Bell's Black Note Stout - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

AlMarzo

Michigan

4.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle into a Dogfish Head Specialty glass / snifter
A: Thick and dark, this beer allowed no dark to shine through. Not much of a head however of what was there the color was a dark brown; it vanished to the sides quickly. Some great lacing followed.
S: Amazing aroma of dried fruit, dark chocolate, a hint of bourbon / oaky, a lot of raisin, hints of a floral aroma came through, along with some spice.

T: Sweet raisins, hints of Carmel, followed by a lot of dark fruit dipped in rich dark chocolate. a nice thick to medium body with a sweet mocha finish. Not too much bourbon present in the initial taste, but it became prominent in the after taste. Almost like a great cookie with the roasted malt, chocolate and hint of vanilla. Some dryness crept in toward the finish, but the sweetness won out. Some heat from the alcohol developed in the finish and aftertaste.

O: A great beer, I expected more bourbon, but it was a very dynamic stout with a great flavor profile. The appearance made me have my doubts but the aroma and taste won me back immediately. It only got better as it warmed. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 11:22:24 | More by AlMarzo

mjohnson17

Illinois

4.94/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2012 12 oz bottle

A: Pours jet black, slight head that instantaneously dissipates. Some alcohol legs

S: Balances, a bit muted but well rounded charred oak, fig, roasted malt

T: roast, oak, charred wood, fig, a bit of chocolate and coffee. More of an earthy dry taste than a caramel/toffee sweetness that's sometimes seen in other BB stouts.

M: Very well balanced stout. Coats mouth nicely but not sticky. Full body.

Overall: Fantastic beer. One of the best stouts I've had, let alone bourbon barrel stout. This and BCBS are a near tie for perfection. I also really love the 12 oz format of the 2012 batch. If you have a chance to try this stout do not pass it up!

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 20:01:50 | More by mjohnson17

MuenchenerKindl

Germany

4.93/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from the tap at Birreria Paradiso into a very generous snifter, Happy Hour price $4. LOL I would have paid... well never mind. The liquid was dark too black had a cool looking one finger mocha head with a bit of lace.

The smell was just oh so good, big bourbon on that great Bell's stout. Lots of coffee and chocolate noted dancing with the vanilla and alcohol, truly a master piece.

The taste followed the aroma, lots of bourbon, mild vanilla working with all the great flavors of the cream stout.

The mouthfeel was good to very good thick and creamy but the carbonation could have been a bit better to make the body just right.

The drinkability was A1A, man did I enjoy this brew. This is a must try beer. Thanks Larry! Prosit und Zum Wohl. MK

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2008 06:27:37 | More by MuenchenerKindl

tpd975

Florida

4.93/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Hand bottle provided by gunhaver.

A: Pours a very dark shade of flat black, no head.

S: Wonderful earthy aromas up front. Lots of wood, like fresh cut trees in a forest. There were hints of char, bourbon, vanilla and dark fruit.

T: Barrel flavors right from the start. Fresh oak, vanilla, and bourbon. Chocolate and dark fruit are there along with light cream and a touch of ash.

M: Full bodied, low carbonation

D: Awesome. Really tasty complex beer. Not the most tasty of the stouts we tasted tonight, but was the most complex.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 13:17:39 | More by tpd975

adnielsen

Colorado

4.93/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I had two snifters of this on tap at Bells back in November. It has a deep black appearance with a light brown head. The aroma was fantastic with smooth, sweet bourbon, toffee, dark chocolate, and oak. The flavor was even tastier and was quite smooth for the abv. Tons of caramel, dark chocolate, toffee, and vanilla to go along with the oaky, bourbon elements. I couldn't believe how smooth this was. Excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2012 21:02:15 | More by adnielsen

ralflord

Connecticut

4.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoying this with a buddy. Holy moly! Unbeliveably black with no head. The smell was creamy, vanilla, and bourbony. It made me think of what heaven would be like. The mixture was perfect, the blended beers complimenting each other like a great rythym section. Coltrane's Impulse years comes to mind. The beer finished incredibly strong, with a sublime taste that will rest on my palate for a long time. This is an all-time great beer. If you have the means I highly suggest you try it. It is so choice.

Serving type: growler

07-14-2009 01:58:10 | More by ralflord

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at The Blue Door Pub in St. Paul, MN. Served in a 10 oz. goblet glass.

Appearance: Color is a oily jet black. Moderate amount of bubbles. About one finger of deep tan creamy head that recedes to a very thin layer. Decent amount of lacing is left on the glass.

Smell: Big scent of bourbon whiskey up front with good hints of vanilla, wood, and oak. Sweet dark malts with big hints of dark chocolate, coffee, dark toasted bread, molasses, burnt caramel, toffee, and biscuit. A fair amount of syrup and burnt sugars. Subtle hints of dark raisin, plum, fig, and cherry. A light hint of smoke and earthy hops. The bourbon and sweet chocolate stand out the most. A big and rich aroma.

Taste: Just as big and complex as the aroma leads. Nicely dark, sweet, and boozy. Big taste of bourbon whiskey up front with good notes of vanilla, oak chips, and the whiskey barrel. A little bit of smoke. Big dark roasted malts with notes of dark chocolate, bitter coffee, toasted bread and biscuit, sweet molasses and syrup, burnt caramel, and toffee. Undertones of dark fruits including dark cherry, plum, and raisin. Subtle earthy hops in the background. The bourbon and dark chocolate elements really stand out. Rich and very good taste.

Mouthfeel: A fairly heavy body with a moderate amount of carbonation. Thick, creamy, and fairly slick and syrupy. Some alcohol heat is present but its not overly hot.

Overall: A really great barrel aged imperial stout. The bourbon flavor is big and great and the dark chocolate and molasses sweetness is very good.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2012 20:38:24 | More by MattyG85

Samichlaus82

4.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours oily pitch black with a small dark mocha head that slowly dissipates without leaving much trace on the glass. Smell is slightly sweet and malty with roasted malts, quality dark chocolate, dark bread, burnt caramel, charred wood, black pepper, bourbon, coconut, vanilla fudge, asphalt, toffee and hints of sweet liquorice. Taste is sweet and malty with roasted malts, roasted coconut, quality dark chocolate, sweetened dark roast coffee, vanilla fudge, charred wood, lactose, bourbon, toffee, nutella and hints of alcohol. Mouthfeel is soft, creamy, smooth, balanced, silky and full bodied. Finish is slightly sweet and bitter with roasted malts, quality dark chocolate, dark roast coffee, vanilla fudge, roasted coconuts, charred wood and bourbon. Great balance and smooth silky mouthfeel adds up to a great experience.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 09:11:51 | More by Samichlaus82

SaisonRichBiere

Michigan

4.89/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served on draft, post Bell's tap-takeover at Aubree's in Northville, MI.

Appearance- Oily and dark, viscous, but a shade lighter than other BA stouts. Dark, dark espresso brown. One finger of beige head yields to a foamy veil atop the brew. As you drink, it dissipates further into a halo around the glass, leaving lots of lacing on the glass.

Smell- Caramel-coffee-toffee-creme brûlée. Big complex nose with a hint of bourbon heat. Roasty, roasty malts creep in. This smells awesome. One of the best.

Taste- Big boozy hit. Surprisingly more red wine than bourbon here. Fruity booze yields to a smooth 80 proof bourbon finish. What follows is awesome. Roasty espresso, big caramelly dark chocolate notes- think a chocolate riesen candy. Big strong Madagascar vanilla, creme brûlée and a blunt, dry roasty malt finish. Amazing.

Mouthfeel- Oily, smooth, creamy. A mouth-coating tingly whiskey burn that you really don't want to go away. Akin to the style with just a bit more.

Overall. One of the best, hands down. Extremely grateful that I was able to stumble on this (surprisingly) left over from a tap-takeover. The description does it justice, but this beer is so much more. If you have a chance to try this, try it. It will not disappoint. I thought CBS was the bar for the style, but this changes things. A shred more accessible than others of its ilk, this brings more Michigan BA stout firepower to the table. Drink this. Period. Thanks a ton Bell's!

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2013 19:14:54 | More by SaisonRichBiere

FtownThrowDown

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

First off, let me say my thanks to Larry Bell for making this gem, and thanks to The Party Town for making this available for growler fills.
That being said, wow, what a treat! I’m a huge expedition fan, so this beer is what I’m all about. Pours a dark brown with a slight head that recedes quickly after pouring. This is possibly one of the best noses I’ve ever had come from a beer. I spent quite a bit of time sniffing this one. Smell is velvety bourbon, with notes of chocolate and espresso coffee. The taste is incredible. Think bourbon barrel aged Expedition with a very creamy and silky finish due to the Double Cream. This is the perfect combination, everything is working incredbily together. If bottled this would rival and give Kentucky Breakfast a run for its money. Very happy that I had the chance to enjoy this, but very sad as well, because the chances of coming across this rare gem again is small.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2007 16:41:13 | More by FtownThrowDown

Donerik

Michigan

4.88/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer if bottled would be in my fridge constantly.
I texted my friend from the bar that I was drinking the best beer ever.

A: dark, thin tan head. It looked browner than some black stouts, like it was just happy tasting great that it didn't need to be black as night.

s: rich, creamy smell, obviously bb aged.

T: So Good. Everything was in perfect balance. Rich malts make this beer sweet, the barrels have given the beer vanilla notes, and bourbon. It's perfect, it was worth 8 dollars.

M & D: This beer was so smooth, the alchohol wasn't even a thought going down. I'd drink 3 or 4 if had them at home... please mr Bell, bottle this.

Serving type: on-tap

02-03-2010 02:22:19 | More by Donerik

bobhits

Kentucky

4.88/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thank you beer trappe for letting me sample this master piece!

Pours black as night, truly held to multiple lights only the SLIGHTEST of brown legs throw through. Poured into a 6 zo snifter it seem to have some carbonation but hard to comment on.

The aromas is dark bakers chocolate, roasted malt, espresso and vanilla.

Wow..tastes like pie crust and bakers chocolate blended with vanilla and hints of oak. Yes as a bourbon lover a bit more oak would be ok, but the chocolate and pie crust flavors are out of control. There just isn't a possible negative comment to be head.

The double creme did the job. This is creamy and full bodied as hell. Well carbonated and sinfully rich.

Worthy of all the praise and then some!

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2011 03:25:09 | More by bobhits

ncketchum

Wisconsin

4.88/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12 oz bottle, served cellar temp in a Tyranena tulip, split with my dad

A - pours a silky black with mocha head, leaving slight lacing

S - aroma is fantastic- bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, and coffee, very well balanced, best I've encountered in awhile

T - again, expertly balanced with chocolate,, malt, and bourbon, nothing overpowering.

M - thick, smooth as silk, minimal alcohol

O - fantastic, I feel lucky to have found a bottle, easily one of the best stouts I've come across

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 02:57:55 | More by ncketchum

Docrock

Illinois

4.86/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Served on tap at Bell's Eccentric cafe in a 12 oz snifter:

A - dark as midnight with a nice mocha colored head, nice sticky lacing and a thin cap remain

S - very complex, dark roasted malt, light coffee, nice BA note with a touch of bittersweet chocolate and burnt sugar.

T - Wow, it changes as you hold it in your mouth. Creamy and thick with the bittersweet chocolate and dark roasted malt, just a touch of coffee.

M - thick and chewy, not overly carbonated. Was served a bit on the cool side for me so I let it sit a bit and warmed with my hands.

O - what a great beer, I preferred it a bit warmer than it was served. The favors and aroma really opened up around 50F. Glad to not only have it on tap, but to get some bottles to age a bit. At least for me, this is the finest stout I have ever tasted.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 18:05:35 | More by Docrock

rhinos00

Colorado

4.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On-tap at South Park Tavern. Let my glass sit a while to get the beer to room temperature.

A- Dark brown, almost on the verge of being black. Very little to no head. There was an off-white, cream colored ring that left some lacing as the beer was consumed.

S- Huge notes of bourbon infiltrate the nose. Reminded me of Bourbon County Stout. In the background, there was faint hints of vanilla.

T- Wow, this was quite a pleasant surprise. After the strong aroma, I thought I was going to be dealing with a bourbon onslaught. However, the bourbon was well balanced in comparison to the other ingredients, allowing for a smoother, mellow taste. Rich notes of chocolate, vanilla, molasses and bourbon all mix together for a perfect combination.

M- This was my favorite part of the beer and what distinguished it from many similar bourbon barrel aged RIS I have had before. The double cream stout really comes into effect in this one. It had a creamy texture unparalleled to none. Quite a wonderful addition to a big, complex RIS.

D- The creamy texture and well-balanced bourbon flavors made this go down like water. I drank this until the keg went dry.

Overall, this is a fantastic blend, one that I will probably never get to try again. The creamy texture really put this beer over the top in my mind. If this beer ever crosses your path, try it. Don't hesitate.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2009 15:07:27 | More by rhinos00

LongBeachHopHead

California

4.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served out of a Growler traded for Pliny the Younger.

A: Dark, rich and very inviting. Not much head at all. Very viscous and chewy looking.

S: A barrage of bourbon, vanilla, roasted goodness. This beer smells amazing.

T: What a great brew. This beer has tons of bourbon notes, the vanilla is very strong and sweet. The only beer that I can say comes close to it, that I have tried, is Firestone 12. This pretty much blows it away though. I think it's the greatest tasting Bourbon Barrel aged beer I've ever had. For being a huge hophead, this might be my favorite beer ever. I am glad that Reed415 decided to trade with me; thank you!!! Clapping, hand shaking and jumping 8 feet off the ground go through my mind.

M: Mouthfeel is thick and covers the palate in all great ways. Velvety smooth and the alcohol (10%?) is apparent but helps to define the beer so it's not a bad thing. You almost don't want to swallow it for a few seconds because the taste and texture is so awesome.

D: I would love to drink this all the time but unfortunately this one is pretty rare. If it ever comes out in bottles, I'll buy/trade for tons of it if I can. I think the drinkability is a little low because of the richness of it. It took me a good two hours to finish a tulip of it.

We shared this at Beachwood BBQ and everyone seemed to have liked it. I even gave some to one of the line chefs and he loved it. In all, this is one of my favorite beers of all time. Thanks Bell's for brewing such a masterpiece and thank rallison for driving the Younger growler down from Santa Rosa and BrewbakerE and Merritt for filling it. It took a lot to get this.

Serving type: growler

02-28-2009 01:29:49 | More by LongBeachHopHead

Mistofminn

Minnesota

4.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this rarity at Stub and Herb for the Darkness Day Eve celebration. 7 oz pour for a very affordable price!

Pitch black with a small ring of molasses colored head. Doesn't leave a ton of lacing.

The nose is bourbon, wood, vanilla, coffee and chocolate. Really well made beer.

Taste is pretty much spot on the nose. Bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, cream, coffee, chocolate, woody and earthy tones...just amazing. So smooth and easy going down but boy does it pack a punch of flavor.

Mouthfeel is thick and sticky, coating your mouth. Smooth and creamy, just awesome. Alcohol is completely hidden by the layers of flavor.

Drinkability is awesome. This 7 oz pour went way to fast, but by the time I realized it, the small keg was long gone. Very happy I got the chance to try this mammoth of a beer. This is excellent stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2009 18:42:32 | More by Mistofminn

SPLITGRIN

Kentucky

4.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours beautiful pitch black letting no light through whatsoever. Head is just a sim of carmel brown fuzz that is barely there. Nose is of very good whiskey, carmel, toffee and a bit of vanilla. Kind of hard to fully enjoy from a 5-oz. pour sample glass, that is why I had two 5-oz. pours just to be sure. On first sip the whiskey is very up front but soft, well presented and very smooth just like your favorite bourbon whiskey. Layers of caramelized malt roll all over the tongue with such sweetness. Toffee mixes with a nice hop character on the backside that is a bit rustic and nicely drying. Finishes with a mouthfeel that is full, smooth yet very clean and enjoyable. This is my kind of stout, big, rich, with a nice whiskey profile.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2010 19:42:21 | More by SPLITGRIN

ryanfolty

Minnesota

4.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Date: March 9, 2012 Mode: Bottle Source: mibirder Description: Opaque jet black pour with nice head and lacing that just sticks to the glass. Aroma is lactose, roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, wood and faint bourbon. Taste is woody, vanilla, and a nice mild bourbon finish. Silky smooth, creamy and medium to full bodied. Thank you Sean for such an amazing beer! Bottle number 965 of 1081, batch 10136.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 23:23:57 | More by ryanfolty

codysjb

Florida

4.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bells Black Note
Poured from a growler into my CCB sniffer.
A: Black as motor oil, low viscosity unlike BCBS. Very good lacing, small head when poured.
S: Chocolate, molasses and coffee notes with an overall bourbon smell.
T:Thick, lots of coffee up front that leaves a nice bourbon flavor on the end.
M: An overall bourbon flavor that coats the mouth.
O: An excellent beer. I think I prefer BCBS (especially when its been aged out a bit and its much easier to get than Bells BN), but pretty amazing.

Serving type: growler

01-08-2013 05:13:44 | More by codysjb

CooperEllis

New York

4.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Beautiful draft at a Takeover night at the Tap House in Rochester, MN. Poured in flight sized pours (4-5oz).

Soft bourbon and oak notes with a great deal of layered notes in the aroma. The taste is equally full, with a breadth of flavors which compliment. This is one of the easiest drinking beers I've ever had and the -bal compliments the base beer nicely without adding a strong 'booze' presence.

Mouthfeel is solid, if unspectacular. Light up front but a touch sticky at the end. Really, quite light given the complexity, robust flavors and abv. I'm actually more impressed that it's this light on the palate.

Damn fine all around.

(200th)

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2013 02:39:17 | More by CooperEllis

grub

Ontario (Canada)

4.83/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

sampled on tap at hopcat jan 22/2010 as part of their 2nd annual extreme beer fest. listed as Black Note, which i understand to be the new name for this BA blend.

pours inky black and nearly opaque, but holding it to the light you can see that it is crystal clear at its thinnest point. a thin ultra-fine dark brown head forms, dropping fairly fast and leaving a bunch of fine lace behind.

aroma is great. bourbon. light vanilla. anise. dark and milk chocolate. coffee. medium toast whole wheat bread and biscuit. dark fruit. hints of earth. nice depth.

taste is amazing. vanilla and bourbon. bit of butterscotch. caramel and toffee. dark and milk chocolate. bit of bittersweet chocolate too. toasted multi-grain bread and biscuit. touch of cracker. lightly warming alcohol. nice light fruity component that works great with the barrel and stouty character.

mouthfeel is great. nice big body. silky smooth super fine medium-low carbonation level.

drinkability is excellent. big and complex yet drinkable as hell. it doesn't seem near 11% and i think i could sip on this all night. great stuff!

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2010 23:22:27 | More by grub

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

on tap at devils den during the bells darkest day event

Pours an inky, viscous blackness with a crop of browned head. Fades out with little retention or lacing on the glass.

Sweet and robust in the nose with dark chocolate and roasted caramel malts. Chocolate cake with vanilla, oak, and warm bourbon. Boozy and sweet but balanced.

A wave of dark malts crash upon the tongue with chocolate and toffee notes. Coffee tones with sweet vanilla bean and oaky smoothness. Creamy and soft with a burly malt backbone and a dash of anise, tempered by the boozy warmth, which is incredibly smooth. Bourbon soaked chocolate cake on the back end, with some lingering warmth.

Fuller body, nice carbonation, creamy, smooth and ultra soft on the tongue. Drinks like an absolute dream - excellent balance and I can distinctly taste both of the base beers int he profile, along with the barrel character. THIS is what I want from a barrel aged stout. Thank you Bells.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2011 00:18:42 | More by xnicknj

jegross2

Illinois

4.83/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewing the infamous Black Note Stout from Bell's Brewery Inc. Black Note Stout is a barrel aged blend of Bell's Expedition Stout and Double Cream Stout. A huge thank you to BeerAdvocate user FrankenBrew for tipping me off to this under-the-radar tapping.

Score: 97

Unknown vintage keg tap pour served in a 12+ oz pilsner glass and enjoyed on 01/25/12, courtesy of the Malt House in Madison -- one of the best bars in the Midwest.

Appearance: The lighting in the bar is not great, so bear with me. Body is a jet black color with thin caramel colored highlights at the absolute top of the glass. I arrived with a glass of this awaiting me (to ensure getting a pour), so I am unsure if it was served with any head (and if so, what the head looked like). A super thin tan ring of head coats the outside of the glass. No real lacing, but a slowly dripping, thick oily layer coats the side of the glass as you drink. 4.5/5

Smell: The aroma is incredibly complex. There is raisin/fig, other nondescript dark fruit and vanilla from my first pull. Then sticky brown sugar and molasses, followed by light amounts of licorice. Definitely getting notes of chocolate and caramel malt as well. At points, the beer smells like molasses-and-vanilla soaked raisins. The aroma is a perfect blend of stout and barrel aromas. 5/5

Taste: Equally as complexly flavored as the aroma, and incredibly balanced. First impression is an interesting blend of creamy (milk?) chocolate and vanilla. There is a slight roastiness in there, but it's very faint. The flavor of this brew falls somewhere between Kentucky Breakfast Stout and Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout. The midpalate is loaded with mellow, slightly sweet dark fruit, creamy malts, molasses/brown sugar and bourbon flavors without the alcohol bite. Light dark licorice flavors are in there somewhere towards the finish, but no licorice lingers in the finish at all. Absolutely no alcohol is detectable, save for a little warming effect as the beer warms, so I was a bit shocked to discover that this beer is 11.5% ABV. Finish lingers with an interesting mix of light chocolate, vanilla, molasses and dark fruit. Each sip leaves a seemingly different mix of those finishing flavors. Some pulls finish with more raisin-and-brown sugar like flavors, while others seem chocolatier, while others seem like a smooth vanilla-and-molasses mix. This is an absolutely astonishing medley of stout and barrel flavors. Everything you could want from either is present. This beer is dangerously drinkable. 4.75/5

Mouthfeel: Not overly heavy, but still thick and viscous. Medium bodied, minimal (if any) carbonation. Mouthfeel is creamy and sticky. Finish is decently (but not overly) sweet -- essentially raisin-and-vanilla like. 4.5/5

Overall: Hoo boy! This one absolutely lives up to the hype. I would have to have them side by side before I can say this definitively, but I think that I enjoyed this beer ever slightly more than Kentucky Breakfast Stout. I had the fortune of drinking five or six glasses of KBS on tap over the past few days, so the comparison is relatively fresh in my mind. Bell's Black Note Stout brings every flavor and aroma you could possibly want in either a stout or a barrel aged beer, and it blends them in an incredibly drinkable, palate-satisfying experience. A world class beer, no doubt. If only I had the time for another pint, I'd have knocked back several.

Recommendation: Seek this one out. Chicago will have a tapping of this sometime mid-February, so if you are the area, make room on your calendar.

Pairings: A medium-cooked New York Strip would go wonderfully with this beer.

Cost: $6 for a glass. I am not sure what a 750 ml bottle sells for, but I can assure you that $6 for a full pint of this brew is one of the best beer deals you will ever find in a bar.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2012 04:18:50 | More by jegross2

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

4.83/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Presentation: Big thanks to Urbancaver for bringing this and giving me the chance to try this. Around a 4 oz. pour served slightly chilled into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Black to dark brown in color. A touch of a brown lacing.

Aroma: A whole lot of coconut upfront, with layers of chocolate, vanilla and bourbon. Really nicely balanced. Definitely one of the more coconut forward beers in the aroma I've ever had.

Taste: Bourbon, vanilla, chocolate and bourbon all belnd nicely together. There is a lot of barrel character but it blends almost perfectly with the base beer and there is little to no heat. There is a touch of roasted coffee bean notes. Really balanced and tasty. Near perfect.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with a nice creaminess throughout. Spot on for the style.

Overall, one of the better bourbon barrel beers I've ever had. There was almost no heat from this being that fresh, and the flavors are incredibly complex and balanced. It is drinking great right now so I'm not sure time would help this much.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 12:20:40 | More by Gosox8787