 Beerlando (1352), Orlando, Florida, USA
Aug 13, 2007 Updated: Mar 11, 2008
Batch #8245 (Dec. 2007). Aged only 3 months, this is the freshest Expedition I’ve had to date. It seems that the malt components are even richer when yound, taking on a fudgy, deep chocolate, desert-like profile. Anise and raisons also show pretty strong, with less vanilla and oak coming through. It seems that there’s a real trend developing here, with some of the chocolaty malts mellowing over time, givng way to smoothing, oaky vanilla. This is fantastic when fresh, but I think I’d give the slight nod to the 2006 vintage that I’ve sampled. Seems like 1.5 years is the perfect age for this, my favorite brew.
Below examples are courtesy boboski. Two vintages, both rated 8/11/07.
2006 vintage. What an absolutely fantastic beer! Black body with dark mahogany edges when held to the light. Beautiful, complex aroma of sweet chocolate roasted malts, anise, vanilla, oak, and raisons. I could inhale this intoxicating smell all day long. Layer after layer of decadent flavor fills the mouth with each and every sip. Sweet, desert like chocolate maltiness is balanced well by just the right touch of hops and coffee bitterness. Vanilla, oak, and anise provide perfect complementary flavors. The palate is on the heavy side of medium bodied. A bit syrupy, but not in a bad way. Think Kalamazoo Stout to the Nth degree. Thank goodness Bells is finally available in Florida. Heaven in a bottle!
2003 vintage. Very similar to the 2006, though it did show just a bit of oxidation. Probably a year long in the tooth, but still fantastic. I noticed a higher concentration of vanilla, and perhaps even a bit of hazelnut that I didn’t pick up in the younger version. Even at 4 years old, this beats 95% of the stouts I have tried. Awesome!
southamptonsam (51), New York, USA
Oct 8, 2008 Expectation is very important with this beer. Knowing nothing about it, I drank it after a couple of other beers expecting a straight Imperial Stout that would sit nicely on top of what preceded it. It clashed terribly and I was left with a bad feeling about the beer. Ready for a rich, oily sweet beer with nothing preceding it, it is one great beer. My memory tells me it’s similar to Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, but my nod goes to the Bells. Good future blind tasting.
DeadGuyFrank (345), http://westchesterbeer.com, USA
Oct 7, 2008 I really am torn about this beer....I know I know - it’s awesome, it’s from Bells, it’s an Imperial Stout....that being said, it’s way too concentrated - really high in alcohol taste, in other words this will drink like a meal and feel like you drank twenty beers. The torturous part about this review is the initial taste of this beer is everything I love about stouts - chocolate richness, coffee and smoky flavors reside in the mouth feel for minutes. I think this beer deserves another try, but for my palate is too much power....
edmajorjoe (52), Vail, Arizona, USA
Oct 5, 2008 Eerily similar to Surly Darkness and an Oatmeal Stout with reddish tint and long lasting head. Aromatic scent to die for and taste is also amazing.
Moggman (54), Columbus, Ohio, USA
Oct 2, 2008 Bottle. Pours almost black with very little head. Scent of chocolate, coffee, and a little smoke. Flavor is coffee, chocolate, smoke. finish is bitter hops and warming alcohol.
Chipper (68), Red Lion, Pennsylvania, USA
Oct 2, 2008 Draft at Kclinger’s Pub. Nearly black with minimal head. Chocolate, smoke, malt, and coffee aroma. Smooth drinking and the alcohol is present but muted. A little bitter on the finish.
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