Bells Batch 9000 Ale

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

Serve in Snifter

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Severe saturation, no head, strong aromatics with a touch of sour. Amazing beer with defined dried apricot meat, creamy effers, and a long savory finish. Trump!

Probably my favorite of the Batch series. Dark, almost black pour. Lighter tan head. The reason that this beer stands out for me is the sweetness of the brew. While 10000 is a smokey, meaty meal of a beer, this 12.5%er is much less of a commitment. Larry Bell is the godfather of the midwestern craft brewing scene and this beer is/was a superb example of the reasons why.

Pours a solid, dense black and forms a thick, 1-inch, creamy, tan head. The nose suggests anise, molasses, dried dark fruit, and vanilla. The body is medium-high, with chocolate, molasses, umami, and lurking malt and caramel. The lingering is long and sweet, with hints of licorice, umami, and coffee. The first sip is almost overwhelming, but builds desire for more. Although this ale is by no means a quaffer, it is moreish! As dessert, with dessert, after the meal . . . it all works. Another contemplative brew. I’ll have to cellar some and see if I can leave it be long enough to see how it ages!

Hahahahahaha, what a beer! Shitfire, boy. Poured with a nice medium light tan head and a little lace. Color is an opaque ever so slightly brownish black. Aroma is a heady mix of fresh hop, chocolate. yeasty, raisins and other dark ripe fruit, and a bit of roastiness. BIG, BIG BEER. Flavor is like aroma but very intense bittersweetness. Was hard to concentrate on what the body was like because of the power of the flavor. But, without digressing, the body is full, round and perfectly carbonated. Finish is long, bitter, a little boozy, and ultimately malty sweet.

Definitely one of the worst "batch series" i have had. Way too sweet. Way too much licorice and molasses. Maybe will get better with age. But because it is Bells, and Kalamazoo rocks, and west coast Michigan rocks, it gets high points in my book. Glad I didn’t pick up the case I ordered. Sorry Ari.

Bottle. Very black pour, a little carbonation and a welcoming sweet aroma of molasses and vanilla. Flavor is heavy dark chocolate, malt, vanilla, black licorice, pepper and a little alcohol heat on the finish. A thick, syrupy, huge sweet beer, and it was right up my alley. I have a few bottles left that I plan on cellaring, but I really don’t know how long they’ll last.

Bottle. 12 oz. Split with James and Vinny in honor of James’ last day at that shithole Muisc & Arts. Pours a deep, hazy mahogany opaque with a thin, half-finger tan head. Aroma of licorice, cranberry, Sharpie marker, brandy, chocolate, and molassess. Medium bodied, espeically considering the alcohol content. Finishes with a plum, cherry, and bittersweet cocoa. Overall, an amazingly interseting, complex, excellently crafted brew. Definitely try this if you come across a bottle.

Originally poured with a think chocolaty head. It went away quick and it could easily be mistaken for a cola in my glass. I can smell the alcohol in it. It has a slight astringent smell too. A hint of chocolate and malt. First sip and wow is this thing in your face! It does feel a little wattery in the mouth for how aggressive it tastes. I do get some licorice and it has bitterness in the finish. Alcohol in the taste. Sweetness of the malt come through too. My initial reaction was that this tasted like on year of Dark Lord before it mellowed. This is really great and for those that can’t get Dark Lord, get this. I think it is very close.

10 oz. draft, $6.50 at Brixie’s. Solid black color, with a bit of foam around the perimeter to cling to the sides. I’m getting a fruity smell here, mostly tart cherries, and slight chocolate and coffee notes. Maybe it’s because of being a fresh draft pour, but the taste to me in incredibly fruity. Not tart like the aroma proposed, but close to a cherry cordial. Just a tad syrupy, but still a fine texture. Alcohol is warming, but not heavy. Some carbonation remains even at the end of a half-hour sipping this glass. Very surprising and smooth for such a big stout. I missed the licorice and molasses, but that may show up if I left my bottles at home cellar for a while.

It took two bottles for me to really get a feel for this. Very dark brown/black with a red hue where the light is allowed through. There is a smallish head on it but there isn’t much for staying power. Nice chocolatey sweet aroma. Great palate, decently thick and slightly sticky, has a nice light feel to it despite its fullness. Sugary molasses with some malt coming through. Despite my hatred for black licorice, this "brewers licorice" is pretty nice, no real cloying bits to it. Very good now, a bit on the sweet side overall but I expect it to improve with age.