Bell's - The Planets Series

Same with OH.

 

^yup

 

The not so final tally...

1) Mars
2) Saturn
3) Uranus
4) Mercury
5) Jupiter
6) Venus

Have not had Neptune yet but hoping to pick up a bottle soon. Overall, I've enjoyed the series. It's been fun to blast each Holst tune while drinking the respective brew. Props to Bell's for creating a unique "suite" of beers.

For me, Mars was in a class above the rest. A truly excellent IIPA, I would buy it regularly if available. I shared a Saturn at DLD and everyone enjoyed it alongside some heavy hitters. Still holding onto a bottle for science. Uranus was a very good black IPA. No Wookie Jack but a top 10 in the category for me. For those of you gushing about Uranus (best black IPA ever), do yourself a favor and track down Black Tuna next time it drops. You can thank me later.

Not a ton to say about the others. Mercury was better than a lot of folks are giving it credit for. Maybe not your style but a solid Belgian single. Jupiter was good. I like Best Brown and this seemed like a bigger version of that. Venus was weird. I gave it a few shots but just didn't like it. Everyone who I shared it with agreed.

 

I will save a bottle for you if I see you on the 15th (if I can pull a hail mary and get decent beer in comparison to you all), Canada Dan. Just picked up a 6 pack and am drinking it now.

In the smell, I could tell there were peppers. This tastes oak aged, though it is not (it has that hickory bark, but no bite!). Very pleasant. This kitchen sink beer will not end up in the sink, but in my belly. I do not taste star anise (SCRATCH THAT I GOT IT), but I can smell it. There is a smoothness to the mouth feel, maybe from the maple syrup, or just the grist. I do not know what a dandelion root tastes like, so I do not know if I am getting it. The pepper is mainly felt on the sides of my mouth and my gums. I do get a hint of taste, but mainly a sensation. I know I am getting black pepper, because I like to put lots of it on my grilled meats and feel it on my gums. YEAH THAT MIGHT BE WEIRD BUT IT IS WHO I AM. Raisin/date taste/aroma is probably covered by all of the other adjuncts. I am getting none of it, but it might contribute to the underlying sweetness.

Neptune was a surprise to find and a surprising experience. The aftertaste disappears quickly, leaving my breath better than before. How mystical! I kind of want to keep a bottle around for 6 months, but the adjuncts will have faded. I might as well just have an Expedition at that point.


I did not have the first 3 beers, so my tally is:
1) Saturn
2) Neptune
3) Jupiter
4) Uranus

Every single beer on the list was excellent. I am not the biggest imperial brown ale fan, so Jupiter really wowed me. Uranus was pretty good. SATURN. I only found one six pack and I wish I had 10 cases. I drank one out of the pack and was sad that I was going to have to sit on the rest before drinking... until I found out a bar near me had Saturn and could not sell through it. For some 2 months (at least), I got to drink Saturn once a week and watch it change. It is smooth and a bit one dimensional at first, but it already is getting the syrupy BB aged barleywine goodness.

 

One of the things I really enjoyed about Neptune was actually trying to pick out all the flavors listed on the bottle. For someone who still can't get the subtleties of many beers, this was an extra fun experience to drink.

 

1) Saturn
2) Uranus
3) Mars

4) Neptune

5) Jupiter
6) Venus
7) Mercury

 

Mudgie's Detroit posted a case of each the other day offering (I'm assuming) 24 sets.

 

^^^^ seems like a waste of a case of perfectly good Mars.

 

I can't find Neptune anywhere close to me in PA. If anyone knows somewhere in the Philadelphia, Harrisburg, or Lancaster area that I could get it please let me know

 

I'm with you on that.

 

ISO: Neptune in South Carolina or if anyone would want to do a trade for three or so that would be awesome!

 

I am still waiting for Neptune to show up in VA - I know Bells usually takes a while to get here but this seems longer than usual...

 

It is in SE VA, I saw several sixers & singles on the shelf at the Total Wine in Va beach yesterday, I grabbed a single.

 

Same in Central Ohio; odd considering North-Central Indiana got it 3 weeks ago

 

I still haven't had any of the last three in the series.
I plan to hold onto Saturn for a little bit, at least one of them, but I want to try them all in order with a friend of mine that really likes beer. Hoping it happens sooner than later because I'm not sure how the Uranus will hold up. That's the whole trouble with moving, you pack up the beers you have saved and end up buying cheaper beer to drink whilst moving.
Reading the reviews of the Neptune have me very curious. We had a one bottle limit at my store so I will definitely have to wait on that one until my friend comes over, but the mix of positives and negatives on it.

 

Let me know if you aren't having any luck locally. There's still some singles sitting around at a local store here.

 

Apparently people are much cooler on the Bells thread than on the Ohio thread. I mentioned I'd be interested in Oro Negro if anyone had extras and got the post removed and warning points. You straight dropped an ISO in the thread and no one seems to mind. I just find it all very interesting.

 

I was asking for anyone to the tell me if any was in SC then if not if someone would be interested in a trade.

 

I'm not hatin' on ya buddy, I was just commenting on the different attitudes between the two threads. I hope you are able to find it. We still haven't had this one hit distro in Ohio yet.

 

A small group of us are doing a fun vertical tonight. We're going to listen to the entire composition and enjoy 3-4oz of each beer during their respective part.