Bells Cherry Stout

Bottle from kosko20, marked 7734. Pours thick, with a dark brown layer of head and a black body. Head checks out in amout a minit leaving a ring and good lacing with a bit of alcohol legs above. The head can be called back at will. Aroma is strong at a distance with tart cherries, boat loads of malt, chocolate, tannins, cocoa powder and a bit of leather. Taste is an interesting balance of roast and dark tart cherries, a bit ashy or sootie as well. Second sip yields strong fruit up front and an espresso roast in the finish. Very smouth mouthfeel and light carbonation. Noted to self to add bourbon barrel version to the wants list, cause I liked this version, and I like bourbon more...

Pours oil black with a small tan head. Aroma is definitely roasted chocolate malt and cherry. Pleasantly surprised that the cherries smell real yet not too overwhelming. A bit of smokiness as well. Flavor starts out with a bang of tartness from the cherry that is very nice and refreshing. The cherry mellows through the swallow and the sweet roasted malts give the chocolate and coffee balance. Very easy finish that tastes warming and smooth. Medium-full body and low to average carbonation. I was pleasantly surprised with this beer. I think they managed to balance the flavors well, better than other fruit beers I have had, and if you appreciate tartness it is even better.

Bottle (William is cleaning out his basement). Pours an engine oil black- thick with no head. This one grew on me. First I thought the cherry flavor was too overwhelming- it was more like a sour ale and I wasn’t ready for it. But as the beer warms, the sour cherries complement nicely the very rich, sweet chocolate flavor of the malt. Really does taste like dessert.

Bottle. Pours a deep black with a small tan ring. Light sharp aroma, of toasted malt and tart cherries. Tart cherry taste hits right away, before picking up a hint of cherry sweetness, a lot of burnt toasted malt, and a hint of chocolate. Lingering sourness and toastyness. Nice, rich fruit stout.

Bottle at Jerry’s. Black with good, creamy cappuccino brown head / Toasty, cherry and chocolate nose / Medium body, very tart and acidic, with good malt and hop balance, and fair finish / Flavors of tart cherries, unsweetened chocolate, and dark roast coffee / Curious - needs to be considered on its own terms - almost a sour ale. Needs a little more body, but a fine beer. Despite the cherries, really a dry stout, I’d say, or a fruit porter.

Bottle from Bells. Thanks to nbutler11 for trading the bottle. Smells like your well-made stout, but strangely teeters between a dry or sweet. The reason reveals itself in the flavor, when tart cherries meld with bakers’ cocoa for a surprising fruit edge on an expert stout. Man... what an anomalous beer.

12oz bottle. Pours a deep pitch black with subtle dark brown and ruby highlights (in the few thin areas where light can shine through) and a thin deep tan head. Aroma is roasty with some very dark chocolate, dark fruit and plums, molasses, caramel, and cherries. The flavor is rich, deep, and mesmerizing: dark chocolate, coffee, almost savory and burnt toast, raisins, and tart cherry. The cherry character increases as the beer moves through the mouth. The finish has some fruity, roasty bitterness, some sour cherry acidity, and a complex and strong fruit character - sour cherries, currants, and tart dark grape juice. The mouthfeel is sharp though not from overcarbonation. The fruit character combined with carbon dioxide lend a mild tannic note to the texture and feel on the tongue. The body of the beer is medium in fullness - lighter than one would expect from the strength (7%) and intensity of flavor. Overall, a wonderful winter beer. At first the deep roastiness was slightly off-putting. This past Spring I made a sour cherry porter that I thought was better. But as the palate adjusts to this strong stout and the complexity of fruit strengthens as the temperature slowly rises, this beer really comes into its own. It is great. (I still think my sour cherry porter is just as good though!)

Pours like black motor oil with decent brown head. Nose is roasty and chocolate with only a hint of cherries. No suprises in flavor here! Lots of dark cherry flavor, some currant. Very tart. Mouthfeel is watery, almost like juice. I wish it had a fuller body. Chocolate covered cherry finish.