Bell's Kalamazoo Stout - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

eclipse54

Idaho

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A 12 ounce bottle from inlimbo77; thanks! Bottled 8/22/2011, and reviewed from notes taken 10/29/2011.

A black body with about an inch of foamy, frothy, light khaki head. Nice gobs of lacing. Aroma is of roasted malt, chocolate, caramel, hints of vanilla, and cane sugar. It tastes rather sweet up front, with sugar, chocolate, vanilla, and some faint hops. Finishes with roasted malt and coffee grounds. Mouthfeel is rich, thick, and finishes a bit syrupy. Overall, a good American stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 02:31:51 | More by eclipse54

NJB145

Michigan

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-19-2013 00:59:49 | More by NJB145

wac9

Pennsylvania

3.49/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

love the beer love the name pour black in a glass looks a little watery but thats ok its the taste that will keep you coming back for more frist taste of bitterness works for me i coulddrink this all night i taste chcolate and other goodness enjoy this and their bell porter are wonderful

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 18:28:40 | More by wac9

mverity

Florida

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-16-2013 21:36:34 | More by mverity

shiguy16

North Dakota

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-16-2013 15:00:53 | More by shiguy16

Demarais20

North Dakota

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-16-2013 07:59:07 | More by Demarais20

GinsuDave

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -6.9%

05-15-2013 10:18:18 | More by GinsuDave

JohnG190

New York

4.48/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into tulip. Served at 50 degrees.

Appearance - inky black with light brown head that stick around for a while.

Aroma - burnt malt, espresso, and dark chocolate dominate. Faint whiff of anise.

Taste - initial sweetness gives way to nice, ever so slightly bitter finish. Flavors follow aroma with slightly more licorice than aroma.

Mouthfeel - medium body with soft carbonation.

Overall - one could almost call this a session stout at 6% ABV, I now understand why this American stout is so talked about. Will definitely visit again.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 23:21:58 | More by JohnG190

klingenator

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

05-14-2013 20:07:40 | More by klingenator

BigLittleHokis

California

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-14-2013 06:34:57 | More by BigLittleHokis

bravefan44

Iowa

3.5/5  rDev -13.2%

05-14-2013 03:10:07 | More by bravefan44

ZombieJester

California

3.5/5  rDev -13.2%

05-14-2013 03:09:56 | More by ZombieJester

AmandaSchaefer

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-13-2013 23:11:36 | More by AmandaSchaefer

vrbulldog22

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -6.9%

05-13-2013 18:26:52 | More by vrbulldog22

csfcmitchell

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

05-13-2013 16:03:25 | More by csfcmitchell

Kubrickx

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-12-2013 18:01:20 | More by Kubrickx

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-12-2013 17:20:31 | More by mikeburd1128

Lovely85

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

05-11-2013 23:14:53 | More by Lovely85

kylehay2004

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

05-11-2013 22:48:07 | More by kylehay2004

57md

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a dark brown-to-black color with over a finger of tan head. There is mild roast in the nose. Roasted maltiness and bitterness are upfront, but the bitter finish is the most noticeable quality of this offering. Quite flavorful for a single stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 05:19:47 | More by 57md

MSandahl23

Indiana

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-10-2013 19:44:46 | More by MSandahl23

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -19.4%

05-10-2013 14:55:21 | More by twenty5

Roman5150

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

bottle into tulip

appearance: black beer with slight off white head

smell: very coffee forward, bready chocolate, roasted malt, earthy hops, espresso, hot cocoa

taste: bready, upfront espresso and roasted coffee flavors, very airy and sort of light (think aerated chocolate vs. normal chocolate). Dark chocolate and some subtle hop bitterness makes a presence towards the end, but the flavor is pretty tame. Great drinkability for a lower abv stout.

mouthfeel: average carbonation, really thin

overall: This should be called the Session Stout. After drinking this immediately following an Expedition Stout, this is easily a sessionable beer and while on the light side for stouts, there is enough flavor complexity here to satisfy. A great well balanced brew from Bells.

Went to school in Kalamazoo, great beer town...

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 05:35:06 | More by Roman5150

memphischas

Tennessee

4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Has a dark brownish-black color. Dark like used motor oil. Good retention and lacing.

Smells like malt and licorice.

Tastes dark-chocolatey with a touch of anise..

Very light carbonation and thick mouthfeel, smooth. For as dark as it is, it is a "lighter" stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 03:40:11 | More by memphischas

TheSixthRing

California

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Appearance - Pours midnight black with a mocha colored finger width head. Fair retention, leaving a broken layer of microbubbles on the surface. Small, spotty lacing with fair retention.

Smell - Plenty of layered chocolate character; milk, touches of baker's and a bit of fudge. Hints of roast.

Taste - Doesn't live up to the aroma, unfortunately, but far from disappointing. Moderate roast and chocolate flavors, offset by light anise character. Touches on smoke. The Result is a sweet, very approachable stout.

Mouthfeel - Medium to full body, with moderate carbonation. Remarkable smoothness, which might be this beer's best trait.

Overall - A solid, near exceptional American stout. More sweet than roasty, with great smoothness and a remarkably drinkable body. As much as I'm enjoying it, it's strangely one of those remarkable beers that I wouldn't miss if I never had it again, mostly due to cost, availability, and the quality of other stouts more readily available, me thinks.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 06:37:06 | More by TheSixthRing