Bell's Batch 9000 - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

dgugliuzza

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 0z bottle into a snifter

Muddy dark brown in appearance with a thin layer of tan head. Not much retention to speak of as the head quickly fades away; however, this is not uncommon for an 18 month old high abv beer.

A blend of dark fruits and licorice followed by sweet malt. Molasses infused alcohol leaves a lasting impression. Some bitter oak also present. The aroma sure doesn't lack potency.

Wow, a burst of dark fruits and licorice followed by sticky sweet molasses. All very heavy and pronounced flavors. It's very sweet in the middle, but ends with a slow alcohol burn.

Thick and a bit oily on the tongue. Light carbonation and low creaminess. The incredible sweetness and strength make this one a sipper.

An overall fascinating beer that was clearly best suited for aging. It's very sweet, but not enough to detract from the others flavors. I would love to revisit once it hits the two year mark.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 03:02:15 | More by dgugliuzza

JCaweinstein

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with a yellowish white one finger head. It's unlike any color head I've seen but goes away rather quickly.
Strong and complex, licorice is most evident, dark fruit esters, more alcohol as it warms.
Licorice is again hard and upfront lots of malty sweetness. It's so sweet it seems like I'm drinking brandy instead of beer. I get almost no hops at all, the molases seems to push the sweetness over the edge for me.
Full bodied, cloyin sweetness and very hot, an unusual and interesting beer
I'm going to find another bottle of this and forget about it for awhile, as it's too sweet for me right now

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 21:28:38 | More by JCaweinstein

BeerAndBourbon

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I can't believe I have yet to review this beer! I put back a few 6 packs when it was fresh. Just found a sixer in my cellar so I decided to crack one to see how it's coming along.

Poured into my Bell's tulip at cellar temp.

A. Pours a deep black with no lightening at the edges. A small creamy cafe colored head rises up about 1/2 a finger width and leaves thick residual lacing on the glass.

S. Molasses is by far the strongest aroma coming off this thing. Notes of dark fruits - fig and raisin. Some vanilla notes with a background of rich roasted malt and nice caramel tones. As this one warms the molasses recedes a bit to make way for some milk chocolate character.

T. Lots of molasses sweetness upfront with licorice in the background. Caramel malt and lots of roasted malt are apparent with almost a touch of smokiness. Some dark chocolate bitterness on the end.

M. Fairly thick and syrupy with a big creamy carbonation that fills the mouth and keeps it from being overbearing.

D. Very drinkable for 12.5%. While I won't say the booziness is not there, it's not overwhelming. As I near the end of my glass I can definitely feel the alcohol though. This was one of my favorite batches; I'll revisit the rest of the sixer over the next year or so and (hopefully) update this review as appropriate.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 18:39:33 | More by BeerAndBourbon

mdaschaf

Washington

3.43/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Poured into a DFH signature glass, 9000 is a deep brown color with some ruby highlights when held up to the light. A small tan foamy head formed upon pouring and quickly reduced to a thin layer on top. Lacing forms all the way around the glass.

S: A whiff of alcohol hits right away, a bit surprising considering how long its been sitting, but then again it is a 12.5% beer. There is a bit of molasses, a lot of raisins, and some caramelized sugar.

T: Initially there is a burst of dark fruit flavor, mostly raisins and some fig, as well as a bit of alcohol. Through the midpalate, this transitions to a slightly roasted coffee and chocolate flavor. A very interesting transition. There is a bit of warmth as well.

M: Full bodied with mild carbonation. Somewhat creamy texture.

O: An interesting beer. The flavor combination caught me a bit by surprise. The booziness really kind of killed it for me. Looking forward to trying it again in a while to see if it died down at all.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2011 23:51:41 | More by mdaschaf

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.83/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brownish and hazy with a one finger head (despite a pretty rough pour) and fair lacing.

Dark and mid fruits, roasted malts, and sweetness, plus no shortage of alcohol make up the nose.

Taste is boldly sweet, tons of dark fruits, kind of syrupy, some woodiness, and some molasses.

Body is very heavy and the alcohol, despite the age of this bottle, is still noticeable, but not completely overpowering. Carbonation is low. It's heavy to drink and is definitely a slow sipper.

On the overall it somewhat reminds me of the batch 10,000 in that it is kind of busy, but this one is definitely better.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 19:18:58 | More by AlCaponeJunior

afdempse

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thick, viscous pour of opaque liquid. Color is very near black.

Aroma is vinous, with rather fruity maltiness and detectable alcohol. I can tell this one is strong just by smelling it.

The first sip confirms the aroma. Huge layers of thick and rich dark malts and fruits unfold, with molasses-like twangy sweetness and intense alcoholic warmth. Sweet and heavy on the palate, with caramel and burnt toffee notes. Perhaps some licorice at the end? Boozy. Dark fruits carry on in the finish for days...

Mouthfeel is thick and sweet, with low carbonation. It's like Kalamazoo Stout liqueur. A sipper for sure. I'd probably advise sharing this with someone just due to the intensity.

A very unique beer that I would recommend seeking out if you are a fan of beers that push the limit, flavor- and alcohol-wise.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 02:14:12 | More by afdempse

Gyle41386

South Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a snifter.

The pour is a nice dark brown with some reddish highlights. Not a whole lot in the head/lacing departments, which is a bit of a disappointment.

The nose is sweet and boozy. Lots of sweetness from molasses, licorice, vanilla, dark fruits...and then booze. Luckily, it doesn't taste nearly as boozy as it smells.

This beer tastes very sweet. Again, lots of molasses and licorice, and there's also a caramel-like sweetness. Could be brown sugar. I'm also picking up some raisin. There may be others, but they seem to just blend together.

Body is medium-full. Not a lot of carbonation, so it's a slick feel. I wouldn't go so far as to call it stout-like, but it's not far off. Amazing how easy this drinks for being 12.5%, especially considering how boozy it smells.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 06:26:27 | More by Gyle41386

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.85/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a Duvel tulip. Thanks to Thorpe429 for tossing this one my way as an extra a while back.

A: Deep, deep brown (effectively black) body underneath a lovely two fingers of dense dark tan head. Fantastic retention and lacing for such a strong beer. Very nice.

S: Pungent and powerful. Extremely sweet aroma of molasses, brown sugar, raisins, dates, dark chocolate, and intense (but reasonably well-integrated) booze. I'm not getting too much of the licorice, but that's all right by me: what's here is a dizzying mixture of stout and barleywine notes, and it's pretty great.

T: Molasses, solventy alcohol, brown sugar, dark fruits, and more booze. The finish is so hot that it almost feels more like whiskey than beer - wow that's boozy. Somehow, though, the heat and the sweetness complement each other in a symbiosis of ridiculous excess. Still, could be way better.

M: Thick, viscous, and oh-so-sticky. Plenty of creamy carbonation helps a lot, though.

O: It doesn't taste nearly as complex as it smells, and it's painfully alcoholic, but I'm still enjoying it. This is definitely not a beer for the faint of heart, as it drinks significantly hotter than, say, Dark Lord. Probably the best comparison I could come up with would be DFH World Wide Stout, but this is way better. I can't wait to see what a few more years do to my other bottle.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 00:39:35 | More by woosterbill

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Kite & Key in Philadelphia, PA.

Appearance - Dark brown body with an ample head. It's dark in the restaurant, so it's tough to get a good gauge. Looks appealing, though. Nice tan head.

Smell - Very fruity smell. Dark fruits and chocolate. Smells very nice, but there's a lot of booze to it.

Taste - Follows the smell. Tastes like chocolate covered raisins. It's very sweet, though. Kinda cloying. Interesting, but very sweet.

Mouthfeel - Thick and sweet, definitely a sipper. Tastes boozy as hell, too.

Overall - Interesting flavors, but delivered in a bucket of sugar and alcohol. Tough to put away one of these and I would not order a second.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2011 03:54:07 | More by Alieniloquium

OakedCanuck

Washington

3.7/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into tulip.

This beer pours a dark, swampy brown with hints of reddish edging. Minor head formation of light brown. The smell is quite sweet. Lots of candied sugars, molasses, vanilla. Strong presence of dark fruits.

As like the nose, heavy taste of dark fruits on the palate. Plums, raisins, currants and a LOT of dark cherries. The fruits are bolstered by the candied and brown sugars. Interesting and deep flavour profile.

M - Medium to heavy, VERY tacky

O - A big beer for sure. Strong flavours with lots of layers. The alcohol was extremely noticeable which hampered the drinkability a touch.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 18:47:30 | More by OakedCanuck

kmatlack

California

3.93/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A huge thanks to Kgristoff for sending me this beast of an ASA a while back. Glad i got to pop this open on a quiet, slow, Sunday afternoon. Poured at cellar temp into a large red wine glass.

A- A dark brown-black beer with a slight hazelnut-amber around the edges. Vigorous pour rendered a half finger khaki head that dissipated into the beer after about 30 seconds.

S- A ruthless molasses, malt, licorice onslaught dominates the nose of this one. The massive malts are followed by boozy notes and charred wood, leaving you with almond on the far back.

T- Greeted with huge sweet, almost tart malt flavors that brings you down into a pit of brown sugar, nutty, bready goodness. After it goes down you are left with molasses sweetness on the tongue and a warm belly full of alcohol. Truly an interesting taste.

M- Light on the carbonation, decent mouth feel, but a little light for the style i think.

O- Another fantastic Bell's Beer. Makes me want to brew an American Strong... Approach with caution and sip this one!

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2011 18:37:10 | More by kmatlack

yeahnatenelson

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to Jay for pulling this out of the cellar at random.

Appearance -- Pours a dark brown hue with chestnut highlights and a whispy beige head.

Smell -- Molasses sweetness, mild herbal/menthol hoppiness, faint woodsmoke, raw sugars, dark fruit. The complexity is pretty good for a strong ale.

Taste -- More molasses sweetness, anise, licorice, and some indefinable (for me) spice character. There is also some remaining hop bitterness, though not much. Beyond this, it tastes very muddled - lots of things going on at once but not things that are easily picked out, at mish-mash.

Mouthfeel -- Medium-full inbody with moderate carbonation. Feels good.

Overall -- Nice, but the flavors are somewhat muddled. Good overall, glad I got the opportunity to try it. Thanks, pal.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2011 05:03:06 | More by yeahnatenelson

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

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

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Duck Rabbit Snifter. A tiny sliver of tan foam formed on top of the dark, almost-black-but-still-brown body. The thin head vanished almost instantly; poor lacer.

The nose has lots of fermented fruits (plums, apples, dates) and licorice. There is something sweet in the background…molasses maybe?

Wow…the taste of this is very complex! Super sweet up front…lots of thick, raisin-like sugars. The middle finds the licorice and molasses detected in the nose. The finish brings the heat! Man, this is boozy, but in a very good (suspected) way.

The body is thick and clingy, makes your mouth water like all hell. Very little carbonation.

This is not for the faint of heart! Lots of complex flavors combined with a high alcohol kick make this a great beer…worth the experience!

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 22:58:47 | More by mgbickel

dubinsky

California

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle into a Deschutes snifter.

A - Pours like a flat coke. Very dark in color with red hues apparent as the light hits it pouring from the bottle. There is no head here with a faint tight bubble ring which forms around the perimeter of the glass.

S - Fairly faint compared to the last time i had it. I still get some dark candi sugar and molasses. I'm also getting hints of prunes and figs. Not boozy at all, rather subdued if you ask me.

T - Sweet! I'm mostly tasting sweet malts, brown sugar and surprisingly the same dark stone fruits i mentioned earlier. Some hints of molasses and tobacco are also present.

M - Fairly thick and oily with great carbonation for the style. This is a very sweet beer, and im having it as a dessert right now. The mouthfeel is thick and oily as it coats the tongue with a nice film of sweetness. The ABV is extremely well hidden but i feel it creeping up on me ever so slightly. I don't pick up the ABV as much as others have mentioned and that's perhaps attributed to the temperature im drinking this at. Its being consumed at about 43F.

O - I have had two of these beers before and this is the first time i have chosen to review it. Time has done this beer some serious justice. I was not very impressed the first times. It was way too hot and not balanced at all. I still find it very sweet but this is a great sipping brew now. Originally bottled 1/27/10, makes this beer over 1.5 years old. I'm grateful that i have two more in my cellar, cause i only see it getting better with time.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 03:20:46 | More by dubinsky

prototypic

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to hoppymeal for hooking me up with a six-pack of this one.

Batch 9,000 pours a very dark chocolate fudge color. It’s damn near opaque, save for faint burgundy highlights at the outermost edges. A dark tan collection of bubbles collected on the surface. They rose no further, and dissipated quickly. Lacing was very light and spotty.

The nose is good. Chocolate malts seem to be the base. It definitely smells sweet, but features some bittersweet notes as well. Dark fruits are prominent. Raisin and fig primarily. Molasses, roasted coffee, and black licorice are secondary. They complement the other scents nicely. Alcohol is blended well for 12.5%. It’s noticeable, but doesn’t smell nearly that strong. I’m actually amazed at how tame it smells.

The flavor is quite good. It is malty and very sweet. Chocolate malts are definitely large and in charge. A mix of sweet milk chocolate and bittersweet dark chocolate flavors makes for a nice base. It’s ultimately a little too sweet, but isn’t quite offensive. Raisin and fig are noted and add a tangy twist. A host of secondary flavors is present, including black licorice, roasted coffee, molasses, and vanilla add complexity and nice depth. Alcohol is blended extremely well or perhaps it’s just integrated nicely over the last year and a half. I’m not even getting any warmth. Finishes malty and sweet with just a touch of alcohol. It really has grown on me with each passing sip. Flavor score bumped.

The body is medium, but leans thick with warming. It feels nice and smooth. Carbonation is restrained. The bubbles feel very light. For a 12.5% stout, this stuff goes down surprisingly easy. Nonetheless, this stuff is big and deceptive. I’ll stick with a single bottle.

After about 18 months, Bell’s Batch 9,000 is maturing nicely. I had a bottle early on, and recall it being a little hot and uncontrolled. This bottle is quite different. The alcohol has integrated well and it isn’t warm at all. The flavor really is impressive if you’re not offended by its sweetness. Batch 9,000 is really good stuff. Crack one now or hang for a bit. It’s moving in a positive direction.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 03:46:48 | More by prototypic

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Once again, thanks Taturbo for the trade.

Appearance:
Incredibly dark ale with a thin caramel colored head. Light is not able to penetrate the darkness of this beer. I expect this type of darkness from a strong dark ale, but this beer almost leaves a light brown, oily coating on the inside walls of the glass.

Smell:
Intensely dark molasses sugars dominate this beer's aroma profile. I am reminded of a morning bowl of hot cereal sprinkled with melting brown sugar. Strong, potent alcohol gives a generous bite to my nostrils, but is still almost completely covered by the rich sugars.

Taste:
Strong sugars, tobacco, and bitter licorice. Dank and strong, this summarizes the definition of an extra strong american dark ale. There is definitely a lot of dark fruit hidden in every sip, but nothing obviously distinguishable. The alcohol strength that didn't come out in the nose is stinging with each sip.

Mouthfeel:
Sweet caramel that coats the palate, but is burned off by the 12.5%abv. This is a very fine ale, layered to create a deep, mysterious beverage that boarders on a barleywine in flavor. What is noticeable about this strong ale is the intense alcohol that literally burns as you drink, much stronger than most strong dark ales.

Overall:
This beer is definitely a bargain in regards to drinking a highly potent beer for cheap. For example, the same size bottle of dogfish, with an abv of 12.5%, would be at least double the price considering worldwide and 120 minute were almost $10 a piece. However, this beer limits your ability to drink more than a couple in a sitting because of how strong it is. I don't think I would try this beer on tap/with a meal on the basis that I wouldn't be able to leave for a while afterwords.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 23:13:59 | More by ThePorterSorter

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Chris' bottle

Black-brown colour, decent tan head, some lace, Smell is malty, roasty, coffee, anise, liquorice. Taste is malty with notes of liquorice, good roast, lots of malt, lightly sweet and quite nice. Good feel, lightly syrupy, good body, nice all around. Really good stuff, really enjoyed this, good drinkability for ABV, solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 21:59:05 | More by peensteen

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A great aroma, rich malt, roast. Black with a soapy brown head. A good mouthfeel, smooth toffee carmelish. Raisin and some dark chocolate, coffee in finish. Well balanced, any bitterness more than made up by the great malt complexity.
Understated carbonation. Gift from Chris.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 23:16:03 | More by northyorksammy

Janderson91

Alabama

4.43/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Extra sent by ottodyer so big thanks to him! Can't find what day it was bottled, something is wrong with the batch finder today. Enjoyed on 07/21/11.

A - Poured into a DFH snifter. Wow this thing is dark. Black with just hints of red coming in around the edges. A good looking one finger tan colored head forms and sticks around. A small head remains throughout, impressive for a beer of this strength. Leaves good lacing as well. A great looking beer.

S - Very complex. Milk chocolate, slight alcohol, dark fruits, licorice, vanilla. Similar to The Abyss without the barrel.

T - Rich is the best word to describe this one. So much going on. Some dark chocolate, light coffee, vanilla, licorice, maple syrup, sweet milk chocolate, just a hint of alcohol, and some dark fruits. Finishes with almost a light cherry flavor with some vanilla and chocolate on top. I love this.

M - Mouthfeel is quite good. Creamy as it should be but with just the right carbonation.

O - Overall, I was really surprised how good this beer is. One of the most enjoyable drinking experiences in recent memory. Maybe this acquired it's current rating from a lot of people rating it when it first came out, but I strongly urge people to give this one another shot. It has aged fantastically.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 19:02:37 | More by Janderson91

jayhawk73

Maryland

4.47/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks Matt!

A- Pours a dark black w/ a one finger chocolate head that quickly disappears. Nice lacing. A true black hole of a beer.

S- Smell is of rum soaked fruit, malt, slight tinge of alcohol. Beautiful nose- very balanced and pleasant.

T- Wow. Wonderful tasting beer. Alcohol makes its presence more known in the taste, but still a very smooth 12.5%. All the smells come out in the taste. Exceptional.

M- Like silk/syrup w/ a slight alcohol burn on the back end. Very nice.

O- Great beer that has obviously improved by putting several years on it. Highly recommended if you can find one.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 23:41:22 | More by jayhawk73

robwestcott

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

cold from the tap at Fridays, terre haute pitch black to a Bell's 12oz snifter with a frothy, long lasting, tan head leaving a good bit of lace to the rim.

giving this one another chance after a 14 month wait. wasn't crazy about it fresh from the bottle, but after nearly 18 months and finding it on tap, i thought best not to pass on it... we'll see.

aroma of syrupy, dark molasses, and dark fruits.

this one's still a serious licorice monster. it's settled down quite a bit in a year and a half and is far less hot, but it remains an homage to thick, black, strong licorice.

big bodied, creamy smooth, super sweet.

overall - better than fresh bottled, serious sipper. be careful.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2011 22:43:23 | More by robwestcott

mdwalsh

Iowa

4.18/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours solid black with a less than one finger tan head. A well lit inspection shows coloring in the red part of the spectrum deep inside. Nice character.

S: This is strong aroma. Molassas and burnt fruit are strong, cooked apples and plums and the like. Some light coffee like aromas, almost frappe in nature. Retro-olfactory (breathing out through the nose after drinking) notes are in the tobacco family, very cigar like

D: Rich, with many of the same flavors as aroma, though the coffee comes through a little harder on the finish.The more I drink, the more I taste the cigar coming through, almost like a swisher sweet. Slightly cloying, but leathery and smokey too. The cooked fruit doesn't come through nearly as much in the taste. I'm really liking this because while it's sweet, it's not overpowering. This is a great snifter beer for slowly sipping.

M: A little syrupy, could use a little more carbonation, I've had beers with similar taste profiles and ABVs not be nearly so syrupy

D: As I said, a great sipper.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 02:53:34 | More by mdwalsh

CooperEllis

New York

3.93/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From skawars1, cheers!

12oz into Duvel snifter.

I understand the purpose of reviews, but in this one limited instance I think it's ok to read the bottle's label and be done with it:

"brewed with molasses and brewer's licorice."

That covers 90% of the smell and tast here. There is a very nice roast malt component as well. The color of this is deep, portions run brown into black. There is a bit of thin lacing/bubbles across the top.

Interestingly there is a lot of color striation when this gets thinner there is a lot of red in the coloring.

The mouthfeel is very solid, clean up front, very full through the middle and crisp for the style and the amount of sweetness in the nose and with the molasses in the taste.

I think that a bit more booze here would help. Some obvious booze notes up front would help with the growing cloying sweetness and at the back end would make the crispness pop. Never had this before so don't want to say 'going down hill' but I will say that if this gets less boozy down the road, I'll enjoy it less.

(131st)

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 03:32:01 | More by CooperEllis

Wadsey

Indiana

3.1/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bell's Batch 9000

Served in DFH signature glass. 

A: The beer initially looks dark brown, but closer inspection reveals purple highlights, almost the color a red dessert wine. Head, lacing and effervescence are negligible. 

S: Chockfull of crystal malts: raisins, prunes and port-like aroma. Alcohol and acetone play secondary roles in smell. Additional smells include caramel, soy sauce and a faint hint of roast. 

T: The taste follows the smell fairly closely. Very sweet throughout tasting experience, but it works well with other flavors. Quite vinuous; in fact, like a fortified wine. It is not very refined.  The soy sauce note gets in the way. 

M: Big body and medium-light carbonation. Warming and drying. 

O: Bell's Batch 9000 was clearly brewed with long-term cellaring in mind. With that said, I think this is too young. I will revisit it in November or December of 2012. Hopefully it will have evolved enough to join the ranks of vintaged JW Lees, Thomas Hardy Ale and Samichlaus. 

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 03:07:45 | More by Wadsey

thagr81us

South Carolina

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

Served from bottle into a Green Man snifter. Poured a massively dark brown with a minimal light brown head. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, dark fruit, alcohol, and maple syrup. The flavor was of sweet malt, maple syrup, wood, and sweet alcohol. It had a heavy feel on the palate with mild carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. I was honestly expecting this one to be an absolute trainwreck going into it. However it was actually quite nice. It was still very sweet forward on both the aroma and flavor but was still good. The aroma was a little off-putting though as it was VERY sweet. Definitely worth trying for sure but doubt I could drink a few of these in one sitting due to the sweetness aspect.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 13:15:48 | More by thagr81us