Bell's Porter - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

smulford68

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at my local pub, but prefer it poured from a bottle because I have found that its more consistently heady out of the bottle.

As Porters go, I really consider this to be a favorite simply because it is what it says it is - A Porter pure & simple. Slight chocolate, toasted nut & coffee - but nothing over-bearing.

The folks @ Bell's do good work, and this is a good starter if you haven't tried their beers before.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2012 18:51:21 | More by smulford68

Mavigo

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a very deep brown, basically black, with a short off white head along with good amounts of lacing.

S: Smells very smoky to me, burnt wood, chocolate, coffee, barley, malts and wheat

T: Bit dry, really chocolately, sort of watery, but not too bad. Tastes like coffee as well, also malts and barley. Has some hops lingering at the after taste.

M: A bit carbonated in my opinion, bubbly, distracts from the flavors, however the flavors are very pleasant.

O: Overall, it's a good beer and porter, but I feel that I've had better from Bell's, but still, it's a good beer and is worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 03:43:37 | More by Mavigo

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A moderately-compact, spongy, mocha-hued head atop a clean and clear, deep reddish-brown liquid. Great head retention, though I'd prefer the head to be a little more creamy and less foamy. Some medium-dark chocolate, citrus peel, and maybe pine in the smell - all fairly faint and messy-blended. Underlying those aromas is a soft, sweet dark coffee scent that comes on in the end and comes forward more later.

Hoppy-bitter. Mellow roasty up front but quickly smooths out into a muddy mixture of toasted cookie malt and vaguely acidic-citrus hop flavors (3.75).

Goes down clean and bone dry It does seem, the warmer it gets, to exhibit a touch of roundness and perhaps some slight slick pull in the finish. The hop bitterness/flavor has a noticeable edge in presence over the roasty malt flavors. It's okay, but not particularly to my malt-forward preferences.

All in all, not bad, just a little to muddled and unrefined. Maybe extended aging would bring things together better. Who knows?

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2012 23:58:45 | More by Bouleboubier

chinchill

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Very dark brown and nearly opaque in my snifter despite being clear. The sudsy tan head is mildly disappointing at first, but largely redeems itself with some retention and lacing.
The aroma is very promising, with a bit of caramel sweetness, and more subtle notes of roasted malt, chocolate and coffee. The roasted malt comes to the fore in tasting, especially mid-taste onwards. Some dark chocolate, sweet caramel and a bit of a spicy hop flavor too.

M: Medium body; very smooth; would be creamy were it not for the lively, moderate carbonation.

O: Not exotic or extreme (and it shouldn't be) but a quite good porter in all aspects.

{12 oz bottle produced essentially the same impression and ratings - March 2013}

Serving type: growler

11-29-2012 23:21:13 | More by chinchill

Minks

4.53/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Oh Bell's. You never make a mediocre beer do you?

Well first off I drank this beer straight out of the bottle.

Sorry guys, but with no clean glasses and a mighty hankering for some good beer, what else was I going to do?

Well it wasn't washing the glasses, I'll tell you that.

The Bell's P. has got an incredible smell. I mean it. Herbal, cypress, coffee and malt.

Anyway this beer has got a lot of bubble to it, crisp but balanced with some staunch flavors. A bit milky near the end of the sip/swig.

It's got a lot of stocky malts and a bit of herbal hops, wheat toast, Grandpa's tobacco, toffee and coffee with a lot of splendid bitterness. It's reminiscent of chilly Canadian mornings when beefy lumberjacks would gather over a pot of coffee, breakfast, and chest hair comparisons.

Finish is great, both crisp and silky, with a pleasant beery aftertaste.

Not the best Porter I've ever had, but one of the better ones. It is certainly worth drinking, so go out and drink it!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 00:49:18 | More by Minks

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into signature pint glass, bottled 9/6/2012. Pours lightly hazy very dark reddish brown color with a nice 1-2 finger dense khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of big chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, toffee, coffee beans, toast, light dark fruit, cream, and herbal hops. Very nice aromas with good strength and balance. Taste of milk chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, toffee, toast, light coffee, earth, and herbal hops. Lingering notes of milk chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, toffee, and herbal hops on the finish for a bit. Nice balance and robustness of flavors; zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy, slick, and smooth mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with nearly zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very nice porter. Nice balance of nicely robust roasted flavors; very smooth to drink. Very enjoyable and sessionable porter.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 04:44:36 | More by superspak

psuKinger

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle poured into my Sam Adams Perfect Pint Glass.

A: Pours a moderately dark shade of black, with a nice tan head on top, moderately sized, which receded fairly quickly but didn't completely disappear.

S: Roasty and creamy, a nice combination of coffee and vanilla as well. Maybe just a hint of grapefruit shining through.

T: Flavor begins with classic roasted notes. Vanilla begins to make itself present as the glass warms. A light blast of pine and grapefruit arrive near the end.

M: A bit thin for my liking. Nice creaminess, though. Certainly not a dry finish.

D/O: Vanilla-roast became more pronounced, and the finish improved, as the beer warmed. But it still remained a bit thin. This would probably be an enjoyable Porter during the heat of Summer, but it's not an ideal Winter Porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 21:40:48 | More by psuKinger

obywan59

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black with a 2 finger brown head that recedes leaving light lacing.

Aroma of roasted malts. Coffee and dark chocolate.

Taste is faintly sweet .Roasted malt, and coffee with lasting bitterness in the end.

Medium to medium light bodied. Above average carbonation for a porter, with some alcohol burn as well.

An easy drinker. Not spectacular, but satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 02:52:47 | More by obywan59

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass at fridge-cellar temperature.

L – Deep brown, almost black color with a 1.5-finger foamy, frothy tan head. Excellent retention and some great lacing.

S – Roasted, chocolate, caramel, and grainy malts with some dark fruit aromas.

T – Starts off sweet with chocolate, caramel, and dark fruits. Grainy malt comes through mid-taste and bitter roasted coffee-like malts shine at the finish.

F – Medium-bodied with good carbonation, a creamy mouthfeel, and a slightly bitter finish. Roasted and grainy malt flavors linger.

O – This is a pretty good porter. The aroma is a little subdued and the mouthfeel is a little thinner than I would like, but it looks great and is tasty. There’s nothing special here, but it’s a very solid and drinkable example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 01:48:18 | More by BlackBelt5112203

davey101

Connecticut

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

05/03/12 A. 12 oz bottle into a DFH glass. Thanks Matt!

A - Dark black body with one finger light mocha head. Head sticks aroundfor a while with thick edging. Has some lacing, but pretty minimal.

S - Chocolate, coffee beans, roasted malts. Some burnt crackers on the finish. Average, but inviting.

T - Lots of coffee, sweet milk chocolate and roasted grainy malts. Slight bitterness on the finish. Tasty, but again somewhat plain. Mouth feel is on the thin side, but makes for a super drinkable beer.

O - Nothing spectacular, but a really solid and well made porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 03:21:00 | More by davey101

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bell's Porter is nearly black with a finger of tan head.

Plenty of classic porter roasted grain scents in the nose, burnt dark fruits, light coffee, bittersweet.

Similar to nose with charred dark fruit, a bit more coffee, equally bittersweet, a touch of smoke, light bitterness in aftertaste.

Medium bodied, smooth carbonation, tasty stuff.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 22:20:02 | More by TheMultiYeast

buddha5050

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

A: Poured dark brown/black with a mocha colored tightly bubbled head 2 fingers high and took what seemed forever to disipate into a thin laceing over the to top of the beer.

S: Smells of coffee and chocolate with a hint of dark fruit, sweet, roasted malt smell smelled realy good.

T: The nose did'nt dissapoint it had a nice coffee and chocolate taste with those untertones of roasted malt really nice a little smokey as well. With a nice middle of the mouth sweetness with the typical porter finish.

M: Felt medium and could be a little more dense but still had a nice coating, nicely carbonated.

O: This is a easy drinking porter, I would deffinately drink this one again. Hat's off to Bell's

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 00:33:01 | More by buddha5050

Beer_Runner

4.33/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 07/24/12 (opened 66 days after bottling).

A: A slow pour into a standard pint glass resulted in about two-and-a-half fingers of dense, head that is a light mocha color. Overtime the head dissipated to about one finger and lasted until the glass was almost empty. The brew is a very dark brown and opaque.

S: The aroma is dark roasted coffee-like malt with some sweet cherry and a little dark fruit.

T: The taste begins with some sweet malt and some roasted malt. Some dried dark fruit joins in, and then a little earthy hops comes along to balance the sweetness.

M: The brew is smooth with a medium weight body; and, it also feels just a little bit creamy, too.

O: This should be one of the benchmark porters. This is a classic porter, and it is an outstanding example of porter. This beer hits the mark as a classic porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 00:09:07 | More by Beer_Runner

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Into a pint glass:

A: dark black colored body with a nice small off-white head that must last at least a good full minute and died ever so slowly.

S: chocolate/malt smell up front with some light fruit in the background.

T: brought back the malty flavoring with the chocolate combined nicely.

M: medium with nothing harsh on the tongue, just an overall good standard feel. This was a mainly drinkable beer.

O: another of Bell's that I remember well and loved to have this time of year. Though a year-round beer, this was always a favorite of mine when I lived in Michigan to have this time of year.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 01:16:00 | More by kangarooAdam59

ezterry

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark black with a nice light brown head

S: Clean smell with a slight hint of a fruit smell, almost smells like strawberries to me nothing offensive but different.. Otherwise a nice chocolate/malt smell.

T: Nice malty flavor, very little hop flavor is detectable, and the bitterness is well blended. Still a hint of the fruit in the taste, but not as defined as the smell

M: Nice mouth feel, a bit thinner than most porters but still decent with a good carbonation.

O: I like it .. but the notes are unexpected. certainest I've had better, but a very drinkable beer. worth tasting.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 21:04:01 | More by ezterry

tectactoe

Michigan

3.79/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Very dark, nearly black, ever-so-slight amount of light that escapes around the edges, letting in some faint brown and dark ruby red, but that's about it. Thick tan head that retained very well and left some nice lacing on the glass. Smells of rich, toasted malts, burnt sugars, faint cocoa, and a bit of roasted coffee beans. Low hop bitterness is aided by a hint of sharpness from the decent carbonation that balanced well with the malts. Beer starts off bold and ends with a mildy sweet, burnt oak aftertaste. Very nicely done. Medium body thickness, not quite chewy, with a decently creamy profile and a nice touch of carbonation.

Another solid beer from Bell's, this porter may not be the "best" on the market, but it is very drinkable and a nice choice for the price.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 17:44:44 | More by tectactoe

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Very dark brown and hazy with a light brown head.

Aroma: Typical Porter smell; Roasted coffee and chocolate with a little caramel/molasses. A well rounded malty aroma.

Taste: There is an interesting brightness to the palate right away. I'd attribute that to a bit of hop presence, but it fades quickly. The second half is all roasted coffee and dark chocolate. This is a good example of what a Porter should be, but it's not really showy enough to stand out against others of the style. That's not necessarily bad considering how some Porters go wrong when they are messed with too much. Nice lingering coffee bitterness in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Effervescent at first, but smooths out nicely in the finish. Medium bodied. Easy to slug this one down.

Final Thoughts: I'm not sure what the original Porters tasted like, but this one seems like it would fit right in with those. It's sort of a back-to-basics example of the style but it does not disappoint. It's nicely robust with a lot of great flavors to back it up.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 03:44:53 | More by JamesMN

wattoclone

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very dark, almost black, delicious malty, cocoa flavor that is extremely drinkable. No detectable hop bitterness. Aftertaste is bitterness of dark chocolate. Very well balanced. Almost as good in the bottle, although slightly more bitterness. Large amount of yeast sediment in bottom of bottle that was resuspended upon vigorous swirling. A full bodied mouthfeel rich and creamy.

Serving type: on-tap

09-12-2012 13:00:38 | More by wattoclone

flagmantho

Washington

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Packaged 2/15/12.

Appearance: extremely dark brown hue with traces of ruby when held up to the light. Head pours two fingers of frothy tan foam with decent retention. Nice!

Smell: smooth, chocolatey malt aroma with just a hint of vegetal hop character. A good, solid porter bouquet.

Taste: rich, malty flavor; slightly sweet with a fair amount of chocolate character and a hint of roastiness. Dries out a little toward the end, where it meets up with that light vegetal character. Solid!

Mouthfeel: medium body with a somewhat low level of carbonation but a nice smoothness nonetheless. I like it.

Overall: a very tasty, well-crafted porter. This would be a go-to beer for me if it were sold around here.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 02:08:22 | More by flagmantho

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cheers to Goblinmunkey7 for giving me a bottle of this

Appearance: A deep brown, with some lighter amber tones, clear around the edges - average size beige head, fades to some nice spots and streaks of lacing

Smell: Caramel malts with some toasted and slightly roasted highlights - hints of chocolate and coffee - lightly sweet, nicely dry, and clean

Taste: Nicely roasty and toasty - toasted dark bread, with some hints of coffee and baker's chocolate - mildly bitter - lightly sweet, lightly earthy

Mouthfeel: Medium body, nicely carbonated, smooth, nicely dry

Overall: A mild, yet solid, porter

This is very light and drinkable for the style. I would say it is a bit mild, but it's not like it is labelled as a robust porter. This is nicely balanced and easy to drink. If I could get Bell's on the East Coast, I would drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 04:38:31 | More by angrybabboon

IvoryFoxhole

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass. Brewed in May, 2012.

A) Pour results in 2 finger light tan head. Slow dissolve to slight cap and a little bit of lacing. Beer is a dark brown.

S) Roasted malts, roasted coffee, maybe a little bit of chocolate.

T) Roasted malts, some chocolate, some hops come in at the end.

M) Moderate to full, medium carbonate which causes a dry finish.

O) Solid porter, quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 22:12:51 | More by IvoryFoxhole

shand

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a mug.

This boy pours out a deep brown with a finger of head. The aroma is rich with bready malts, caramel, and cocoa. The flavor is tasty, it's robust and roasty, with cocoa and a hint of vanilla. The mouthfeel is moderate on carbonation and a bit lighter on body, and the drinkability is good. Not much to say about this one, it's just a solid porter. Doesn't stray from the base of the style, but it is well-executed.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 02:54:50 | More by shand

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on 2012-08-11 in Lititz, PA at the Bull's Head

A - Dark brown with a 1-finger tan head and good lacing.

S - Rich bready malt. Some chocolate and dark fruit. Not overly strong.

T - Nice combination of rich flavors including bread, roasted grain, chocolate with a light splash of coffee, sweet dark fruit/rasin and some nice herbal hop presence. There's a bit of roasted and hop bitterness to round out the sweetness in the aftertaste.

M - Medium body and light-medium carbonation. Smooth but lighter than I expected.

O - A really tasty and almost sessionable porter. Plenty of flavor. I like it although I prefer the Founders Porter which has more of a charred flavor and is a little thicker in feel.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2012 18:38:47 | More by Tucquan

BikingDutchman

Iowa

3.6/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Very dark brown beer that is nearly black with a one finger light tan head. Retention is okay.

S - Chocolate smell with some coffee roastiness. A small amount of earthy hop smell.

T - Roasted flavor is the most apparent. There are also some nice sweet chocolate and caramel flavors that follow the roastiness. A faint hop flavor that tries to balance only shows up for a second until the roasted flavors linger on.

M - Medium bodied but not heavy. It feels almost creamy at times.

O - The sweet chocolate flavors make this easy to drink, but I wish that the hops were a little more present.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 04:25:06 | More by BikingDutchman

clemtiger8202

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A sudsy, thick head with good lacing and stuck around the glass for the entire drink. Beer is a dark, deep brown. Aroma is definitely coffee notes and malty/toasty. Taste is sweet, coffee, and maybe a hint of dark chocolate. A bitterness sets in, much like espresso, on the finish. As the beer warmed, it seemed like there was a hint of some dark fruit present. A good porter that evolved throughout the drink.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 02:38:13 | More by clemtiger8202