Black Note Stout
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store

 

 

 

 

Pours jet black with a thick dark caramel head on top. Smells very sweet with dark fruit and notes of barrel. Boozy but not too boozy well balanced. Got the sweetness along with toasted coffee.

 

I’ve actually had this on tap a few times and sent it out on BIFs and trades but never sat down with a bottle to concentrate on the beer.
Until now.
Pour is stout black with a 1 cm light brown head which left rings of lacing.
The important part: the taste.
It’s not like either of the stouts that make up the blend, or maybe cuvée.
It’s a touch more coffee forward than Double Cream Stout and much less roasty than Expedition stout.
It *is* amazingly tasty with smooth coffee and chocolate and daaaark fruits.
This is way too easy to drink considering the ABV, I had the 12 ounces consumed in very short order.
Good beer!

12oz bottle, poured into a snifter glass. Packaged 10/31/2023, PRN 42801. 11.4% ABV for the 2023 bottling.

Appearance: Pitch black letting no light through, thin tan head with plenty of islands and fine strands of lacing.

Smell: Bourbon, vanilla, roasted malt.

Taste: Tasted a lot like it smells, but with a bit more vanilla and malt sweetness. Some definite dark chocolate and milk chocolate notes. Some espresso-like coffee bitterness, but there is more bourbon at the finish that tempers it. Not getting any dried fruit flavors as per the label, but still quite tasty.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth and creamy thick with just right carbonation.

Overall / Drinkability: Dangerously drinkable. Very smooth, well balanced between all the flavors, and the alcohol is well hidden. A nice sipping beer and this would go great with a dessert. Definitely something to look for again.

 

Sampling a 12 oz bottle at cellar temp. Figured I do an expected great beer for my 3000th Review!!
Lets go.
Pouring the beer into my trusty snifter. The beer was bottled on 10/31/2023, received in a BIF this month.
Pours into my glass a solid black coffee color with a dense creamy tan head of .5 cm. the foam fades to a sturdy surface covering that remains through the sampling. i get some nice tight lattice when I swirl the glass or take a sip.
Aroma is roasted malt, dark chocolate, some black licorice or anice note, bourbon notes and hints of black pepper. No hop character on the aroma and not fusol, but I believe the black pepper note is booze hint.
First sip reveals a fairly thick body with smooth texture and full mouthfeel. Fine and tingly carbonation. Nice physical traits.
Flavor is similar to the nose with high cacao dark chocolate, some black licorice, and finishes with some slightly sweet bourbon. Again no hop character on this beer. There isnt really a lot of boozy warmth on the finish here either.
Pretty straight forward solid barrels aged stout, good complexity and blend of flavors. Very happy to have checked this beer and enjoying this tasty stout. The hidden ABV could be dangerous. Well worth seeking out.

 

12 oz bottle fill date 10/31/23 into a snifter.
L: SRM 40 Pours jet black with a thin dark khaki head that quickly recedes to edge foam, low carbonation, no lacing.
S: Bourbon barrel notes, chocolate, darkly roasted cereal grains, caramel.
T: Mingling dark fruits, complex char, chocolate, dark berries, bourbon, wood barrel notes, dark caramelized malts, a bit nutty from the oaken barrels, finish is malty with espresso, bourbon, and sweet dark cocoa.
F: Smooth & resilient heavy-bodied feel with a long finish that is fairly drying.
O: Simply one of the finest BBA stouts I've had. Does not taste fake or adjunct-ridden as do many others. Smooth, rich, deep, long finish. Exceptional. Unlimited shelf life is touted but I'll get to the other 3 bottles this year. Good price point. This beer is absolutely world-class in its style.

12oz bottled 10/31/23 (3+ months ago) poured into a tulip glass at fridge temp 11.4% ABV. The beer pours impenetrable black with medium brown colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island. Spotty lacing. The aroma is moderate in strength with bourbon soaked fudge brownie and lesser notes of ash and oak. The taste is bittersweet roasted malt with more bourbon, fudge brownie, oak and classic, ashy roasted malt character. The feel is medium plus bodied with just less that average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, world class BBA imperial stout.

 

Terrific stout! This is everything a barrel aged stout should be.

Dark chocolate, espresso, and plum flavors jump out the most. Brown sugar lingers on the finish. The mouthfeel is wonderful as well. If you see it, buy it!

 

L-Dark brown/black...no head...

S-Soy sauce like maltiness....rich....

T-Starts off with that Expedition rich, soy sauce like maltiness....then a tremendous touch of nougat, vanilla and very light bourbon....next a mild impression of dark fruits...plums, raisins....this is really excellent...very light touch of coffee deeper in....dark chocolate as well....

F-Creamy...big but smooth...no heat from the ABV....not cloying....easy to drink...a rare beast with immense flavors but a drinkability that could lead to more than one if compelled.

O-Love the taste of this and the way it drinks....sometimes with this style I'll really enjoy a particular offering but then have no craving to have it again to to the richness...that's not the case here despite it being plenty rich....aroma is a bit bland and one sided with the soy sauce maltiness...

 

Appearance: Pours a completely black, dark color with a massive and deep, rich, dark tan head. SRM of 24. (4.25)

Aroma: Strong aromas of bittersweet chocolate, cream, cocoa upfront. Some hints of coffee roast and more cream in the middle. Mild bourbon underneath. (4.00)

Flavor: Strong flavors of rich chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, and cream upfront. Strong creamy chocolate notes linger before it evolves into a lactose and vanilla flavor. Some bourbon starts to balance, but ultimately the sweet chocolate cream overpowers and it finishes sweet and smooth. (4.25)

Feel: Heavier-bodied, average to low carbonation. Sweet, malty, creaminess linger. (4.00)

Overall: Rated 100 World-Class on BeerAdvocate and ranked #33 for American Imperial Stout. Supposedly similar to their Expedition Stout, but aged in Bourbon Barrels. Upfront drinks very much like their Expedition Stout. A beer battle between the two would be far too dangerous. Dark, chocolate, creamy, and sweet. Some hints of bourbon and minimal roastedness. The bourbon is relatively hidden within the sweetness. This one leans sweeter and rich in typical Bells fashion. I wouldn't drink this often. A sipper and almost an occasional or dessert beer I'd say. (Rating: 4.12)