Bells Oak Aged Java Stout

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Minimal tan head atop brown-black body. Aroma is medium sweet, coffee, vanilla/Bourbon. Taste is medium sweet, vanilla, coffee/chocolate, light alcohol burn, wood. Medium-full body with minimal carbonation.

On tap at Maduro prior to the 2007 GTMW: Pours an opaque black with dark brown edges and a thin wispy-lacing tan head. Aroma of toasty malt, maple syrup, bourbon oak and sweet caramel. Body is well-balanced with a good amount of sweet caramel bourbon and coffee with doughy toffee and some oaky balance. A nice barrel-aged beer.

2004 version (I think), from a keg. Called Bells Bourbon Aged Java Stout. The nose is pretty remarkable, it’s a buttery bourbon (with lighter wood) scent, the coffee almost unnoticed in the nose, and the malt character is sticky and sweet (at least it smells that way). I like the lack of hops in the nose. That all being said, the bourbon almost comes across as spoiled butter, so it’s not on the level of the Founders Kentucky Breakfast, though it does smell similar. While drinking this someone mentioned furniture varnish, so that’s something I picked up right then... flavorwise it’s better, it’s more wood and less bourbon, especially up front, and on the back the rich and chewy coffee presence is felt. Very good overall.

2005 Eccentric Day: Enjoyed with Styles and Pailhead.

Opaque with a small creamy tan head and left an oily film on the cup. The nose displayed characteristics of coffee (duh), mocha, vanilla, prune and raisin, peat, wood, and yep bourbon imbuded wood. The taste starts with a heavy dose of coffee bitterness with a sweet vanilla and mocha overtone. Got some notes of a woody and earthy undertone further on before finishing with an interesting mineral and hop bitters finish. The feel is VERY WARMING, lievly and sharp with an oily body. Very good barrel influence but it did start to overpower as it warmed. I will take the regular Java over this but still nice to try once.

On tap at the Great Taste of the Midwest, poured by Mr. Bell himself! Poured a very deep brown with some lighter brown at the edges. Nose was deep, with lightly-burnt coffee maltage, hints of dark chocolate, rich vanilla, and oaky bourbon sugars. Burnt coffee bitterness and citrus tartness provide a fine first impression on the tastebuds... followed up by more coffee grounds, dark chocolate, oak, and warm bourbon. Flavors meshed very well. Fuller on the palate than it appeared in the pour, with sticky dark malts and alcohol at the finish. Excellent brew!

Sample at the Bell’s tasting at Brews Cafe on 3/6/08 (as Bourbon Barrel Java Stout): Pours nearly black with a wispy beige head that recedes quickly. Spotty lacing. Nice coffee aroma with some oak and roasted malt. Rich, smooth body with an understated coffee character. Notes of malt, hops and bourbon flavor. The finish is mostly coffee with touches of caramel and toffee. Hit the ground running with this one because it turned out to be my favorite of the evening. Very good overall.

On tap: Aroma is loaded with roasted coffee with light chocolate and vanilla. Dark brown, virtually black, with an insignificant off-white head. Flavor is loaded with roasted coffee just like the regular version. Chocolate profiles is much bigger and light vanilla as well. Hints of wood hide in the background. Very tastey.

GTMW 2006. The beer pours to a black watery body with no head. The flavor is nicely coffee and bourbon with an oak mix. Mellow. The cask really made the java into something else. The aroma is a balanced coffee and charred oak with whiskey notes. Nice coating moderate palate.