Kalamazoo Stout
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store

12 oz bottle into a nonic pint.

L: Nice dark brown with a creamy khaki head. Decent retention with nice foamy lacing as it goes down.
S: Roasted coffee and malt very dominant
T: Coffee and chocolate notes followed by some hop funkiness
F: Lightly carbonated and smooth, but a bit thin bodied
O: A solid, very drinkable American Stout. Apart from looking great in the glass, nothing really stands out as truly exceptional, but nothing falls flat either.

 

Strong black licorice notes for me, but that's a taste so I happen to love so I'm looking for it. Thick and malty with a dark coffee aftertaste. Really sticks to the tongue. Very smooth and drinkable -- punches above its ABV.

Only had it a few times but really pleasantly surprised

Bottled on 6.15.20

Poured at fridge temp (and will let warm up) into a tulip glass.

Pours a deep inky brown with a one finger sandy head - settles into about a 1/2 finger ultra tightly bubbled ring and a loose cap. 4

At fridge-ish temp I get some chocolate and associated sweetness and some malty body. though I do get that rich black licorice taking a whiff off the bottle. Coffee roast aromas begin to rise as it warms up. 4

Roasted coffee, dull but spicy hop presence and a hint of that black licorice offer a nice and pleasing if not unexpected flavor. 3.75

Light prickling carbo, but otherwise a lighter body for a stout with nice lingering aftertaste and smooth finish. 3.75

Overall a fairly 'sessionable' stout that is less filling than a nitro(good thing here) and was impressive stand-alone though I'd imagine pairs great with the right meal. 3.75

Very dark brown with kakhi foam. Smell is dark roasted malts. Flat and thin, but mostly pleasant to sip on otherwise. It packs a lot of flavor into 6%, neither too bitter or too sweet, but the hop and licorice combined leaves a sorta funky aftertaste

 

 

First time with this stout. I love dark beer in the winter. In Wyoming that means 6 months out of the year, it seems. This is a very pleasant stout, very smooth, and sessionable. Will buy more!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somehow, Kalamazoo Stout is not among the 15 I've had previously from Bell's. I've always like Bell's and probably have not written a micro-review since the announced purchase by Kirin interests a year ago. I suppose I was waiting for something to happen; but the purchase seems not to have changed Bell's. And this is a very good thing because Bell's epitomized how crafters centered in and served their communities. It actually seems to provide purpose to growth over time. Bells did and as it grew it took on new responsibilities, most recently sustainability and DEI. I hope that continues and it is why I still give Bell's very good Overall Hugs.

As for Kalamazoo... This follows the principle that if you don't try to do too much at first, it improves your chances of eventually becoming a classic. Many American stouts fell off the extreme edge, but Kalamazoo continues. And transcending the its strong licorice, my taste memory said: "I've had this stout before, haven't I?" I suppose I have; but it was not brewed by Bell's. It was brewed by a micro imitating and inspired by Kalamazoo. And that is what makes Kalamazoo a classic. Cheers !