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

Had on tap. This came out exactly as I expected, with deep rugged barrel, character, roasted malt that is robust, dark, chocolate, black coffee, raisin, molasses, and a trace of caramel, wow. The smell is more barrel and roast focused, but that barrel is very deep. Feel is rugged and dries out well through the sip, barrel character really stands up to the heavy roast in a deep way. Pitch black pour with a brown head.

I had this on draft 2/9/26 @ the Hopleaf.

Black appearance.

Minimal dark tan head; no lacing remained.

Bourbon, milk chocolate & wood notes in the nose.

Thick, sticky mouthfeel.

Bourbon & milk chocolate flavors up front; strong wood notes on the finish.

This dulls some of Expedition's trademark boldness but it's good.

15%!!!

It’s fantastic!

Pours a jet black with minimal foam. The nose has the characteristic Expo black licorice notes, only it’s even more smooth and mellow than I expected. The barrel notes are there as well, with a bourbon note that emerges as it opens. The sip follows, with a sharp hoppy kick that brings it all into focus.

Just WOW!!!! SO smooth for the ABV. Outstanding!

Poured stout black with virtually no head and no lacing was found. About the only knock on this beer I could find.
The taste is definitely Expedition, with its strong coffee and dark fruit notes, and the bourbon brings out the chocolate and vanilla flavors as well as obscuring the hops bitter notes. Really good.
The feel is lightly viscous, this begs to be gulped but warns you off at the same time.
OA, I hope they bottle this, I want a case of it!

 

 

 

 

On tap at Maduro's for the pre-GTMW event. Three 10oz pours in a Bell's shaker pint glass.

Pour is pitch black in colour, one finger offwhite head, good retention, a little bit of lacing. Smell is rich bourbon, dark fruit, dark chocolate, a bit of vanilla, light oak, toasted grain, a touch of licorice. In short, this is everything I love about Expedition Stout and bourbon barrels. Flavour follows; it seems like the extended barrel aging added more whiskey flavour and vanillin to the base beer, which is already robust enough to stand up to all that aging. A fair bit of dark fruit which made me wonder if the second barrel was port, but from the description, it apparently was not. I'm still a fan though, and while it's a sweet beer, it's not too demandingly so on the palate. Mouthfeel is thick and heavy bodied, substantial and almost silky smooth. Mild earthy bitterness goes along with oak and vanillin on the backend. A real treat to have, especially if you've enjoyed the single bourbon barrel-aged version and even the base beer.