Bells Bourbon Barrel Double Cream/Expedition Stout

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

In short: A big creamy chocolate stout with strong vanilla presence and a light bourbon character. Excellent, just not best-of-the-best as ratings indicate
How: Tap. EBF 2009. Multiple samples
The look: Black body topped by a large tan head
In long: To start with, let’s make one thing clear: the current average of this beer is because of rarity-tickers, not product quality. That being said the beer is excellent, just not Expedition-excellent. Because of the name I expected a bourbonized Expedition Stout but this beer turned out to be more closely related to the Bells Batch 7000. I slightly preferred the Batch 700 over this one. Black chocolate and creamy nougat, light-medium bourbon character, a little bit too much vanilla, body a bit thinner than Batch 7000 or Expedition, limited hops presence. Not aggressive or boozy, really easy to drink. Doesn’t feel very sweet either. Kick-ass brew but I’ll take a $2 Expedition any day over this one. Seeing as it had been retired for a while I didn’t think I was going to come across it. Let me tell you that if all retired were in such great shape there wouldn’t be much of a business case for Viagra pills.

Draft at EBF multiple times, haha i thought this was a new beer, go figure. Black body with a coffee tan head. Sweet creamy chocolate. Bourbon notes, light woodiness, and some thick velvet roasty coffee. Bakers chocolate to finish. Awesome beer one of my favorites!

Draft EBF. Yea this stuff was good. Mild bourbon character presents itself in a great way. Lots of Double Cream flavor up front with expedition taking up the the tail end of the midpallette and finish. All expedition all the way on the finish. Great stuff. Multiple pours

EBF NOTB ’09. Dark body with an abundant brown head. Roasty Malt, chocolate, dark fruits, and woody bourbon are multi-layered in this Toasty rich Stout.

EBF 09 Pours black with a small light brown head. Aromas of vanilla,chocolate, coffee, oak,caramel and some dark fruits. Amazing flavors and mouth feel. Wish I could of had a bigger glass.

2/6/09 @ The Brew Kettle: If you missed this one, it sucks to be you! Outstanding beer to say the least. It’s just as black as the originals w/ a short lived tan head. Light on the roast and bourbon, heavy on the chocolate and vanilla. Caramel, brown sugar, oaky wood, raisiny dark fruit and a very slight herbal hop nose all blended in a parade for the the olfactory senses. The flavor is much the same with a touch of alcohol. Balance is to sweet with a semi sweet finish with a light bourbon, vanilla, and chocolate aftertaste. When the nose screams "here it comes" the mouth begins to water for this well made elixer. Warming alcohol, full body, low CO2 with a creamy smooth mouthfeel. Very complex and robust! More oustanding than each separately, which are two really good beers in their own rights.

Same Fri the 13th tasting. Big thanks wetherel! Dark brown in the glass with no head. Scent is bourbon and warm. Sweet on the nose. So many flavors going on. Creamy sweet. Butterscotch, vanilla, toffee and coffee. Super good.

Also tried at the J&J tating. Thanks Jon for bringing this one. Pours an oily black with very little carbonation and really clings to the glass nicely. Aroma of bourbon, vanilla, malt, chocolate, and some dark over ripe fruit. Tastes was warming inthe throat in a nice way. Flavors were roasty malt, bourbon, vanilla. Yery nice.