Black Note Info

I also always assumed there was a blend and then it was aged. Really great information; thanks for sharing.

 

Interesting- I would not have guessed that. I was at that tap takeover tonight, too. You gotta love an imperial pint of Black Note.

 

I am not going to doubt the accuracy of that statement, it could very well be true. I have been told or overheard, today the most recent occasion, that Black Note was a 50/50 blend which was then aged. This has come from staff at Bell's, it is possible that this is simply an oversimplification too. I appreciate this info, I will have to do some asking around next time I am over at Bell's.

 

It seems entirely plausible to me and perhaps to have the most control over the process in making a well-balanced beer.

 

The OP is correct, the individual beers are aged separately then blended prior to packaging.

 

Wow - way to bring out a 55 month old thread. Nicely done!

 

Whoa, how did I even find this thread?

 

Been there... thanks for the info though. (and the laugh - cheers!)

 

If we are going to open up a very old argument let's at least get the correct info out there. From the Bells website and the description of this beer on beeradvocate the beers are blended then aged

One of the most sought-after stouts in Bell's history, Black Note Stout blends the complex aromatics of Expedition Stout with the velvety smooth texture of Double Cream Stout and ages the combination in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels for months.

The resulting harmony of flavors captures the finest features of all three components: malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso and dried fruits, all buoyed by the warmth and fragrance of the bourbon barrel.

Aimed squarely at the stout and bourbon aficionados, Black Note makes a grand statement about the art of the dark.

http://www.bellsbeer.com/beer/specialty/black-note

 

Maybe there is a 55 month old vintage that's about to be released .....aaaand it's gone.

 

Or we can know people that work there and understand that the individual beers are aged separately and blended after bourbon barrel aging. There is a reason that BBA Expedition was released this year. I'm not going to debate this further.

 

I reserved some slots for Bell's Barrel Aged tour the day of their Roll Out the Barrel party on October 9. I'm going to write down some questions that I don't want to forget to ask. The question of whether or not Special Double Cream Stout and Expedition are blended before or after barrel aging for Black Note will be on the top of the list.

 

One might also take into account the pictures taken of the double cream stout aging in barrels that appeared on the BN thread about 6-12 months ago.

Unfortunately these pics we're taken down from the thread (I don't know why), but I remember them fairly well.

The barrels said the beer name, double cream, and had the actual batch number on them. If you went to bell's website and looked up that batch number (which I did because I'm a nerd), it said double cream.

Cheers!

 

Man. So glad this thread was brought back from the dead.

I'll be in Michigan for that weekend, and we were planning on making our seasonal bells trip on Saturday.

That has definitely been pushed back until Sunday. This looks amazing.

 

I just found out from another BA that Hopcat Kalamazoo is opening on October 8. It is located across the street from Bell's General Store. Sounds like an epic weekend.

 

Ya'll are talking some craziness. All of these events have been canceled.