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

bboymouse

Florida

4.26/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bought in late May as Total Wine was trying to clear their old stock.

It had great carbonation, poured into a pint glass. Smelled very sweet right off the bat.

As far as taste and mouthfeel was concerned, it was extremely drinkable, no way to tell it's over 10%. Not nearly that overpowering alcohol smell or taste that comes with some barleywines.

It drinks easy but very sweet on the finish, although a malty sweetness as opposed to an alcohol-y sweet. It was very good.

As this is my first review, I apologize for the brevity, I hope to be able to produce more detailed descriptions in the future.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 00:35:11 | More by bboymouse

Igotmypistola

California

3.61/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Decent little brew. pretty standard.

Little thin and bitter. which is funny because i keep expecting it to end sweet. almost no sweetness, which i didnt like at first but its growing on me. (or maybe thats just the booze talking)

Nice head retention and lacing. Looks better than it tastes. Leaves a sort of unpleasant taste on the tongue.

meh

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 05:43:06 | More by Igotmypistola

wyatt13

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottled on date of 4/6/2012, so it's about 14 months old at this point. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a snifter.

A - Pours a caramelized, reddish-amber color. Only about half of a finger of off-white head emerges, and even that fades away within seconds. Remnants of sticky lacing, which surprises me given the overall lack of foam.

S - Deep caramelly sweetness, with a definite presence of dark fruits. There is also a mild spiciness, reminiscent of raisins or almost like a bread pudding. Still some bitter hop aromas present as well, but they are definitely taking a back seat here.

T - The taste largely follows the smell, but with an even more pronounced emphasis on the sweetness. A very pleasant saccharine quality from the caramelized malts transitions to a bit of a boozy alcohol aftertaste that has a pleasant warming finish.

M - A relatively full mouthfeel, with more carbonation than the appearance would let on. A finish that straddles the line between sticky and dry that is more drinkable than the 10.2% ABV should allow.

O - Although I have never had this beer fresh, I highlight recommend it with a little over a year of age on it. This brew is very balanced, with a sweet & slightly boozy mix that will be enjoyed for at least the next hour of sipping.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 01:48:10 | More by wyatt13

BrewBoyR

Missouri

3.9/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle with a bottled on date of 10/12/12. Aged for around 7 months.

Appearance: Pours a murky brown with a lot of floaties. Small off-white head dissipates quickly leaving spotty, sticky lacing.

Aroma: Rich, malty aroma full dark fruits such as fig, plum, prune, with esters reminiscent of apple and peach. Alcohol is very evident with some mild hop earthiness in the background.

Flavor: Rich caramel maltiness up front combined with stone fruit and a hint of chocolate. Stale, oxidized flavors complement the malt complexity. Spicy, boozy alcohol takes over next which leads into a smooth, yet intensely bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Full and chewy with a bit too much alcohol warming. Low to moderate carbonation.

Overall Impression: Although a little rough immediately after bottling, this beer improved dramatically after aging, even for a short time. I really wish I would have had the patience to age it longer. It falls somewhere between a traditional English Old Ale and a hoppy American Barleywine and manages to remain surprisingly balanced. Intense booziness is my biggest criticism, but this beer would still be fantastic on a cold winter day.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 22:27:26 | More by BrewBoyR

jimmah120

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +5.3%
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

traviskurowski

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +1.7%
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

TheSixthRing

California

4.35/5  rDev +5.3%
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

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -1.2%
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

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
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

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.89/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

dark amber almost brown in color with a finger of head, decent head retention with some lacing left behind. smells of sweet malt, honey, caramel, raisins, plum. the flavor is very sweet and boozy up front with a slight zesty citrus flavor (orange?), sugary raisins, a slight earthy bitterness, slight hint of bourbon. lots of alcohol is presnt in the flavor and develops a warmth in the chest. a full bodied low carbonated, heavy on the booze beer.

this beer is a bit nicer when it warms up. it's pretty harsh and hard to get through the bottle (even though it's a small one.. the abv is not much more than hopslam, yet somehow is way more present in this.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 00:29:36 | More by facundoCNB

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.84/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Burgandy colored body with caramel colored highlights at the thin parts of the glass. Thin tan head that lingers around as a ring of bubbles.

S- Tons of caramel malt, some molasses, a hint of brown sugar.

T- Really a big, hardy, malty old ale with just a hint of sweetness. Tons of caramel malt from beginning to end, with the molasses-like sweetness showing up slightly towards the middle.

M- Full-bodied, rich, a big sipper. Medium carbonation.

O- Pretty good beer for a cold evening, big and filling.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 23:03:20 | More by stephenjmoore

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.13/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass at cellar temperature.

L – Deep amber color with a nice 3-finger frothy, tan head. Really nice retention and some good patchy lacing. The beer is pretty hazy, so I can’t appreciate any bubbles.

S – Rich malty aromas with caramel, molasses, raisin, plum, and fig notes. There may be a touch of fruity, citrus hops.

T – It starts off sweet with caramel, molasses, and dark fruits like plums, raisins, and figs. As the taste progresses, bitter grapefruit and orange citrus hops come through and build toward the finish.

F – Medium-to-full-bodied with good carbonation, a sticky and creamy mouthfeel, and a bittersweet finish. There is a nice warmth from the alcohol, too.

O – This is a nice barleywine. It’s not the most interesting one in the world, but it’s tasty, very drinkable, and a good example of the style. I like the fact that it comes in around 10% ABV instead of close to 15% like some barleywines. I think it makes it more drinkable and enjoyable. Nice job, Bell’s.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 19:19:58 | More by BlackBelt5112203

nickapalooza86

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a deep mahogony red color, finger of off white head, quite un filtered.

Smel is a lot of dark fruit (raison, plum) but the smell is rather sweet like it is raisons and plums dipped in caramel and toffee, really good smelling stuff that is for sure.

Taste is sweet at first with caramel, plums, molasses and it finishes with a bit of earthy bitterness.

Mouthfeel is full with medium carbonation, finishes slightly dry.

A really good, Old Ale/ Barleywine at a great price an can really see this developing nicely and turning into a completely different beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 02:20:23 | More by nickapalooza86

screamking

Ohio

4.34/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottles on 4/6/12***review on 3/16/2013
12oz bottle poured into snifter.

Appearance-pours a deep dark red brown, with a 1 finger khaki head, some but not much lacing. 3.75

Aroma-plums are all over this, along with rasians, black cherry, and some nice malty tones as well. Hints of toffee and butterscotch. 4.25

Taste-right up front i get dried plums dipped in vanilla yogurt. Then toffee and butterscotch come out to play. Carmel comes in too. Some bitterness in the finish as well as some boozeyness. The sweetness and bitterness is perfectly balanced. 4.5

Feel-full bodied, coats palate very well, alcohol is there but not overwhelming. 4.25

Overall- Perfect warmer for a cold night. Do yourself a favor and drink it over an hours span, you need to sit back and enjoy. Bells is starting to become my one of my favorite breweries out there and if they make more beers of this caliber they will slide right into first. 4.25

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 01:37:30 | More by screamking

DrinkMoreBigBeers

Michigan

4.59/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Date on bottle says 10/12/12

A - Poured out a nice creamy tan head with a dark ruby red body that you can see through once held up to the light. Nice and clean.

S - Produces a sweet rip raisin / cherry smell with a satisfying smoothness. Mmmm, lovely..Slight alcohol tickle in the back that makes you wonder how strong this really is.

T - Slight hops in the beginning with the dark fruit coming in afterwards of cherries, black current, raisins and a little bit of alcohol in the finish. The beer has a lingering caramel sweetness throughout, and the overall flavor lingers.

M - In the mouth this is full bodied and soft as they come with a complementary light carbonation.

O - One of the best old ales that I have come across with a real smooth quality to it. If you like this style you should give this sipper a go. Has an alcohol bite and seems like a really good one for people who like to keep a few for cellaring. This beer has a lot going good for it, and will become a regular one that I will seek out. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 01:08:54 | More by DrinkMoreBigBeers

minterro

Michigan

3.66/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Have had some very exceptional Barleywines and some that I didn't find as good. Bought for around 3 dollars. Bottled on 10/12/12

A&S: Lots of stuff going on as far as the smell goes, interesting mixture of: caramel, mint, red grapes, and breadyness. Hints of earthy hops. The beer is dark brown but quite transparent, head is fizzy and dies instantly. Some lacing clinging.

T&M: On the bittersweet end of the barleywine spectrum. The typical alcohol tones in Barleywines were not a huge presence in this beer (although half way through this one I could feel the blood start to rush to my cheeks so... the alcohol is probably just quite well hidden). Not super flavorful because it kinda gets overpowered by bitterness (I didn't age it very long but I feel like it shouldn't be this better after 4.5 months). finish is very dry and bitter. come out very crisp and kinda dies a bit and turn to a dull crispness. On the lighter side of medium bodied.

Overall: I didn't really enjoy this one as much as I expect I would. Maybe I could use some cellaring... I don't know. I feel like as much as I am a hop head, I might like the sweeter less hopped version of Barleywines

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 05:49:15 | More by minterro

emyers

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. bottle poured into a Founders snifter. Bottled on date: 4/6/12.

Appearance: Pours a murky brown color with a thin beige head.

Smell: Strong caramel and toffee notes with figs and a bit of oak. Clean, classic aroma for the style.

Taste: The fig, raisin, and oak notes are stronger here. Caramel and toffee both come through very nicely as well. Finish is fairly bittersweet. The bittering hops do an nice job of keeping the sweetness in check. There's even a little bit of piney hop flavor that sneaks in on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavy body. Low carbonation gives it a silky mouthfeel going down. Very nice.

Overall: This beer pretty much represents everything I expect an old ale to be. While it won't blow you away, it's a great representation of the style, and I'll keep picking up a sixer every year.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 01:29:19 | More by emyers

AmitC

Indiana

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 4/6/2012. So almost a year old beer.

Poured into a snifter. No head. Almost brown color with some ruby hues. Decent lacing. Almost opaque as such, with some translucency in light. No bubbles. Calm.

A lot of malts upfront. Caramel. Bready and sweet. Np alcohol as such. Some fruity esters. Low to none hops in the nose.

Taste is full of malt with very very slight hop bitterness, almost hidden, towards the end. Well this could be an old ale but neither seems to be an American or English Barleywine. No. A lot of caramel flavor and some hop mixed malt flavor. Finish is almost dry with just hint of bitterness which i am just giving to the beer.

Mouth feel is slightly full bodied with some maltiness. Low to non existent carbonation. A good amount of alcohol warmth but no at all boozy.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 03:36:36 | More by AmitC

andrewjraab

Michigan

3.91/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A. Deep ruby auburn color with a thin line of egg shell colored head.

S. figs, malty, big whiff of fruit, caramel, dough, slightly boozy.

T. Malt forward, big and rich fruity flavors: figs, dates, dried raisins, a slight bitter finish to balance it out. Heavy and syrupy mouth feel. Has a warming alcoholic pinch as you drink it.

O. A well crafted barley wine. This is a definition of a sipper and only gets better as the brew warms. I will definitely cellar one and try this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 02:00:41 | More by andrewjraab

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.16/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottled Nov. 3, 2010. Thanks Jayhoop for this nicely aged treat!

Appearance. Pours a super deep amber-brown with a bunch of haze and a thin off-white head.

Smell. Rich, sweet, grainy caramel malt. There's some orchard and dark fruits, a little brown sugar, and a decent amount of booze.

Taste. Sweet caramel, black licorice, some bitter earthy hops, a little dark fruit and some bitter wood.

Mouthfeel. Very full, warm, and mildly carbonated

.Overall. A nice big beer that I could imagine would improve with age.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 03:44:15 | More by Rutager

barczar

Kentucky

4.21/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Been in. the fridge a couple years.

Pours a brilliant deep amber with a foamy quarter inch deep khaki head that dissipates fairly quickly, leaving modest lacing and a layer of light foam.

Deeply caramelized malt, toffee, dark berries, plums, figs, and raisins form the aroma. Notes of sherry and tobacco add intrigue.

Flavor is decidedly sweet, almost cloying until the dark fruit and bready malt kick in mid palate, leading to a slightly dry and bitter finish. Malt backbone is extremely rich, with brown sugar and caramel sweetness. Raisins, figs, and sherry at the base if the flavor increase the brew's complexity. A hint of chocolate becomes evident as it warms.

Body is a touch full and fairly creamy, with enough carbonation to lighten the profile. Significant alcohol warmth is present.

Very complex beer. Nice balance of extremes. Sweet, hot, bitter, fruity. But not really favoring one direction over the other.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 22:02:58 | More by barczar

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.24/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Siciliano's, 12oz into a tulip. Batch 10492, bottled April 6, 2012.

Browned burgundy, with a cream coloured cap. Film of retention and light lacing. Nose of some dark fruits, syrup, candy and caramel. Light toastiness. Taste reveals a load of caramel, dark breads, some hops, grapes/plums, alcohol warmth and a tad more syrup. Medium full body, warming on the palate. Full thick and perfect for a cold winter's eve.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 04:40:05 | More by liamt07

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.51/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Served from a 12oz bottle into a Grey Sail pint. Old windy night in NH.

Appearance- Brown/red/amber with light head that left some nice lacing. Very cloudy and dark. No visibility.

Smell- Dark rich fruits. Caramel malts. Light earthy hops. Light coffee. Booze. Barleywine.

Taste- Sweet caramel. Dark fruit. Earthy grassyness. Finishes with great hops. My kind of Barleywine.

Mouthfeel- Thick and moderately heavy. Perfect carbonation. Nice viscosity.

Overall- This is a damn fine barleywine. Glad I got one of these and it's perfect on a night like this.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 04:16:37 | More by Seanniek91

BigTrubble

North Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12 oz bottle batch code 9958 which according to the Bell’s website was packaged on August 25th, 2010. Glad to try this beer again especially one that has aged two and a half years.

Third Coast Old Ale pours beautifully opaque deep amber that lightens slightly around the edges. Thin head that expands slightly as the tiny carbonation bubble rise.

The smell is heavy of alcohol and slightly sweet almost cloying, some caramel and plums.
Wow this beer aged amazingly as Bell’s intended. The flavor is balanced almost entirely hiding the 10.2% abv. Nice deep caramel, sherry with sour apple undertones. To say this beer is complex is an understatement, the flavors are intertwined perfectly.

Medium bodied, smooth finished with a slight warmth, and medium-low carbonation.

Extremely easy to drink deceivingly so; hiding the alcohol with an outstanding complexity of flavors. The slight alcohol warmth is almost unnoticeable except as a means to balance out the flavor. This beer may be at its peak right now, wish I had a large cellar stocked with it.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 01:52:36 | More by BigTrubble

patpbr

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours an amber and brown color.
S - Sweet, malty and complex aroma.
T - Caramel, malt, and sweetness. Dark fruit, pine and earthy quality. The hop bitterness is mild and helps balance it.
M - Medium mouth. Dry finish that lingers on the tongue.
O - Very drinkable and gets better as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 02:15:44 | More by patpbr