Bells Expedition Stout

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

This is the only beer that I buy to cellar in case quantities, so don’t expect anything even slightly negative in this review. This is an 8845 opened at almost exactly two years. It pours an opaque black with a thick, dark brown head. The initial nose is liquorice with a bit of alcohol. The flavor is initially liquoirce with roasted malts following quickly and then dark chocolate. The alcohol is not evident other than as it warms on the way down, and, in my experience it will disappear in the nose in another year or two. Half way into the snifter and this brew is still releasing carbonation and bringing more aroma to the drink. The palate is smooth with a little hops bite. The finish is a lingering alternating roasty bitterness and something bordering on sweetness, but not quite. This is a beer that it is difficult not to drink too many of.

12 oz bottle, pours a dark opaque color with minimal dark brown head, looks like cola. Very little lacing on the side of the glass. Aroma is sweet and alcoholic, most noticeably chocolate, oatmeal, and a little raisin. Very fresh as well. Taste is bitter and sweet and well balanced. Body is very full and sits well on the palate. Really does a good job of hiding the high alcohol content- excellent beer indeed.

Bottled pitch black with a chocolate brown/tan head. Aroma is coffee, chocolate, smoke, and burnt caramels. Also some hop floral notes add unique nose. The flavor is beautiful...smoked burnt coffee, chocolate with a little sourness and light sweetness that prevails at the end with a note of coffee also. Maybe lightly sour (odd) but otherwise a totally awesome brew... answers a lot of questions other stouts cannot.

Batch 8944 (vintage 2008?). 12oz bottle pours thick oily black, but very little dark tan head. Caramel and chocolate in aroma, some hints of pitted fruit (cherries, prune). Rich, sweet up front, a bit boozy, then a long drawn out chocolate finish. Quite bitter, but balanced. Pretty well carbonated, quite thick and oily and the alcohol and carb leave a bit of stinging on the tongue. Much better with some warming.

Pours a deep, dense, black color. No light penetration, at all. Almost two fingers of rich mocha colored foam form on top. Retention is decent, which is not unexpected. Lacing is in thick strands. Mild notes of dark chocolate and coffee, mix with a large presence of (very) dark roasted malts. A touch of molasses. Sweet notes of brown sugar, with hints of vanilla and caramel. Definite hints of a bourbon-like quality. Light presence of dark fruits. Huge dark roasted malt profile. Nice amount of smokiness. Loads of chocolate flavor. Sweetness of brown sugar. Light hint of dark coffee. Slight hints of bourbon and hazelnuts. It has a mild bitter kick, right at the end, which helps balance this one out. The aftertaste is delicious. Silky smooth and creamy. Light level of carbonation, which is perfect for this one. Only the slightest amount of sharpness and bite. Quite easy for me to drink, but this is the style that I search out. As a sipper, this one is excellent. Be careful of the high ABV, though.

came out with barely a head with an aggressive pour. pitch black is an understatement. smells of caramel and chocolate, very earthy and pick up a touch of alcohol on the end. carbonation was lively but didn’t degrade its creamy texture...actually complimented it quite nicely. super bitter finish was amazing for a stout. i can’t help but want more. what a great brew!

Wow, this is one beer that really is thick in consistency. It is really aromatic and pours a dark black with no head to speak of. Notes if caramel, chocolate, coffee, nuts, alcohol, butterscotch, and vanilla. The palate is very bourbon barrel coffee in flavor. Needs time to mellow.

I’m thinking tar - black with a tan head, good lacing and plenty of carbonation. Not flat like many of the Imperial Stouts that I’ve had. Roasted malt, coffee a bit of hops and chocolate. Full bodied and smooth across my tongue. The chocolate, coffee, sweet malt and hops are balanced nicely and there’s a bit of a warming alcohol in the finish. A great warmer for those cold winter nights!