Bells Brewery (2022)

Maybe it was down for a bit because I see it on there now although a bit tougher to find after the site re-design https://bellsbeer.com/eccentric-cafe/#cafemenu|1

 

Thanks now I see it...barely. It says "on tap" in very dark letters right next to "cafe menu". I scrolled right past it multiple times.

 

What caught my eye was that Chocolate BBA Expo 4 packs are still available.

 

Thanks for pointing that out. They still have the BA Expo vertical 6 packs available too. Looks like I’ll be stopping by on my way to Detroit tomorrow!

 

Wow that's a thing? Jealous!!

 

Yep I am not a fan of their site re-design at all

Crazy that it's been sitting there for months

Yessir it's 2 bottles each of 2018, 2020 & 2021

 

One more BA Expo release will make for the 6th bottled release if my count is correct. If they did a full vertical 6 pack that had 2016, 17, 18, 20, 21, and the new one then I might just have to finally load up the car and take a trip to the holy land of Kalamazoo.

 

Not to be...anti-BAE, but...BA Expedition doesn't seem to age the way many stouts do. I'm quite skeptical it would be worth the retail cost for some of the older bottles at this point.

 

I've been lucky enough to have every bottled release and I agree with you...so far. The thing I always hear about Expo is that it hits some magic sweet spot at about 7 years. I'll let you know next winter when I finally crack my one remaining 2015 I've been fighting the urge to drink since forever. As far as I'm concerned even a "bad" bottle of BAE is still a damn good beer.

 

My sweet spot for regular Expo is usually 3-5 years but I had a 2015 earlier this week that was really good. I don't seem to have an issue with aged BA Expo but maybe the year or so that it spends in the barrel starts the oxidation process quicker than regular Expo

***Edit*** Let me add that Black Note really does not stand up to time, I had a 2014 earlier this week & I'm having 2016 now & some wet cardboard oxidation has set in making this a bitter shell of itself

 

Yeah, I have several mixed vintages of Black Note that need to be consumed. Sure wish I had consumed them back when. Live and learn!

 

Story time: Back on Black Friday 2015 a store was doing a cellar sale with its BCBS release and 2012 Black Note was on the menu. Black Note was still my original white whale at the time and I was out for blood along with my partner to mule for me. We ended up getting the last 2 single bottles (guy behind me audibly exclaimed his dismay at me taking both but he was sick and coughing on me the whole time in line so fuck that guy). First one tasted like soy sauced cardboard but the second was *amazing* and still lives in my memory as one of the greatest beers I have ever drank.

 

This is what helps me get through the day when I am behind on work and recovering from sickness (with a recovering sick kid).

Keep it coming.

Got anything about those FIBs? I need some FIB comments in my life. Ever since people stopped caring about Odd sides and Perrin, Since BA Expo saw distro, and since they have been producing plenty of the '-uckley' bottles, the forum has been very deficient in its' FIB comments. Bring them back!

 

There was 7 bottles total available that day. The guy made some sad groan noise and we ignored him instead of doing the bro thing and turning around to offer him one like he was clearly hoping would happen.

You hear me sick guy who missed out on Black Note by one spot in line on Black Friday 2015 at Discount Liquor in Milwaukee? I still don't like you if you're reading this and you missed out on either a bottle of sugary cardboard water or one of the most sublime sippers I've ever had the pleasure of cracking. Hopefully you've learned to cover your damn mouth over the course of the last 7 years and a pandemic. I don't regret it and I'd take both bottles again if I could.

 

I have a question for the ‘homers’ who have visited the Eccentric Cafe recently. What’s changed since the sale? Do you see or feel anything on the day-to-day? (I don’t see a rebranded Eccentric Cafe and Sports Bar coming along, but I’ve been wrong before!)

 

I've been there a couple times since the brewery sale, and maybe a month or so since the last visit, but the only thing that I have noticed is that a lot of the beer-related items that decorated the walls in the cafe are gone. I'm guessing that stuff must have been Larry's personal collection on loan, and he probably wanted to keep it.

Didn't notice any changes in the General Store. The cooler space had been expanded before the sale, and I think I read somewhere that it's going to be expanded some more. I think the space is at the expense of the homebrewing supplies.

 

I'll just suggest that you check their opening time, which I'm guessing you would. They've never gone back to being open for lunch in the Cafe on Tue-Thur since the pandemic. The General Store has their own hours.

I think they've started brewery tours again on the weekends if you're interested in that. The Kzoo location is just a small operation, so nothing real special. You buy your own beer at the bar before starting. The main brewery is 7-8 miles east, and it's an impressive tour and worth the drive. A few beer samples are included with it. Check details on their website.I

Enjoy your visit. Any further questions about western Michigan, just ask.

 

I've noticed no real changes other than the General Store selling a lot of "old beers" (BB Hell Hath, Bear Hug, BB Third Coast, etc) which I assume were things Larry wanted to keep for future reasons