25th Anniversary Ale
Bell's Brewery Inc.
American Strong Ale (BeerAdvocate)/Strong Amber Ale (brewer's description)
8.5% ABV
1.084 OG
IBUs?
12 oz bottle, bottled August 12th, 2010, poured into a New Belgium snifter on September 16th, 2010. Shelf life is six months according to Bell's.

Appearance 5/5
Poured dark amber, or light brown, with good clarity and a good off-white head that stayed till the end and left great lacing on the glass.

Aroma 4/5
Aroma hints at a hoppy beer that is malt forward as well, and not like a DIPA where hops would dominate. I believe there are centennial hops in this one too because the hop smell is similar to Two Hearted, but not as fruity and dominating. The sweet, caramelly, malt aroma is equally strong.

Taste 3.5/5
Fruity sweet start that is quickly superseded by a decent hop bitterness. The finish is medium-dry and warming. Leaves a malty aftertaste on palate, and a bitter warmth at the back of the tongue. Good taste but I don't quite get the elements present in the aroma. I let it warm up, almost to room temperature, but still didn't quite get what I was looking for.

Mouthfeel 4.5/5
Silky because of the low carbonation but a tad thin. Coats the mouth to some extent but doesn't get cloying.

Drinkability 4/5
Alcohol is on the higher side, but the body is a little low, which is a minus for me given the style. However, alcohol warmth and malty richness keep things in check. Still, the taste is lacking that affects drinkability too.

Other
Good beer. I would seek it out again if I could but this is "limited edition". Like most people who have tried this beer, I expected a much more solid offering from Bell's for their 25th! Perhaps barrel aged Expedition?