Bell's Third Coast Old Ale

Here's another gusher. Wrote about the big ol', 10.2% a.b.v barleywine, Bell's Third Coast Old Ale in Febrauary, 2003. Those notes follow now. The picture's is from a bottle consumed last night.

-----------------------------------

Perfect dark violet/burgundy color, with an impressive, thick cocoa/tan head.

Aroma is majestic, and rich with flavorful connotations: sweet, sharp, and fruity, suggesting cherries, grapes, port wine, brandy, with a hint of anise, and chocolate.

Mouthfeel is dazzling in complexity, full, rewarding , and greatly alcoholic, taste is magnificent, dark, sweet, profound, and strong, accompanied by a lively hop ride on the tongue, awash in sweet, liquory flavors.

Alcohol content is not given on the label, but it has to be formidable, for a burnt quality lingers in the finish, and hangs around the mouth.

Wonderfully warming, expertly crafted, another prodigious acheivement from Larry Bell & Co.

All larger praises must be rescinded, as we hail the king of American barleywines!.

------------------------------------

So I still consider it the "king", eight years later? Well, looking at my review and rankings, the only one whose numbers come close is also from Bell's, Batch 6000. I gave that a 4.8 out of 5, gave Old Ale a 4.83. In descending order, the runners-up are: Stone Old Guardian, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Alesmith Old Numbskull, Three Floyds Behemoth Blonde, Great Divide Old Ruffian, and Moylan's Old Blarney.