish comes out of the spicyness, the yeast shot adds a nice bready character to support the fruityness,
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Name: Bell’s Batch
Date: 07/04/2008
Mode: bottle
Vintage: 8000
Words: cellar stock

Appearance: aroma is turning dry and spicy with a light sweaty leather bret character,
Aroma: flavor is drying out a bit as well, nice spicyness but none of the funk that would come with the bret in the aroma, still rich and fruity but dryer though the sweetness comes in time,
Flavor: flavor is pretty much unchanged but the aroma is picking up some interesting changes,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+/4