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

GoldHorde

Minnesota

4.73/5  rDev +34.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a very nice stout!

Strong coffee aroma, pours a very deep black with a nice mocha head with a lengthy lace. Flavor of espresso and dark bitter chocolate with a cherry echo. Beautiful cigar beer - would stand up to any maduro....effortlessly.

A truly beautiful beer Bells!

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 04:37:52 | More by GoldHorde

Finn

Pennsylvania

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

pours thick and black with red-tinted foam around the edges. Aroma is earthy, smoky, and slightly sour. Flavor opens with sweet and tart cherries surrounded by a bitter, chocolatey smoky presence. Nice cherry presence. Very full-bodied and rich and smooth in the mouth, still finishing without too much lingering sweetness. Very good if you're in the mood for a big, rich stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 01:54:32 | More by Finn

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.95/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a BrewDog cervoise glass. Bottled 2 December 2011.

A: A finger of dark tan head churns and fades. The body of the beer is ebony-dark.

S: Chicory and cherries. Nutty.

T: Delicious. I think it's better fresh, but even after a year, it's retained the faint puckery cherry juice that makes this stout so interesting and so delicious. The earthy, roasted chocolate finish is a fine complement and counterweight. The finish is bitterish but doesn't linger.

M: Just a touch flat. Smooth and pleasant.

O: One of my favorite stouts from one of my favorite breweries. Recommended, especially on tap or fresh.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 00:42:27 | More by AgentMunky

AJacob81

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottled 9.22.11, consumed 11.12.12

A - deep brown-black w ruby red highlights. minimal brown head w no lacing.

S - chocolate covered cherries dominate. Cocoa powder and ripe dark fruits in support.

T - sour cherries, cranberries, and a touch of figs up front. roasted chicory, blackened toast and much less chocolate than the nose would indicate follow. first sips are mellow, balanced between fruit and roasty malt. as it warms malt becomes ascendant along w creeping oxidation. still a decent drink overall.

M - thinner side of medium but still smooth. low carbonation and a lingering finish.

this is over a year old and probably different when fresh, but not bad overall.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 04:30:10 | More by AJacob81

hecmin01

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Looks like a nice motor oil Stout has a slight reddish hue.. no carbonation in glass
S- Roasty, chocolaty ..
T- Drinks lighter than it looks.. tart.. tastes a bit different from the smell
M- Can taste some carbonation.. pleasant feel.

Sightly above average stout..

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 22:05:29 | More by hecmin01

SGDJosh

4.15/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bells Cherry Stout cellared since 10-12-2011. 7% ABV. Tasted on 9-15-12 thanks to my friend Andy Rozar

Pours pitch black with a red hue. No apparent head with a body like hot burnt motor oil.

Smells of cherries, dark malts, molasses, and rich dark chocolate

Tastes of tart cherries, minerals, dark chocolate, and more sour cherries. The sour cherry taste turns into a licorice feel and the dark chocolate bitterness finishes it up.

Mouthfeel is viscous and full bodied but the carbonation picks it up and makes it appear lighter than of actually is.

Overall its great. I think that most people won't appreciate the cherry influence. It's not a dessert cherry and not what most people are thinking when they see "cherries." But this beer is a great reflection of Michigan. They did very well indeed.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 00:12:41 | More by SGDJosh

dmb2890

Indiana

3.13/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle from Sahara Mart bloomington, in. Pours pitch black with about a 1 finger reddish-brown head. Aroma has stout characteristics: chocolate, roasted malt and a hint of cherry. Taste has none of the chocolate and all of the cherry. The slight carbonation gives a smooth sweet texture. If you like very tart stouts then this beer is for you. But other than that it is not balanced well and is too tart for a sweet stout. If the other ingredients could come through this would be an above average beer but just settles for average.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 00:14:47 | More by dmb2890

chugalug06

Colorado

2.55/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottled: 1/30/12

Two-finger, muddy brown foamy/soapy head flows from the bottle. Brew is very black with lots of brown and purple.

Slight metalic scent. Chocolate, slightly roasty, cherry is VERY hidden.

Almost sour flavor, like a messed up barrel aging.. Cherry is a total miss. Chocolate flavors are nice but are too bitter and dry. Carbonation is too heavy as well. Sweetness rings in at the right scale, just with the wrong "off" flavors. Body tastes more like a deep Brown rather then a Stout.

A mess of a brew. I really wanted to like it, but it was just too off from what it represents to be. The ABV is well hidden and presents no heat. Can't quite recommend it, although I did drink it and kinda enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing Adam!!

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 03:38:35 | More by chugalug06

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

3.78/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled on 12-2-11.

A- Pours a thick black hue. Little to no head, but what is there is chocolatey tan. Good lacing.

S- Lots of tart cherry up front. Dark chocolate roasts mix in. Slightly sweet, mostly tart.

T- Taste is a lot of cherries. Tart, but not overly so, right up front. Cherries dominate the palate most of the way through. Ends with a touch of the typical stout roasty and chocolate flavors.

M- Pretty carbonated and light for a stout. The cherries and stout flavor profile is not quite supported with the brew's weight.

Overall, a very interesting beer. Kind of presents a chocolate covered cherry flavor. Not sure if I'd go for this again, but a new experience at least.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 02:00:04 | More by boilermakerbrew

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle purchased at the brewery in April. Pours an opaque but clear black with brilliant cherry-red highlights when held up to the light. An impressively creamy, off-white head dissipated quickly, leaving little lacing. Still presents a creamy, smooth and satisfying mouthfeel. Very rich and very nice.

The aroma is of predominantly roasted dark malts, with backgrounds of cocoa and coffee and elements I wouldn't typically associate with "fruit". The cherry is predominant in the taste, but its initial sweetness melds quickly into a sour (tart?) note - without the yeast notes of many other sours. The dry and bitter finish lingers, and this is not a "cherry pie" filling beer.

Well done, Bell's. Impressive!

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 00:56:40 | More by hopsolutely

GR_Rick

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Looked like a fairly typical stout - minimal head and a nice deep brown/black color.

S: Smelled roasty, but with bit of sweet & tart cherry. Smell made me really want to dig in and try a taste. Exactly what I want in the nose of a beer.

T: One of the more interesting stouts I've had, but it was good. Roasty flavor to start,then the sweet and tart of the cherry, followed by some more roasty/chocolate on the finish. Definitely different and definitely something that I wanted to keep drinking.

M: Medium body with more carbonation than I'd normally expect. In this case, the carbonation was a welcomed addition (normally not a good thing for me in a stout), as it balanced/complimented the cherry flavor nicely.

O: Good beer, definitely one I'll try again. It's a different take, and I probably wouldn't want to have more than 1 at a sitting, but the unique taste was one I enjoyed. I've heard some people describe this as tasting like chocolate covered cherries, and I can certainly see that correlation (as long as you remember it IS a beer hiding in there). Definitely a desert-style beer and one that I could really see myself enjoying with a piece of chocolate cake or chocolate dessert.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 22:31:28 | More by GR_Rick

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle received in trade with iguenard

Appearance - Brown colour with with an average size fizzy light brown head. I can't make out the amount of carbonation showing and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for only a short while before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, chocolate, cherries, grains

Taste & Mouth - There is a low amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, chocolate, and sweet yet lightly tart cherries. There is also a light amount of smoke and a graininess. It ends with a chocolatey aftertaste that leads into a tart cherry/citric lingering finish.

Overall - A little bit more carbonation would be nice and maybe a touch more sweetness. The taste is interesting.. I was expecting a little more ripe sweet cherry rather than a tartness. Glad to have tried, but I wouldn't reach for this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 00:10:50 | More by spinrsx

jwhancher

Pennsylvania

2.93/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had this one on tap at the Khyber during PBW. While I appreciate the attempt, this one doesn't quite work for me. This was the 2007 version too. The sour cherries def come through but add a little unsettling tart funk that I didn't enjoy. Glad to have tried it though.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2012 16:47:35 | More by jwhancher

charlzm

California

3.25/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Consumed March 30th, 2012.

Beer pours a dark brown with lighter brown highlights. A one-finger, creamy tan head forms and transforms rapidly into sticky foam on the sides, leaving virtually nothing a top the liquid in the glass.

Aroma has a plenty of chocolate malt and a slight metallic note. A fleeting whiff of cherries.

The first flavor in the mouth is tart, sour cherry. This dominates until the finish, where some mildly bitter chocolate finishes things up. Not terribly sophisticated in its flavor profile, the cherry dominates almost completely.

Mouthfeel is smooth and a little velvety, though there is a tartness that creates a puckering, savory (?) reaction.

Overall, drinkable enough, but sort of an experiment that didn't fully succeed. This is a CHERRY... stout, not a stout with cherry notes.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 04:21:41 | More by charlzm

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.13/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Packaged 9/22/11. Poured into Duvel Tulip.

A - An aggressive pour resulted in less than a finger of nice tan head. Body is deep black and needs 4mm for light to get through. Some moderate lacing.

S - Stout like. Prunes, licorice, and tobacco. Lots of tobacco.

T - The tartness hits right away. Not a good tart. Kind of like sour milk with some cherries. Stoutness is far away but maybe some chocolate or something. The finish isn't half bad - like a nice kriek.

M - Not bad. Good body with solid carbonation.

O - The initial sourness stuns you when you are expecting a stout and isn't the best flavor. Otherwise pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 22:49:16 | More by RuckusDu

WEBBEER

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured aggressively into standard pint. 1/2 inch dark root beer colored head dissipates quickly. Very dark beer. Thin lace. Roasted malts, and just enormous amounts sour cherry. Some earthiness from the hops
Excellent sour beer! The combination of tart cherries and typical stout chocolate are just what I expected.
Medium viscous body that literaly coats the glass through out the serving, fair amount of carbonation.
Drinkability is very high, due to the sour combination of the cherries and the real stout flavor. At 7% AbV it makes a robust pairing with any food.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 22:43:22 | More by WEBBEER

thegodfather1076

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer was served out of a 12oz. bottle dispensed into a glass....

Presentation - Bell's labels are always simple, classy, and elegant with very nice hand drawn artwork. Always a treat.

Appearance - Pours out a deep dark brown very near black color with a 1 finger deep tan head. Head retention was just over a minute(1min, 7sec). Head dissipates into a thin foam coating and then ring. OK lacing left on the glass.

Smell - Smells of roasted toasty malt with hints of roast coffee and chocolate. A faint nice cherry aroma is present at all times.

Taste - Tastes of tart cherry and chocolate with hints of toasted malt on the front end before giving way to straight roasted coffee on the back end. Cherry tartness is present throughout the flavor profile.

Mouthfeel - Low carbonation but a thicker medium bodied offering. Slightly creamy.

Drinkability - This beer is drinkable in the fact that it is very well balanced, very flavorful, and not overly heavy. On the verge of a desert beer IMO.

Really enjoyed this. Very well balance with and excellent flavor profile combining an outstanding stout with cherry tartness. Highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 22:44:38 | More by thegodfather1076

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled October 2011
Into snifter.

A- Typical stout pour. Black as night, short lived dark tan head, decent lacing.

S- Chocolate, espresso, molasses, cherries and a little brown sugar and licorice.

T- Tart cherries, dark roasted coffee, not nearly as sweet as it leads you to believe in the nose. Slight metallic taste most likely from the malts and the cherry juice.

M- Light to medium bodied with a dry finish.

O- I enjoy this I think it's a good fit using the cherries. I wish though it was a lot heavier than it is. I feel the juice watered down the beer considerably.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 00:05:51 | More by korguy123

Durge

Connecticut

3.65/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A nice find at The World of Beers in Fort Myers, Florida, this one is a pitch black brown color. This stout carries a decent chocolate-tan colored cover and modest lacing. The aroma is a unique blend of tart cherries and chocolatey malt. Pleasant and enticing with a lemony hint. The flavor brings a more challenging blend of bitter cherries with charcoal malt, with very little chocolate. Bitterness really takes over here but the malt base remains and carries a modest herbal hop. Tasty but takes some taste bud adjustments. Medium bodied with a pretty cohesive feel that includes a bit of chalkiness. Carbonation is very subtle but a bit prickly. You do get use to this and I would say it’s a neat, unique stout worth trying.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2012 03:06:49 | More by Durge

bnes09

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beautiful jet black brew with a luscious tan head like espresso foam. Head seems to have a reflective effect. Awesome retention and sticky lacing.

Deep burnt aroma with coffee notes. Sweet in the middle with hints of tart cherries.

Semi-assertive roasted malt, dark chocolate and light-roast coffee. Cherry tartness comes in mid-drink and dominates from then on. Tartness is somewhat off-putting midway but is actually pleasant in the finish.

Medium bodied. Dry feel and and unfinished texture from the acidic cherry flavor. Descent carbonation.

I like this beer. More tartness than I would like but still has its place. It's different, that's for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 01:00:48 | More by bnes09

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a beautiful dark brown pour into a snifter with enough room for the dark brown head to rise to the top without spilling over (excellent lacing). scents of cherries, maple, smokey, coffee, tobacco. a bitter roasty flavor with a touch of sourness. caramel, cherries, toasted oats and grains, chocolate, coffee. medium bodied with a lot of constant carbonation creating a nice fizzy feeling going down. this would have been perfect this winter, but seems a little out of season with the heat rising. still a very refreshing fruity stout, so it'll be ok for the remainder of the spring season. i'm glad i made the dive and spent so much on the six pack!

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 21:45:19 | More by facundoCNB

matthageman

Illinois

2.18/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I didn't realize how powerful the cherries would be. It took over the flavor and made the beer undrinkable. I felt burned after paying $16 for a six pack. I've been sitting on the other 5 for about 2 months, offering them to people that come over. There is an audience for this, but it's not me.

Edit: I let it sit for about 6 weeks and found it much more palatable. I've got a few left and I am going to age them a little longer.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 02:50:31 | More by matthageman

mooseo

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into tulip.

A - Jet black with a dark mocha head which quickly dissipates. A subtle red hue in the remnants of the head.

S - Roasted malt and coffee notes with some milk chocolate and dark cherries. Mmmm.

T - Mildly sweet roasted dark cherries with some tartness throughout. Hints of chocolate and roasted coffee flavors come in mid palate and into the finish but are subdued. Finishes with some roasted malt and tart medicinal cherry flavor.

M - Syrupy and oily, medium bodied, light carbonation. Dry finish.

O - A fine stout. The balanced roasty/chocolate/coffee/cherry aroma is rather deceiving as the taste is dominated by tart cherries. Not bad at all, but I hoped for a more robust, balanced beer. Still worth trying at least once.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 02:21:49 | More by mooseo

barczar

Kentucky

3.6/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a fairly viscous deep brown, opaque with deep brown highlights and a tiny, bubbly reddish head that dissipates like a diet soft drink.

Aroma is slightly medicinal initially, then chocolate and roast malt with an underlying cherry scent.

Tart cherry dominates the flavor and lingers in the finish. Tones of roast malt and chocolate play weak supporting roles.

Body is moderately light for the style, and carbonation is moderate.

Not at all what I've experienced as a cherry stout before. The aroma hides the tart flavor and seems to indicate a much more sweet malt presence. Interesting, but a bit more tart dominant than I initially expected. I like it much more as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 04:55:48 | More by barczar

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bell's Cherry Stout

Pours a dark brownish color with the slightest pink tinge to an otherwise khaki colored head. Aroma of sweet cherries and roasted malts. In the flavor, a blend of roasted malt notes mimicking coffee, cocoa and mild astringent bitterness, paired with tart cherry flavor. Interesting how tart the cherries have become (this beer was aged 5 months). Tart, sour, roasty, mildly bitter and quite tasty. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and smooth. Overall, a pretty nice stout, with tart cherry flavor. Solid.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 15:39:45 | More by Stinkypuss