Bells Expedition Stout

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Serve in Snifter

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UPDATED: APR 1, 2008 Batch #8295 sampled on 4/1/08: Typical appearance. Aroma seems a little drier and toastier than I remember, but still has very nice dark fruity complexity and roasty malts. Body is thick and full as always and has good dark caramel and chocolate sweetness before a more bittersweet, roasty warming finish. This may be one of the freshest Expeditions I’ve tried, but it’s still great and should age well.

Batch #6672 sampled on 8/24/07: Same viscous oily opaque appearance as always with a thinner, wispy-lacing light brown head. Aroma of sweet oatmeal and dark caramel with some plums and mild smoke. Body starts very dense, but with a nice, not cloying sweet maltiness and good dark chocolate notes throughout. Complex dark fruits and plenty of malt hide the alcohol very well and make this incredibly drinkable. An amazingly affordable, available, and enjoyable imperial stout!

2002 batch sampled on 4/4/06: Pours very dark and viscous with a nice, large, dark tan head. Aroma of sweet dark fruits, toasted caramel malts, and lots of dark chocolate. Body is still very full and has plenty of carbonation, but seems to have dried out some, leaving more of a lingering roasted, almost smoky finish. Very enjoyable as always.

2004 batch sampled on 10/11/05: Just a dense, sweet viscous well of dark fruit, brown sugar, mild soy and malty complexity. This is just simply a great imperial stout.

2003 sampled on 1/23/04: Pours the same rich oily black I remember. Very nice complex fruity and sugar cookie aroma. Body is full of molasses and thick sweet caramel malt. Very nice hop balance is also present. The roasted malts don’t show up until late in the finish, but they linger quite long. This is an excellent imperial stout. This gets the same rating as the 2002 version.

2002 sampled on 9/25/02: Black, covered with a smooth tan head. Lots of soy and floral hop aroma. Very syrupy, but elegant and smooth at the same time. Hops taste very fresh and the body is full of surprises; chocolate, soy sauce, and molasses. The best thing I have tried from Bells thus far. If I were going on some sort of expedition, I would not leave home without a six-pack.

Pours a thick black with small tan head. Dryish stout. Alcohol is hidden well. Chocolate and some smoked malts, but I don’t detect the complexity that others are raving about.

Bottle from Pizzeria Paradiso in Georgetown. Pours opaque black with nice tan head and lace. Aromas of Rum plum figs liq roast. Full body, light medium carbonation. A pleasureable experience. Piney hops lightly balance the big complex body and you just want more.

35,5 cl bottle @ home. Rated on 06.11.2011
Aroma was not what I expected – a bit weird with cocoa powder and hints of smoke. Flavour has ash, salmiac and some cocoa powder. A disappointment, but good still. Maybe a bad bottle?

Well, This one is a Keeper. Very nicely done RIS, could of scored even higher if the bottle was allowed to age a bit. as the alcohol was a tad upfront yet. Im going to get my hands on more and cellar it. A treat!

12 oz. bottle batch # 10105. Originally bottled Dec. 2010. Pours a thick, oily black with virtually no head. Aroma is chocolate, dark fruit, coffee and just a hint of booze. Tastes like dark chocolate. Slightly bitter finish. Worth the 100 point rating.

12oz bottle. deep deep brown in appearance, looks black in your glass. frothy tan head sitting on top. aroma is of roasted malt, dark fruits, dark chocolate, and coffee bean. taste is almost overwhelming on your tongue. lots of flavors here; roasted coffee, chocolate dominate. smooth, slightly bitter finish. full bodied liquid, pretty complex. good stuff here!

Bottle. Caramel smell. Black with brown head. Some alcohol burn but nice. I would love to have these aged. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

jet black color, dark khaki head, aroma of bitter chocolate, fresh coffee, vanilla, booze, flavors of bitter sweet chocolate, coffee, vanilla, pine, roasted marshmallows, dark fruits, booze, dry bitter coffee finish, thick silky, creamy texture, nose is not to exciting but the taste is great and complex, incredible brew

Bottle purchased at the source. Pour is dark almost opaque colour like a pitch cola colour with a creamy tan head and dollops of lacing. Smells like subtle malt and sugary cream. Tastes quite sweet malt, bitter on the tongue. caramel, sugar, sugar, sugar. However there is this slight taste of aspirin in there too. Good stuff.

Glad I didn’t rate this the first time I tried it, because it’s way better than my memory serves me. 12 ounce bottle poured into a snifter. Nearly black in color, with the aroma being the setback to a higher score. Tastes of hops lead to a bittersweet chocolate finish. Amazing creaminess and mouthfeel. Just put two in the cellar for a couple years, can’t wait to see how they turn out.