Bells Bourbon Barrel Aged Cherry Stout

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

the highlight of the first ever Stumelagram Event ... Oak!, BOURBON!!!, cherries, cherry liquer, brandy..!!! .... Complex as the entire universe!! ... sweet and wild... oily ... i didn’t want this to end.. just an amazing beer that i will think of on my deathbed.. bell’s!

Cask hand pumped by Larry himself at the JCBF09. Perfect Black with a tiny tan head and just hints of red on the edges. Nose is intense cherry with some woody smoky notes, the complexity in the flavor is slightly lacking in the taste. Taste is like Raspberry Eisbock levels of amazing decadence. Chocolate covered cherries, little to no carbonation though there is a little natural carb, but its just perfect for what feels like the ultimate desert beer. I had 3 pours of this, everyone who tried it instantly fell in love with it that I saw and it really became better and more complex with each sip. Wood, smoke, and even slight bit of sourness at the backend all make this far better than any other fruit beer stout I have ever had. Simply Amazing and big props to Larry for standing in the middle of the field and hand pumping this cask for everyone.

A very well bodied brew with a tasty cherry smell. A great sit down and relax after a hearty meal type of drink. Warm swirls of cherries and tanginess combine for an out of this world taste. Well done....I should of brought me a 6 pack instead of a single. Best beer I’ve tried from Bell’s!

Bottle from mmm///beer, thanks a million. Wow this is one unique beer. I poured this into my Gulden Draak tulip and watched the black, viscous liquid coat the glass as it poured. I sniffed the bourbon and chocolate aroma for 5 minutes as I warmed the beer slighly in my palms. I smelled liquid raisins and possibly a dried cherry aroma. I watched the thin brown head stick around and watched it flow around the contours of my glass as I swirled it. The flavor hit my tongue with a bourbon flair followed by a tart, fleeting taste of cherries. The finish is bourbon follwed by more dark, bitter chocolate. By my palette this is a masterpiece, but I could see how some would not appreciate it. Like fine art, some will covet it while others will sneer. Bravo Bells. Bravo!

Bottle, thanks northernbrews! Rich aroma, cherry, bourbon, roast malts. Pours black with a prominent coffee-brown head, spotty lace. On the tongue, tart cherries blend perfectly with the roast malts to explode on the tongue. Sweet bourbon, vanilla, and bitter oak complement the backbone nicely. Finishes with coffee, chocolate, vanilla, a little bit of bitter melon. Carmelly smooth on the palate, carbonation is subdued but prickly. This is a nearly perfect beer.

Pours out rich and dark with a deep carmel head that dissapates quickely. The aroma is startling and overwhelming. Odd and fantastic at the same time. It smells like an inky cabernet. You get chocolate , cherry, vanilla, charred oak, and oh yeah you get the bourbon aspect as well. It’s funky, yet... one sip and you know you want more. It coats the mouth with thick cocoa, subtle tart black cherry, and the alcohol . Its not hidden. well done but my guess was 8.5abv. and hey, It is what it is. Yummy...If they ever sell this one in the market its gonna be a winner.

Bottle courtesy of miketd. Pours dark brown with a tan head. Smells of cherries, boozy bourbon, rich sweet malt, a hint of spice. Tastes peppery and oaky with a nice accompaniment of cherries, oaky hints, vanilla and roasted malt. Yet another home run from this brewer’s line of stouts and porters.

Bottle... This beer rocks!... Pours black with a small, creamy, beige head. Great retention. Earthy, fruity nose. Acidic cherries, bourbon, vanilla, coffee and mild chocolate. Full-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and moderate carbonation. The flavor is acidic, but balanced nicely. Cherry and bourbon tartness; oaken earthiness; coffee ground and charcoal bitterness and chocolate malt sweetness... thoughtfully melded together. Tangy, lightly bitter, toasted finish. This world class beer was provided by scubarex!