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

mjrtoo

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours very dark black with about a finger think head that seems to quickly vanish leaving a fair lacing on the Imperial pint glass from which I'm drinking.

The smell is subtle and right after pour you get the typical roasted coffee aroma, but to me, this quickly dissipates after the head is gone, leaving not much scent at all...something there but hard to describe, very very light milk chocolate maybe?

Taste...you're immediately hit with 'coffee with a cube of sugar' and chocolate flavors. Not too long after, the hoppy bitterness kicks in and finishes with dry extra bitter, roasted malty goodness.

Mouthfeel is lighter and crispier than I would like for a stout, quite crisp on the tongue actually.

Drinkability is high for a stout, but don't think I could do a six pack, it does have a kick.

All in all, I think it's a pretty good brew, but strangely sweet for my taste in a stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2008 01:57:08 | More by mjrtoo

skibumdc

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

On Tap in my kegerator. Bought from Total Wine & More in Springfield, VA. Totally pitch black with a dark head. Tastes of anise, coffee.
Nice mouthfeel of heavy stout but not too chewy.
I hate when a porter or stout feels watery.

Not much ofr aroma but I probably had it served too cold.
It's a heavy stout but very drinkable. Medium alcohol level, but after a few you know you've been drinking it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2008 14:14:00 | More by skibumdc

r3zim

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

A:
Poured chilled into a room temp pint glass with a full tan head that stays throughout the session. Carbonation appears medium to high. Color is black.

S:
Smell is of coffee, roasted malts, and chocolate.

T:
Taste is full of roasted and chocolate flovors. Finishes with a medium bitterness.

M:
Smooth with a chalky aftertaste.

D:
Very drinkable. Carbonation is just right.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2008 01:26:24 | More by r3zim

bpbieste

Florida

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Thick head, that hangs around, like a rootbeer float head. Dark, but can see light around the edges.

Smell: Unique scent, unlike any I experienced before with a stout. I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe a slight, very slight black licorice.

Taste: Decent. Deceptively different than you would assume with the aroma.

Mouthfeel: Like a cool syrup in your mouth.

Drinkability: Great finish. But then again, Kalamazoo always brings a smile to my face.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2010 23:43:08 | More by bpbieste

HopHearted

North Carolina

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

Great beer. Fantastic everyday stout especially since the weather has started to turn cold.

It's got that 30HD motor oil color and pored beautifully into the glass. Great head retention and mild lacing.

Great smokey, coffee boozy smell that beckons you to try it.

Fantastic chocolate malt notes with enough hops to balance it out. Great earthy aftertaste that begs you to keep drinking.

Solid and full on the palate really great coffee notes

Overall an absolutely fantastic stout. Big fan of Bells and most of their brews and this one does not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 02:16:02 | More by HopHearted

mportsch

Illinois

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

Appearance: Poured into a pint glass completely black with a fizzy brown head that dissipates quickly into a fine film with good lacing. Beer looks thinner than I expected.

Smell: Odors are fairly subtle... roasted malts shine through.

Taste: My first sip made me think 'smoky', but as I drink I get a roasty flavor and a touch of sweetness that seems pretty balanced. Aftertaste is bitter, leaving your mouth feeling dry. Tastes very good!

Mouthfeel: This beer has a medium to heavy body that could be just a bit fuller.

Drinkability: Goes down very easy. Definitely could session if one were so inclined.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2005 02:48:35 | More by mportsch

straybeer

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pour 12oz bottle into pint glass. Batch 9095, bottled April 16th, 2009.

A: Pours opaque dark dark brown with a thin tan head. Nice lacing up the entire glass.

S: Licoricey-anise with roasted malts, dark chocolate, and coffee.

T: Really nice combination of the roast coffee and malts. Finishes bitter.

M: Very thick, great combination, overall very full bodied and very enjoyable.

D: Great stout and pairs fantastically with my cheesecake for dessert.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2009 18:04:08 | More by straybeer

ShreddedThumb

Michigan

4.31/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This particular beer has been staring at me on the grocery store shelf for quite some time (specifically last October 29th, when I turned 21), and I figure it's time to finally try Kalamazoo Stout.

The Dorm Room Review

Serving type: bottle.
Poured into a blue Solo cup. Glassware cleaning is cumbersome in a dorm.

Appearance: Very dark brown, almost black. There's a quite impressive head, and I noted it's expansion by counting grooves in the solo cup. The light brown head appears creamy throughout the experience.

Smell: Pleasant licorice wafts into my nose. Roasty, coffee notes.

Taste: The roasted taste is immediately apparent. Some licorice flavor in the back of my tongue, but it's roast, roast, roast. At 6% ABV, the alcohol is naturally masked by the very enjoyable, full-bodied tastes. There's no watery or weak flavors here.

Mouthfeel: It feels like a thin layer of coffee and licorice coats my mouth. A miasma of subdued roasted notes float around pleasantly. Not too heavy, and the alcohol is not present.

Overall: I am very glad that I finally tried this stout. Admittedly, I initially predicting this beer to suffer from common stout complaints (watery, thin-bodied, etc); however, this is easily one of the best stouts at this price point, and given its easy-drinking and enjoyable qualities, Kalamazoo Stout should never be overlooked.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 01:21:05 | More by ShreddedThumb

Nero

Arizona

3.78/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: dark as it could possible be with a reddish tan head that was thick and receeded nicely

Smell: coffee, chocolate, with some expresso hints in there

Taste: Wow very chocolatey, almost like a bitter sweet chocolate. slight hints of toffee, coffee and alittle expresso

Mouthfeel: thick with a creamy goodness. can be alittle much if drinken more then just casually.

Drinkability: Not too bad one of the better stouts I have had. Like I said it could be alittle over powering if your drink a few in a short period of time. But all in all a very nice stout.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2006 16:23:04 | More by Nero

AleYes

Virginia

2.48/5  rDev -38.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

The label on the back not describing the beer should've been a good clue. Opened cold - tasted - wasn't much, but it is a stout, so of course I let it warm up. At cool still not impressive. Up to about 55 degrees and still a flat, slightly watery unimpressive stout. It poured dark, giving me hope. Head was flat and dissipated quickly. Had light milk chocolate and coffee flavors, and hints of more complex flavors, but it never got there. The flavors didn't meld, was unveven in the mouth. Light mouthfeel, neither sweet nor bitter. Would not recommend it to a serious stout drinker.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2007 23:52:01 | More by AleYes

DRjester

Michigan

4.63/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I'll say up front that normally I prefer a drier stout to the "Sweet Stout" style, but this beer is transcendent; it is at the same time both an excellent example of its style, and a fantastic stout to please a wider palate.

I had it as a 12oz bottle poured into a glass handled mug.

Appearance: The stout poured out of the bottle smoothly, like molasses, and settled into an inky near-blackness with nearly 2 fingers of thick, rocky head the color of good cappucino. No light could penetrate the brew, and the head settled slowly and left nice lacing on the glass. Overall, it looked exquisite.

Smell: The first scent of this brew is a shot of espresso-like dark coffee, followed by a rounded roastiness. Further investigation reveals bittersweet chocolate, hints of sweet dark fruit, and just a touch of earthy hop bitterness.

Taste: The taste follows well after the nose, with flavors of coffee, dark roasted malts, and chocolate predominating. The genius of this beer for me is that while it clearly has the milky sweetness that is the hallmark of the style, it is not so pronounced as to be overwhelming (as in Mackeson's XXX, for example), and the finish has just enough hop bitterness to balance out the profile.

Mouthfeel: Another strong point for the stout, it goes down smooth and creamy, almost luxuriously, but with just a hint of dryness to keep it from tasting syrupy.

Drinkability: I was actually astonished with how quickly I downed the first half-pint, and had to pace myself a bit on the second half. A bit of warming does this beer a good turn, and with it's good but not overly high abv, I can see this being a fantastic session beer.

All in all, the finest Milk Stout I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2009 00:07:22 | More by DRjester

mrmin123

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into Ikea beer mug. Black-brown opaque with a very thin cocoa brown head. Very faint smell of a frothy mix of coffee and chocolate. Tastes of malt right off the get go all the way to through the middle, and finishes with a delicious hint of coffee and chocolate. Feels smooth and creamy on the tongue; enjoyable to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2011 06:44:37 | More by mrmin123

AlphaRanger

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Black. Mocha head about 2 fingers worth with fairly good retention

S- Molasses, toffee, vanilla, roasted malt, chocoolate. This beer smelled amazing!! I could define several different notes. Everything melds together nicely.

T- Roasted, slightbitterness from the presence of some hops lingering around. Vanilla, coffee, and a bitter hoppy earthiness.

M- On par for this style. Average carbonation lent a nice smooth and creamy flavor. Doesn't not feel "heavy" at all. Nice bitter finish.

O- A very good stout. A great combination of sweetness and hop bitterness along with notes of vanilla, chocolate, coffee. Several beers from this brewery do not disappoint. I can't wait to sample some of the other stouts in the lineup.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 18:13:45 | More by AlphaRanger

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

nycjag

New York

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I really dug this stout. I am a big stout fan and this one did not disappoint. The aroma wafted up, revealing some hints of chocolate and licorice. The mouthfeel was silky. The taste was right there. Some roastiness to be sure, but a nice licorice undertone that came just shy of being too far forward. Finally, the hop presence was nicely aggressive for this style of beer, keeping it from being too sweet. If you want a stout, making yours a Kalamazoo wouldn't leave you crying in your beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2007 05:47:11 | More by nycjag

Britton

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed by a fire in a 12 oz. Bottle from Bon Vivant in Smithfield, VA. I poured it into a nice tall water glass.

A: Dark brown-black with hazel hilights. ~3/4" tan head which dissipates to a frothy film in 1-1.5 minutes. Some retention. Lovely to behold.

S: Roasty toasty malts with some astringency. A hint of that licorice they keep talking about, too. Smells so inviting! Some chocolate?

T: Almost as good as the smell. And almost the same. The toasty sweetness is under a bit of water but there nonetheless. Some choco-licorice to be had too. A smooth, smooth finish keeps you sipping.

M: Creamy and thick. A joy!

D: Yes.

Killer!

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2008 23:52:51 | More by Britton

SayYaToDaUP

District of Columbia

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

A - Deep black color with only the faintest transparency. Thick, creamy off-white head that sticks to the glass. Good lacing.

S - Roasty caramel, with hints dried prunes and licorice

T- Slightly sweet, licorice flavor builds up through beginning and middle. The finish brings dark roasted coffee, intensifying to espresso flavor for the aftertaste. A few minutes after the first sip, a slight tobacco, leathery taste is left on the tongue. Flavors are never overpowering. Very pleasant overall.

M - Carbonation is above average for a stout and perhaps detracts a bit from the delicate flavors. Very smooth with slightly creamy aftertaste.

D - Very drinkable. Flavors are subtle yet fully present. This is one of the few stouts I would really enjoy for a full session.

Notes: To experience euphoria, pair with fresh chocolate chip cookie.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2010 06:08:15 | More by SayYaToDaUP

drinkankuss

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Dark Black good stout appearance no sediment. Head dissolves pretty quickly

s - very nice toasted malt smell with subtle black liquiroce

t - very similar to the smell lots of roasted flavor, but not too much, hard to taste the liquiroce root, but flavors linger, good balance.

m - I would say this has excellent mouthfeel lighlty carbonated, relatively low fg from what I can taste, lingers a little long

d - I would not have a problem drinking this by the mug. goes down easy and flavors are enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2010 23:04:52 | More by drinkankuss

Robalypse

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

Appearance:
Syrupy, dark brown body with a prominent, malty, chest nut colored head.

Smell:
Faint hints of malt and licorice.

Mouthfeel:
Medium-heavy with noticeable carbonation and plenty of fizz going down. Doesn’t feel heavy like the coloration and consistency might suggest.

Taste:
Definitely a very slight licorice taste up front with a bit of grain, almost a hint of rye. Nothing very strong or dominating stands out, but a very sharp, tasty beer in its relative simplicity.

Overall:
This a great, quality tasting stout, especially given the good price I picked a bottle up for on a whim. Often it seems stouts can be a little heavy on coffee or chocolatey tastes, but there was none of that noticeable to me in this beer which works to its benefit. Because of its fairly low profile, but all around crisp and relatively mild flavor, it’s definitely something I could drink with some regularity. I will certainly be purchasing it again in greater quantity in the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 02:31:40 | More by Robalypse

noahallington

Michigan

4.6/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Aromas of coffee and chocolate enticed as a thick, foamy head formed on the thick, dark black beer. The taste is very roasted malty and sweet, with notes of coffee and chocolate. The aftertaste is pleasantly sweet. This stout was so sweet to me that I could see myself drinking this as a digestif/dessert type beer. But the roasty stoutness complements the sweetness well.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 23:22:45 | More by noahallington

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

otakuden

Florida

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

the stout itself is excellent. pours a dark brown, almost black, with a small bit of foam which settles out fairly quickly. it goes down smooth, not heavy at all, leaving a slight brussels lace trail on my guinness glass (sorry guinness) between sips. i can definitely taste hints of coffee and dark chocolate, along with licorice. very faint, but it is there indeed. i am not a licorice fan, in fact, i rather do not like it, which is why i was hesitant for so long to try the Bell's Kalamazoo Stout which is made partially with licorice.

i should know better by now - all good beers deserve a fair try. the first sips right out of the fridge where cool, which slightly masked the spectrum of flavor, but as the stout warmed a bit, more of the licorice and dark chocolate come into play. i definitely recommend giving the Kalamazoo Stout a few minutes to warm before having a quaff.

overall, a very drinkable interpretation of a stout.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2008 14:25:32 | More by otakuden

BrewFanatics

Ohio

4.8/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Love this beer! Super dark color. No light getting through. I gave it a medium-rough pour and it produce a nice, one-inch, dark tan head. Receded to leave some great lacing. Nice roasted coffee, caramel aroma (although there is something odd in the aroma that I can't seem to put my finger on). Great taste of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and caramel. Perfect bitterness. Very smooth and easy to drink. Highly recommended.

Rating by Tommy Davis from www.BrewFanatics.com

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 03:23:43 | More by BrewFanatics

kbraniga

Pennsylvania

2.25/5  rDev -44.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

The flavor of this beer, after the coffee-chocolate of a good stout, was vegetal and over-mashed. It left an unpleasant bitterness inside my mouth. While I love licorice, it did not blend with the taste of the stout, and did not improve the experience. I have enjoyed arrogant bastard and nosferatu, and the bitterness did not work to the beer's advantage. This beer was not well executed and I had no desire to finish it.

Served cold from bottle into glass, leaving yeast in bottle. 2 fingers of beautiful tan head that lingered for 15 minutes. Great black color. Initial taste was fine with the licorice adding an interesting layer, followed by one of the worst lingering tastes I have ever experienced in a beer. The mouthfeel was viscous without being dense. I could not drink more than 1/2 of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2010 05:45:33 | More by kbraniga

flocculate

Illinois

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

I've removed my pants for this pour.

As I pour, the color reminds me of Larry Bell's soul; dark and bitter.

Kalamazoo Stout, in fact, is opaque with a dark brown glow around the edges. Three quarters of an inch of fine foam.

A distinct smell of liquorice greets my nostrils, accompanied by chocolate and roasted coffee notes. Not boozy - but the smell of it tells me, "this six pack is gonna get me drunk."

The nose and the tongue are in agreement, roasted coffee bitterness.

Lightening quick maple syrup sweetness up front, but prompt finish. Carbonation is moderate. Short.

Very fine beer. I want to drink this before sex in the snow, but after a fine conaque. Larry, well done (again).

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 00:45:54 | More by flocculate