Bells Cherry Stout

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

Jet black, thin ring of head. NO LIGHT COULD PENETRATE THIS BREW. Huge odor of sour cherries along with hints of maraschino cherries, roasted barley, light chocolate and a very faint burnt smokiness. Bitter/sour twang from the cherries are up front and the most noticeable flavor. Light burnt chocolate flavor in the after taste. Extremely full bodied. A must grab! This beer is gonna fill you up and overwhelm the senses. Ok I don’t know how drinkable this beer is, it’s very full and very much a sipper! An awesome brew by Bell’s!

A - Pours a deep dark dark brown with a small brown head that reduces into a thin line. The beer is completely opaque. S - Smells of roasted malts T - Taste cherry sweet then the roasted malts come though. Leaves you with a sweet/tart aftertaste. M - The cherries just do not seem to jive with the malts to me. D - You couldn’t have more than one of these because of the severe sweetness. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 11-23-2008

12 oz bottle. Pours a dark brown, quick dissipating head with an opaque body. The nose was of strong cherries, cinnamon and port wine. Nice carbonation speckles its headless top. The flavor is quite influenced by the sour cherry flavor, and also by the stout like characteristics. The palate is rich, but not too rich for the sour cherry flavor. Overall different but a miss in my opinion.

Another winner from my Fav. brewery. I generally don’t like fruity stuff, but this beer is so good, I’ll make an exception. Pours black, oh yeah. Smells of cherries and chocolate, reminds me of candy. Has a nice roasted coffee and dark chocolate taste up front with a stinging cherry bite at the end. Not too carbonated, with just the right aftertaste.

pours dull black with small head. initial flavor is very tart from the cherries, then sweet, slmost chocolatey in the finish. slightly thin, if i had to find a fault.

Bottle from kosko20, marked 7734. Pours thick, with a dark brown layer of head and a black body. Head checks out in amout a minit leaving a ring and good lacing with a bit of alcohol legs above. The head can be called back at will. Aroma is strong at a distance with tart cherries, boat loads of malt, chocolate, tannins, cocoa powder and a bit of leather. Taste is an interesting balance of roast and dark tart cherries, a bit ashy or sootie as well. Second sip yields strong fruit up front and an espresso roast in the finish. Very smouth mouthfeel and light carbonation. Noted to self to add bourbon barrel version to the wants list, cause I liked this version, and I like bourbon more...

Pours oil black with a small tan head. Aroma is definitely roasted chocolate malt and cherry. Pleasantly surprised that the cherries smell real yet not too overwhelming. A bit of smokiness as well. Flavor starts out with a bang of tartness from the cherry that is very nice and refreshing. The cherry mellows through the swallow and the sweet roasted malts give the chocolate and coffee balance. Very easy finish that tastes warming and smooth. Medium-full body and low to average carbonation. I was pleasantly surprised with this beer. I think they managed to balance the flavors well, better than other fruit beers I have had, and if you appreciate tartness it is even better.

Bottle (William is cleaning out his basement). Pours an engine oil black- thick with no head. This one grew on me. First I thought the cherry flavor was too overwhelming- it was more like a sour ale and I wasn’t ready for it. But as the beer warms, the sour cherries complement nicely the very rich, sweet chocolate flavor of the malt. Really does taste like dessert.