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

Expedition StoutExpedition Stout
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From:
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #121
ABV:
10.5%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,761
Avg:
4.26 | pDev: 10.09%
Reviews:
2,289
Ratings:
6,624
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 06, 2024
Added:
Jan 10, 2002
Wants:
  604
Gots:
  1,847
Expedition Stout offers immensely complex flavors crafted specifically with vintage aging in mind, as its profile will continue to mature and develop over the years. A huge malt body is matched to a heady blend of chocolate, dark fruits, and other aromas. Intensely bitter in its early months, the flavors will slowly meld and grow in depth as the beer ages.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by barhoc11:
Photo of barhoc11
Reviewed by barhoc11 from Michigan

5/5  rDev +17.4%
A: Thick and black with a dark tan head, looks amazing

S: Dark, fruity with some smokiness

T: Roasted malt is upfront with hints of dark fruit and smoke. Taste improves and the beer warms

M: Thick and sweet, but not too sweet.

O: I have had this beer with some age on it and it definitely improves over time. This is probably my favorite RIS and for good reason
May 01, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of moysauce
Rated by moysauce from Illinois

4/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Rating based off an Untappd check in from 2020 of a bottle from 2015. Take this for what you will.
Mar 06, 2024
Photo of DimlyLitQuonsetHut
Rated by DimlyLitQuonsetHut from Virginia

3.02/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Spicy, sticky, almost too heavy. Decent flavors but somewhat overpowering, even for a seasoned stout lover.
Feb 17, 2024
Photo of FRANKHAZE
Rated by FRANKHAZE from Florida

4.47/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
This is just one great RIS.
Jan 27, 2024
Photo of Wattie83
Reviewed by Wattie83 from Pennsylvania

4.42/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
12oz bottle poured into a teku glass. Looks pitch black in the glass with a nice brown head that eventually drops to a cap with a nice ring. Smell is roasted barley malt, cocoa powder, toffee, roasted coffee, some black licorice. Taste starts with dark chocolate, roasted malt. The middle gets a little bitter with some dark fruits, cocoa. Finish sees some black coffee, a bit of char, and some lingering dark fruit. Aftertaste has a bit of molasses in it. Alcohol is pretty well hidden to me. Feel is full bodied, light, tight carbonation. Overall, this is great. It's a well balanced beer with a lot of great flavors. Awesome.
Jan 19, 2024
Photo of SpaceCamp
Reviewed by SpaceCamp from Virginia

4.39/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
L: Pours a dark, rich chocolate that forms a thin walnut head, which is quick to dissipate, leaving behind a spotty retention on top and a thin ring of lacing around the edge of the snifter. Held to the light, this beer has a

S: Classic RIS aromas of roasted/charred malt, baker's chocolate, coffee roast, burnt sugar, and molasses. A faint whiff of dark fruit.

T: Follows the nose. Big roasted malt, coffee, and baker's chocolate at the front, followed by some alcohol heat, hops, and smokiness. There is a slight lactose sweetness, dark fruit, and burnt brown sugar that somewhat contrasts with the bitterness at the outset. Maybe some slight molasses as well in the finish. However, this beer is driven by the bitter character that is typical of a good Russian. Full marks - easily one of the best RIS from a flavor perspective.

F: Rich, silky, almost velvety and a bit chewy mouthfeel. Full-bodied. Some very light carbonation.

O: This is a fantastic Russian Imperial Stout with no weaknesses. The flavor is top-notch. The body is perhaps the weakest spot but that's nitpicking. Full marks and worth a purchase for any stout lover.
Jan 01, 2024
 
Rated: 4.1 by BeerMe8 from Florida

Dec 24, 2023
 
Rated: 4.75 by Nyoder

Nov 26, 2023
Photo of BGDrock
Reviewed by BGDrock from Canada (ON)

4.2/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours thick, a black body with a rich cocoa-coloured head, fine and dense like a marshmallow, with a couple minutes retention.
Aroma is mild, of burnt coffee, molasses, licorice, cassis.
Flavours of dark roasted coffee dominate, bitter and pungent in the finish, almost smokey; some balance is provided by fondant sweetness, a touch of lactose - this is coming together to bring to mind a campfire with marshmallows; the feel is like a soft blanket, with fine, mellow carbonation, and a full body, though there is some stickiness; over time the flavours balance out even more, the bitterness less aggressive.

Bold flavour and a caressing feel, it holds nothing back and demands to be sipped on a cold winter day. Delicious and single-minded.
Nov 18, 2023
 
Rated: 4.51 by sentrytec from Pennsylvania

Nov 09, 2023
Photo of Braunmeister_1943
Reviewed by Braunmeister_1943 from Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Purchased as part of a 6 pack of 12 oz bottles on 11/4/23.

L- Jet black with a super creamy tan head

S- Dark roasted malt and hoppy aroma.

T- Bitter dark chocolate with a creamy
finish.

F- Viscous mouthfeel with very fine
carbonation.

O- An incredible RIS!
Nov 05, 2023
Photo of DokiDokiLitFam
Reviewed by DokiDokiLitFam from New Jersey

4.59/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I can't believe I haven't reviewed this one yet. Had at least 10 bottles of this over the past few years. Bottled 9/14/21. Just about two years old. A perfect aging.

The pour yields a thin line of dark brown foam. It quickly fades, leaving a ring around the glass.

Nose is right down the middle Russian Imperial material. Roasted malt brings notes of dark chocolate, dark fruits, brown sugar, and the slightest bit of soy sauce. You can tell that this brew will be incredibly animated just from a first glance.

Taste follows through, but bringing even more. Roasted malt, smokiness, dark chocolate, dark fruit, slight caramel, brown sugar or perhaps even black strap molasses. Wonderful stuff. The bitterness on this one is just perfect. Reaching high points, but never overwhelming or obtrusive. The flavors still fly true, almost urged onward by the bitterness, them working in tandem. Everything working together to create the final product.

Mouthfeel is fullbodied, almost pillowy. Has heft and density to it with just the slightest bit of cloying. Very mild carbonation. The mouthfeel delivers the flavor perfectly.

Overall this is easily one of the best Russian Imperials you can buy. In eternal cellared stout, beer fridge, staple material along the likes of Sierra Nevada's Barrel Aged Narwhal, Old Rasputin, and Founders Imperial Stout. A brew that demands respect.
Sep 12, 2023
Photo of MadMadMike
Reviewed by MadMadMike from France

4.43/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz bottle into a snifter. Deep dark brew, fine proud brownish foam.
Aroma of cafe Cubano, dark roast malt, stone fruits.
Taste hits like lightning with notes of dark chocolate, prune, coffee, and a pronounced bitterness, all in perfect harmony. Great long and chewy finish, the hoppy bitterness last to exit.
Full body mouthfeel. Medium carbonation.
Overall, a superb, well made, classic RIS for the people!
Aug 23, 2023
Photo of mpruden
Reviewed by mpruden from Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Poured from a 12-oz bottle, dated 9/7/22, "Shelf Life — Unlimited," and purchased at the brewery last month, into a stout glass.

Appearance: Opaque/black, with a massive dark tan head that lingered a very long time and left beautiful lacing.

Nose: Very complex: dark roast, a bit of coffee, sweet dried fruit, brown sugar -- oh, my!

Mouthfeel: Thick and creamy.

Attack: Bitter, as you would expect from an RIS — but absolutely well-balanced and very smooth — deep dark roast, chocolate, dark fruit sweetness, a little coffee.

Finish: The bitterness from the dark roast as well as from some hops lingers, and lingers very nicely.

Overall: There's a lot going on in this fantastic RIS; few beers are this well balanced. Certainly not a session beer at 10.5% ABV, but more drinkable than just a sipper. I'm having a hard time coming up with anything I don't like about this beer. I understand that my rating numbers are very high for this beer — and higher than the average of other raters; I truly think it's worth these scores.
Aug 05, 2023
 
Rated: 3.85 by RoyalKaiju from Kentucky

Jun 18, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Jun 08, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by MjBrewhouse from Idaho

Jun 08, 2023
Photo of NorsemanOne
Reviewed by NorsemanOne from Utah

4.36/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Bottled 9.7.22 (debated waiting til the one year mark, but you can all see how that went)

Poured into a NH to tulip at fridge temp and warming up.

Pours dark brown nearly black with a dark mocha head. 4.25

Lots of dark and fermented stone fruit on the initial nose whiff, smidge of coffee and cocoa. 4.5

Taste follows, boozy, bitter (more hoppy than coffee), dark fruit and heavy. 4.25

Body is thick, boozy warm heat, syrupy and heavy. Everything I'd expect from a RIS. 4.25

Overall a true ris if I've ever had one, with the perfect amount of butter hops and deep complexity. 4.5
May 13, 2023
 
Rated: 3.72 by sbradley41 from Pennsylvania

Apr 09, 2023
 
Rated: 3.99 by liquorpig from Massachusetts

Mar 11, 2023
Expedition Stout from Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 6624 ratings