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

suspect

New York

3.33/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle dated 8/2012 courtesy of RocPorterFanatic into a Central Waters Snifter.

A: Deep, dark, blackness. No light escapes. Aggressive pout leads to a hot cocoa colored one-finger head that slowly fades leaving thick slug trails.

S: Roasted chocolate malts, figs, a touch of smoke and some licorice.

T: Roasted malts really shine through and I'm picking up some smoke too...albeit subtle.

M: Medium bodied for a stout. Nicely carbonated.

O: Easy drinking, solid stout but something about the licorice and smoke turn me off.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 03:06:03 | More by suspect

TheDinger

South Carolina

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

Bottle poured into snifter. This one has been chilling in the cellar for a while (10 months) and moved to the fridge a few weeks ago. Pour was a fairly uneventful motor oil with a tiny mocca head a minimal lacing and retention. Smell is of dark malts, burnt chocolate, coffee and some carmel. A decent smelling stout. Taste follows the nose, but I pick up more of the coffee and a slight metallic finish. Some chocolate and licorice come on at the end. It's a pretty bold tasting stout and a bit too much on the burnt end for me. Has a smoky quality as well. Feel is nice and creamy. Not a ton of carbonation and I do like the silk quality on the end. Overall- It's a pretty good stout that was enjoyable. The metallic finish was a bit disappointing and I wanted more of the chocolate and less of the burnt coffee. Better than average, but not one of the best i have had. Would like to try another that is more fresh. Will give this another shot. It's worth the try-

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 17:10:30 | More by TheDinger

Dave1999

Virginia

4.24/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours pure black with a nice head which lasts for almost the whole time.

The smell is milk chocolate and bitter malts.

The taste is milk chocolate and very slighty bitter coffee.

The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with low carbonation.

This a very good stout, the taste is spot on, I think this is one of the best non imperial stouts.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 23:34:04 | More by Dave1999

kojevergas

California

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a New Belgium goblet at me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Acquired at Ramirez Liquor. I've been quite underwhelmed by Bell's in the past, so I'm hoping this is the one that shows me how truly great they are. Bottled 09/26/12. 6.0% ABV confirmed.

Served after a period of rest from the refrigerator. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Presentation: I dig the label and its artwork. Understated and classy.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger beautiful brown head of great thickness and cream, and good retention for the above average ABV. Body colour is a solid dark black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Nontransparent. Opaque.

Sm: Dark malts are dominant. Chocolate. Cream. I search for roast but struggle to find any. Licorice. A moderate strength aroma. Not real complex or subtle considering the style, but pretty good.

T: Creamy up front and on the finish, with a lightly roasted dark malt foundation. Minimal hop presence, if any. Little licorice; it's very restrained. No yeast or alcohol comes through. Hints of caramel. Chocolate. No real coffee or toffee notes. Roast is also underdone. Well malted. A tasty creamy stout. Impeccably balanced. Quite subtle for the style. It's amazing how much they've done here. This is fucking delicious.

Mf: Smooth and wet - overly so on both counts. Should be more dry and coarse. Feels more like a porter than a stout. Still, the creaminess is fantastic, and the thickness is good. Good carbonation as well. Nice presence on the palate. Suits the flavours nicely.

Dr: A fantastic stout from Bell's. I'm starting to understand the hype a little bit; I like this a lot more than the Expedition Stout. At a better price than it is as a SoCal import, I could definitely see myself picking this up regularly. It's pretty much everything I want out of the style. Obscenely drinkable; I could easily down this all night. One of the best American stouts I've ever had.

A

Gets better as it warms, but I'd still serve it chilled.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 03:24:52 | More by kojevergas

mikeborglum

Missouri

4.58/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours out a thick brown with tight, tiny-bubbled head; pitch black in color; faint smoke, a hint of licorice; a lot of roasted and charred burnt taste going on; A nice creamy smooth full body, coffee flavor with the presence of carbonation and alcohol. Finishes bittersweet with a long, lingering char flavor that keeps on coming.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 01:07:23 | More by mikeborglum

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