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

yamar68

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Ominous black coffee body topped with a thick pillow of dense medium brown head that slowly fades to a solid cap, laces nicely.

Molasses, dark chocolate, raisin, boozy maple syrup qualities, hot cocoa... evolving with warmth.

Bitter coffee and chocolate, boozy figs or dates, the bitterness fades from sweet earthiness to alcohol, great flavors but a poor finish I think.

I'm excited to have a sixer of these to age, tons of flavor but just a tad hot if you ask me.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 23:20:38 | More by yamar68

mscudder

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a pint. Dated 8/28/12.

A - Pours a viscous black. A deep black with with a nice 2-finger dark-chocolate head. Creamy head lasts for ages, forcing me to slurp up some. Lacing is excellent.

S - Sweet chocolate, warm coffee, dark malts and a touch of licorice. Not the boldest, but certainly nice on the nose.

T - Big, bold complexity here! A great portion of dark chocolate intertwines with roasted coffee. Hops are definitely here, contributing a good deal of bitterness. I like the contrast, although I feel I would have preferred more sweetness and a bit more subdued hop profile.

M - Medium plus body with light carbonation. Creamy/chewy mouthfeel.

O - This beer is pretty damn awesome. The ABV is large and has a very, very small presence in the taste of this brew. I had this a few years back and wow did I hate it. My palette simply could not appreciate all the greatness going on in one bottle. I am greatly interested in aging one of these and seeing if it grows into something I would further love.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 03:14:53 | More by mscudder

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

Mavigo

Michigan

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

Had this at the Red Haven in Okemos, a sort of Pure Michigan- haute cuisine hybrid restaurant, got this off tap and was served in a pint.

A: poured an opaque black with a quarter inch light-brown tan head that lasted like 10 minutes before shrinking but was basically present the whole time, had good amounts of lacing too.

S: smells woody, chocolatey, boozey, smoky

T: Tastes like chocolate, malty, a woody taste, strong booze, kind of bitter, its pretty thick, even kind of salty to me, taste some malts too

M: its a bit on the dry side, its thicker, lower levels of carbonation

O: Overall, I thought this was a stand up stout, it was pretty smooth and rich, agreed with me very well, tasted great with the steak I had.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2012 02:37:11 | More by Mavigo

gtermi

Texas

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

A: Beer pours a nice dark body with a thin brown head that quickly fades.

S: The beer is very boozy and has a syrupy sweet smell. There is a little bit of chocolate, but other than that I am not getting too much more.

T: This beer is very sweet at first with a strong syrupy chocolate flavor. There is also a bit of roasted malt and strong booze.

M: The beer is very smooth and has only a tiny bit of crispness on the tip of the tongue. It also has a terrific full body.

O: This is a 2011 Bottle and it really has turned into a very boozy and syrupy beer. It has a nice flavor, but not as great as I was hoping.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 02:54:13 | More by gtermi

jtd1969

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark Brownish black with brownish head. Lots of lacing

S - Sweet vinegar,sugary malt

T - Roasty,sweet yet bitter tartiness. Unique in stout department.chocolate, some dark fruit

M - full bodied, rather boozy, medium carbonation

O - Imperial Stout no doubt, just not what I tend to lean toward. I recommend trying it as it may be to your liking. To me it is a decent stout, but not great...

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 00:48:32 | More by jtd1969

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

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

Poured from 12 oz bottle into CBS snifter. Served at cellar temperature.

A) This is jet black and pours out like motor oil as expected. Nearly 2 fingers of milk chocolate head, with decent retention. This had good lacing and legs.

S) Dark malt + roast. This has some espresso bean, and a hint of dark fruit sweetness. There is a little booze, but at 10.5 % what do you expect.

T) Near the nose... Good amount of roast. A little dark chocolate, and dark fruit, mainly raisins. This definitely has some hops on the backend. Finishes up with roast, hops and alcohol warmth.

M) Close to full bodied... Hell, I'll just get off the fence and call it full bodied. The carbonation was light. This was very smooth and creamy from a feel standpoint, however, my score came down a notch due to an aftertaste that I found a bit to bitter and boozy.

O) This is a highly enjoyable sipper. I'm really interested to try this with some age on it. Definitely a RIS that is worth a try. Glad to recommend.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 03:07:18 | More by RoamingGnome

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

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

12 Oz bottle poured into a snifter

Dated 8/28/12 so only a month and a half olf

A- Pours motor oil black with a one finger brown head, some alcohol legs and surprising head retention.

S- Roasted chocolate is the strongest smell in this beer. Smells well hoppend and quite bitter. A really smooth smelling beer.

T- Roasted malts up front, there is dark roasted notes that linger like char and some lighter notes that are reminiscent to caramel and toffee. The chocolate in this beer is quite prevalent and really rounds out the beer as a whole. It's a bitter stout but not as bitter as a Yeti or other hop forward stouts. There is a slight fruitiness from the hops but I think that will fade fast with age. A smooth and well rounded array of flavors.

M- This is obviously a big beer and it drinks like a big beer. Very syrupy and high in alcohol feel. It is however a smooth and well rounded Stout.

O- This is a fantastic stout, Its on par with Stone IRS and Old Rasputin. I cant wait to see how the rest of mine fare with a little bit of age.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 01:51:29 | More by TwelveOunces

menkros

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a black motor oil. Smells of sweet dark fruit. The taste is unexpected and welcome, coffee undertones. Absolutely wonderful. 1 year old beer that pours dark brown, medium fine head, a good looking stout. Aroma up front is malty dark fruit with strong alcohol, the roasted malts come in at the end. Taste is a huge mouthfeel, this is a big ass beer, malty, alcohol, some sharpness which is a warming alcohol. With hop flavor as well. Roasted malts which go very well with chocolate desserts. I have this as a desert beer with chocolate ice cream or desserts often. try this with Ben and Jerry’s New York Super fudge chunk. Great beer one of the top ten I have had made in the US if not the world.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 05:00:04 | More by menkros

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 9971, bottled 13 September 2010.

Pours black in the glass, with two fingers of deep coffee-brown head. Good retention, decent lacing.

Smells of rich dark chocolate, a touch of smoke, and deep roasted wood. Great depth and complexity, but with light sugary notes as well. Yum.

Tastes is rich as well, though not quite as complex as the smell. Chocolate dominates as well, followed by coffee, then a distinct hop bitterness that persists through the finish.

Mouthfeel is big, full, and heavy. Like chewing a chocolate cookie. One of the sludgier beers that I've had, and it works. Could use a touch more carbonation, but with the age, I really can't complain about that.

A very tasty, very rich imperial stout. I like this beer, a lot. Chocolate-forward, and sludgy, with the smell as the highlight. Yum.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 03:16:53 | More by zeledonia

davey101

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

09/19/2011 vintage. 12 oz bottle into a DFH signature glass. Reviewed on 08-27-2012. Thanks a ton apocolypsezombie!

A - Pitch black body with a two finger high mocha head. Super sticky lacing and retention. 4.0/5

S - Charred malts, milk chocolate, and some faint ripe dark fruit notes. Somewhat simple. 3.5/5

T - Very roasty with some sweeter notes of chocolate and coffee. Aftertaste is a tad bitter with a warming alcohol presence. Again, rather simple. 3.5/5

M - Pretty amazing mouth feel. Super thick and silky with decent carbonation. Sticky and coating which really works with the basic flavor profile. 4.5/5

O - A very standard but delicious RIS. The flavor and nose are somewhat boring for the style but the mouth feel is one of the best I've had. Excellent beer. 4.0/5

Batch 9512 - December 18, 2009. 12 oz bottle into a tulip glass. Reviewed on 10-05-2012. Thanks to Rempo for this killer extra.

A - Same as the 2011

S - Seems a bit less roasty than the fresher bottle. Ripe dark fruits, chocolate, espresso beans, light smoke and a touch of booze. Excellent aroma. 4.5/5

T - Dark fruits and milk chocolate. Some coffee and hop bitterness. Really rich and smooth. 4.0/5

M - Again, just excellent. Super thick and coating as all hell. 4.5/5

O - Age did some pretty amazing things to this beer. Much more layered and well rounded. Super solid RIS. 4.0/5

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 01:31:15 | More by davey101

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bell's Expedition Stout
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.50 %

LOOK: Pours a dark brown, almost black, with a solid inch of brown foam. Mostly clear with no sediment.

SMELL: Roasted malt with a good amount of burnt aromas, pumpernickel bread, and alcohol.

TASTE: In the flavor there is more of the roasted flavor, a bit of a yeasty twang, bread, spiked coffee, and definitely some clean and assertive alcohol flavor. Bitterness has died down to a suggestion and works with the alcohol bite. Faint chocolate, coffee, but mostly just roasted flavor with a kick of booze.

FEEL: Full bodied, smooth, medium carbonation. Has a bit of alcohol and burnt flavor lingering into the finish.

OVERALL: A pretty standard Imperial Stout, big in its ways, but certainly enjoyable. Can be aged for extended periods of time, but the alcohol will always be there, as it is a big part of the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 18:26:29 | More by Stinkypuss

rodkin

Missouri

4.06/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled in 2011.

Pours dark, dark black, about 1/2 finger tan head. It's small, but certainly more carb than the "totally flat" comments would have me believe.

Smell is pretty bitter. Lots of roasty malts. Coffee and dark chocolate are prominent, with a bit of vanilla and chocolate sweetness, maybe just the slightest hint of hops.

Taste is similar to the smell. Big coffee and chocolate, fairly complex. Not as sweet and rich as a lot of stouts, but I like it. Some dark fruit, maybe? It's good.

Mouthfeel is ok. Low on carbonation, medium thickness.

Overall a fine stout. Really tasty and complex, and quite drinkable despite being among the more bitter stouts I've had.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 05:10:17 | More by rodkin

wd40

New York

3.93/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pitch black pour with almost no head. The brew is obviously thick and viscous just from watching the pour. Small amount of very fine carbonation upon aggitation. Looks like a beer that has been left out for a while. The beer gives and aroma of vanilla extract, chocolate and coffee. Hints of fruit like raspberries in the background. I can tell even before sipping that the beer has a high alcohol content from the smell. The taste confirms the high alcohol content! But fortunately the raw alcohol taste is pretty well covered. The coffee flavor is very prominent in the flavor and tends to linger after the other flavors have past.

Mouthfeel is ok, but not rich or creamy or anything. Overall, a pretty decent beer that I'd have again, but not one of my favorite in this style.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 21:55:25 | More by wd40

ginemesis

North Carolina

3.18/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- It appears to be a stout. Very little head, but even the head is dark

S- Chocolate and coffee with an oatmeal taste

T- No oatmeal in the taste. Chocolate and coffee are both obvious. The coffee flavor is a main part of the aftertaste, but is "burnt"

M- buttery and heavy

O- It tastes like someone burned popcorn and then tried to brew coffee, but burned that, and then put it in a beer.

(this is a 2 year old sample, from 2010)

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 04:33:20 | More by ginemesis

socon67

New York

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

At Hackney's in Chicago

A - Black pour with a mocha colored foam. Settles quickly and has an inky look to it. Looks ominous and so inviting.

S - Smells of cocoa powder, and currants. Also has a lingering scent of molasses that reminded me of a cruise to Barbados.

T - Sweet and heavy on the malt. Strong flavors of chocolate and brown sugar.

M - Syrupy thick, but maybe a bit to slick. Makes for a stout that is nice but not sessionable, and more for the feel and chalkiness than the ABV.

O - Enjoyable stout that is great to sip after a good meal. A good showing by Bells

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 01:25:09 | More by socon67

mcintire78

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Deep brown to black. Developed a good head over a soft pour, which slowly dissipated. Noticeable carbonation along the sides that gradually fades.

Smell: Strong smell of soy sauce, with malty sweetness.

Taste: Gentle, sweet caramel taste up front, with a bit of a harsh finish.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth and thick, amazingly so given the 10.5abv.

Drinkability: The main limiting factor of knocking a couple back is the sweetness of the beer, not the abv. Great for a (1) after dinner drink.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 02:03:17 | More by mcintire78

sukwonee

Washington

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

Batch #9459 - 2009/2010 vintage according to the website. Thank you hansgruber for throwing this bottle as an extra among other extras (this was a want of mine).

A: Black/dark brown, very thin mocah head, some lacing.

S: Coffee, Chocolate, molasses, caramel, some bourbon aroma(??), hops

T: Quite hoppy. Chocolate, coffee, brown sugar, vanilla... quite roasty and sweet. I am not sure why but I actually taste some bourbon. Maybe they poured some bourbon into this. Finishes bitter with hops.

M: Smooooth, thick, syrupy. Slight alcohol burn.

O: Very very solid stout. Wish it was a tad bit less hoppy, but I really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 01:04:49 | More by sukwonee

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a silky, inky near-black with brown highlights at the edge of the glass. Impressive head off the pour dissipates quickly, leaving little lacing, but still a pleasure to behold. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy without being heavy or overly oily.

Fulsome aroma of roasted chocolate malts, oak tannins and smoked peaty whisky. These intertwine and transition directly into the flavour, which lingers for an impressive length of time. Multi-layered and complex, there's a lot going on in this taste portfolio - and I was oblivious to the almost over-the-top 10.5% ABV until the burn at the finish (and reading the label).

I'm no expert, but view this as a stunning example of this particular style.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 01:54:41 | More by hopsolutely

GR_Rick

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Nice looking, thick, creamy stout with a khaki-ish head.

S: Smelled nice, strong, and complex. Roasty malts with a bit of alcohol and sweetness.

T: Nice initially, with the roast and a bit of sweetness. Ended a little harsh (alcohol or bitter, I couldn't exactly tell) for me.

M: Nice thick mouth feel and minimal carbonation, in line with the style.

O: Decent beer, but not as good as I had expected given the hype. It was a little too big and harsh for my liking (and I normally like big stouts). I've got a bottle sitting in the basement I'm going to age for a year or two and try it again to see if it mellows, as I've heard some age does wonders for this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2012 22:26:33 | More by GR_Rick

superspak

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled 11/11/2010. Pours very dense pitch black color with a nice 1-2 finger dense brown head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Some nice soapy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of huge very dark chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, caramel, biscuit, toast, char, molasses, vanilla, toffee, earth, wood, and light herbal hops. Fantastic aromas with great complexity, balance, and strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, roasted malt, char, coffee, molasses, caramel, toast, tobacco, biscuit, earth, pine, citrus, and light herbal hops. Decent amount of roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, caramel, toast, molasses, citrus, and herbal on the finish for a while. Fantastic roasted flavor balance and complexity. Medium carbonation and very full bodied; with a very nice creamy, slick, thick, and lightly chalky mouthfeel. Alcohol is very well hidden with almost no warming noticed at all after the finish. Very smooth to sip on. Overall this is a fantastic Russian imperial stout. Huge complexity and big robust roasted flavors; and very smooth to sip on. Extremely impressive.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 03:56:14 | More by superspak

BilbosNuts

California

3.6/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to mjw52 for this one.

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a deep brown color with an 1/8 inch, mocha colored head. The head eventually dissipates to a thin ring around the top. Minimal lacing is left behind.

S: Dark roasted malts and a touch of coffee. A molasses-like sweetness comes through towards the end.

T: Similar to the aroma with typical roasted malts with a touch of coffee and molasses-y sweet notes.

M: Medium to heavy bodied with minimal carbonation and very smooth. It has a syrupy like feel to it with a touch of sweetness lingering on.

O: I was a little disappointed with this one. Maybe my expectations were too high, but it seems kind of one dimensional and a bit bland. I'm glad I tried it, but I can find other local RIS's that are equal in quality.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 01:41:12 | More by BilbosNuts

Jfriz25

Wisconsin

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

Appearance- Pitch black with a little brown head that quickly disappears.

Smell- Big roasted malt with a nice chocolate sweetness. Faint alcohol at the end.

Taste- Rich roasty flavor with chocolate and a bit of bitterness that I perceive as coffee. A decent amount of alcohol but not unpleasant.

Mouthfeel- Medium carbonation, maybe a little too much but it is thick and creamy.

Overall- This was the 2011 version. I bought a 6 and stashed them so this is the first Expedition stout I've had. Looking forward to getting some years on this to see that alcohol mellow and the chocolate come out even more.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 02:29:36 | More by Jfriz25

srv33

2.85/5  rDev -32.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had heard such good things about this beer so I was excited when I nabbed one of the last singles from a local shop. Dark brown pour, almost no foam head. Light smell, not very fragrant, bit of soy and pine. Taste is full bodied, stout-like, slightly lactic, sits heavy on the tongue, not too bitter, with notes of echanacia. I wanted to be wowed by this but was just not impressed - I think its possible I might have gotten a bad bottle, as I have read others experiencing more of a head when poured whereas I had almost zero.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 04:16:18 | More by srv33

mwrecording

Maryland

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

Worked hard to trade for a sixer of this.

A: Poured a bottle into my Duvel tulip, a 'typical' black, stout look. Very little to no head and what would seem to be low, but average carbonation.

S: Whew, my least favorite part of this and while I still don't think its 'bad', its an overly boozy smell and mixed with the roasted malts and bitter expresso smell, it isn't a real 'treat'

T: This is what matters most and it is a hit for me. Sweet, bitter chocolate notes with just a tad of a delicious coffee taste at the end, with a tiny bit of alcohol coming through right before the swallow. very tasty.

M: More carbonation than I would've guessed from looking at the pour but maybe since I poured this around 45-50 degrees the refrigeration helped that out. Chewy and a little thick but not anywhere near as much as some stouts this size.

Overal, this was a treat. The Bro's outdated 2003 score made me a little nervous but thankfully the BA scores have been mostly consistent. I'd understand if the sweetness of this stout ruined it for a few people but I enjoy my RIS's with some sweetness, Plus the coffee and bitterness really balances it out.

This is a 2011 bottle so its still relatively young, I'll explore it again in November(month it was bottled in) and I imagine some of the bite will be gone.

I'd go 4/5 on this, really good stuff. Points for the 12oz bottles as well.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 19:14:32 | More by mwrecording