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

MamaMeier

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Very dark and thick - looks good - anxious to try! Caramel color.

S - sort of a bitter smell, caramel smell.

T - Surprisingly sweet taste - a little bitter, sweet but bitter finish.

M - Not too much for carbonation - makes it smooth, but a little bit lacking in flavor.

D - Goes down smooth, but the lack of carbonation makes it a bit too bitter.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 02:53:47 | More by MamaMeier

howard12

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Serving Type -- Bottle, dated 1.18.12

A -- Dark, dark brown almost black

S -- Molasses, Coffee, Chocolate, some hop, mcintosh apple

T -- Bitter chocolate/espresso with hops slight vanilla but only very slight

O -- Legit carbonation, bitter but smooth, espresso; will buy again, certainly

definitely a fan of the beer

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 01:53:28 | More by howard12

WiscoBrewsco

Wisconsin

4.93/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

On tap at Fox River House in Appleton, WI

Appearance - Poured a night black, little to no carbonation, slight tan head that didn't linger long

Smell - Sweet chocolate mixed with wet hops and roasted malts

Taste - Wow what a mix of flavors for a stout. Off the bat a massive thick malt bill with loads of chocolate steal the show but then it transitions into an almost salty sweet roasted malt flavor that carries you right into a dank hop flavor that finishes with a sweet milk chocolate aftertaste

Mouthfeel - The mouthfeel is thick but not quite to the level of being chewy, but almost

Overall - This is a fantastic stout. One of the five best I have ever had and personally I think it is a better offering than Bell's highly acclaimed Black Note Stout. If you are a fan of stouts you have to try this one. Simply amazing

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2013 23:49:01 | More by WiscoBrewsco

BarkingLeopard

Virginia

1.98/5  rDev -53%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Paid $2.49 for a 12oz bottle from Total Wine & More.

Got 1/8th inch of head that quickly dissipated. No lacing, and about as dark as you can get.

Smells DARK, as in dark coffee and chocolate, but not "dark" in the sense of good and rich. Smells slightly sweet...

Taste is very syrupy, dark, and sharp; very much not for me, one of the more disagreeable tasting beers I've had in a while. Similarly, this stuff is thicker than I was expecting (though it isn't too too thick). It really sticks to your tongue, and with its taste that's not a good thing at all in my book.

I have very low drinkability with this. It's very slightly warming as it goes down, and its taste is so sharp that it's definitely not something you'd want to drink one than one of... or in my case more than one sip of... I'm sure that this is good beer to some, but it was a struggle to make myself finish this beer; definitely not for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2008 01:02:40 | More by BarkingLeopard

mataelbata

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wow! i must admit that i was shocked to see that "the bros" rated this a C. I love it! I just came in from a cold MN night and had one waiting for me at about 50 degrees. It poured with a nice head, and seemed to retain one to my satisfaction for a RIS. The taste warmed me up on this cold evening and exceeded my expectationso on the palate. Good job Bells !

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2009 01:55:44 | More by mataelbata

slimstout

Iowa

4.38/5  rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Black and very thick -- reminds me of syrup. Almost no head.

Smell: I can smell the alcohol (10.5% abv). It also smells malty.

Taste: Rich and malty. The alcohol taste is largely masked by its richness, I would have expected to taste the alcohol more. Chocolate (but not so much as to be a chocolate stout), vanilla. It has loads of malty sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Very, very little carbonation. It seems thick and smooth. Slight alcohol burn.

Drinkability: It's definitely a sipper. If you're a something of a lightweight (like me), you'll definitely notice the alcohol in your system through the second half of the beer even when sipping it slowly and drinking water and eating.

This beer brought a big smile to my face as I poured it, watching its thick viscous blackness, and seeing the last bits of it drizzling like a syrup over the thin head that slowly developed. Its flavors are complex but not overwhelmingly so. I think it's taken me over an hour to drink but I've enjoyed every sip.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 02:38:21 | More by slimstout

will1256

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Batch number 9554 (January 2010).

Pours jet black with no light whatsoever making its way through the side of the glass. Half finger of tan head quickly dissipates, leaving very little lacing.

Nose is excellent, lots of coffee, vanilla, chocolate, and hints of dark fruits/cherry.

Follows the nose - first taste is coffee and sweet chocolate with a hint of vanilla, slight roasty bitterness at the middle and finishes with more coffee, chocolate and a bit of booze-soaked cherry. The cellar has been kind to this one - definitely smoother and more mellow than the fresh stuff, which can be a little hot imho.

Nice full body, low carbonation, exactly right for the style.

Overall a fantastic RIS, one of the best ones out there. Wish I had a few more to see what another few years would do.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 03:39:37 | More by will1256

thewalkindude

Alabama

3.73/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass at the local Mellow Mushroom. I'm usually a huge fan of Russian Imperial Stouts, and while this one was pretty good, there were a few aspects that put me off about it. But I'll save that for a minute, first, let me get to what I liked about this beer. The appearance was a rich, black color, pretty much opaque when held up to the light. The Expedition sported a two-finger thick dark caramel head that faded relatively slowly and left a nice lacing on the glass, although not as much as I'm accustomed to with a stout. This one was heavy in the mouth, with a bit of a bite from the carbonation. As far as the actual taste of the beer is concerned, this one is bitter, even for a stout, with strong espresso, extra dark chocolate, and alcohol flavors throughout, which only grow stronger as it warms up. Left a pleasant bitter malt flavor on my tongue.

Unfortunately, the Expedition's carbonation makes the flavor sharper than I'm usually accustomed to in a stout. Also, it smells like wet play-doh on the beach, which I was forced to endure every time I brought it up to my lips. Besides these complaints, this was a solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 04:20:05 | More by thewalkindude

ABisonEgo

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

'12 bottled on 10/02

Appearance - Black with ruby red highlights along the edges. 1 and a half finger beige head with lacing along the edges

Aroma - coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruits, a bit of hop character, though i cant really pinpoint the exact scent...maybe more of an earthiness

Taste - Very coffee and hop forward...almost astringent at first. Some dark fruit apparent towards the middle of the mouth, and bitterness on the finish. Almost a spicy, earthy finish...but very hoppy. While most imperial stouts rely on the hops for balance, this one is almost overtaken in the finish by the hops present.

Mouthfeel - Very creamy...which is pleasant. The beer finishes with a bitter tingle with a medium to full body. A little lighter than expected, but about ideal.

Overall - Great complexity on this one, however, Im a little turned off on how the hops overtake the beer. Its as if this one was meant to age, which there is nothing wrong with and it even says its worth aging on the bottle. If the hop character faded away a bit and the beer smoothed out, im sure this would be one amazing beer. Having said that, I guess its time to open my '09!!!

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 03:35:21 | More by ABisonEgo

EllaLythe

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a Sam's Pint glass

Looks good pouring from a height of six inches to get some kind of head. Not much luck in that department. Plenty of lacing through out.

Smells like a wonderful rich toasted malt filled tongue pleaser

Taste is black malt and viscous coffee and alcohol. Slightly cloying aftertaste. The thickness is the real downside for me. A little lighter would have been great.

I liked it overall but this maybe my last six pack. Just didn't compare to some other Imperial Stouts I've had.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2008 21:49:07 | More by EllaLythe

IDS

Oregon

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Expedition was a beer that I would have fairly regularly and enjoy before really getting into craft beer and one that I have not been able to try in the last three years due to my move out West. Since my palate has changed since then, I decided to fork out the money and have some Expedition shipped out.

I got my bottles yesterday and immediately cracked one open. The FexEx shipping on a crisp fall day provided the beer with a perfect temperature in which to enjoy. Poured into a pint glass, Expedition looked just how I remembered, black, with a quickly dissipating caramel colored head.

The taste was fantastic. Big malt taste and what reminds me of baker's chocolate hit me the most. The syrupy texture and low carbonation of this beer, in my opinion, lends itself to the taste as opposed to hampering it. When I got to the bottom of the glass I found myself full and delighted.

While I do not believe this to be the most accurate representation of an RIS, I do believe it to be one of the most creative ones. I am glad I have 5 more waiting for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2009 15:36:07 | More by IDS

heythere

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

a: Very dark, thick pouring out of the bottle with a medium brown head.

n: a little bit smoky, rich

t: smokiness more prevalent, can taste the alcohol, bitter

m: carbonation is subtle due to thickness of the beer, very smooth

o: very tasty, I think I am going to have to start saving a bottle or two of this every season.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 03:18:14 | More by heythere

vivalanation734

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is an epic RIS.

Pours a thick motor oil color with a thin cappuccino head. First aromas are of dark chocolate and roasted espresso. Flavor is very similar. Very little alcohol burn. Much better as it warms up.

This is a winner RIS in my opinion and is up there with Old Rasputin for sure!

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2010 00:27:14 | More by vivalanation734

madarab55

Kansas

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Hardly any head to speak of, except for a cotton-ball sized bit in the middle of the glass with no lacing around the rim. Dark brown hues in the color, basically what I was expecting.

The smell has a very sweet, dried fruit smell. Not exactly raisin, maybe a bit of apricot? Not quite sure, but it does smell good.

My first sip I was blown away by this. It didn't smell anything like the way it tasted. The first surprise was how boozy this thing is. It tastes like it has been aged quite a while, but is a new batch. There is a delightful sweetness that lingers underneath the rum/bourbon taste about halfway through. The finish is an exceptional coffee taste that stays with you for quite some time.

In other words, it's not the best I've ever had but solid nonetheless. I'm looking forward to re-visiting the rest of the six pack I bought. Although it was a little on the pricy side.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 22:29:44 | More by madarab55

aaronplayford

Michigan

4.24/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Purchased from bells as vintage 2007. The numbers match.

Pours mildly carbonated with a dark tan head.

Smells roasty and warm.

Tastes full, robust, roasty and still slightly bitter and warms after the swallow. Roast and slight bitterness lingered after.

Viscosity is thick but on par for its style.

Overall if you can age a beer 5-6 years and have it still taste this robust and roasty you've really got something. Wish I'd been aging this stuff since I knew what craft beer was.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 04:40:43 | More by aaronplayford

rxmaster

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Dark, almost black body with very large and thick dark tan or cappucino colored head. The head reminds me of what you get when you wash oily hands with pumice soap at a garage. A nice lacing was left all the way down the glass after the drink was consumed.

Smell - Burnt coffee and bitter chocolate mix with a light smell of alcohol, hinting at the treat to come.

Taste - Slightly sweet beginning with roasted malts and grains predominating, followed by hops, burnt coffee and alcohol flavor at the end

Mouthfeel - Thick, much the same as it's appearance. Slight tingling and bitterness from the hops.

Drinkability - I wouldn't go to the bar and drink a few of these in a row, but these would be perfect for the occasional treat to a truly world class brew or with steaks on the grill.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2005 08:59:03 | More by rxmaster

megapyro6

Wisconsin

3.65/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Strong initial hop aroma that fades quickly after pour into glass. Pours somewhat like motor oil with a moderate medium brown head. Head seems pretty strong and resistant to go away. Eventually subsides and leaves some decent lacing. Coffee and malt aromas most noticeable with slight hints of sweetness from fruit, raisins, and hops. Rather strong taste with thick mouthfeel. Strong sweetness to the taste. Not as drinkable as some other imperial stouts I've had, but still tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2008 04:21:01 | More by megapyro6

hopslamds

Michigan

4.95/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a pitch black, thick, with a small tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, dark chocolate, and a suttle hops. Fresh is a bit hot, which tends to mellow over time and become dangerously smooth. Definitely a wonderful beer that is readily available (when in season) and well priced. Buy and age this beer every year. This truly gets better every year.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 21:48:28 | More by hopslamds

bevdaddy

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured in to a TK Tulip from batch 9512. picked up on a recent trip to Philly.

A - Pours out nice and black. In contrast to other reviews, I got a good almost two finger head on this beer which was a nice brown cocoa color.

S - Big whiff of roasted malts. Im getting equal parts chocolate and coffee. there may be a bit of caramel in there too. and i'm also getting some alcohol.

T - the first thing that comes to mind is the balance. all the bigger flavors (coffee, chocolate, some sweetness, roasted malt in general) are all even. nothing stands out too much. and i mean that in a good way. not detecting the hops until i concentrate - so a bit less than other reviews. definite "hotness" present but in a comforting way (less alcohol than i expected after smelling it).

M - medium to low carbonation. but not an issue. feels full and creamy - i really like the mouthfeel on this beer for this style.

D - i like the beer alot, but don't see myself having more than one. for the 10.5 ABV, they did a great job on smoothness, but it is a very rich beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2010 00:45:33 | More by bevdaddy

MchugN

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Make sure to put on a clean pair of underwear before drinking this stout. It's definitely a big boy beer.
The aroma is very delighting and ever so present. Very dark, almost black with a brownish head. Upon drinking, it has a very big mouth feel and completely coats the mouth with a roasty malted flavorful explosion of stout-ness. Very nice stout but also on the pricey side.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2010 20:29:37 | More by MchugN

Carloco

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A --> Beer poured darker than chocolate brown. Very caramel looking, with a very small head.

S --> Aroma is that of chocolate, syrupy, MAJOR coffee, vanilla?, and get almost a tad cinnamon

T --> Taste is coffee, chocolate vanilla, slightly bitter, very malty

M --> the mouthfeel is THICK with not much carbonation. Wonderful flavors, stay in your mouth for a while due to the thickness.

O --> Overall VERY complex beer. many different flavors and great aroma. I should have aged it a little because I hear it is even better, but regardless was awesome. Only criticism I have is that you definitely taste and smell the 10% alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 22:45:11 | More by Carloco

masonjer

Michigan

5/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Expedition stout! I have had this beer out of the bottle, on tap, on handpull, fresh, slightly aged, 10 years old and enjoyed it each time. This might be my favorite beer of all time. Pours pitch black, huge aroma of roast and bitter hops, chocolate and even a touch of bitter licorice. Taste is much the same, fills the mouth and coats the tongue. A great sipper that is complex and full of flavor. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 21:07:31 | More by masonjer

pmcavena

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Some friends of mine hyped up this beer quite a bit. I opened the beer with excitement and high expectations, needless to say upon taking the first sip from the lavishly thick and creamy head I was not disappointed.

I continued to sip on the head for a few minutes, enjoying its subtle tastes of dark chocolate, and toffee, mixed with a malty texture.

The beer its self is beautiful, rich, creamy and bold. There is a mild, bitterness however most of the flavors of the beer are very balanced with a nice sweet after taste that leaves you wanting more.

If there was such a thing as a beer latte, this would be a fine example. It's so rich and thick, with so many flavors and subtle textures.

This beer has a hint of peppermint, mixed with a chocolate undertone, that makes for a developed rich taste and it makes this beer a very unique stout. There are also hints of banana, that blend into the mix perfectly. The lacing is beautiful, golden brown rims of delight surround the sides of the pint glass.

About half way through the beer, the lushes head is still present, still as rich and creamy as when I took my first sip. I begin to feel a tingle of warm alcohol, however it is ever so slight, and not over powering. This is a strong beer, but because of its rich and creamy taste, it is extremely drinkable.

The beer is beautiful, its almost completely black, but has a tinge of purple, complimented by a golden brown head thats still present almost to the end.

This is truly a beer that has one down fall, its so delicious that when its gone, I want another. I do have another six pack five feet away from me, but thats another story. If you can find this gem your in for a real treat, Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2007 00:50:40 | More by pmcavena

H473CR4F7

Rhode Island

4.47/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very Good Imperial Stout!
Deep dark blackness, similar to my heart, but way more giving.
@ the pour, gains a thin layer of beige head.
the aroma of coffee beans, chocolate, and molasses intrigue my sinuses.
Def. has a silky smooth texture, pretty thick...however not as hellish as Ten Fidy. (kind of reminds me of Smuttynose Imp.St.)
The taste is lovely, sweet coffee, chocolate, w/ a slight alcohol taste at the end, but for a 10.5 ABV this beer def. hides it well...I've had way worse!
I'm a big fan of dark stouts, So I believe I could drink this in one session, however I could see after a couple hours at an all night rager it may get sickening.
Being from New England, I never really had the oppurtunity to try any craft brews from the Bell's Brewery.
I'm going to take full advantage while i'm in Florida to endulge myself!
Def. deserves an A.

I-I
__I_I__
C_IV
V V

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2008 01:09:26 | More by H473CR4F7

brubrew2001

Michigan

5/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I was shocked by the Brothers review. This is one of my favorite Imperial stouts as well as one of my favorite beers. The taste is intense with a great alcohol warmth and bitterness at the end. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. This is a big beer. A cold night, a fire place and an Expedition served not too cold is a true delight.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2009 20:58:41 | More by brubrew2001