Third Coast Old Ale - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

JamesMN

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Completely opaque brown with a little maroon. A thin tan head. Laces very well.

Aroma: Dried fruits drenched in caramel. Definitely some dark malts in this as well. But mostly just butterscotch and caramel goodness.

Taste: Very rich caramel flavor up front but not too sweet. More of the dried fruits, plum and apricot, come through in the second half. I can tell how complex this thing could get with some age to it. Packs a little hop bite but really only moderate bitterness that can't distract from the great flavors. Don't taste much of the 10.2% ABV. The caramel flavor here is really the winner. That flavor is in a lot of different beers but never showcased quite like it is in Third Coast Old Ale. A little lingering heat in the back of the throat but a very smooth finish.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with average carbonation. This thing is highly drinkable for the style.

Final Thoughts: I'm very pleased with the flavor on this Barleywine. Another style done justice by Bell's. Would I drink it again? Yes, I hope to cellar some as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 05:44:54 | More by JamesMN

vicsju1991

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-18-2013 04:06:24 | More by vicsju1991

Thedrizzle

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

05-17-2013 20:22:12 | More by Thedrizzle

DarthGuitarHero

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-15-2013 12:54:20 | More by DarthGuitarHero

GinsuDave

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%

05-15-2013 02:14:09 | More by GinsuDave

ADTaber

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-13-2013 23:12:19 | More by ADTaber

AmandaSchaefer

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-13-2013 22:50:15 | More by AmandaSchaefer

vrbulldog22

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

05-13-2013 18:29:50 | More by vrbulldog22

SanFranJake

California

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

05-13-2013 17:30:21 | More by SanFranJake

jokulhaps

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

05-13-2013 02:49:09 | More by jokulhaps

UHCougar12

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

05-12-2013 14:22:58 | More by UHCougar12

traviskurowski

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A really nice, heavy, sweet barleywine was a nice bottle: dark color, a lot of hops, malty. But it's hard to drink this one without thinking "this would be GREAT after a few years in the cellar." The sweet notes (a bit much at this age) one hopes will become more complex, and some richer notes begin to express themselves as the hops mellow. As is: a solid barleywine that I look forward to breaking out again in 2016.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 12:50:36 | More by traviskurowski

bpowers315

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-10-2013 10:21:32 | More by bpowers315

TheSixthRing

California

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on date of 10/12/12

Appearance - Pours a deep, muddy brown with orange tinge with an off-white half finger head. Fair retention, resulting in a thin layer of microbubbles in the middle of the glass, while a significant build of larger bubbles form around the edge. Lacing is small and spotty with fair stick.

Smell - Fruit ester aroma galore! Dried peaches. Dried red apple. Moderate caramel undertone.

Taste - Oh yeah, lots of interesting, well balanced flavors going on here. Lots of caramel upfront and throughout, backed by healthy helpings of fruit essence and a touch of holiday spice; think cinnamon and nutmeg. Dried peach and apricot. Dried dates and prunes. Faint traces of chocolate, especially once it's warmed. Nice, clean, well balanced finish.

Mouthfeel - Full-bodied with low to moderate carbonation. Slight touch of syrup. Semi-dry finish. For a beer that's 10.2%, this is remarkably smooth and drinkable.

Overall - Perhaps the cleanest, most well-balanced barelywine I've had to date. Amazing considering the lack of hop presence. Smooth as all get-up. That this isn't available in California is a damn shame! I'd love to get a few bottles for aging, though I doubt I'll go out of my way to get them.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 05:02:44 | More by TheSixthRing

dalepryor

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-07-2013 22:11:40 | More by dalepryor

roywilliams

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%

05-06-2013 19:59:56 | More by roywilliams

Dray

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -21.5%

05-06-2013 12:34:49 | More by Dray

kodt

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-06-2013 03:48:31 | More by kodt

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-02-2013 10:55:32 | More by williamjbauer

MickeyMonk

Arizona

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-02-2013 04:57:33 | More by MickeyMonk

jmccullough108

Missouri

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-02-2013 04:06:48 | More by jmccullough108

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle from Total Wine in Tampa. Bottled 10/12/12.

A - Quite cloudy with a rusty brown colour. Great two finger fluffy light brown head. Mild carbonation coming up. Good spattering a of lace and a half finger of retention.

S - Huge dark fruit character. Port, cherries, generous amount of hops integrated well. Wood too. Absolutely fantastic and really enticing.

T - Boozy and much more hoppy than the aroma. Sweet dark fruit there too. Tons more hops than the aroma. Boozy pineapple. I typically don't like heavy booze/hop combos, but I find this to be milder and well put together compared to some harsher examples of the style. Good.

M - Proper mild carbonation and medium body with an abrasive bitterness that mellows latwr and lingering boozy citrus.

O/D - This is a pretty good beer. With better alcohol masking and lower hopping rates, it would get a much ranking from me. A good example of a difficult style for me. Balanced, yet aggressive and nice to sip.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 20:49:52 | More by tbeckett

EdelweissDad

Georgia

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%

04-28-2013 19:51:12 | More by EdelweissDad

Phillyz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -3.4%

04-27-2013 20:47:28 | More by Phillyz

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

definitely one of the better barleywines ive had in a long time, thanks again to thebrewo for this one. it pours an enchantingly deep deep copper to ruby red, with a one inch off white head with excellent retention, especially for the style, which I find generally lacks this quality. its got an interesting nose. first of all, youd never know it was over 10% abv, it smells more gentle than that, nothing harsh at all here. there is some molasses sweetness, a mild but complex spice profile, and a huge grain profile that may even have some rye malt in it. the flavor isn't as sweet as the nose, its more delicate. weird to call a beer this big delicate, but this one somehow is. there are notes of vanilla, butterscotch, clove, and a range of other attributes that make me think this would be an ideal holiday beer. its a little out of place in springtime, but its really delicious. soft feel with relaxed carbonation and a easier drinking medium body. by feel alone, you also wouldn't know this is a barleywine. the alcohol gets more prominent as the beer warms, which is to be anticipated, but it never gets tough to drink or caustic. overall I really enjoyed this, I like that its not super hoppy or super sweet, but maintains the complexity the style is known for. very well made beer here.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 16:34:50 | More by StonedTrippin