Traverse City Cherry Third Coast Old Ale
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store

 

On tap at Basin Pub in Bushnell's Basin, NY.

This one pours a light reddish-brown, completely clear and surprisingly light-looking, with a small head, and no lacing.

This smells like sweet cherry juice, brown sugar, dark crustiness, and toffee.

The barrel isn't incredibly strong here- I get some light dry oak, but no real bourbon or vanillin notes. The cherry flavor is definitely quite out front here, but it doesn't get medicinal- it's delicious, juicy, and reminiscent of cherry pie. The old ale background- brown sugar, dark breadiness, and caramel, kind of reminds of an overfilled cherry pie, sorta.

This is light bodied, fairly clean- doesn't feel as rich as the regular Third Coast- maybe the cherries thinned it out?

This is an interesting beer, but I'd like more integration between the cherries and the base. I'd also like a bit more of an expressive barrel presence.

Served on tap, 7 oz pour. Brownish garnet in color, with a small film of bubbles floating on top. Aromas of booze, oak, and cherry. Flavor is very much Third Coast with more pronounced notes of oak and booze, and cherry underneath. While quite enjoyable, I wouldn't mind a bit more cherry flavor to make it a bigger differentiator.

 

Savored from the growler via Jungle Jim's Eastgate in a snifter. This FINE
old ale pours a rugged ruby tinged dark brown sugar color with a moderate head
of off white foam that fades to a thin ring, thin light pool, and features light lacing.
Nose of cherries, strong booze, light bourbon notes, brown sugars, and cherries.
Flavors follow but exceed by strength with brown sugars awash in cherries and light bourbon
notes with subtle vanilla and light oak notes blending nicely with fig and date flavors of the
old ale with a touch of prunes and light herbal hops. Excellent mouth feel; warming smooth
medium body, light carbonation, and a sweet caramel dipped cherry finish.

Overall, an excellent old ale.

Of suggestion----might I humbly say an apple and brandy barrel or rum barrel
version would be a nice addition to the family of this fine series of ales.

Cheers