Bell's Bourbon Barrel Aged Batch 9000 | Bell's Brewery, Inc.
Brewed by:
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
Michigan, United States | website
Style: American Strong Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 14.90%
Availability: Limited (brewed once)
Notes / Commercial Description:
Double Brown Ale aged in bourbon barrels.
Added by warnerry on 10-09-2012
This beer is retired; no longer brewed.
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Reviews: 90 | Ratings: 660
4.47/5 rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Shared with friends. Served alongside Bell's 9000.
Dark brown body with a small beige head. Aromas of toffee, molasses, bourbon, caramel malt. Super tasty. Yes, sir! Lovely flavor. Boozy in the best way. A superb beverage.
★ 223 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Shared with friends. Served alongside Bell's 9000.
Dark brown body with a small beige head. Aromas of toffee, molasses, bourbon, caramel malt. Super tasty. Yes, sir! Lovely flavor. Boozy in the best way. A superb beverage.
★ 223 characters
4.5/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle #117. Smells amazing. Candied figs, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, vanilla, some chocolate, a very feint oakiness and rum soaked raisins. Nice alcohol heat, but it's not boozy. Short, dry finish. Medium thick mouthfeel. Lower carb. Awesome.
★ 246 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle #117. Smells amazing. Candied figs, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, vanilla, some chocolate, a very feint oakiness and rum soaked raisins. Nice alcohol heat, but it's not boozy. Short, dry finish. Medium thick mouthfeel. Lower carb. Awesome.
★ 246 characters
4.73/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
The beer offers vanilla, brownie chocolate, dried figs and plums, brown sugar, caramel candy with a touch of balance from the oak tannins on the finish.
The beer is similar to the base, but the barrel offers a bit more complex sweetness as the vanilla and oak balances the brew out.
★ 284 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
The beer offers vanilla, brownie chocolate, dried figs and plums, brown sugar, caramel candy with a touch of balance from the oak tannins on the finish.
The beer is similar to the base, but the barrel offers a bit more complex sweetness as the vanilla and oak balances the brew out.
★ 284 characters
4.54/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
Look: Dark brown almost black body, very little head.
Smell: Big malt presence, bourbon, oak.
Taste: Sweet caramel, chocolate, biscuits, bourbon, booze.
Feel: Medium body, syrupy, smooth.
Overall: Really enjoyed it, its a hell of a strong ale. It's a lot sweeter than I was expecting on the palate.
★ 298 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75
Look: Dark brown almost black body, very little head.
Smell: Big malt presence, bourbon, oak.
Taste: Sweet caramel, chocolate, biscuits, bourbon, booze.
Feel: Medium body, syrupy, smooth.
Overall: Really enjoyed it, its a hell of a strong ale. It's a lot sweeter than I was expecting on the palate.
★ 298 characters
4.73/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Bell's Barrel Aged Batch 9000 #9 / 1502
Pours a dark brown that still has a bit of visibility through it. Almost like a soda. Smell of molasses and bourbon up front. Get a bit of oak and some fruit as well, but definitely sweetness and booze. Ton of flavors going on with the beer, but follows the scent. Molasses, vanilla, bourbon, oak, and brown sugar. A bit sweet and hot at the same time, but smooth on the mouth feel with some caramel at the end. Almost creamy like a melted milk chocolate, but with a bit of carbonation to smooth it out. Reminded me a bit of the 10000 with all the flavors going on
★ 604 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Bell's Barrel Aged Batch 9000 #9 / 1502
Pours a dark brown that still has a bit of visibility through it. Almost like a soda. Smell of molasses and bourbon up front. Get a bit of oak and some fruit as well, but definitely sweetness and booze. Ton of flavors going on with the beer, but follows the scent. Molasses, vanilla, bourbon, oak, and brown sugar. A bit sweet and hot at the same time, but smooth on the mouth feel with some caramel at the end. Almost creamy like a melted milk chocolate, but with a bit of carbonation to smooth it out. Reminded me a bit of the 10000 with all the flavors going on
★ 604 characters
4.72/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
750ml bottle into snifter. Bottle 841/1502.
A: Pours a deep brown cola color with a thin light than head that faded to a thin collar leaving spots of soapy lace along the way.
S: Boozy notes of bourbon, leather, brown sugar, caramel, toffee, molasses, oak barrel, and mild tobacco. Rich, sweet, and boozy smelling.
T: Expertly smooth flavors of leather, bourbon, oak, tobacco, vanilla, honey, molasses, brown sugar and a hint of milk chocolate and caramel. Very sweet overall, with notes of leather and leafy tobacco in the finish, and molasses and sweet bourbon lingering in the aftertaste.
M: Very mellow, smooth, and integrated and overall, with a rich, full body. Super smooth mouthfeel, sticky and heavy with hop oil. Carbonation is low and near perfect.
O: Extremely decadent and smooth. Well integrated, rich, and complex flavors. Every time I sip I get new layers of flavors. One of the best.
★ 902 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
750ml bottle into snifter. Bottle 841/1502.
A: Pours a deep brown cola color with a thin light than head that faded to a thin collar leaving spots of soapy lace along the way.
S: Boozy notes of bourbon, leather, brown sugar, caramel, toffee, molasses, oak barrel, and mild tobacco. Rich, sweet, and boozy smelling.
T: Expertly smooth flavors of leather, bourbon, oak, tobacco, vanilla, honey, molasses, brown sugar and a hint of milk chocolate and caramel. Very sweet overall, with notes of leather and leafy tobacco in the finish, and molasses and sweet bourbon lingering in the aftertaste.
M: Very mellow, smooth, and integrated and overall, with a rich, full body. Super smooth mouthfeel, sticky and heavy with hop oil. Carbonation is low and near perfect.
O: Extremely decadent and smooth. Well integrated, rich, and complex flavors. Every time I sip I get new layers of flavors. One of the best.
★ 902 characters
3.94/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Bottle #914/1502. Reviewed from notes.
Appearance - Very dark. Flecks of red in the light. A few bubbles.
Smell - Nice bourbon and oak. Balance of caramel and dark roasted malts.
Taste - Follows the smell, but stronger chocolate malts. Oaky and bourbony. Sweet in the finish and slightly fruit back there, too. Reminiscent of the base beer.
Mouthfeel - Hefty, but not overly boozy. Sweet. Medium carbonation.
Overall - This is a good beer, but I don't get the hype.
★ 507 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Bottle #914/1502. Reviewed from notes.
Appearance - Very dark. Flecks of red in the light. A few bubbles.
Smell - Nice bourbon and oak. Balance of caramel and dark roasted malts.
Taste - Follows the smell, but stronger chocolate malts. Oaky and bourbony. Sweet in the finish and slightly fruit back there, too. Reminiscent of the base beer.
Mouthfeel - Hefty, but not overly boozy. Sweet. Medium carbonation.
Overall - This is a good beer, but I don't get the hype.
★ 507 characters
4.32/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 2 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5
Bottle from hotpipes many moons ago. Excited to give this one a go. Thanks man!
From a 750 into a snifter.
Batch 11590
Bottle 1023 of 1502
Brewed with molasses and licorice and aged in bourbon barrels.
APPEARANCE: A clear brown pour yields a one finger, loose, fizzy, light brown head with horrible retention. Head fizzes down to some faint dots and a ring. Bistre brown body with very high levels of carbonation. A stream of carbo up the middle of the glass. Looks rather flat by the end of the glass. Not all that attractive overall.
SMELL: Awesome. Lots of barrel, but not only barrel is there. Bourbon and oak with light vanilla, toffee, brown sugar, as well as licorice and molasses. Some dark fruits and milk chocolate on the nose as well. Really bold and complex aromas. Lovely.
TASTE: Lots of barrel and hot booze initially. Very flavorful though, with oak, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon and alcohol up front. Boozy swallow with a big and lingering finish of oak, vanilla, coconut, brown sugar, molasses, licorice and spicy alcohol. Light notes of bitter chocolate and leather linger as well. Flavorful and complex. Very enjoyable.
PALATE: medium body and slightly higher levels of carbonation. Creamy enough, however, goes down somewhat harsh with a burn at the swallow and finishes very sticky. Flattens out a bit as it sits.
OVERALL: This was excellent. The nose was spectacular and the flavors well worth pondering over. The look was lack luster and the feel a little too hot and boozy still, but those are minor complaints at this point. Something well worth the effort; very happy to have had the chance to try this one out. Cheers hotpipes! Always a pleasure.
★ 1,686 characters
look: 2 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5
Bottle from hotpipes many moons ago. Excited to give this one a go. Thanks man!
From a 750 into a snifter.
Batch 11590
Bottle 1023 of 1502
Brewed with molasses and licorice and aged in bourbon barrels.
APPEARANCE: A clear brown pour yields a one finger, loose, fizzy, light brown head with horrible retention. Head fizzes down to some faint dots and a ring. Bistre brown body with very high levels of carbonation. A stream of carbo up the middle of the glass. Looks rather flat by the end of the glass. Not all that attractive overall.
SMELL: Awesome. Lots of barrel, but not only barrel is there. Bourbon and oak with light vanilla, toffee, brown sugar, as well as licorice and molasses. Some dark fruits and milk chocolate on the nose as well. Really bold and complex aromas. Lovely.
TASTE: Lots of barrel and hot booze initially. Very flavorful though, with oak, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon and alcohol up front. Boozy swallow with a big and lingering finish of oak, vanilla, coconut, brown sugar, molasses, licorice and spicy alcohol. Light notes of bitter chocolate and leather linger as well. Flavorful and complex. Very enjoyable.
PALATE: medium body and slightly higher levels of carbonation. Creamy enough, however, goes down somewhat harsh with a burn at the swallow and finishes very sticky. Flattens out a bit as it sits.
OVERALL: This was excellent. The nose was spectacular and the flavors well worth pondering over. The look was lack luster and the feel a little too hot and boozy still, but those are minor complaints at this point. Something well worth the effort; very happy to have had the chance to try this one out. Cheers hotpipes! Always a pleasure.
★ 1,686 characters
4.82/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
On-tap at One-Eyed Betty's in Ferndale, MI. They claimed Bell's told them this was "the last batch in existence," which, of course, drew the masses. I got the very last glass that was served. Almost didn't get to taste it at all. The bartender handed me my glass and then told everyone else, "That's it!" Truly humbled to have had the chance to try it.
Appearance: Couldn't really note too much about the color, since i was in a dimly lit bar, other than it just looking very dark. Held it up towards light and couldn't see through at all, even on edges. There was a thin light tan head at first that almost immediately dissipated into a small collar or ring around the outside.
Aroma: The amazing smell that comes at you before you can even hold it up to your nose – vanilla, toffee, molasses, licorice, maple, figs, wood and, of course, BOURBON! – is just the first thing to blow you away. Spent a couple minutes just enjoying the aroma before I dove in.
Taste: All the different complexities and flavors – the sweetness of everything in the nose, balanced by the roastiness and perhaps tannins released into the beer from the oak barrel – wash over your tongue in several distinct waves from the moment you first sip it to when it finally goes down your throat and then during the moments after that, when it becomes something altogether different. It's absolutely incredible. The alcohol is warming, not burning, despite the high ABV. Even with all that, you can still taste the base flavors of cacao nibs, anise & roasted malts.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth, full-bodied, almost a bit viscous (in a great way); coats your mouth. Perfect.
Overall: I was extremely pleased and satisfied with it. An instant favorite. Totally lived up to the high expectations I had set for it. Just wish I had spent more time drinking it so I could have enjoyed it longer, since I'll never get to enjoy it again. Pretty bittersweet. Wish I owned a bottle of this so I could save and share w/ someone for a special occasion.
★ 2,017 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
On-tap at One-Eyed Betty's in Ferndale, MI. They claimed Bell's told them this was "the last batch in existence," which, of course, drew the masses. I got the very last glass that was served. Almost didn't get to taste it at all. The bartender handed me my glass and then told everyone else, "That's it!" Truly humbled to have had the chance to try it.
Appearance: Couldn't really note too much about the color, since i was in a dimly lit bar, other than it just looking very dark. Held it up towards light and couldn't see through at all, even on edges. There was a thin light tan head at first that almost immediately dissipated into a small collar or ring around the outside.
Aroma: The amazing smell that comes at you before you can even hold it up to your nose – vanilla, toffee, molasses, licorice, maple, figs, wood and, of course, BOURBON! – is just the first thing to blow you away. Spent a couple minutes just enjoying the aroma before I dove in.
Taste: All the different complexities and flavors – the sweetness of everything in the nose, balanced by the roastiness and perhaps tannins released into the beer from the oak barrel – wash over your tongue in several distinct waves from the moment you first sip it to when it finally goes down your throat and then during the moments after that, when it becomes something altogether different. It's absolutely incredible. The alcohol is warming, not burning, despite the high ABV. Even with all that, you can still taste the base flavors of cacao nibs, anise & roasted malts.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth, full-bodied, almost a bit viscous (in a great way); coats your mouth. Perfect.
Overall: I was extremely pleased and satisfied with it. An instant favorite. Totally lived up to the high expectations I had set for it. Just wish I had spent more time drinking it so I could have enjoyed it longer, since I'll never get to enjoy it again. Pretty bittersweet. Wish I owned a bottle of this so I could save and share w/ someone for a special occasion.
★ 2,017 characters
4.25/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Consumed Jan. '14.
Thick, black pour, with a small khaki head that sank to a ringlet; no real lacing, but definitely had some legs. Admittedly, it's been a while since I've had the regular Batch 9000, but looking back, there were some nice similarities going on with this one...plus bourbon. Sweet aroma, molasses, maple syrup, vanilla, rum raisin, some barrel. Sweet dark sugars in the taste, candied dark fruits, tannic notes, bourbony oak and vanilla, hints of leather and ash. Medium-full body, slick, smooth mouthfeel, reminiscent of an old ale, possibly even close enough to be confused with a stout. The alcohol heat has mellowed with age, but is definitely still present. Definitely glad to have had the opportunity to try this, and I wish I had a few bottles of my own.
★ 779 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Consumed Jan. '14.
Thick, black pour, with a small khaki head that sank to a ringlet; no real lacing, but definitely had some legs. Admittedly, it's been a while since I've had the regular Batch 9000, but looking back, there were some nice similarities going on with this one...plus bourbon. Sweet aroma, molasses, maple syrup, vanilla, rum raisin, some barrel. Sweet dark sugars in the taste, candied dark fruits, tannic notes, bourbony oak and vanilla, hints of leather and ash. Medium-full body, slick, smooth mouthfeel, reminiscent of an old ale, possibly even close enough to be confused with a stout. The alcohol heat has mellowed with age, but is definitely still present. Definitely glad to have had the opportunity to try this, and I wish I had a few bottles of my own.
★ 779 characters
4.91/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Had on tap and a Bell's tap takeover at Kalamazoo Beer Exchange
Served in a 11.5oz snifter
A- Darkest brown you can imagine, almost black. Can see light coming through on the edges. Light khaki ring of foam. Medium-heavy viscosity.
S- Huge molasses, like sticking your nose in a jar of molasses. Then comes the bourbon with it's vanilla and oak coming through. Dark fruit, raisins, fruit cake. Very complex.
T- Similar to nose, big molasses, vanilla, oak, alcohol comes through as it warms but is never overpowering and hard to tell it's 14.9%. Very smooth and perfectly balanced with not one characteristic taking over the other. Reminded me very much of Kuhnhenn BB4D.
M- A heavy viscosity but still I found it surprisingly easy to drink considering the complexity and ABV.
O- Very thankful that I was able to find this on tap somewhere, had been looking for it for the past year and was worried I had lost my window. Really wish my head hadn't been up my ass when it came out in bottles, the trading rate for this is only getting higher. Even with me living in Kalamazoo this one was hard to find and made sure to get to the bar when they opened at 11am so I wouldn't miss out and everyone else in the place seemed to be right with me. At 7 bucks for a 11.5 serving I thought it was a great deal and even though I shouldn't have, I got 2. Hard to believe this is a one-off and won't be brewed again. Hope Bell's gets the hint and either rebrews or makes a very similar recipe to this some time in the future. Again, one of the best beers I've ever had and so happy to have gotten to try it.
★ 1,601 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Had on tap and a Bell's tap takeover at Kalamazoo Beer Exchange
Served in a 11.5oz snifter
A- Darkest brown you can imagine, almost black. Can see light coming through on the edges. Light khaki ring of foam. Medium-heavy viscosity.
S- Huge molasses, like sticking your nose in a jar of molasses. Then comes the bourbon with it's vanilla and oak coming through. Dark fruit, raisins, fruit cake. Very complex.
T- Similar to nose, big molasses, vanilla, oak, alcohol comes through as it warms but is never overpowering and hard to tell it's 14.9%. Very smooth and perfectly balanced with not one characteristic taking over the other. Reminded me very much of Kuhnhenn BB4D.
M- A heavy viscosity but still I found it surprisingly easy to drink considering the complexity and ABV.
O- Very thankful that I was able to find this on tap somewhere, had been looking for it for the past year and was worried I had lost my window. Really wish my head hadn't been up my ass when it came out in bottles, the trading rate for this is only getting higher. Even with me living in Kalamazoo this one was hard to find and made sure to get to the bar when they opened at 11am so I wouldn't miss out and everyone else in the place seemed to be right with me. At 7 bucks for a 11.5 serving I thought it was a great deal and even though I shouldn't have, I got 2. Hard to believe this is a one-off and won't be brewed again. Hope Bell's gets the hint and either rebrews or makes a very similar recipe to this some time in the future. Again, one of the best beers I've ever had and so happy to have gotten to try it.
★ 1,601 characters
4.2/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Served in a snifter with about 1 finger of head. Pours very dark with hints of red. Has a very rich and buttery fragrance. Very complex flavor profile of vanilla, cinnamon, earthy fruits, and bourbon. Can taste the 14.9% ABV. Surprisingly carbonated mouth feel for the high alcohol. Overall a very good beer, but at times the complexity of the flavor can be overwhelming and hard to distinguish taking away some from the experience.
★ 432 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Served in a snifter with about 1 finger of head. Pours very dark with hints of red. Has a very rich and buttery fragrance. Very complex flavor profile of vanilla, cinnamon, earthy fruits, and bourbon. Can taste the 14.9% ABV. Surprisingly carbonated mouth feel for the high alcohol. Overall a very good beer, but at times the complexity of the flavor can be overwhelming and hard to distinguish taking away some from the experience.
★ 432 characters
4.55/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Pours a deep mahogany with only a tiny bit of dark khaki colored head.
S: The nose is sweet and boozy with tons of figs, raisins, plums, all that good stuff.
T: The taste follows the nose. Damn this beer it good. Sweet to start, tons of fruit flavors, great barrel character on the back end.
M: Full bodied beer. It's syrupy and sticky. It fully coats, and lingers on the palate long after the beer is gone.
O: Super solid. I enjoyed this beer quite a bit. I'd love to try it again in the future if I could get my hands on another bottle.
★ 545 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Pours a deep mahogany with only a tiny bit of dark khaki colored head.
S: The nose is sweet and boozy with tons of figs, raisins, plums, all that good stuff.
T: The taste follows the nose. Damn this beer it good. Sweet to start, tons of fruit flavors, great barrel character on the back end.
M: Full bodied beer. It's syrupy and sticky. It fully coats, and lingers on the palate long after the beer is gone.
O: Super solid. I enjoyed this beer quite a bit. I'd love to try it again in the future if I could get my hands on another bottle.
★ 545 characters
4.43/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured on tap at Churchkey DC full pour, for dc beer week into a snifter.
Dark walnut brown body, fairly clear with some faint red accents. Head is light mocha brown, one finger presented settles to a good collar. No lacing.
On the nose its a huge vanilla bomb. Lots of thick cream, and extract like vanilla. Nice fruity ester undertones, akin to red berried fruit. Syrup and toffee notes but nothing too sugary with a hint of coffee. Large and impressive if a bit overly sweet.
Palate delivers the goods. Light oily toffee and vanilla, candy caramel stickiness. Matching fruit esters with strawberry and some raspberry on the finish. Slick and full coating. Light toffee accents with controlled boozy warmth on the finish without a sick rush. Sweetness is nicely controlled, while a bit big some of the charring and tannic quality cuts it out nicely.
Real nice impressive strong ale. Fruity, Coffee and cream vanilla, without a giant roast crunch, and impressive take on strong ale.
★ 987 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured on tap at Churchkey DC full pour, for dc beer week into a snifter.
Dark walnut brown body, fairly clear with some faint red accents. Head is light mocha brown, one finger presented settles to a good collar. No lacing.
On the nose its a huge vanilla bomb. Lots of thick cream, and extract like vanilla. Nice fruity ester undertones, akin to red berried fruit. Syrup and toffee notes but nothing too sugary with a hint of coffee. Large and impressive if a bit overly sweet.
Palate delivers the goods. Light oily toffee and vanilla, candy caramel stickiness. Matching fruit esters with strawberry and some raspberry on the finish. Slick and full coating. Light toffee accents with controlled boozy warmth on the finish without a sick rush. Sweetness is nicely controlled, while a bit big some of the charring and tannic quality cuts it out nicely.
Real nice impressive strong ale. Fruity, Coffee and cream vanilla, without a giant roast crunch, and impressive take on strong ale.
★ 987 characters
4.61/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
Full 16oz pour into a Bell's shaker pint glass at the Bell's tap takeover at Madison's on 9 August, the day before the Great Taste. Also had a small pour at the actual Great Taste itself.
Comes out a pitch black beer with a thin dark brown mocha head that dissipates quickly leaving me holding a pint glass with an abyss inside it. It's a really cool effect I think, as it is just so black and opaque. Leaves small lines of lacing as I drink this beer. Very dark and mysterious brew.
Now the smell on this is really, really heavy and thick. Its got a lot of bourbon barrel here but its balanced between the sweet bourbon and the oak's vanilla-like flavours rather than being a bourbon bomb. Its complemented by a really nice complex mixture of dark chocolate, caramel, and toffee. Perhaps molasses and butterscotch too, but I'm not sure about these particular aspects of the beer's sweetness. Very strong, complex nose fit for a king.
There is so much complexity to the palate on this beer. Dark cocoa, caramel, toffee, molasses and butterscotch conspire with the bourbon barrel to create a real melange of flavours here. I would put emphasis on the cocoa and caramel along with the bourbon barrel. Its just so damn intense and strong, punching me in the face. To give you an idea of how strong this is, I got a glass of Black Note to drink next to it and it tasted so bland compared to the BA9K. Yikes!
Mouthfeel on this is actually a bit less full bodied and less creamy than Black Note. Its got a medium body, a little wispy compared to most imperial stouts out there. Which reminded me that this ISN'T an imperial stout but rather a double brown ale. Carbonation is pretty low on this one, and I remember thinking it was just fine for this beer. Aftertaste is that slick bourbon-dominant sweetness and some alcohol heat. Certainly not the best aspect of this beer, but its not a letdown either. It's a sipper for sure.
This is simply put, an awesome beer. It kind of got lost behind the Barrel-Aged Abraxas and Mornin' Delight that we had that weekend, but there is no question that this is an awesome beer. Highly recommended if you come across a bottle of this batch. Bell's FTW.
★ 2,190 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
Full 16oz pour into a Bell's shaker pint glass at the Bell's tap takeover at Madison's on 9 August, the day before the Great Taste. Also had a small pour at the actual Great Taste itself.
Comes out a pitch black beer with a thin dark brown mocha head that dissipates quickly leaving me holding a pint glass with an abyss inside it. It's a really cool effect I think, as it is just so black and opaque. Leaves small lines of lacing as I drink this beer. Very dark and mysterious brew.
Now the smell on this is really, really heavy and thick. Its got a lot of bourbon barrel here but its balanced between the sweet bourbon and the oak's vanilla-like flavours rather than being a bourbon bomb. Its complemented by a really nice complex mixture of dark chocolate, caramel, and toffee. Perhaps molasses and butterscotch too, but I'm not sure about these particular aspects of the beer's sweetness. Very strong, complex nose fit for a king.
There is so much complexity to the palate on this beer. Dark cocoa, caramel, toffee, molasses and butterscotch conspire with the bourbon barrel to create a real melange of flavours here. I would put emphasis on the cocoa and caramel along with the bourbon barrel. Its just so damn intense and strong, punching me in the face. To give you an idea of how strong this is, I got a glass of Black Note to drink next to it and it tasted so bland compared to the BA9K. Yikes!
Mouthfeel on this is actually a bit less full bodied and less creamy than Black Note. Its got a medium body, a little wispy compared to most imperial stouts out there. Which reminded me that this ISN'T an imperial stout but rather a double brown ale. Carbonation is pretty low on this one, and I remember thinking it was just fine for this beer. Aftertaste is that slick bourbon-dominant sweetness and some alcohol heat. Certainly not the best aspect of this beer, but its not a letdown either. It's a sipper for sure.
This is simply put, an awesome beer. It kind of got lost behind the Barrel-Aged Abraxas and Mornin' Delight that we had that weekend, but there is no question that this is an awesome beer. Highly recommended if you come across a bottle of this batch. Bell's FTW.
★ 2,190 characters
4.37/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Thanks, Derek! Almost black in color with a khaki head. Huge vanilla aroma. Lots of bourbon, oak, and roasted malt, too. Plenty of dark chocolate, licorice, and dark fruits. Sweet bourbon, vanilla, and dark fruit flavors. Heavy on the licorice, roasted malt, caramel, and molasses. A bit of alcohol, some dark chocolate, and maybe just a hint of maple syrup.
★ 358 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Thanks, Derek! Almost black in color with a khaki head. Huge vanilla aroma. Lots of bourbon, oak, and roasted malt, too. Plenty of dark chocolate, licorice, and dark fruits. Sweet bourbon, vanilla, and dark fruit flavors. Heavy on the licorice, roasted malt, caramel, and molasses. A bit of alcohol, some dark chocolate, and maybe just a hint of maple syrup.
★ 358 characters
3.4/5 rDev -24.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Tap at Kickbacks for RBWG JAX. Pours ultra inky black, weaker yellow bubbles. Nose is sharp Islay Scotch peat, scorched earth, big licorice, black crayon. Taste is tomato paste, Scotch peat, harsh alcohol, mild vanilla. A ton of warming alcohol. Palate is oily, sticky. The harsh scorched earth thing going on was quick bizarre. Disappointing. 6/3/7/4/13=3.3
★ 358 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Tap at Kickbacks for RBWG JAX. Pours ultra inky black, weaker yellow bubbles. Nose is sharp Islay Scotch peat, scorched earth, big licorice, black crayon. Taste is tomato paste, Scotch peat, harsh alcohol, mild vanilla. A ton of warming alcohol. Palate is oily, sticky. The harsh scorched earth thing going on was quick bizarre. Disappointing. 6/3/7/4/13=3.3
★ 358 characters
4.45/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Served on-tap at Pope's Anniversary Party.
A - Pours murky dark brown with a nice one finger tall off white head, quickly dissipating down to a light film, leaving small webs of lace on the sides of the glass.
S - Smells of warm bourbon, toffee, caramel, vanilla, chocolate, oak and toasted bready malt. It definitely smells sweet but the bourbon really helps to keep it in check, awesome smell.
T - Starts off with a big sweet kick - mainly the caramel and toffee along with the vanilla chocolate combo - quickly being joined by the oak and bourbon as well as the mildly toasted malt. Finish is pretty sweet with some mild heat, lingering long after the finish.
M - Medium body with moderate carbonation. Sweet, slick feel with some oak tannins and boozy dryness lingering long after the finish. Not as boozy as I expected it to be.
O - I had wanted to try this one since the day they announced it and I have to say it really did not disappoint. The base flavors are still there and the bourbon complements them very well. I would love to try this one again in the future and see how well it ages.
★ 1,103 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Served on-tap at Pope's Anniversary Party.
A - Pours murky dark brown with a nice one finger tall off white head, quickly dissipating down to a light film, leaving small webs of lace on the sides of the glass.
S - Smells of warm bourbon, toffee, caramel, vanilla, chocolate, oak and toasted bready malt. It definitely smells sweet but the bourbon really helps to keep it in check, awesome smell.
T - Starts off with a big sweet kick - mainly the caramel and toffee along with the vanilla chocolate combo - quickly being joined by the oak and bourbon as well as the mildly toasted malt. Finish is pretty sweet with some mild heat, lingering long after the finish.
M - Medium body with moderate carbonation. Sweet, slick feel with some oak tannins and boozy dryness lingering long after the finish. Not as boozy as I expected it to be.
O - I had wanted to try this one since the day they announced it and I have to say it really did not disappoint. The base flavors are still there and the bourbon complements them very well. I would love to try this one again in the future and see how well it ages.
★ 1,103 characters
4.2/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Enjoyed in a taster at the AZ Strong Beer Fest.
Dark purple blak, very thin, bubbly, watery head.
Bourbon, caramel, molasses, butterscotch, dark chocolate, a touch of smoke.
You don't get much more than the bourbon, but that may be because batch 9000's flavors already mirror that of a bourbon barrel. Big caramel, toffee, a good amount of sugary syrup, maple, brown sugar, tangy sugars.
Medium body, mild massaging carbonation, a good amount of alcohol heat. Almost spicy on the tongue.
Super-solid. One of the best beers I had at the festival. Could use a little more showing from the base beer, surprising so little came through from such an intense brew.
★ 664 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Enjoyed in a taster at the AZ Strong Beer Fest.
Dark purple blak, very thin, bubbly, watery head.
Bourbon, caramel, molasses, butterscotch, dark chocolate, a touch of smoke.
You don't get much more than the bourbon, but that may be because batch 9000's flavors already mirror that of a bourbon barrel. Big caramel, toffee, a good amount of sugary syrup, maple, brown sugar, tangy sugars.
Medium body, mild massaging carbonation, a good amount of alcohol heat. Almost spicy on the tongue.
Super-solid. One of the best beers I had at the festival. Could use a little more showing from the base beer, surprising so little came through from such an intense brew.
★ 664 characters
4.25/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Said to be double brown, thats a good way to describe this ale. Almost black in the glass it holds a deep dark brown appearance in the light. The ale was poured to the top so I did not get a good feel for the body.
The scent is of bourbonesque oakiness, vanilla, coconut and fruitiness. Hard to pinpoint the very fruit by which I caught but it's reasonably tropical.
The taste is smooth bourbon essence, vanilla, coconut, and then a sherry fruity sweetness. I would say that the sweetness doesn't belong but after a few tastes it gets a cherry flavor that is nice and in no way off-putting. Some chocolate sweetness and even a small bit caramel, this is a really nice experience.
This is not Black Note, but fans of this type or the barrel aged genre need to give this a try.
★ 778 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Said to be double brown, thats a good way to describe this ale. Almost black in the glass it holds a deep dark brown appearance in the light. The ale was poured to the top so I did not get a good feel for the body.
The scent is of bourbonesque oakiness, vanilla, coconut and fruitiness. Hard to pinpoint the very fruit by which I caught but it's reasonably tropical.
The taste is smooth bourbon essence, vanilla, coconut, and then a sherry fruity sweetness. I would say that the sweetness doesn't belong but after a few tastes it gets a cherry flavor that is nice and in no way off-putting. Some chocolate sweetness and even a small bit caramel, this is a really nice experience.
This is not Black Note, but fans of this type or the barrel aged genre need to give this a try.
★ 778 characters
4.5/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Bottle (2012)
Thanks for opening this with me, MrVonZipper!
This was an exceptionally good beer--a real wonderful example of the power and potential of barrel-aging big, strong, American dark ales. Lovely combination of chocolate, bourbon, dark fruits, licorice, vanilla, and oak in the aroma and flavor. Big and thick--a truly decadent treat. The creamy, thick, full mouthfeel is amazing, to boot.
★ 400 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Bottle (2012)
Thanks for opening this with me, MrVonZipper!
This was an exceptionally good beer--a real wonderful example of the power and potential of barrel-aging big, strong, American dark ales. Lovely combination of chocolate, bourbon, dark fruits, licorice, vanilla, and oak in the aroma and flavor. Big and thick--a truly decadent treat. The creamy, thick, full mouthfeel is amazing, to boot.
★ 400 characters
4.06/5 rDev -9.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Mike for this one. 750ml corked and caged bottle into a Utopias glass. Had at a tasting 5/18/13. Reviewed from notes.
Pours a deep, dark amber/ruby. Oily legs with spotty lace with decent stick. No head. Pretty average.
Nose is fig, prunes, molasses, and booze. Aromatic with a nice, alcohol bite. Solid.
Opens sweet prunes, roast, and a slightly burnt bitterness. Molasses and dark fruit in the middle with a creamy hop bitterness that lingers in the background. Vanilla, leather and oak too. Sweet soy sauce in the finish and a fruity sweet aftertaste. Great complexity that's well executed.
Medium to full bodied with low carbonation. Oily and slick in the mouth and boozy and hot going down. Messy finish with a sticky, filmy aftertaste. Very appropriate.
A very good beer overall but I'm not sure where the huge upgrade from the regular version comes from. The base beer was always a complex offering and barrel aging has added layers of flavor. However, its also given this beer an undesired harsh booziness that doesn't help the experience. Worth trying but this isn't as good as the overall score suggests.
★ 1,132 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Mike for this one. 750ml corked and caged bottle into a Utopias glass. Had at a tasting 5/18/13. Reviewed from notes.
Pours a deep, dark amber/ruby. Oily legs with spotty lace with decent stick. No head. Pretty average.
Nose is fig, prunes, molasses, and booze. Aromatic with a nice, alcohol bite. Solid.
Opens sweet prunes, roast, and a slightly burnt bitterness. Molasses and dark fruit in the middle with a creamy hop bitterness that lingers in the background. Vanilla, leather and oak too. Sweet soy sauce in the finish and a fruity sweet aftertaste. Great complexity that's well executed.
Medium to full bodied with low carbonation. Oily and slick in the mouth and boozy and hot going down. Messy finish with a sticky, filmy aftertaste. Very appropriate.
A very good beer overall but I'm not sure where the huge upgrade from the regular version comes from. The base beer was always a complex offering and barrel aging has added layers of flavor. However, its also given this beer an undesired harsh booziness that doesn't help the experience. Worth trying but this isn't as good as the overall score suggests.
★ 1,132 characters
5/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
You can read the other wordy reviews if you want. Ill keep mine short.
This beer ruined me. It set a new bar on my palette, and thus, made everything else taste a little worse by comparison. Bells knocked it out of the park with this one. It deserves 5.1/5, as it set a new bar for goodness in my life.
*starts chant* Re-brew! Re-brew! Re-brew! Re-brew!
★ 356 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
You can read the other wordy reviews if you want. Ill keep mine short.
This beer ruined me. It set a new bar on my palette, and thus, made everything else taste a little worse by comparison. Bells knocked it out of the park with this one. It deserves 5.1/5, as it set a new bar for goodness in my life.
*starts chant* Re-brew! Re-brew! Re-brew! Re-brew!
★ 356 characters
4.44/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
(Big thanks to seeswo for this! Poured at the Bruery, 5/5/13 Clusterfork.
A: Pours a dull, opaque black with a vanishing tan head. No lacing or head.
S: A complex mix of dark fruit, rich caramel, a dusting of cocoa. A touch of molasses and roasted malt. The nose is on the lighter end in terms of strength. Sweetish.
T: Very rich, similar to the nose: caramel, cocoa, brown sugar, and dark fruit (fig), and light barrel character (oak and bourbon). There's an alcohol burn toward the finish, and a light sweetness which really supports the other flavors.
M: Medium carbonation and full bodied. Mouth coating.
O: Delicious. A big, complex beer with lighter barrel character. Definitely a sipper, but not too rich to drink a lot of. A substantial improvement over the non-BA version of Batch 9000.
★ 800 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
(Big thanks to seeswo for this! Poured at the Bruery, 5/5/13 Clusterfork.
A: Pours a dull, opaque black with a vanishing tan head. No lacing or head.
S: A complex mix of dark fruit, rich caramel, a dusting of cocoa. A touch of molasses and roasted malt. The nose is on the lighter end in terms of strength. Sweetish.
T: Very rich, similar to the nose: caramel, cocoa, brown sugar, and dark fruit (fig), and light barrel character (oak and bourbon). There's an alcohol burn toward the finish, and a light sweetness which really supports the other flavors.
M: Medium carbonation and full bodied. Mouth coating.
O: Delicious. A big, complex beer with lighter barrel character. Definitely a sipper, but not too rich to drink a lot of. A substantial improvement over the non-BA version of Batch 9000.
★ 800 characters
Bell's Bourbon Barrel Aged Batch 9000 from Bell's Brewery, Inc.
4.49
out of 5
based on 660 ratings.
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Tasted this beautiful 2008 vintage while waiting in line at DLD this year(2016). What a beautiful brew, the bourbon was sweet, pronounced, molasses, brown sugar, oh an the vanilla flavor. I feel privileged to have had a chance to taste this one.
★ 248 characters