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

Kalamazoo Stout Mocha BBA from Bells. Received from @Whyteboar in Barleywine and Stout BIF #2. 12 fl oz bottle. Received 26/02/25, reviewed 13/03/25 (Review 3470). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
“BEST BY” slot on label is blank. Stored at home at 39 degrees F and served at 48.2 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 53.2 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Deep Amber (SRM 15), clear.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, amber at the edges.
Head – Average (Maximum two cm, aggressive center pour), initially biscuit but lightening to wheat as it oxygenates, high density, average retention. Drops to a 0.3 – 0.8 cm sloping crown and a rocky complete cap.
Lacing – Fair. One small band of tiny bubbles is connected to the crown by spindly columns. This band eventually disintegrates into extremely torn curtains.
Aroma – 4 – (Milk) chocolate and weak coffee. No hops, no yeast, no alcohol, no bourbon.
Flavor – 3.75 – Begins slightly bitter with roasted malt flavor and weak coffee, no yeast, no hops. No nose chocolate. No alcohol (8.5% ABV, according to the label), but weak gastric warming does occur. Neither bourbon nor barrel, no licorice. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Ends bitter.
Palate – 4 – Medium: not quite creamy: soft carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA.

Final impression and summation: 4 A decent stout but disappointingly lacking in licorice flavor. Some of the bitterness may come from the brewer’s licorice rather than the hops. Coffee and cocoa are present, at least on the nose, but not very evident in the flavors. Lacks the flavorful hit expected from Bells.

Good balance of the coffee and chocolate with the stout in the aroma and taste.