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

ehammond1

California

4.63/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Growler

Acquired via trade
Thanks, Shilt!

Black throughout and thick in body. A very small hint of a head consisting of very smell dark brown bubbles. Very little visible carbonation, but still a menacingly appropriate, beautiful, thick barrel-aged stout. It just looks right.

The aroma is incredible. Big, layered notes of chocolate abound, along with rich, expressive, espresso and subdued bourbon. There's a hint of an alcohol kick but it's tame considering this beer's ABV. There's some mellowed bourbon notes as well, but the chocolate and coffee are quite dominant.

The flavor is boldly expressive; it's an incredible combination of chocolates, espresso, cream, vanilla, and integrated bourbon. The alcohol is present but not distracting. Remarkably drinkable.

Full in body. Creamy. Decadent. Rich.

I had 2 10 oz. pours and was regretting not drinking more. But, hey, sharing is caring. Amazing stuff, and very generous of Shilt to get it out my way. Thanks, again!

Serving type: growler

12-14-2012 23:54:04 | More by ehammond1

srandycarter

California

4.46/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Pretty darned black. No head. Some small cling lace.

S - Soy sauce!!! I cannot tell you how much it is soy. Behind that is charred sweet malt.

T - Pretty much the same as the smell. Sweet malt lingers a bit at the end.

M - Somewhat creamy, good carb, good balance. I like it.

D - Very boozy, but hides it pretty well. I like this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 06:12:10 | More by srandycarter

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours deep, dark black with minimal head. Scent is filled with booze with touches of roasted coffee, bittersweet chocolate, roasted nuts, dark dried fruit, vanilla. Taste is of young, fresh, high grade burbon backed with aggressive roast flavors, touch of sweet cream and vanilla, molasses, brown sugar, smoke. Full bodied, not quite oily, strong aftertaste. A great beer that is on eof the few booze bombs that hold up well. A sipper for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2010 13:58:51 | More by rfgetz

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

nickd717

California

4.7/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hand bottle shared by largadeer - thanks a lot for sharing this rarity, Chris!

A - Pours pitch black with a small, frothy brown head.

S - Amazing aroma of bourbon, vanilla, coffee with cream, and rich chocolate. Some slight -bal notes. The smell of well-crafted beers of this type is seriously one of my favorite smells in the world.

T - Roast and creamy coffee, lots of vanilla and bourbon balanced by an awesome, thick, intense base stout with loads of chocolate, and hint of anise, and some date and raisin notes. Yes, it is awesome. This is definitely up near the top impy stouts I've ever had.

M - Incredibly creamy, smooth, and full palate with soft carbonation. Not really any astringency from the coffee, and not very boozy, especially after it warms up.

D - Pretty high for a bourbon -bal aged imperial stout. I know a lot of people can't stomach much of this type of beer, but I could get through a bomber by myself easily.

Serving type: growler

10-14-2009 19:40:04 | More by nickd717

mdaschaf

Washington

4.46/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes.

A: Pours a very deep brown, practically black with a small tan/mocha colored head on top that forms a pretty tight cap. Decent read retention with thin lacing.

S: Dark chocolate upfront with some light roasted malt. Bourbon mixed with vanilla and a bit of brown sugar and molasses as well.

T: The first flavor I got was vanilla with dark chocolate, a great combination. The bourbon kicks in adding some wood, a bit of caramelized sugar, and some molasses. Faint dark fruit as well, cherries. Slight bitter/roast on the back end.

M: Full bodied with moderate carbonation, pretty smooth.

O: A very nice beer, understandable why it scores so hi. Very impressed and look forward to trying it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 11:06:40 | More by mdaschaf

prototypic

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Arrived with a two and a half finger, creamy tan head. It's a very dark brown color, nearly black. No light creeping through. Retention and lacing were excellent.

Smell: Very complex. Bourbon aroma is readily apparent and blends extremely well with roasted and chocolate malts. Dark fruit and cherry are present in addition to a light coffee flavor. Excellent smelling beer.

Taste: Just as complex and fascinating. Roasted and chocolate malts are sweet and smooth. The creamy, lactose element of this beer really contributes to its smooth nature. Bourbon flavor is excellent and really elevates this beer to another level. Hints of dark fruit, cherry, and even vanilla add depth and complexity. Alcohol is slighty noticeable, but hardly offensive.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: It's thick and certainly a sipping beer. One to savor. Carbonation is excellent. ABV is ostensibly high, but it's sooo smooth and drinkable. It's anyone's best guess as to how strong it really is. Drinkability is obviously limited somewhat, but not much. This truly is a special beer. I can only hope I encounter it again someday.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2008 03:02:38 | More by prototypic

illidurit

California

4.45/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle at Blue Palms during RBSG 2012. Pours pitch black with a coffee-colored head. Boozy coffee and vanilla in the aroma, malty with some acidity. Gorgeous flavor, heaps of cream, sugar and vanilla complementing roasty coffee notes and a deep warm chocolatiness. Bourbon is smooth and melds well without much heat.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 07:30:27 | More by illidurit

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark coffee brown with tight dark tan head. Nose has some subtle roasted malt, notes of coffee, vanilla cream, chocolate cake. There is a mild sweet bourbon note. It tastes well balanced, faint touch of sweetness with rich chocolate cake and vanilla notes. The coffee is lighter, Light note of sweet bourbon that picks up as it warns, more present than the nose but still subtle. Soft creamy feel, full bodied but not heavy with good carb and extremely drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2011 15:50:24 | More by cpetrone84

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks a ton to Sammy for pulling this out for just the two of us, bottle 24 of 1081 (Batch 10136). 750ml into tulips, gotta love full pours.

Black, with a transient brown head. Moderate legs, but only whisps of some head and a thin collar remain. Bourbon is big in the nose, along with coconut, vanilla, and brown sugar. Quite sweet, barrel aging is front and center. Taste leads with more smooth bourbon, coconut, mild chocolate and roast flavours. Great barrel flavours, creamier notes are slightly present. Medium full body, warming with some noticeable alcohol after some larger gulps. Low carbonation, with great density and smoothness. An awesome BBA'd stout, but not the best I've ever had form the style. Awesome to have tried though.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 03:02:16 | More by liamt07

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Adam for sharing this one and thanks to Peter for securing the bottle.

A - Poured dark black; medium thickness on the pour. A thin layer of espresso coloured head formed and quickly disappeared.

S - Huge whiskey and oak aromas up front. The barrel characteristics dominate the nose with some sweet chocolate fudge in the background.

T - Bourbon, some vanilla and oak up front. Although the barrel is dominant, the base beer comes through more than nose indicated. Chocolate fudge, roast, and light espresso flavours integrate nicely with the barrel flavours.

M - Full body. Thick and somewhat vicsous. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 14:24:03 | More by TheSevenDuffs

sweemzander

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tap pour at the Great Taste of the Midwest 2010. Been looking forward to trying this one for some time!

(A)- Pours a fairly thick pitch black color with a decent brown head that stuck around for awhile. Bits of lacing here and there too.

(S)- A rich chocolate and licorice aroma with bits of molasses and raisin. A good roasted profile behind that with light hints at a bread component.

(T)- Very similar to the smell. The chocolate in the smell combined with the licorice creates a light bitter yet sweet profile at the same time. Some molasses. The chocolate flavor is great in the background. Dynamic.

(M)- A good carbonation level and balance. Thick, but also smooth which is great for the style. A good feel and profile with a light warmth going down.

(D)- A fascinating beer that they need to bottle and sell in the future; they would make a killing off of it! One of bells best and most unique. One of the highlights of the event.
**Update. Having had this quite a few times now on tap, I feel that this just gets better and better on my list of the better stouts out there in the market today. Because of this, I definitely think this deserves a bump up from my initial review in the overall rating (from an initial 4.5 overall rating).**

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2010 22:08:22 | More by sweemzander

mcallister

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bought at Party Town in Florence Kentucky. Thanks Party Town!!!

A very nice looking beer and not sure why I'm not givinig it a 5 out of 5. Black in color with a small tan head that fades quickly. Very still and mysterious.

Quite possibly the best nose I've witnessed on a beer. Charred bourbony oak aromas with toasty vanilla tones. Roasted burnt chocolate malts, mollasses, and raisin with a large lactose aroma on the finish. Black fruits of currant, black cherry, and hints of pepper. Somewhat sweet and very enticing.

Again hard not to give a perfect score for taste. Just the slightest imperfection in the mid palate keeps this from coming to fruition. This beer is hugely complex with intense roasted chocolate malts. Marshmallow flavors with a thick creamy lactose induced mouthfeel and mid palate. Charred flavors with a tingly carbonation with creamy, silky smooth textures. Vanilla and caramel meld well with the layered dark fruit flavors. Hints of licorice in the flavor and sweet toasted oak. Bourbon flavors show through and really integrate nicely with the roasty flavors. Alcohol shows through somewhat but isn't overwhelming. A beer I could honestly drink the rest of my life and never get tired of.

Serving type: growler

06-17-2007 15:30:54 | More by mcallister

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.25/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle split three ways with Greg and Jake at SB on 6.6.12. Bottle numbered 1038 of 1081. Code 10136.

A - Pours a dark brown, not as dark as many stouts, with a few dark tan bubbles that cling to the edge.

S - Pretty boozy and woody up front, then some sweetness and subtle smoke.

T - Very similar to the nose. Booze, roasty wood.

D - Sweet all-around. Lower carbonation and a medium to heavy body.

O - A fantastic beer. I was glad to share this with some good BAs. Booze and barrell aged goodness.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 02:28:25 | More by HuskyinPDX

Arbitrator

California

3.5/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Growler supplied by eyebrews and generously shared at the Pliny the Younger release. Sampled from a tasting glass. From notes.

A: Pours motor oil black, opaque in the center but lightly translucent at the edges. I have no idea about the history of this growler, but it was taped well, opened with a hiss, and there were clearly bubbles (dark mocha) on the brew. Retention was short. Promising.

S: Pretty bourbon-forward. Dark chocolate, vanilla, molasses. Anise and some booze.

T: Bourbon and chocolate are pretty evident. Anise, vanilla, molasses. The finish was hot and slightly harsh. I kept expecting more from the flavor; I picked up a lot of the barrel character, but not much of the Expedition or Cream Stout.

M: Silky, rich. Hard to criticize Bell's beers on mouthfeel, most of the time, but their barrel aging here leaves a lot to be desired: the beer is fairly hot and tannic.

D: I liked the beer, but I'm not convinced this is one of the top examples of the barrel-aged imperial stout "style." It's above-average, but nothing to give up the cellar for.

Serving type: growler

02-21-2010 07:56:24 | More by Arbitrator

Sean9689

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Stub N Herbs Pre-Darkness Day Party. Ordered two 7oz pours of this, because I wanted to make sure I had a couple before the keg blew.

A - Pours black with a thin tan head. Even though there's only a small ring of head around the edge of the glass, there's a good amount of lacing draped along the sides.

S - Sweet chocolate, roasted malts, caramel, light bourbon, some oak/wood. As it warmed up (and I made it to my second glass), things picked up even more.

T - Just outstanding! Lots of sweet milk chocolate mixed with the perfect amount of bourbon. Much like drinking chocolate syrup mixed with a kick of bourbon and some expresso beans.

M - Not quite as think as I was expecting, but doesn't detract much at all from this beer. Very little carbonation, just right for the style.

D - Glad I was able to get two of these because who knows if I'll ever have the chance to try this one again. Easy to drink for the style, but obviously I can only drink so many before I'd fall over.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2009 23:46:18 | More by Sean9689

scottfrie

California

4.53/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into Lost Abbey stemmed glass. Thanks a TON for sending me this bottle Jay. You’re the man!

A: Pours pitch black with a minimal head. Not getting much lace but that’s expected.
S: I get huge notes of vanilla with undertones of bourbon, caramel and deep chocolate. There are some spicy notes as well.
T: Phenomenally smooth notes of chocolate fudge, sweet bourbon, caramel, hints of barrel spice and smoke. The finish is super smooth and bourbony and so very mellow.
M: Ultra smooth and creamy beer. The booze is well hidden and the body is thick and chewy. This feels awesome.
O: One of the better stouts I’ve ever had. I could drink a whole bottle of this myself. Thank you so much Jay!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 04:04:36 | More by scottfrie

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Big thanks to JLindros for sharing this bottle! Poured into a Kate the Great tulip.

A - Poured a deep dark brown nearly oil with a good half finger mocha head that fades to leave light clouds and a puffy halo. Solid, solid appearance for the high ABV.

S - Aromas of a very well done but classic aroma. Good bourbon notes here but not overwhelmingly so, nice barrel and vanilla much fainter than I've grown accustomed to. Chocolate and sweeter malts with the alcohol noticeable but very downplayed for the ABV.

T - Taste is just delicious. Sweet malts, sweet bourbon and barrel notes. Chocolate and sort sweet, good quality bourbon. I appreciate that. Nice faint alcohol notes, very well planned out beer with everything working in harmony.

M - Mouthfeel is very smooth and creamy, chewy but not boozy.

O - Overall this was a very good bourbon aged stout. Very very nice, wish I had my own 6 pack to enjoy! Well done!

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 00:55:24 | More by rudzud

Jayli

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured in to a pint glass

A: This beer pours an opaque black with a 1/4 inch of medium brown head. Head recedes almost immediately. No lacing to speak of.

S: Nose is woody oak, bourbon, vanilla, roasted malts and light chocolate notes.

T: Taste starts with roasted malts and licorice, dark fruits. Oak and bourbon come through.... lots of bourbon, but not overpowering with a slight vanilla character. The bourbon flavoring is blended nicely. Nice deep bitter chocolate towards the finish. Aftertaste has lingering coffee notes to it.

M: Medium to fuller body, moderate carbonation, smooth, silky body.

O: Goes down easily, very tasty, not too filling, well hidden kick, great representation of style. I have looked forward to this brew for quite some time and did not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 01:51:33 | More by Jayli

CrellMoset

Virginia

4.47/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bell's Bourbon Barrel Aged Expedition/Double Cream Stout Blend, 10% abv, on tap at Capital Ale House, downtown location, Richmond, VA, on January 26th, 2009 at Black Moonday.

Appearance: Arrives a thick-looking bastard of a brew in a 10 oz. cervoise, a practically black, oily body though with flourishes of ... something ... around the edges, not quite garnet, but not quite brown either. The head is relatively fast-fading head, though at 10% abv and barrel aged, what do you expect? A faint sprawl of sheen and thin tan foam of lace is all that's left after it's gone. To be honest, there's not much going on here, but I've learned that brews that don't always look great don't look great for a reason.

Aroma: Maple syrup absolutely dominates, backed up by a strong, heavily oaky bourbon note, spicy with a slight prickle. It's very, very sweet smelling, heavily roasted, with lots of notes approaching pure caramel and/or toffee.

Taste: The melding of notes here lends an overwhelming butterscotch-esque note here, sweet and buttery, though not cloying or "bad" by any stretch of the imagination. Just had to get that out of the way, as it's the dominant tasting note here. The rest - a faintly chocolate-like spike, a spicy, estery, woody bourbon lick, fainter hints of char and vanilla, stronger overtones of maple syrup and caramel - all surge and bubble underneath this layer in a wonderful orgy of flavors. This is one big, bold-tasting brew.

Mouthfeel: Thick but big bubbled, that sort of "frozen in time" feel, crisp but sticky. Bubbles are big, but it's oh-so-foamy and creamy given the thickness and how well it holds together.

Drinkability: Well there 'ya have it. Very, very glad I got the chance to try this one. It's a huge, flavorful, over the top brew - and what do you expect from a melding and barrel aging of two of Bell's other biggest, over the top brews? - that manages to hit most of the right notes. The sweetness may not be to some's liking, the high abv% to others, but it did wonders for me - I'd be glad to have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2009 22:42:26 | More by CrellMoset

homebrew311

Illinois

4.11/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pitch black opaque apperance, dark brown creamy head, medium head retention

S: thick dark chocolate and cream followed by lots of bourbon with mellow vanilla and oak. Some ashy qualities follow the bourbon which detract from the overall beer a little bit.

T: toasted marshmallow followed by dark chocolate and a harmony with the oak barrels, amazing balance

Mf: thick, viscous, mellow, carbonation

O: huge flavors with a velvety texture, definitely worth a try. I don't know that this brew quite achieves the hype that surrounds it

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2011 01:41:57 | More by homebrew311

Bierguy5

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at South Park Tavern. Pouts a nearly jet black color. No highlights to be found. A thin tan collar.

Nose full of bourbon, oak, chocolate, caramel, and some dark fruit. A whiff of vanilla in there two. What a complex, and inviting nose!

Lots of wood up front. Fades into a creamy chocolate with a hint of dark fruit. Some bourbon comes out, and a hint of coffee. A bit of vanilla finishes things off.

Full body. Very creamy, with lower carbonation. Lots of lingering warmth from the alcohol. A very complex, fantastic beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2009 15:48:42 | More by Bierguy5

alleykatking

Indiana

4.68/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes I took at All Stout's Day.

A- Poured a nice oily black color. Small 1/2 finger mocha/tan colored head. Little lacing on the sides of the glass that just slid back down into the beer. Makes my mouth drool!

S- Like some others said it was muted when first served to me. I let it warm up a little while I sipping on the Oatmeal Stout and then came back to it. Wonderful roasted malts right in the forefront of this beer which I was a little afraid might be pushed back with other aromas. There were some oak and vanilla notes that came and went along with a light bourbon presence. Some chocolate came through a little more than the others mentioned. The alcohol was there but nothing overpowering. It almost smelled just like a Dark Lord dare I say.

T- Good big roasted flavor right off the bat mixes well with a light bourbon and oak middle. There was a light vanilla flavor that I picked up more and more once I drank it. The middle and the end of this beer was a little more creamy and chocolate notes ran freely. The alcohol was there but it was not messing with the overall flavors in the beer. Big tastes in this beer.

M- Heavy mouthfeel. I personally thought the carbonation was a little bit weak on this and could have used a little more. The beer needed a little help rushing across the palate but made its way in a roasted bourbony sweetness fashion. Nice clean afterflavors that enhance the entire drinking of this beer.

D- This beer is very drinkable even with the higher ABV. I couldn't get enough of it when I was at Bell's. I am glad I got to try this and it really was worth the hype that it had.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2009 04:17:13 | More by alleykatking

Florida9

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Black in color. Forms a small mocha colored head that doesn't bother to stick around for long, receding fairly quickly to not even a hint of surface coating, leaving only a glossy, black liquid in the glass. Only a speck or two of lacing.

S: Aroma is sweet and boozy; a mix of chocolate, vanilla, molasses, fig, and a very slight mintyness.

T: Taste is sweet and chocolatey, with a bourbon kick. Actually this is the most chocolatey bourbon barrel aged stout I've ever come across. Flavor is sweet with notes of vanilla, raisin, plum, anise, and milk chocolate. A mix of alcohol and brown sugar sweetness on the finish

M: Very smooth, almost velvety, with a lower carbonation level. A bit boozy, but still a fairly mellow beer.

O: This beer reminded me of some sort of nouveau bourbon-infused chocolate dessert. Sweet and chocolatey with a pleasant bourbon quality to round it out. Would make a nice dessert, but its not exactly what I'm looking for in a beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 02:08:51 | More by Florida9

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