Bells Java Stout

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

12 oz bottle courtesy of Dak. Thanks again for the extensive Bells stout hookup! Deep brown, almost black pour, with a 1 finger, nut brown, head. Strong nose of roasted coffee, unsweetened chocolate, and wood. Smooth mouthfeel with the definite dryness of coffee. It is pretty dominating at first but the roasted malts and chocolaty notes come out as the beer warms a little. It’s almost a little too drinkable. I could see putting a few of these down in one sitting.

Pours a very dark brown almost black color with mahogany edges and a huge frothy tan head. Roasted malty aroma with lots of coffee as well as some oatmeal, toffee, caramel and hazelnut. Very smooth and quaffable with lots of roasted coffee maltiness, creamy sweet dark chocolate, caramel, toffee, oattmeal and a bitter, hoppy dry finish.

Bottle from 2007. Dark amber brown pour, little carbonation and nice aroma of chocolate, coffee and vanilla. Flavor is pronounced coffee and chocolate right off the bat, then finished with vanilla, peat and somewhat dry. Awesome brew that tastes great with some age.

very nice chocolate and coffee aroma. This beer has a full bodied flavor with a creamy mouth feel.

Overpowering with so much coffee! Holy shit! If you like coffee this is your beer, if not, well, it’s name is well-earned.

12oz bottle provided by josephselander poured into a snifter. Pours black in the glass with hints of mahogany showing through the edges. There is an impressive two-inch tan head that hangs around as a small cap and leaves good lacing. The aroma is like a coffee milkshake with a shot of chocolate syrup. The dominant aroma is that of spent coffee grounds but there is an underlying chocolate malt presence that keeps the coffee from being the only player. The taste doesn’t quite hit the excellence of the aroma but, as a coffee lover, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s got the dominant roasted espresso taste but it’s definitely got a more toasted character than the aroma, almost burnt. There is a decent malty sweetness but the finish is very roasty and bitter. They mouthfeel is on the fuller side of things and super creamy with soft carbonation. This is an stellar stout that sits somewhere just short of an imperial stout, but is extremely tasty and a must-try for the coffee lovers out there...like me. Another great beer from Bell’s.

Rich coffee and dark malt aroma. Black, nicely balanced flavor of coffee, bitterness, malt and mild chocolate.

Draught @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo, MI: Pours deep, deep brown - almost black - with a bountiful foam tan head resting atop. Aroma is all coffee off the top and throughout; I squinted and strained to find some chocolate and anise waiting for me, but this is coffee’s show. That first sip again is a coffee bomb, but a great one. Dark roast, earthy coffee with subtle notes of chocolate malt, cocoa powder, tobacco, and toffee. It’s complex, it’s super tasty, and it glides down your throat without effort. A commendable effort by a superb brewery.