Eccentric Ale 2004
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got a bottle of this rarity from Nephilium in the Virgin BIF a LONG time back. Thanks, Marty.

Side by side with the 2006 Eccentric, this beer appears a lighter shade, a more ruby red than a brown, with a this soapy head that recedes to a ring very quickly. Rather muddy, this isn't particularly attractive.

Ass all the Eccentric Ales the same base beer? I'm immediately struck by the similarities with a big spruce and juniper character, along with the prominent spice character.The combination of juniper and coriander makes makes me think of a pungent gruit. A strong undercurrent of sweetness is present with dark caramel, a little chocolate syrup, and floral honey. Alcohol is noticeable too. I have to say the nose is confusing.

Seriously, what was Larry going for? This is almost as unpalatable as the 2006 version. Opening with a moderate spice astringency, I again get a lot of spruce and juniper berries, which in conjunction with the spices makes this rather unpleasant. Definitely sweet, there is a ton of maple, brown sugar and caramel. This really is like an over the top Anchor OSA. Moderate floral honey is present. Bitter on the finish with a moderate sweetness.Full in body with low carbonation, this beer is another disappointment. I do like it a hair more than the 2006, though

12oz bottle acquired in trade with SuIIy (thanks!).

Poured a deep and murky brown with almost no head at all. Lots of floaters. Aromas of spices, soy sauce, toasted malts, caramel, and brown sugar. I swear I'm also getting bourbon and wood - almost to the point that if you gave this to me, I'd guess it was a bourbon, barreled aged beer. Tastes of alcohol, lots of spices (ginger, coriander, and lots more), wood, caramel, brown sugar, and some dark fruitiness. Flat body. Very different and Eccentric sums it up very well. Definitely stands out against the recent spiced/herb/vegetable beers I've been going through.

Notes from 5/20/08

Appearance: Arrives at the table with a dark brown color and a tan head that shards the glass with lace

Smell: Caramel, pumpkin and coriander/clove aroma

Taste: Rich pumpkin and caramel flavor with spices up front; after the swallow, a bitter and herbacious flavor emerges and lasts through the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to thick body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Truly eccentric with a whole range of unusual flavors

Originally reviewed on November 27, 2006. 2004 bottle. Batch 6714. Sweet candied ginger and bright licorice root, grated over a bowl of fennel seeds, with more deep sugars in the aroma. The fresh grated ginger keep coming, from a nice fresh root. There’s some faint edges of smoke, with woody kicks along the way, maybe in toasted hickory. Pour is a nice orange sienna, deep, with a creamy rim of orangey tan. Flavor continues with incredible ginger character, from freshly grated whole root to nicely crystallized pieces to sugared bits embedded in dark chocolate. Dry oaky and heavily caramelized. In the middle, some intermingling of brandied apricot and barrel-like rum, with tints of Tahitian vanilla bean, skin only. There’s some faint wasps of celery seed far in the back. The honey and maple syrup add incredible depth and long lasting effects through residual sugars. They really don’t turn this into pancake syrup, instead blending to perfection. Backend has a ton of nicely balancing hops for all that sugar sweetness. The hops are seemingly only present in the back, with their flavors popping up there as opposed to the forward. In the backend, the hop flavor mingles with an intriguing combo of both the citrus and pine american end of things and the dryer grassy english character. A deft use of hops. A little piney resin leads into the most amazing smack I can remember. Oh and the alcohol, nicely subdued, really. The smack contains plenty of dusky spice aroma with unexplained origins. Crazy. I feel a real attraction to the earth through this brew, as the cacophony of spice and sugar and hop blend to make the most incredibly grounding of concoctions. There’s fresh spring sugar maple bark, clover honey comb, grassy fresh herbs, edges of ground, all written in a bowl of emaciated fruits. Awesome.

On-tap at Maduro here in Madison for the Bell's pre-Great Taste party back in August.

Pour: nearly opaque deep mahogany/burgundy/chocolate brown under a sparse skim of khaki cream in a standard wine glass.

Nose: intense tropical fruit nectars of guava, passion fruit and pineapple, rich caramels and toffees and faint tobacco hops. Some booze emerges as it warms.

Taste: rich and sweet up front with the potent fruit syrups found in the nose, molasses and toasted caramels in the finish. Dry tobacco hops finish with ephemeral booze as it warms.

Feel: dense, smooth and slick with superfine carbonation. Liquid satin.

Drinkability/Overall: A phenomenally tasty and unique beer experience. Certainly a sweet and fruity concoction that's not for everyone, but a great balance of fruit and caramel developments. Great drinkability for the depth of flavor.

on tap at Maduro for the Bell's "Pre-Great Taste" party

appearance: I ordered this first and really didn't even know what it was...it came to me in a tulip glass so I immediately figured it would be something extravagant...deep and dark plum body, minimum khaki body with no retention

smell: lots of dark fruit, raisin, plum, boozy, cinnamon, molasses, honey, dark berry...very interesting

taste: hmm, what complexity! booze covered dark cherry, plum, raisin, big cinnamon kick (though no cinnamon used in brewing)...I could not seem to escape nightmares of nights with too much jagermeister as this brew had a distant yet notable similarity, dark berry, no hop presence to note. Its very interesting but I don't really need to have any more of this

mouthfeel: syrupy and big bodied, low carbonation

drinkability: a bit tough for me

On tap at Maduro during the Bell’s Great Taste Pre-Party. After my 6th glass, I asked several folks who purported to work for Bell’s, “What is in this beer?” They made me guess and after I had gone through about 47 “is this in it or is that in it’s,” I gave up and decided that this frenziedly bizarre brew must have been made from nothing. The wonderful Mr. Bell simply took a few hectoliters of water, tapped his wand, and in an act of brewing mirabilis this water became a beer with more diversity and complexity of flavor then any that had come before. I simply adore it.

Poured into a long stem white wine glass a wretched plum with a dark mocha froth.

Aroma is spicy booze, tropical, distinctive papaya or guava, herbs such as thyme, dark rotten plums, honey sweetness, onions, and molasses.

Spicy flavor with plenty of Mediterranean herbs, cardamom sweetness, and cinnamon. Very sweet in a faro like way and syrupy in a bourbon barrel aged sort of way. Wine like plum/cherry elements. Potatoes and onions with maple syrup gravy. Aforementioned tropical fruits. Northern dark fruits including strong mulberry and blackberry flavors that add to the faro like flavor characteristics. Grilled chicken.

Mouthfeel: Varying. Mouthwrapping sugary sweetness and mild strength. Generally sweet with only subtle bitterness that seems to come from unripened fruit rather than hops. Syrupy to a light degree. Finish has a light honey sweetness. Rich and full bodied.

Drinkability: Outstanding. This sort of intensely rich sweetness is right up my ally. I could sip on this all day long.

Just a wonderful and highly unique beer.

appearance: The beer is very dark in color with hints of purple, and the head is a dark mocha color.

smell: On the nose I find notes of cola, sasafrass or some similar spicy root, a touch of cinnamon stick, teriyaki, guarana berry, mullberry and blackberry, a big sugary aroma, dark roasted grains, and maybe even some pinapple and coconut. No hop aroma is noticeable.

mouthfeel: low carbonation and a heavy body

taste: Teriyaki and guarana and other berries on the tongue. The flavor is very sweet with a light bitterness. Some dry roasted malts are found in the background. Little hop flavor is found.

drinkability: a ridiculously interesting and complex easy sipper

Bell's Great Taste pre-party at Maduro

Bottle provided by deejaydan as part of BIF33. I wasn't aware that this beer had been made in a year other than 2003. Looks like the recipe is different, too. I'm eager to give this one a chance...thanks for the opportunity! Batch 6714.

Hard pour gets almost nothing. The little that formed disappeared in moments. This beer is murky blah-brown (oranged). To light it's still murky blah-brown. Smells sherry oxidation, oranges, brown sugar. Oranges, menthol, peppery spice.

Tastes sweet. Caramel, piney, sour, oxidized. Similar to the 2003, but not as dry or as soured-caramel (some describe as sherry-like oxidation). Still quite sherry-like, but not quite so dry. Woody, peppery alc sting, parsley from a stale spice rack. Syrupy thick mouthfeel with almost no carbonation. The little carbonation that exists mixes with the alcohol in a none-to-pleasant way. The swallow produces a potent burst of leather and rolled cigar...but mixed with a malt sweetness. Nice recovery from what would be an otherwise total loss. Wait a minute. I've just come to understand something. Okay, I think I finally 'get' beers of this character. Caramel and apricot esters. Goodness, I can see beyond the soured sherry oxidation! Dang...only two sips left. Epiphany moment? I can't wait to see.

12oz bottle obtained via trade with CRJMellor. Thanks for the opportunity... 2004 bottling. "Brewed with natural flavors with honey and maple syrup added." The Batch ID that you entered '6714', is a Bell's Eccentric Ale 2004. Your Bell's Eccentric Ale 2004 was packaged on January 17, 2005.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed 1/4" tan head over the murky reddish amber brew. Average lacing. Aroma is heavily of sweet malts, with touches of alcohol. Taste starts with sweet malts, giving way to ample bitterness, with a closing alcohol warmth. Mouthfeel and drinkabilty are pretty good as well, for the strength of this beer. Liked this vintage beer than last years, but still not sold on the whole concept, I guess.

2004 vintage Eccentric Ale packaged on January 17, 2005. Served in a snifter at my desk on March 7, 2006.

The beer arrives a dark and thick brown and exhibits minimal head as it swirls into the glass.

The moderately carbonated beverage gives off high octane fumes that call to mind the pollen laden anthers of a hundred deeply scented lilacs.

Celery salt and saffron ride the crest of a wave built of honey and alcohol. Maple syrup is interlaced throughout.

This beer shares its warm feelings as it journeys through mouth and throat before settling into its cozy new home.

"The discerning eye of Larry" earns another home run with this one.