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

Hazer115

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It pours very dark and thick with a dark tan almost brown head one to two finger head.

A fairly clean and crisp mouthfeel, but not what I would call refreshing, it is a Stout after all.

Overall I think this is a good beer, it had a bit more of a smoky taste than I was expecting.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 19:00:57 | More by Hazer115

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Opaque dark brown with three-finger, tan, creamy head that lasted forever. Great lacing.

S: Licorice and roasted malt. Mild.

T: Light to moderate sweetness and light bitterness. Extra dark chocolate and coffee.

M: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation. Very smooth.

O: This beer looks totally phenomenal in the glass. I was disappointed in the aroma, but the taste and mouthfeel made up for that. Outstanding stout.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 00:45:15 | More by SolipsismalCat

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours pitch black, thumb of mocha head, solid retention and some sporadic lacing.

S - Mild, musty cocoa, black liquorice and hints of pepper and leather.

T - A smokey cocoa flavour dominates alongside a sweet black liquorice, a touch of peat and hints of burnt tobacco.

M - Medium, smooth and wet.

O - A tasty stout which has a pleasant undertone of liquorice and a solid cocoa malt flavour. Glad I scored a bottle as it easily exceeded my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 03:44:08 | More by andrenaline

mscudder

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint.

A - A deep chocolate brown hue with a finger tan head. Good retention and lacing.

S - Cream, bitter chocolate, malts and some coffee.

T - Nice roasted notes with all the flavors following the nose. Nothing is overwhelming here, yet all the flavors are in a refined balance. Touch of caramel sweetness on the rear.

M - Medium body with light carbonation. I prefer my stouts to be fuller, yet this is only at 6% ABV.

O - A highly drinkable stout benefiting from a wealth of flavor without being heavy. A great brew for only $11/sixer.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 04:25:35 | More by mscudder

MeowTom

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Wonderful black color with a dark mocha colored head that is pretty solid and then goes to a medium lacing over the top of it.

S- Chocolate, coffee, and anise. That is really awesome how it's done in this beer. Very well balanced and just makes me want to dive into the beer.

T- Nice bitterness that isn't expected. I don't know if it is the smell of anise or actual taste, but I am getting some wonderful licorice notes.

M- Medium body, a little on the light side of stouts. On that note though it is great interaction with the carbonation.

O- Great beer over all. Another one of the many great beers brewed and enjoyed in my college town. This makes a great session beer for parties and tasting it brings back some wonderful memories. It has a lot of shocking parts with the medium/light body, anise, incredibly dark head, and it all works out wonderfully.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 02:03:37 | More by MeowTom

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Received as an extra in a trade and poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Poured a deep dark brown/oily black with a one finger fizzy khaki head that fades rather quickly leaving a light halo and thin wisps. No real side lacing.

S - Smell isnt bad, lots of roasted and sweet malts with some super faint licorice. Really wish there was more of this.

T - Taste is more of the run of the mill with roasted lightly smokey malts, faint sweetness. Some very faint almost burnt bitterness and light licorice. Again, expecting more licorice.

M - Mouthfeel is nice for a stout. Medium carbonation prevents this from being a creamy stout.

O - Overall, kind of disappointed by this beer. Was expecting more chocolate, coffee, something. Anything.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 21:28:46 | More by rudzud

circus_cat

Virginia

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

A: Motor oil black with a large, dark khaki head which dissipates slowly, leaving some nice lacing.

S: Wish the nose was a little stronger but it's nice. Licorice, dark fruits, baker's chocolate, espresso

T: Bittersweet baker's chocolate and dark coffee up front, licorice and dark fruits (mostly plum) through the middle, with a bitter, possibly hoppy finish reminding you it's a beer. Hints of walnut throughout.

M: Thicker than I thought--pretty full-bodied. Velvet-smooth with little noticeable carbonation,

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 01:47:04 | More by circus_cat

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a Kasteel goblet.

Appearance- Think Coke a cola. Even the head had small carbonation bubbles like when you first pour it. Good lacing also.

Smell- Lots of chocolate, roasted coffee, molasses, some charcoal and boozy notes.

Taste- Basically tastes like a black coffee with a hop kick at the end.

Mouthfeel- Medium body which makes for an easy drinking stout.

Overall- Great looking and smelling beer. I only wish it was some what sweeter to balance with the roasted coffee and hops flavor.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 02:40:47 | More by BrownAleMale

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a thick brown/back pour, 2 fingers of tan head, excellent lacing. smells of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, red wine. very sweet up front with an oaked bitterness (and roasted grains), black coffee, tobacco, still getting that port/red wine taste.

medium body (looked heavier when poured), moderate carbonation, slightly chalky.

an awesome stout by a great brewery. hard to believe the java stout was a bit more subtle than this on the roasted flavors..

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 09:58:51 | More by facundoCNB

Kmccabe33

Georgia

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

A- Appearance is pretty standard, deep brownish black color, whiteish brownish head. Nothing spectacular here like you see on some other stouts, but still good looking.

S- Smell is very malty, quite roasty, and can definitely smell a hint of licorice that is mentioned it is brewed with. Great smell for a single stout, definitely enjoyable but not over the top.

T- Taste is quite the same as the nose, quite a malty and roasty brew, hints of licorice, coffee, faint malty bitterness on the finish. Quite well rounded for a single stout.

M- Mouthfeel is quite thin in my opinion, seems to be lacking in the mouthfeel department. That is my only beef with this beer, it is not a very full mouthfeel, yet is more on the thin watery side.

O- Overall I think this is a great everyday stout, lower abv, good balance, and something I would go for again if I wanted a low abv stout. I will get the higher abv imperial stouts next time though if I am looking for the stout flavor I love.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 00:47:06 | More by Kmccabe33

flagmantho

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Packaged 2/21/12.

Appearance: extremely rich, dark brown, letting nearly no light through. Head is a thick finger of frothy tan foam. Quite attractive.

Smell: rich malty aroma with lots of chocolate character and a little roastiness. There's also an interesting and subtle fruity/toffee character which I really like. There's a little bit of vegetal hop aroma as well, but that's not too much of a drawback from the rest of this great bouquet.

Taste: rich flavor of chocolate, roastiness and more of that beguiling, subtle fruitiness. Bitterness is balanced and the vegetal aroma doesn't come through in the flavor. Really, quite good indeed.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a decent carbonation and concomitant creaminess. Not bad.

Overall: this is a very good stout. I will definitely have this again, given the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 15:11:32 | More by flagmantho

ediaz

Florida

3.68/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured dark with a relatively thick, nitro like head giving off little nose. Smells of wood, chocolate, and toasted malts. Tastes of dark chocolate, malt, smoke, oak, coffee. Smooth mouthfeel with medium carb. Overall a ~decent stout but if it wasn't local I wouldn't trade for it.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 01:19:03 | More by ediaz

Mojo

Alabama

4.43/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Kalamazoo Stout pours up a nice black with a minimal tan head and lots of residual delicate lacing left on the glass. Smell is licorice, roasted nuts, coffee, bread, soy sauce, and floral. Mouthfeel is very full erring on the side of less carbonation. Taste is fantastic. Hops at the beginning, sweet in the middle, and hops in the end with a not so disagreeable coffee aftertaste. A magnificent offering from Bells!!!!

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 02:59:31 | More by Mojo

IvoryFoxhole

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass. Bottled 7/12/12.

A) Pours with 2-3 finger light brown foamy head and takes a long while to disappate. Beer is a very very dark brown.

S) Sweet and roasted malts, maybe some of the licorice hinted at on the bottle. Quite pleasant.

T) Definite coffee flavor, roasted malts, some dark chocolate and licorice on the finish. Quite well-balanced.

M) Moderate to full, a significant amount of drying and a bit of bitterness on the finish (is it hopped more than we might think?)

O) Great stout - the finish takes a little bit away from it overall, but a real pleasure to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 20:28:07 | More by IvoryFoxhole

burdgod

Maryland

1.63/5  rDev -59.6%
look: 1 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

This was a very disappointing beer. I don't know if i just got a bad bottle or something but mine poured nearly completely flat with absolutely no head. I looked at it and there was literally about 3 bubbles floating around on top. One of my favorite parts of stouts is the nice thick head. I got it at a bar and needless to say i was very upset that I had just wasted $6 on such a terrible beer. Luckily I had some amazing beers as well that night that made up for it.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 16:34:09 | More by burdgod

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours pitch black with a finger of dense light tan foam. Retention is average.

S: Moderate roast, malted milk balls, and a bit of milk chocolate. Balanced and pleasant, yet restrained.

T: Similar to aroma. I get roasted malts up front with milk chocolate balanced with bitter hoppiness. I get a bit of licorice in the background. Like the aroma, the taste is a bit restrained.

M: Medium mouthfeel with moderate carbonation.

O: A very nice stout. Balanced and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 01:05:01 | More by coreyfmcdonald

CreamCity

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into 12oz pint glass

S: Big presence of coffee, hint molasses, heavy roasted malts.

A: It's a black hole in there. No light get's in or out. Very dark. Dark tan head, nice layer of lacing.

T: Coffee, hint of black licorice, slightly burnt toast. Sweet with a surprising hop presence.

M: Somewhere between a medium and full body. Very smooth, low carbonation. I can see the charred aftertaste being a bit much for a lot of people. It's fine for me as it is, but if it were too much more prevalent I can't say I would enjoy it.

O: I really liked this. I do tend to lean towards darker beers in general, but this was great nonetheless. Very complex brew and I will most likely seek this out again.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 05:26:23 | More by CreamCity

stephens101

Oklahoma

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into my SA specialty glass (my favorite Stout container).

A full, dark tan head sits long atop a dark brown almost black brew. Smells of caramel, dark chocolates and roasted nuts. Tastes of dark chocolates, some grain, coffee beans, more nuttiness, a bit of black licorice and a slightly metallic aftertaste. A sheen of dark fruits are noticed later in the session. Has a medium body and a dry mouth-feel that softens as the beer warms. This beer is almost fluffy due to some great carbonation, but remember this is a stout we're talking about here, so the key word is "almost".

The Kalamazoo Stout is a straight ahead traditional stout that reminds of how good a beer can be when the fundamentals are well honed.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 23:38:01 | More by stephens101

axeman9182

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottled packaged on 2/21/12. It was allowed to warm a little bit before being poured into my Firestone Walker tulip.

Kalamazoo Stout pours solid black, with about two fingers of dark tan foam rising up and filling whatever empty space there was in the glass. Head retention is very good, and there's a decent amount left sticking around the glass. The nose has plenty of coffee, but it's on the sweet side rather than dry, black coffee. That sweetness comes together on my palate as a healthy dose of caramel right up front. Roasted grains come in next, with coffee featuring much more prominently than chocolate. There's a very subtle flourish of licorice in the finish which adds to the beer nicely. The body has some sturdiness, but ideally I'd like it to be just a little bit more full. The carbonation does an admirable job of largely staying out of the way and letting the malt shine. I'm usually a fan of Bell's beers, but the other stout I've had from them (Expedition Stout) wasn't my favorite, so I didn't know what to expect when I opened Kalamazoo Stout. It's an admirable American Stout though, and one I'd welcome in my glass again.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 04:31:28 | More by axeman9182

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from session notes.

Black in color with a brown flash head and minimal lacing qualities. The dominant player in both the flavor and aroma is licorice. A very rich, bold, licorice combined with dark chocolate and about a 3:1 ratio of roasted malt to black coffee. There is a quasi-lactic powdery sweetness that makes me idly wonder if lactose was involved in this brew. Smooth creamy consistency, carbonation was a bit too weak but that was only a small flaw in an otherwise excellent brew.

This one serves well as a standard of well-done licorice aroma and flavor in a dark beer, it had enough to be exciting but not too much so as to be cloying.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 04:29:01 | More by WastingFreetime

exx

3.68/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours dark with a thin head that vanishes, leaving very little lacing. Appears almost entirely opaque, hold this up to a window and you can't see through it. Some caramel color, very little visible carbonation. Dark as a stout should be.

S- Heavy roasted malts and strong smell of licorice, molasses sticks out with a roasted coffee flavor lingering.

T- Coffee and charred malts, liquorice takes center stage with a nice coffee bitterness filling the mouth. Tastes like it smells.

M- Medium to full bodied, very little carbonation. Creamy, smooth, very nice.

O- Really goes down smooth. Very tasty. Robust, complex, would highly enhance any meal you drink a stout with. Worthy of the cult status? Why not.

Reviewed from 12 oz. brown bottle poured into pint glass. Bottle marked January 16th, reviewed August 17th.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 01:15:30 | More by exx

Spiekerbox

Michigan

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Dark brown-black with a coffee brown head on it that pours thin and recedes quickly

S- Roasted malts and some bits of dark sweet smell to it.

T- Large roasted malt flavor up front with a bit of a dark licorice sweetness to it. Actually has a decent hop presence which adds a pleasent bitterness and a finish of hops to mix with the dark toasted grains.

M- Medium-full bodied with low carbonation. Creamy texture that is easy to drink and doesn't linger for very long. As expected with a 6% beer there isn't much if any warming from the alcohol.

O- Good stout that is quite easy to drink. Would be a good stout for winter but is still drinkable enough to enjoy in the hot summer too.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 23:42:56 | More by Spiekerbox

SeaOfShells

California

4.53/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. into Duvel tulip

A: Pours fairly dark, but once in the glass it's completely opaque. The faintest tinges of red peak out from the curves of the glass. The beer kicked up a 2 finger dark tan head leaving decent lacing as it receded.

S: well, it's pretty typical actually, but for some reason this one stands above the others. Roasted malts take center stage, and there is a decent coffee scent. Deeper down I get licorice and sweet bread. It's a winner.

T: full flavored. Roasted malt again, finishing with a brilliant coffee bitterness. No alcohol can be detected. There's a fair amount of sweetness up front, which eventually gets crushed by the bitterness from the roasted malts (or is it the hops?). A stout that stands taller than its contemporaries. Well done.

M: the fuller side of medium bodied. It feels great in the mouth. The perfect amount of carbonation, creamy and slick. I'll have another.

O: it's always a treat to get the chance to try a Bell's beer here in California. I've had several varieties, and haven't been let down yet, save for Cherry Stout. They sure know what they are doing in MI. I can see myself buying this on a regular basis. The only other year round un-imperial stout that holds a candle is Deschutte's Obsidian.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 02:50:28 | More by SeaOfShells

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

355ml bottle poured into tulip 29/7/12

A not quite jet black with a large loose mocha head that retains very well and leaves several partial rings of lace

S fruity coco, faint smoke, nutty toffee and some faint molasses and chocolate covered raisins

T some coffee and char on top of what I smell, tastes great with more dark roasty complexity, for a 6%er its chalk full of flavor

M medium bodied, slightly creamy from the bubbles, long lingering aftertaste of burnt malt

O solid beer for sure, very dark roast, great taste and no issues in any other department

I'd be drinking this on a regular basis if it was available in my part of the world. went down easy even on a hot summer evening

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 03:32:20 | More by wordemupg

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle into tulip.

A- Inky, opaque black pour. Half finger dark tan head and okay lacing.

S- Dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee, brown sugar and licorice. Slight char and leather.

T- Licorice and high percentage cocoa. Dark roasted coffee and a touch of char. Very little sweetness brings out the licorice in this much more than expected. I'm not a licorice fan but this is good, it's there but it's not in your face.

M- Lighter side of medium, slick feeling.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 23:14:45 | More by korguy123