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

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

Shibbykaiyai

Michigan

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

On tap at Ashley's in Ann Arbor, MI for a special event.

My buddy dragged me to this event for the sole purpose of trying this beer. And I am happy that he did.

You can smell the bourbon in the pour and it has the some of the best characteristics of the two brews that were combined to make it. It is a great mixture of the Expedition and the Double Cream Stouts.

Although I am normally not a stout person, this is one the best brews I have had in a long time. I just wish it was more readily available.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2012 04:36:23 | More by Shibbykaiyai

BierJager89

California

4.83/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Holy shit. Poured from a growler?! into a snifter in California?! From a complete stranger?! Thank you to every single person and thing and event that allowed black note to cross the threshold of my mouth. Especially the stranger at the bar and my friend with whom I tried this.

A: Solid black with a faint brown ring of head that is all but completely absent. Little carbonation as this was poured into a growler at the brewery and transported all the way to california before being poured into a snifter.

S: Old yeast and dark bittersweet chocolate, very reminiscent of Older Viscosity, as well as vanilla, roasted malt, oak and alcohol in the nose.

T: Anise, oak, vanilla, dark bittersweet chocolate, medium roast coffee, alcohol. Absolutely delicious. A near paragon of the bourbon barrel aged imperial stout style. Lacks the strong vanilla character I love about the style, as well as caramel and is a bit more faint in oak than I'd prefer.

M: Literally perfect for an imperial stout, to my taste. The fullest of silky, creamy smooth bodies coats the mouth.

O: Rich, hearty, delicious, and impossible to find. Just barely overrated (it isn't really a 100, but then again they inflate ratings on this website, which is unnecessary and stupid). Recommended? If you can find it. I feel my luck may have reached the apex of it's potential given that such an odd way of coming upon a taste of this beer was the result of layer upon layer of sheer happenstance. But enough about me. This beer is amazing.

Serving type: growler

02-11-2013 07:49:33 | More by BierJager89

brewtus

Ohio

4.83/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

12oz bottle poured into tulip. Obviously 2012

A- pours black with a half finger dark tan head the quickly disappears
S-milky, bourbon is very prevalent, dark fruit, chocolate, some subtle cinnamon
T-woah, dark chocolate that makes way for oak and bourbony warmth. Some faint vanilla, slight coffee flavors, amazing silky smooth texture, no burn.
O- wow I'm glad I spent so long trying to track this down, this beer is complex, smooth, and delicious. The bourbon isn't overpowering but it is balanced perfectly with the smooth creaminess of stout mixture. If you had the opportunity to get some, buy as much as you can, it's worth the price tag for sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 03:14:10 | More by brewtus

paultierney1

Ohio

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

Can't tell you how I got the bottle.

What an awesome stout! At first I thought: Wow, that's really good. Then it only got better. So complex, so much going on. It truly deserves the 100 rating. I'm just piling on. Out of my way. Amazing brew from Bell's!

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 00:07:49 | More by paultierney1

Fanhitter

4.81/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Served at Aubree's Northville

As the glass arrived, it resembled a glass full of crude oil. Just looking at it I can tell it is syrupy and thick; the head is dark, reddish bruise-black. The head is a thin layer of microscopic bubbles that I can only imagine seeing in places like te La Brea Tar Pits.

Smells like vanilla-cinnamon-chocolate-coffee spiked with a sweet, wheated bourbon. There's a nice coffee aroma as well. It's big and sweet.

The flavor is a boozy bourbon bomb at first, followed with a balanced chicory and smoky sweetness. The vanilla notes come out shrouded in a caramelly, dark roast coffee finish. It finishes surprisingly dry for all that's going on here. This is a real treat for the tastebuds.

Mouthfeel is effortless for as boozy as this is; nice, oily, and smooth sipping.

Overall I am blown away by this. I've had CBS and KBS, and this tops out with both of them; however I like this better than KBS. This is a real treat to find on draft. Amazing beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2013 17:50:50 | More by Fanhitter

drgonzo3705

Ohio

4.8/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A: Black with a fluffy mocha colored head that leaves nice lacing.

S: Woody, slight chocolate little bourbon hiding as well.

T: Creamy roasted dark chocolate notes and some oakiness.

M: Thick and creamy Mmmm

D: would be so much higher if I hadn't blown the keg! What a great beer, my fiance even almost liked it!(She hasn't liked one yet). If this is pouring in your area go get some!

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2009 18:53:31 | More by drgonzo3705

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at EBF 09, thank goodness I found my scribbled notes that I made on my program after multiple samples, at least 5!

A- Deep black with a frothy tan head.Cant be sure about lacing since I had but 2 oz. samples in a plastic vessel.

S-Strong vanilla, oak and chocolate and dark roasted malt. The blend of these two very good beers in their own right made for a most impressive combination!

T-Dark roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla and sweet bourbon notes meld into a joyous mixture. Astringent oak and bitter chocolate finish.

M-Medium body and rather light feeling, most likely due tothe fact of how smooth and creamy it was.

D-One of THE picks of EBF for me. I went back over and over again for this one. One of but a handful of beers I drank enough of to be able to produce a legitimate for. I sure hope that Bell's gets this beer out to the masses!

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2009 22:17:10 | More by Deuane

Steamhead

Kentucky

4.8/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

On tap at World Record Bell's Taps, Beer Sellar Indianapolis,IN, June 22, 2009
What a beauty! Shimmering black oil...a small dark brown film of carbonation composes the head. Zero lacing, just rich syrupy retention oozes down the sides of the glass. I have been eagerly anticipating this blend of two of my favorite beers and aged in my favorite barrels. It looks about as inviting as Emmanuella de Paula. The smell is a heaven of chocolate, coffee, caramel, bourbon and wood. These are the kind of beers I have in mind when I brew yet am clueless how to achieve this end result. Larry Bell's genius shines on. The weight is incredible. The barrels seemed to have mellowed the Expedition and concentrated the Double Cream. Roasted coffee bean, sweet bourbon, and one of the most incredible malt profiles I have ever tasted comes across on the palate and lingers a long, long time. Sure its big, but its sheer deliciousness positively effects its drinkability. Its defintely in the upper echelon of barrel-aged stouts. Of course if this was bottled, I would have a standing order for as much they could send. This kind of quality makes it awesome to be a craft beer lover in today's brewing renaissance. Just unbelievably smooth, perfectly integrated components that bring ridiculous pleasure to devotees of this style.

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2009 18:56:27 | More by Steamhead

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.8/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I cannot believe I was actually able to land this beer. Persistence pays off people! Much thanks to the wonderful man from Kentucky who grabbed me a small growler of this one earlier in the week and rushed it right down to me. Chilled down in the fridge and then immediatly decanted into a pint glass. This one was consumed on 06/26/2009.

The pour was as dark and inky black as one could possibly get. Amazing this thing looked like a black hole. A very small little puff of tan came up over the top and settled down very quickly leaving the top nearly bare with just a touch of lacing. The there was the aroma. Tons of molasses and bourbon that was laced with huge notes of vanilla and coffee. A hint of licorice maybe? Possibly dark fruit but simply amazing and intense but that was nothing compared to what I was in for when I took that first elusive sip. It was on now. Big. Full bodied, thoroughly coating and amazing flavor. Nearly the perfect balance of hot bourbon, rich milk chocolate and coffee all hit you up front. But as it warms it morphs on you, prune like flavors, hints of maybe some grapes like tartness overlay the vanilla from the barrel and make it a sublime finish that literally seemed to get sweeter with every sip.

Overall I am not gonna lie, this one kicked my butt! It was an supreme joy to drink, but it is strong. Taken in context though, I could have sipped on this at the end of the night, every night. It was simply divine. Much thanks again for getting to try this, it was worth the wait and one of the best tasting stouts I have ever come across.

Serving type: growler

06-27-2009 12:12:40 | More by mikesgroove

drowland

Florida

4.8/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

8/13/11. On tap at the GTMW. Awesome bourbon barrel aroma with vanilla coconut and coffee. Very nice flavor that hosts a perfect balance of BA - coconut, vanilla, sweetness, and more - and robust impy stout with coffee and roastiness. The superb balance makes this awesome.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2012 21:23:01 | More by drowland

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.8/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On-tap at Bryant-Lake Bowl for their stout bout. I came to the event mostly to try this beer, and I wasn't disappointed. Enjoyed 12 September 2012, reviewed from notes.

Pours straight-up black. Brought with a thin layer of medium-brown head, but I saw the server pour some more off. Decent lacing.

Smell is rich dark chocolate, surrounded by the loveliest bourbon-y aromas I've encountered in a beer. All sorts of rich dark malt aromas, but they're all tied together in a way that makes it hard to tease out characteristics.

Taste is, well... it's one of those indescribably good beers that is just beautiful and right. The rest of my description is a mostly-futile attempt to explain that beauty. Like a dark malt wash, with a little bit of bourbon. It has a core flavor that holds together so well, it's hard for me to say exactly what it is. No little bits sticking out to grab onto, just this big glom of deliciousness. The bourbon barrel comes through, but is so nicely balanced and integrated - mostly the rich grainy flavors of the bourbon that really shine through. This adds tons of flavor, but without the burn that accompanies so many barrel-aged beers. Moderately hoppy, but the hops don't come through that much because there are so many other flavors they have to contend with. Stunningly good.

Mouthfeel is thick and heavy with that smooth, full oat fluffiness. Medium-low carbonation, as it should be.

One of the best, if not the best, barrel-aged stouts I've ever had, and among the top beers I've had. In the vein of Bourbon County - a big, robust, flavorful stout with fantastic integration of the barrel flavor - but better. IMO, it blows some other highly-rated stouts (Parabola, Abyss) out of the water. I will be seeking this out again. Definitely worth the effort. I could drink this all day.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2012 18:11:31 | More by zeledonia

nihiloexnihil

Maryland

4.8/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle at 54 degrees poured into snifter.

A: Slick. Black. No head at all. Nothing, not even a rim around the edges. Holding it up to a light directly yields nothing. Not a single bubble rises in the glass. I guess since Mikkeller already has Black Hole they couldn't name it that, because light does not escape. Perfect.

S: Imagine someone taking a bar of Green's organic dark chocolate and punching you in the face with it. Sweet molasses, delicious white chocolate, vanilla, bourbon. Woodiness, oak. Something else I can't quite name. Perfect.

T: Bourbon immediately. Then it hits: creamy dark chocolate, vanilla, mellow rye whiskey notes. Alcohol burn, but the good kind. Not hot at all. And it lingers, and just hangs out in your mouth reminding you that it's almost impossible to get in Maryland, so I'd better make this bottle last. Perfect.

M: Creamy, more carbonated than expected given how black and imposing it is, but there's not as much thickness as some of the other world-class stouts I've had. Still, this is not a knock on it.

O: My favorite bourbon barrel-aged beer of all time is Bourbon County Coffee, followed by regular BCBS. Those are my standards. This matches, if not exceeds, both of them in all categories except mouthfeel. Make it a little thicker and more viscous, and it gets a perfect score from me. Until then, this is #3.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 22:30:02 | More by nihiloexnihil

Honus1

Ohio

4.79/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is what bourbon aging should do to a solid blend of base beers in my opinion. On par with BA BORIS, KBS, BCBS. This pours black as night into my snifter with a slight chocolate head that dissipates quickly. Smell is intoxicatingly good, obvious bourbon, malt. The taste is what we are all here for, and this rare one actually doesn't disappoint. I I had to go to Bell's to get it, and was ready for some letdown. Clearly not the case! Let this beer warm up some, as the smooth bourbon finish really gets better as the temp rises. Caramel, and vanilla dominate the drawn out finish. Well done Bell's, well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 02:41:49 | More by Honus1

screamking

Ohio

4.79/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

12oz bottle poured into snifter.

Appearance-pours black with a small light brown head, head is gone quickly, nice lacing around glass. 4.25

Aroma-oak, roasted coffee, vanilla, plum, toffee, butterscotch, hint of dark chocolate, black cherry. 4.5

Taste-dark chocolate covered raisins, creamy toffee, oak, roasted coffee is hiding but there, alcohol is present, vanilla. 5

Feel-full bodied, thick with mild carbonation, coats mouth very well, a little blast of heat at the end. 4.75

Overall- great bourbon profile! This is how to age beer in a barrel. One of the best bourbon beers I've had. Too bad I was only able to get my hands on one bottle. Hopefully they increase production of this next year. Being a bourbon guy, beer doesn't get much better than this. 4.75

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 02:54:19 | More by screamking

craytonic

District of Columbia

4.78/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Near perfect for the style.

Smell: Deliciousness? Bourbon, cream, molasses, brown sugar, dates, figs. Perfect integration of bourbon and cream, typically it doesn't work out.

Taste: Bourbon, cream, dark sweet chocolate, sweet molasses, brown sugar, oak, vanilla, figs and dates. A bit of a hot chocolate element, also marshmallows, almost like a smore. Wow this is good stuff.

Mouthfeel: Incredibly creamy, rich and smooth.

Drinkability: Best imperial stout I have ever tasted. This one lives up to the hype. Wish I had a barrel of this. This stuff kills bourbon-barrel and vanilla-bean dark lord. Only a few minor imperfections with the malt keep this from being fives across the board. If you see how I rate other beers of this style you will realize how good this one really is.

Serving type: growler

08-25-2009 14:23:12 | More by craytonic