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

IMSPEAKNOENGLISH

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-23-2013 03:07:43 | More by IMSPEAKNOENGLISH

Dpayne

Michigan

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-23-2013 00:50:59 | More by Dpayne

Mantooth

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-22-2013 22:23:01 | More by Mantooth

zacky_U

Michigan

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-22-2013 17:38:54 | More by zacky_U

KVNBGRY

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

05-22-2013 15:03:55 | More by KVNBGRY

ackeeper

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-22-2013 02:05:26 | More by ackeeper

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

05-22-2013 01:22:39 | More by mikeincharleston

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

05-21-2013 18:54:19 | More by Slatetank

jimmah120

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

12oz bottle packaged 11/14/12. drank up on 5/20/13

Murky brown amber look, small head. Smell is fruity esters, warm alcohol, dark malt. Creamy milk stout feel and sublime taste. It's a meld of bitter coca leaves, dry-yet-juicy plums/grapes, touch of juicy tangerine, and tangy alcohol. You feel like your breath could be ignited after sipping this, and it's "only" 10.5%.

Kills it.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 06:40:59 | More by jimmah120

mwar

Kentucky

1.75/5  rDev -57.7%

05-19-2013 13:53:37 | More by mwar

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