Twentieth Anniversary Ale
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store

Twentieth Anniversary AleTwentieth Anniversary Ale
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From:
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
ABV:
6.7%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.77 | pDev: 13.53%
Reviews:
93
Ratings:
95
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 18, 2021
Added:
Sep 16, 2005
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by granger10:
Photo of granger10
Reviewed by granger10 from Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Copper in color with a small egg white head. Some lacing. Aroma was of caramel and butterscotch along with a bit of fruity hoppiness. Taste brings the same flavors. This beer leans towards the malty side but is finished nicely by some floral and spicy hops. All the flavors are full and contribute nicely to this beer. The Bell's house yeast seems noticeable here and lends a slightly sour, slightly buttery element to the body. Sometimes I don't like that but I think it works here. Overall this is a solid beer and easily sessionable.
Oct 25, 2005
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.09 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

Nov 18, 2021
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.02/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Came out an amber colored beer, beige head 1/3". Hit the red ale malt notes, wet wood, minimal hops, not the Irish peat moss malt notes, cleaner than that.

Taste was a caramel and toffee excursion. They basically made a basic red ale for their anniversary. Easy accessible type of expansion. Was one of those bottles you got 3 times as extras kind of situation back in the day.
Apr 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by mcallister from Ohio

Feb 16, 2012
Photo of Beerandraiderfan
Reviewed by Beerandraiderfan from Nevada

3.09/5  rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Ambery coppery color, almost tan head, aroma was woody, red. Hops not played up.

Taste, kinda pedestrian for Bell's, much less a special release of anniversary proportions. Malt forward, but not thick. Mostly caramel is what I'm taking away from this. Definitely not the hops I'm used to from Bell's, kinda lacking here.

Strange, for their anniversary ale, they made something a lot more accessible and just average.
Nov 12, 2010
Photo of Dotcubed
Reviewed by Dotcubed from Arkansas

2.12/5  rDev -43.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Not sure why I still have this low proof anniversary beer.

Modest yet quiet opening.

Beautiful color! Dusty smell. Not in a good way. The foam that came out quickly died.

Ugh. Too old. No legs on this what so ever. Dry and some hints of what it was. Vaguely bitter remnants of a hop & some malt.

Watery.

If you find any, leave it be.
Mar 20, 2010
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

3.61/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottles acquired in a few trades.

Poured a deeper and cloudy amber color with a large sized off white head. Subtle aromas of caramel, oranges, and dough. Tastes of oranges, caramel, toffee, and cookie dough. Flavors definitely stronger than the aromas. Medium sweet with a light hopiness.

Notes from 11/2/05
Nov 14, 2008
Photo of Wildman
Reviewed by Wildman from Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From notes:

This beer poured a cloudy red amber color and formed a light tan bubbly head that left latticed lace as it subsided An aroma of malt, hops, coffee and toffee. The flavor was of hops, malt, and caramel. The body was medium light and silky. The finish was silky and slightly astringent. Another good beer from this brewer, if not one of favorite styles.
Apr 13, 2008
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Reviewed by dogfooddog from Panama

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
pours with a small head into a flute glass; this dark orange beer is very malty to the nose, maybe just a bit bread-like as well. batch 7040.

taste is what you would expect - malty, with some moderate hop bitterness coming out beyond the initial sip into the finish. there are some citrus hints throughout, though they really don't become prominent until the finish.

given the (relatively) low abv and taste, this is very drinkable beer, thanks again to MABZ for the chance to try this one-off and a number of other bell's beers.
Dec 13, 2006
Photo of mnfinnkidd
Reviewed by mnfinnkidd from Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Found this one at Zipps in Minneapolis a while again..been waiting to find the time to review it. It's probably one of the last bottles still out there.Not too sure of the age. It has reddish-orange hue with a white head. A slight taste of alcohol with a mellow hop character. Overall..a tasty brew that I would buy again if I could they still made it...
Dec 04, 2006
Photo of terrabyte
Reviewed by terrabyte from Wisconsin

2.27/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Pours a brown, copper color. Head was white and small. Dark black flecks can be seen floating in the glass. Not very appetizing.

Smells a like sour biscuits and fruit.

Flavor has a slight caramel sweetness that ends in a sour citrus bitterness.

Mouthful is slightly sticky, thick and flat.

Not very drinkable. Reminds me of beer left overnight. Warm, flat, and sour.
Oct 22, 2006
Photo of RedHaze
Reviewed by RedHaze from Nebraska

3.68/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Notes from a few months ago. Batch #7100.

Pours a orange/amber color as you would expect, with a half inch off-white head that fades to a thin soapy cap, leavng behind a nice webbing of lace.

Smell; lots of biscuity and caramel malts, with a bigger hop profile than I was expecting.

Taste; nice rich caramel malts, with some solid biscuit flavors. As with the smell there's a fairly strong hop presence for an amber, that are somewhat floral. There's a bit of warming in the back of my throat from the alcohol. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a very good drinkability.

This is prbably one of the better red/amber ales that I've ever had.
Oct 10, 2006
Photo of Dubbercody
Reviewed by Dubbercody from Washington

3.55/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle. Batch 7040.

Orangy Amber in color, nice quickly disapating head.

Smells of hops, with malty carriage. Citurs aftertaste with the malt starting off teh taste and then kicking in again in the later aftertaste.

Interesting brew, unique taste and I agree it's worthy of their 20th Anniversary.
Jul 21, 2006
Photo of Gaisgeil
Reviewed by Gaisgeil from Michigan

3.55/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
A one off release that isn't some huge overblown affair (read: Batch 7000), I'm perplexed, I'm intrigued.

Pours a hazy amber in color with a fuzzy white head with good retention. Nose is slightly spicey, but with some slight citrus and caramel notes. Taste is silky and smooth, caramel and orange peel. This is a slightly 'bigger' beer than most of the style and for that I love it, it's a bit of the best of both worlds in terms of big beer vs. small beer.

Slàinte!
Jun 12, 2006
Photo of hero27
Reviewed by hero27 from Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle. Batch # 7100.

Hazy copper color with quite a bit of sediment. Head is modest and forms a ring around the outside of the glass.
Light caramel malts, very faint residual bitterness. Good orange peel flavor mixed with a bit of spices also. Creamy texture and medium-bodied, somewhat slick mouthfeel. Certainly dominantly malty, this beer is very drinkable and goes down smooth. For a one-time release, it could be considered a bit underwhelming, but still a very solid beer from a great American brewery.
Jun 08, 2006
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.98/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bright brassy orange with a hint of carmine when backlit. Fine particulates sit in suspended animation, while a few fine bubbles rise up to a wonderful looking, lightly toasted marshmallow colored crown. Twentieth Anniversary Ale decorates the glass with style and is a good looking beer.

There's nothing remarkable about the somewhat underpowered nose. Since the beer is almost 8 months old, the initial hoppiness must have faded to some extent. The aroma consists of pale and caramel malts (guesses), as well as a decent amount of earthy, herbal hops.

The beer is better on the palate, although I'm not sure that it's deserving of 'Anniversary Ale' status from a brewery as outstanding as Bell's. Malt is the flavor focal point, with a lovely toasted caramel sweetness underlying what is a more impressive hoppiness than the nose suggested.

One way the brewery attempted to make this beer stand out from the crowd of amber ales was to add more than the usual amount of malt, hops and alcohol. That's almost always a good thing, especially from someone as supremely talented as Larry Bell. Besides, no one wants to drink a light-bodied, low-ABV anniversary ale.

Despite the 6.7% ABV, there's no hint of alcohol. A quicker than normal buzz is the only evidence, although that probably more to do with the two beers that preceded this one than anything else. The body/mouthfeel is quality without being a standout. It's firmly creamy with a sedate amount of carbonation.

It's a shame that I wasn't able to get my hands on a fresh bottle of Twentieth Anniversary Ale because it was undoubtedly better beer last fall. I'm hoping that such difficulties will now be a thing of the past since Bell's will soon be distributing to Iowa. Thanks a million Larry, that news made my month.
Jun 05, 2006
Photo of sullysbeer
Reviewed by sullysbeer from Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Aroma: Malty sweet, very light hop aroma. Caramel and a slight hint of alcohol.

Appearance: Very Clear. Deep Copper Color.

Flavor: Malty Caramel sweetness with a light hop flavor balanced with a bitter finish that lingers a bit. Very clean fermentation. Slight fruitiness. Finishes fairly dry.

Mouthfeel: Medium body. Kind of silky mouth feel.

Overall Impression: Very crisp smooth beer. A great beer if you like the bitter finish that lingers in your mouth a bit.
May 30, 2006
Photo of mentor
Reviewed by mentor from Colorado

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Super-huge thanks to CRJMellor. I thought this one had come and gone and I'd missed my opportunity. In college, I consumed my first Bell's beer in the late 80's and have enjoyed them as rare treats since that time (too poor to buy quality beer or out of distribution when I could). With a room-mate, I once ran a garbage bag of freshly roasted peanuts from my local bar to Bell's, dropped off the peanuts, picked up a keg of Oberon, and ran the keg back to my local bar. Many years later, I stopped into the Eccentric cafe' as a member of a wedding party...moments after the ceremony. I'll never forget sitting in the hop-garden in the baking summer heat wearing a tuxedo. Wonderful times, Larry.

Pours a one finger frothy delicious tan-colored head over a particulated brown-copper liquid (some of the sediment made it into the glass). Smells dry caramel, not quite Munich character. What's the cause Vienna Malt? Burton Salts? Gentle hops are orange and a hint of pith. With searching, some iron. Tastes light sweet and a bit fruity. Md body is light on the tongue with modest carbonation. Light and drinkable. Caramel, peaches, oranges (from hops?). Hint of saaz-like tin...not quite saaz, but perhaps hopped with a hybrid of saaz. Dry with a touch of iron and butter. Woody dry finish wipes the palate clean. Very nice.

Although this beer is simple and drinkable, the mouthfeel is quite dextrinous. Moderate to modest carbonation lifts the liquid off the tongue. Well done as a 20th celebration of Bell's brewing, IMO. Bell's beers were made for drinking and this beer matches that sentiment. Tasty, yet the finish wipes the slate clean. What's up next? From Bell's Brewing, it could be anything. The future is wide open. Larry, you are everything we need in American brewing. Cheers!

This beer was rated to style, not to personal bias.
Apr 26, 2006
Photo of blitz134
Reviewed by blitz134 from California

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Slight hazy body. Apricot around the edges with a orange core down the middle of the glass. White half inch head which disappeared really quickly.

Light aroma in this one. Some light biscuity malts and some herbal hop notes. Solid biscuit malts, much like a dinner roll. Earthy and herbal hops come through again. Bascially a typical English style ale flavor profile in this one. Well balanced, but could use a touch more hops. Slight bitterness in the end as well.

Medium body, leaning towards to the thinner side. Drinkability is good. I like more American ale flavor profiles, but this one fits the style well.
Apr 18, 2006
Photo of OStrungT
Reviewed by OStrungT from California

4.6/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
This beer pours a cloudy golden brown with a light tan head. The head fades quickly, leaving too few laces.

This beer has a malty aroma. It has a slight bready aroma. The hop aroma is mellow. It also has a slight toffee aroma.

This beer tastes great. It is bready. Also, it has a malty sweet flavor. As with the aroma, the hop flavor is low.

This beer goes down very smooth. It leaves a slight bready aftertaste. It might be just a little bit undercarbonated, but not so much that it detracts from the flavor.

I think this beer would be an excelent session beer. It is mild, and low enough in alcohol, that I could drink it all night long. I would, if I could get this more often. Many thanks again karst for the wonderful beer.
Apr 05, 2006
Twentieth Anniversary Ale from Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 95 ratings