cking (1012), North Canton, Ohio, USA Nov 8, 2009 Heavy brown body, constant 1/2" dark tan head and good lacing. Peppery/spicy aroma chock full of coffee, chocolate fudge and roasted malts. There is a wonderful underlying fruitiness that comes forward after a bit. Full bodied, extremely creamy with a wonderful sweet finish and a lightly dry aftertaste. Nutty coffee with cream, mild black licorice, chocolate and hints of plum dominate the taste. Good spicy character in the back ground with a faint twang. Another top notch stout by Bells, seems like a drier and spicier version of the Kalamazoo. towerjac (25), Lansing, Michigan, USA Nov 7, 2009 Pours black with a tan head. Aroma is faint with rye and burnt coffee. Flavors are roasted malt, cocoa and rye. Soft creamy mouthfeel. Another Bells stout hits the spot, what else would you expect?
MatSciGuy (629), Rosemount, Minnesota, USA Nov 6, 2009 [Bottle] bonused by Sprinkle. Thanks Mike! Pours a mostly clear deep brown with a small and diminishing tan head. Aroma is roasted malts, some dry cocoa, a hint of saltiness, and I really can’t detect a whole lot of rye on the nose. The flavor, though, definitely has the rye present, but on the back burner compared with the dark roast coffee and malts. Medium mouthfeel and ample carbonation despite the lack of a head. Another tasty and well balanced beer from Bells. Maddog (231), Kettering, Ohio, USA Nov 4, 2009 An incredible bouquet of roasted malts and coffee. The pour is very dark brown and the flavor profile consists of roast and dark roasted coffee and dark chocolate. Another solid and diverse stout from Bell’s. ditmier (1021), Boise, Idaho, USA Nov 3, 2009 2009 Bottle, Batch 9370 - Thanks mibirder! - Pours an opaque dk brown with a large tan head...aroma is roasty and woody, cocoa and plum, with a pronounced graininess...flavour is similar, sweet caramel malt, coffee, a great amount of rye taste without becoming one dimensional, finish is somehow a lingering char bitterness, but the mouthfeel is completely sweet...odd brew that I completely enjoyed! jefcon (997), Arlington, Virginia, USA Nov 1, 2009 An extremely dry-smelling and dry-tasting stout. Some spicing, but mostly papery, roast coffee and toasted flavors. More pit fruit on the nose. Not an oppressive amount of alcohol, but enough that you notice the drying finish. An interesting beer. The use of rye is adept, but the final product just doesn’t do enough to stay within the profile of a stout. EricE (446), Fairfax, Virginia, USA Nov 1, 2009 Dark brown pour with a thin light tan head. Looks like a coke. Roasted malt aroma. Mostly bitter with the faintest touch of sweetness. Roasted malt and grain flavor. Some earthiness. Bitter hop finish. clingman71 (239), Centerville, Ohio, USA Oct 31, 2009 Updated: Nov 4, 2009Pours a deep mahogany brown with a slight reddish tint in the light, very smallish tan head. Aroma is very roasty and grainy, a little spice and coffee. Flavor is much like the aroma, but with the spice a little more pronounced. This has an excellent mouthfeel for only 6.7%, not thin like so many stouts in this % range. I would absolutely love to see Bell’s make an Imperial version of this beer. Although it didn’t wow me, it is very enjoyable nonetheless.
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