Bells Kalamazoo Stout

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

12 oz. bottle. Pours almost black with small red highlights. A monster of a tan head! The first aroma I get is an odd licorice and roasted malt combination. Further inspection reveals some nice coffee and caramel notes as well. Medium-low carbonation with a rich mouthfeel. A mineral taste is the first thing to strike my palate. Coffee and caramel come along as well. A bit of dryness on the palate too. There is a lingering bitterness and a long finish. The body is lighter than I was expecting, helping make the beer very drinkable. A very respectable stout from a great brewery.

Bottle. Pours a very dark brown with a medium creamy light tan head that lasts awhile that leaves behind good sticky lacing along the glass. The aroma is a roasted malt with molasses and caramel. The taste is a rich roasted malt with chocolate, caramel, and brown sugar. Easy to drink, a very good stout from Bells.

Bells variety case from Neffsville Beer Mart, Lancaster, PA...bottle pours black with a tan head...aroma comes off rather sweet...dry roasty taste with chocolate and a touch of alcohol...good stout...I like Bells.

Bottle thanks to tjthresh. Pours a black/dark brown pour. Iced coffee, caramel, roasted malt, and hints of cocoa. Nice mouth feel with some sweetness and a balanced roasty flavor. Quite good.

draft at ecentric cafe. smooth, creamy, nice balance of bitterness and sweetness. would drink again.

Appearance: As is typical with stouts, Bell’s Kalamazoo stout pours the color of black coffee. It doesn’t have much of a head from the initial pour, but the lacing is rather impressive. A good swift swirl of the glass will help pull out about a finger of stunning light brown frothy head that (again) disappears quickly. (4) Smell: This beer smells very good. I’ve poured this one a bit cold, but right out of the glass I get an explosion of roasted espresso. This is followed quickly by caramel and bittersweet chocolate aromas. There is also a nice bit of rich tobacco and floral components that gives this beer quite a bit of depth. Taste: Kalamazoo tastes identical to the way it smells, which is a very good thing. There is lots of soft bitterness right away that helps carry the strong espresso and chocolate components down your throat. The tobacco from the nose comes across on the tongue, too, which is a very nice touch. For a 6% ABV beer, this thing is packed to the teeth with deep, dark roasty flavors. Mouthfeel: Although there is a ton of roasted flavors in the mouth, the beer feels a lot lighter than you’d expect. The bitterness is only faintly detected by the palate, and there is not a lot of heaviness that coats the mouth. I would even say this is one of the lighter stouts I’ve had; which is good considering how drinkable this is. Overall: Bell’s Brewery continues to amaze me. I’ve yet to drink one of their beers that isn’t extremely inspired and worthy of my hard earned cash. The Kalamazoo stout, along with the heavier Expedition stout, is a very solid stout. Where the Expedition stout is meant to be more of a sipper, the Kalamazoo is something that can be enjoyed at a bit quicker pace. With such a low ABV, this is one that can be ready to go with only about 30 minutes in the fridge.

12 oz bottle courtesy of the Binnys Singles Rack (Orland Park, IL). A beer I’ve been meaning to get at for awhile now. Pours a largely pitch black opaque pour with fairly big brown head that cakes, laces, and moves down to a decent or moderate amount. Aromas are a nice combination of roasted malts, vanilla, creamy chocolate, caramel, light coffee. Initial is a good follow through, medium bodied, nothing overbearing, bringing on some good roasted flavors, bitter chocolate and coffee. Finish brings in some more of that creamy vanilla and caramel, but largely the sweet stays away. Instead depending on roast and bitterness. The beer is smooth and creamy in body, yes.. but stays true to roast. Nothing overbearing or burnt though. Great stout, through and through.

Sampled in Lexington, Ky. A really good stout. Drank out of the bottle. Not too much head, but a really nice smokey taste with a bit of licorice. A really good brew. Drank at room temperature. Quality.