Batch 9,000
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store

Batch 9,000Batch 9,000
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From:
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Strong Ale
ABV:
12.5%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.03 | pDev: 13.15%
Reviews:
545
Ratings:
926
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 19, 2023
Added:
Jan 29, 2010
Wants:
  88
Gots:
  246
"Black, dense, and rich, this is a great ale for the cellar."
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mondegreen:
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Reviewed by mondegreen from Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
On-Tap at Trappeze in Athens, GA.

I missed this one at the local bottle shop. I heard it was at Trappeze, so I made a point to get by there after work on Friday to give it a go.

As I was grabbing a seat, the waitress offered me a menu. "No thanks, Bell's 9000, please," I said. She smiled knowingly and told me it would be just a second. A minute later she pulls a beautiful goblet of beer from the tap and slides it to me. She checks in after my first few sips, "Is it everything you were hoping for?" she asks. "Excellent," I reply.

Damn, guess I was kinda transparent.

A: Nearly black. A slightly brown tone with garnet highlights in the sunshine. A fluffy white recedes to nothing fairly quickly.

S: A potent, sweet smelling brew. The molasses is the first thing that hits me. Dark fruits and licorice in there, too. Very nice smelling.

T: My best description is that this beer has the best qualities of a barleywine mixed with some stout characteristics. The sweetness and alcohol hits you over the head like a barleywine. This is a very, very hot beer. I love boozy beers, so it's right up my alley, but I would love to have a few of these to rest in the cellar for a few years. To go along with the sweetness, there is a backbone that reminds me of a stout. Masterful flavor.

M: Wonderful body to carry the 12.5%. Mouthfeel is heavenly.

D: It's a really big beer. I could drink them as long as I am vertical, but hey, I love the heat. If you're not as tolerant, this might be a one and done. As it stands, I give it high scores all around.
Mar 19, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.05 by nataku00 from California

Mar 19, 2023
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Reviewed by nklatt from Minnesota

4.89/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
The fifth bottle of my six-pack, definitely the best one yet. Was nervous when it was a little chunky at the end of the pour but flavor is at eleven. Dark as a black hole, very little head, aroma amazing, mouthfeel slightly syrupy, so many flavors. Mmmaaarrggllll…
Dec 16, 2022
 
Rated: 4.88 by milk93rd from Virginia

Dec 14, 2022
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.6/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Trying for the first time 11 years after bottling. Still a nice hiss when the cap is popped. Pours motor oil black with little head. Looks perfect! I immediately think of sherry/port when I first sniff this one. Lots of figs and dates. Black licorice is definitely raising its hand. Blackstrap molasses, a bit of honey, a whiff of pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, and a hint of french roast coffee beans. Of all the notes, the molasses screams the loudest. The taste is super intense, balanced, and smooth. Follows the nose really nicely, with intense notes of molasses, dark chocolate, sherry, red wine, prunes, walnuts, pecans, blackberries, and an oak bitterness on the back end. However, there is also a sherry sweetness mixed in at the end as well. This is beyond outstanding, and has aged beautifully. The mouthfeel is thick and creamy. Coats and the mouth and sticks around for a LONG time. What a lovely beer to both smell and sip on.
Sep 07, 2021
 
Rated: 3.96 by SMH_NWI from Texas

Oct 06, 2019
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Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.62/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12oz bottle poured into a snifter
9 1/2 year old bottle

A- pours dark brown with a one-finger thick and creamy dark tan head that has great retention long after the pour

S- an array of dark fruit, raisin, plumb, fig, black cherry. Molasses, brown sugar, black licorice, caramel, Christmas cake

T- dark fruit initially, with a big hit of prune, followed by raisin and cherries. Mid-palate brings out sweet molasses, caramel & toffee, rum soaked cherries, fruit cake. The finish continues with the cherry notes, and lingers of plumb, caramel and port

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that continues into a silky warming finish

O- I didn’t have this fresh, but at nearly 10 years old, this is fantastic
Sep 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by Griffith from Connecticut

Jun 07, 2019
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Reviewed by YonderBrew from Ohio

4.66/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
This had been in my fridge seven or eight years.

Poured into a snifter. Minimal head retention. Dark brown, almost black.

Rich and complex. Boozy, but not harsh. Outstanding mouth feel.

Bell's needs to bring this one back.
May 20, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by c-rum from Missouri

Jan 13, 2019
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Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

4.4/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This one pours a fairly dark brown color, with a small head, and no lacing.

This smells like leather, chocolate, caramel, oxidation, smoke, molasses and dark fruits.

This is quite the blast from the past. It's aged exceptionally well- there's only a slight touch of oxidation, and it's not the cardboard type of oxidation. It's just the slightly stale sherry wine type of oxidation, which works pleasantly here. There's some very light smoke, and tons of caramel/toffee/molasses malt goodness. There's a nice vanilla creaminess too.

This is medium bodied, and very drinkable, despite the age. The booziness is basically completely subsided. It's quite creamy.

I never thought I'd be able to try this beer. I'm pleased to report that it's aged quite well.
Dec 16, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by StormAles from Canada (ON)

Sep 26, 2018
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Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania

4.46/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Dogfish Head tulip. 8 year old beer... here goes.

L: Cloudy dark, dark mahogany pour... nearly black. Thin brownish head. Falls fast... thin rim of lacing.

S: BIG! Rich and sugary... sweet... caramel, molasses, plum, and burned raisin.

T/F: Sweet caramel and molasses. Brown sugar, dark fruits (plum, fig, raisin), complex.... a bit of spice... licorice in the background. Rich and full... super sticky and coats the tongue. The finish is dark fruit and spice. Hides the ABV dangerously. Low carbonation.

O: Just awesome. I didn't have this when it came out, but after 8 years in the cellar this beer is 100% delicious. Love this... and glad I have a few more. A perfect cold winter/dessert sipper.
Apr 17, 2018
 
Rated: 4.46 by atone315 from Wisconsin

Apr 16, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by Sweffin from Wisconsin

Dec 28, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by teamwiggum from Wisconsin

Oct 03, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by vfgccp from New York

May 30, 2017
 
Rated: 4.06 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Apr 10, 2017
 
Rated: 4.21 by cd34 from Illinois

Mar 20, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by Jodio from Texas

Feb 11, 2017
Batch 9,000 from Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 926 ratings