Bell's Batch 7000 (A Commemorative Brew).

I'm not a compulsive collector and rater of beers, but to each his own, and naturally as one in the business of selling good beer, I appreciate the way that the beer fans at Rate Beer and Beer Advocate (prime among such gathering points) share information and move an important market segment.

Tonight, in search of just one beer to sip during a World Series game being played in cold and rain, I tabbed the bottle of Bell's Batch 7000 (A Commemorative Brew) that I'd brought home to sample.

The thing is, Kalamazoo Brewing tends to be coy about their special creations, especially the numbered batch series -- shucks, just another mile marker, no big deal, and we hope you like it.

In fact, much of the enjoyment comes from not really knowing what the beer will be before drinking it, and this was the case tonight, as I popped the cap and poured a beautiful, oily, black liquid into my glass and registered a huge nose a full foot away from it.

Imperial stout? Double stout?

Well, yes. Both. It's been a while since I've experienced such a multiplicity of sensory rewards -- hints of smoke, molasses, perhaps even spruce, all peeking through the relentlessly roasted viscosity, and heavily alcoholic (as it turns out, 12% abv). Absolutely enormous, warming like a glass of whisky, and fully recommended for accompanying mixed nuts and baseball on a chilly autumn night.

In case you're wondering, yes, there'll be some for sale at Rich O's -- and you can bet I'll be begging Kalamazoo Brewing for a keg come Gravity Head time.