Bell's Eccentric Ale 2009 (Released 2010) - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

ucis

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +20.6%

01-17-2012 02:07:31 | More by ucis

InspectorBob

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

05-20-2013 14:21:44 | More by InspectorBob

dfillius

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

04-07-2013 11:53:42 | More by dfillius

sliks96

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

01-21-2013 01:53:51 | More by sliks96

kevanb

Illinois

2.8/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle poured into a Bell's tulip.

Bell's Eccentric Ale (2010)

The beer pours a very deep brown, borderline black color, very opaque with a nice thick cloudy tan colored head, about a finger and a half high that has nice retention and leaves behind a nice amount of soapy lacing. The aroma is very spice laden, nutmeg, allspice, lots of peppercorn with some rich dark grain and sweet maple with a a sharp alcohol finish. It's not overly complex and somewhat off putting, not sure the spicing really melds that well and the maple seems somewhat out of place as well. The flavors a bit harder to handle, rich, sweet, grainy malt, zesty peppercorn, sweet maple, a lot of dark bark laden wood and sharp alcohol. Molasses, ashy leather and bitter tobacco are also present but nothing seems to blend together or compliment each other in any way, it's a big mess really. The body is nice though, smooth and rich and does help this beer out, medium carbonation is spot on and it has a nice smooth full finish.

Verdict: A really big mess of a beer, all over the place and lacking any sense of cohesion. The idea behind this season is wonderful, but this releases execution is a bit of a fail.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 02:01:00 | More by kevanb

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.23/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks goes out to BRoss242 for sharing this one as soon as I got to his house from the airport in New Orleans! Served from bottle into a Unibroue Ephemere tulip. Poured red-brown with a minimal off-white head. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, maple syrup, dark fruit, honey, plum, sweet alcohol, caramel, and pepper. The flavor was of sweet malt, sweet alcohol, fruit, dark fruit, honey, caramel, and pepper. It had a light feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a fairly decent brew. There was just something off on this one if I am honest. I really went into this one expecting it to be quite good based on the aroma I first got off of it. However, there just seemed to be quite a bit of booziness lingering after these few years that really hurt the balance of this brew by completely dominating any subtle flavors going on. While there was a lot going on it really just felt that a lot of it was clashing rather than working in unison. Glad I got to try this one, but doubt I would go out of my way to do so again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 16:27:57 | More by thagr81us

russwbeck

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer pours out of the bottle semi-clear and brown in color, but rests in the glass a deep brown with a few fingers of creamy light brown head. The retention is great, and the head leaves a thick coating of lacing behind.

S: Roasted malts, rich maple syrup, molasses. Deep, sweet, and roasty.

T: The taste is mellowed and blended nicely. I was really expecting too much maple syrup, or too much sweetness. This beer is full of syrup and is sweet and thick. Roast comes from the malts. The spices aren't really noted all that much for me, but the alcohol content is nonexistent. The other big flavors have curbed it nicely.

MF: Thick and heavy with a lower than average carbonation. The body matches what I expected out of an aged Strong Ale. It is very drinkable with the alcohol so well hidden, leaving only a slight burn on the palate well after the beer has gone.

O: This was a really nice, above average American Strong Ale, but it wasn't anything too special. Hawberry Syrup is not something I'm familiar with, I'll have to try it!

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 00:41:48 | More by russwbeck

HuskyinPDX

Washington

2.65/5  rDev -29%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pulled this one out of the cellar on 8.6.12.

A - Pours a medium brown-amber with a one inch foamy light brown head.

S - Sweet, over ripie dark fruit, slightly oxidized.

T - Sweet dark fruity, metal-wet cardboard. Oxidized :(

D - Ok carbonation, medium body.

O - I guess I missed this one, or atleast this bottle. Way past it's prime.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 06:03:45 | More by HuskyinPDX

bsuedekum

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +13.9%

05-31-2012 01:23:45 | More by bsuedekum

cosmicevan

New York

2.88/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

huge thanks to waltonc for hitting this want! enjoyed from a bell's tulip.

a - popped the cap and filled my glass, the brew poured a murky brown that settled as a deep purple black with a generous frothy lattechino type of creamy head. as the head pfted into nothingness, large foamy chunks clung to the glass.

s - very eccentric. spicey malts with some syrup. spoiled caramel. there is a vanilla presence but it is off...kind of like wet cardboard.

t - WHOA. that's eccentric. it is a medley of flavors. syrup...kind of barleywine like. finishes with some bitterness, alcohol is massively hot (and i tend to prefer boozy beers). complex fruit medley of hodgepodge mix of fruits that don't necessarily play nice with each other. grapes and apples and sour grapefruit with some pineapple and...kind of like when you were little and you would mix up concoction of whatever was available to you.

m - boozy and thick with a bitter finish. definitely different.

o - i always say that bell's doesn't make a bad beer and although my scores to reflect that of an excellent beer, this beer is truth in advertising. it *is* eccentric. i wonder what this was like fresh. the flavors seem to wash over each other leaving a bit of confusion on my taste buds. the booze is hot. i love bell's, but when talking american strong ales, nothing holds a candle to batch 9k (that i've tried thus far). this beer is definitely worth a taste as you'll likely not find much of anything like it anywhere. at first i felt that i wouldn't get through the bottle, but with any and all 12%+ beers, as i sipped it i found myself digging it more and more.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 01:31:43 | More by cosmicevan

Sean9689

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, vintage 2009. Poured into Darkness tulip.

A - Pours a darker brown color, off-white colored head, thin collar.

S - Sweet malts, brown sugar, molasses, and light roast. The 12% is detectable on the nose, but not overpowering, which is nice.

T - Similar to the nose. Malts, brown sugar, roast, caramel. The alcohol is hidden more on the palate compared to the nose, which is nice. There's a light burn up front, the but sweetness overtakes it pretty quickly. Finish is sweet burnt sugars with light roast.

M - Medium, soft carbonation, creamy finish.

O - Not too bad. The alcohol has cooled off a bit with the age, and the sweetness compliments the alcohol burn pretty well. I would definitely drink this one again but wouldn't actively search out more of this. Decent.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 16:30:23 | More by Sean9689

decadance

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

01-09-2012 07:26:07 | More by decadance

TasteTester

Ohio

4/5  rDev +7.2%

12-17-2011 00:14:05 | More by TasteTester

kzoobrew

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review input from notes, no date indicated on notes. Probably from Sept/Oct.

Poured into snifter, even with a strong pour there is minimal head produce. The dark khaki head fades rather quickly leaving spotty lacing. The body is a deep brown, closing in on black.

Once you have enjoy Eccentric Ale you notice there are distinct similarities between all the Eccentric Ale. This is an Eccentric Ale aroma. Big, deep malt sweetness oozes from the glass. Molasses, burnt sugars and dark fruits. Loads of dark sweetness.

The flavor is just as dark, rich and sweet as the nose led on. Bits of chocolate, molasses and licorice up front. There is a certain syrupy sweetness, you know it is maple from the label but the maple does not jump out at you. There is a bit more bitterness than expected, really helps balance the deep sweetness.

Full bodied strong ale. The carbonation is relatively low. Texture is viscous and a bit syrupy. I am usually not a fan of this sort of feel in a beer, maybe it is familiarity but it works for this beer.

Eccentric Ale is well, rather eccentric. These beers are unlike anything else on the market. Big beer, big flavor really limits the amount of Eccentric session people take part in. Fun beer, enjoyable on occasion. Worth checking out if you have not before.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 03:48:52 | More by kzoobrew

imperialking

Illinois

4/5  rDev +7.2%

11-17-2011 23:36:32 | More by imperialking

kkrez

Colorado

5/5  rDev +34%

11-14-2011 22:40:21 | More by kkrez

DrDoitchbig

Michigan

4/5  rDev +7.2%

11-14-2011 08:56:33 | More by DrDoitchbig

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed about a week ago, from notes. Sent from FourKicks in a trade. From the label, brewed with spices, maple syrup, and hawberry syrup.

Pours just about black, no light getting through. Tan head retains nicely as a good cap leaving some lacing.

Smells much like many stouts and old ales. Stale caramel, some nutty and roasted malt, dark fruit. Maybe a hint of maple with warmth.

Taste is the same, mostly reminds me of an old ale. Big sweet caramel and dark fruit, though the sweetness isn't cloying. A general mocha feel. None of the listed ingredients are noticeable except the still-present hint of maple. Perhaps just faded with age.

Big syrupy mouthfeel with surprisingly ample carbonation. A bit hot but not bad for the ABV.

Was hoping for more from the advertised ingredient list, but this was better than expected. Good all around.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 01:00:53 | More by Chico1985

mwa423

Ohio

4.85/5  rDev +30%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Received from a guy who works at Bell's at DLD, I forget your name, but I am thrilled to finally get to try this! Thanks!

A - Pours a clear/dark amber ruby color with a thick fluffy beige head that left a thick lacing all the way down the glass.

S - Very thick aroma with a strong sweetness with malt, dark and sweet dry fruit and a nuttiness that reminds me of almond and honey roasted peanut. The alcohol is obvious but not overbearing.

T - The first and most obvious taste is alcohol. Thick, mouth attacking alcohol like a strong port might give you. In spite of the strong alcohol taste, there is a fruity and complicated sweetness that reminds me of fig and plum. The taste is harsh, different and really quite interesting.

M - The mouthfeel is harsh (which is to be expected from a 12% beer) but only on the tongue and actually smooth on the tongue (an oxymoron I know..just part of the eccentricity)

Overall, a fantastic beer I feel lucky to have been able to try. The type of special and complex beer that Bell's is known for.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 00:14:19 | More by mwa423

augustgarage

California

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

Thanks to ShogoKawada for the weirdness. Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Drie Fonteinen tumbler.

Dark sienna body with faint auburn highlights; otherwise opaque. A finger of creamy, pale, rosy, cinereous foam recedes as it becomes denser. Decent retention. Pasty slow moving lacing, rimmed by delicate legs.

Pleasant melanoidins from malt, with hints of cocoa, lavender, and vague floral notes in the nose. A lasting berry-like fruitiness is detectable as well.

Almost acrid bitterness from roast in the palate entry, leading into a slow-developing cedar/brick flavor. Hints of coffee, hops and haw-flakes emerge mid-palate. The finish is dark and extremely dry. The maple is hard to locate, and it seems to have been used more for attenuation than flavor. Loam, paper (not cardboard), and river stones in the aftertaste.

Full-bodied, creamy, substantial mouthfeel, with modest but persistent carbonation. ABV is actually well integrated.

An oddity for sure, but the flavor is surprisingly one-dimensional. Worth trying, but doubt I would seek it out again.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 06:03:37 | More by augustgarage

gregshead

California

2.98/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Reviewed on 3/9/11. Reviewed from notes:

A: Pours a thin dark brown/black with a small amount of head

S: Whoa (blossom style whoa here). Lots of sweet dark fruity esters. Plums and figs come to mind. Very quad like in smell.

T: Lots of dark fruity taste in the the beginning and middle but the end is just harsh. A pretty strong boozy taste in the finish.

M: good carb and light on the feel.

O: This one is really strong and not in the way I want strong to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 06:36:53 | More by gregshead

Bendurgin

Maine

3.85/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Another goodie from Grant. Thanks again! Poured into a tumbler. Pours a dark cola colored brown with just a thin layer of khaki head that settles down right away. This simply looks robust and full.

Spicy aroma with notes of very bitter espresso with a sweet brown sugar scent underlying everything. Can really taste the maple syrup on this. Bitter sweet to finish this. Has espresso and nutty characterstics. Reminds me of a really strong brown ale.

Good feel on this. Nice full body, creamy feel and sofr carbonation. This is a really heavy beer, it's think it's a solid and unique effort but it's heavy.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2011 13:52:46 | More by Bendurgin

gford217

Georgia

3.7/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks, of course, to Derek for this one.

Pours really really dark chocolate brown, not far from stout territory, with a thick beige head that sticks around as a thin cap and leaves some sticky legs on the sides.

The aroma is like a slightly spiced English barleywine or old ale. It's got some thick syrup, caramel and toffee sweetness which is mixed with the interesting spiciness and dark fruits. Strong aroma on this one.

The taste is more of the same - really big and boozy. It's got the sweet syrup and caramel malt backbone with a spiced fruit flavor as well as a healthy earthy hop bitterness. It's slightly medicinal to be honest with a lot of heat in the finish.

The mouthfeel is bitter and sticky with syrup and hops on the palate.

This is one of those 'kitchen sink' beers where there is just a ton of different flavors and ingredients that don't exactly come together perfectly. That said, I enjoyed it, but it's a sipper to be sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 03:25:06 | More by gford217

homebrew311

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed at the Eccentric Cafe during recent Michigan trip.

A: dark amber/brown with ruby undertones and a thick appearance. Zero head and zero lacing.

S: very interesting aroma, starts out with a nice grain profile similar to grape nuts. This is followed by some maple and licorice. Lots going on here. Some Sprucey chararcter on the end.

T: in your face sweetness up front, some nice bold earthy notes with lots of licorice and molasses. It seems like there is something other than hops providing bitterness here. Nearly too sweet.

MF: thick body, syrupy

D: this is a lot to take in and is a definite sipper. Lots of interesting things going on. Worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2011 06:41:57 | More by homebrew311

jrallen34

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the Cafe, drank from a 5oz tasting glass...Dark brown, almost liquid black with a hint of purple. Glassy, sorta clear. Looks great. The head is dark tan with great retention...The aroma is interesting, sweet hops but in a good sense. Maple syrup, and spices come in as well, a touch sweet but good...The taste doesn't work for me, even though its mostly on the nose. Sweet hops but there is a ton of alcohol, and the hops come through with a bitter finish. The mouthfeel is weird, carbonated but hot.

This is ok, probably needs some more time.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2011 00:05:08 | More by jrallen34