Bells Bourbon Barrel Double Cream/Expedition Stout

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

Draft at The Trion: Huge thanks to Greg for bringing this in when he was given the opportunity. Pours about as black as anything I’ve seen with a complimentary tan head. Nose is heavy on the bourbon with lovely vanilla bean, chocolate, black cherry, toffee and lactose notes to back it up. One thing that really stood out about this is that you can really distinguish the blend...their definitely was a nice hoppiness to the finish, leading me to believe that the Expy portion was fresh. Flavor was mainly bourbon, vanilla, coffee bean and finished with a dry, oaky AND hoppy kick. Wonderful stuff and I’m glad I had multiple opportunities to sample this by the pint.

Draft at Trion - New Haven, IN. Black pour with a thin tan head. Looks like old motor oil. Bourbon, toffee, burnt roast on the nose. Bourbon and vanilla in the flavor. Medium/full mouthfeel. Smooth finish with a hint of heat. Very, very nice. Thanks Greg!!!

draft at Trion tavern in New Haven, IN... they’re almost out - Pours black with a thin tan head. The aroma is big on the bourbon with oak notes and has some roast chocolate malt in the background. The flavor is also full of bourbon and it’s good bourbon. The roast malt takes a backseat, but it’s there. There are also notes of oak, vanilla, and mocha. It’s full bodied and lingers pleasantly on the palate with good bitterness coming through in the finish. My only change would be to tone down the bourbon just a little so the other flavors can come out more. That could drive this up to a 4.4 or higher for me. I hear Indiana only got maybe three quarter casks, so it was great to try it.

On tap at the Brew Kettle. Pours pitch black with a thin tan head . The head does not last long at all. Aromas are amazing. Wood, vanilla, chocolate, bourbon, coffee, roasted malts, and bourbon. Has a silky smooth heavy syrupy mouthfeel. Flavors follow the aromas in line and are just amazing. I could drink this all night. Next time this is on tap I may just find myself drinking it all night.

Hand bottle share by coyotehunter. Pours a dark brown with no head. Aromas of chocolate prune nuts and bourbon. Flavor is thick cream with milk chocolate and bourbon. This is amazing.

Served on draft as part of the Black Moonday event at Capital Alehouse in Richmond, VA. Pours a dark reddish tinted brown color with a medium head. Average head retention and lacing. Aroma of vanilla, maple, oak, bourbon, chocolate and a subtle fruitiness. Taste is roasted malts, oak, huge maple, bitter hops and mocha. Full bodied.

Rating #300. On tap at South Park Tavern in Dayton. Had this one last year at the Bell’s event at Brew’s Cafe, but that was before I started rating. Pours pitch black with a thin off-white head. Bourbon aroma with chocolate and cream. Boozy vanilla flavor up front, then chocolate with a somewhat dry coffee finish. Full-bodied. Truly amazing beer.

Got to try this on tap at the Bells tasting at Studio 35 on Indianola Ave., 1-18-09. A little too cold to get much of aroma. Initial heat up front; bourbon barrel, but not exactly outspoken. Quite thick and viscous, maybe more so than the regular Expedition. Sweet. Creamy. Leafy hop in the middle. I like this but it does seem somewhat overhyped for whatever reason. Some batches of regular Expedition are better for instance. So I feel a little bad giving a 3.7 to such a highly rated hard to find retired beer, even though it was really cool to get to try this (apparently only 4 quarter casks total made it into Ohio, and I think just 1(?) at this tasting). Lot of props to the Bells beer reps for this.