4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
UPDATED: JAN 9, 2011 12oz bottle, batch 9992, bottled October 13, 2010. I MUCH prefer this to the 2009 batch. The ’09 was rather burnt, soy sauce, mediocre coffee but this here features premium espresso, very rich, tons of chocolate, rich mouthfeel, complex aroma, great appearance, everything I want in a coffee stout. Fantastic
12 oz. bottle batch 9436, bottled Nov 10, 2009. Pours dark brown with a good-sized rocky brown head. Leaves rings of lacing on the glass.
Aroma is a big punch o’ coffee. Strongest coffee aroma & flavor I’ve encountered in a beer...a little too much perhaps. Some licorice, slight chocolate, and a bit of sourness round out the nose.
Flavor is of course big on coffee, some chocolate, caramel, licorice, roasted malts, soy sauce. Bitter coffee finish.
Mouthfeel is pleasant, medium to full with low to medium carbonation. Alcohol is well-hidden.
I like coffee stouts a lot and had high hopes for this one, but it isn’t as good as others I’ve had. The coffee is very overpowering which hurts the balance, and doesn’t smell or taste like the highest quality coffee either. More like day-old Folgers rather than gourmet beans. Granted my bottles are extremely fresh, so I’m hoping a few months of age may help mellow it out a bit. This review is based on my second bottle, about a week after the first one and it is better than initial impressions. The high price doesn’t help either...
Aroma 6, Appearance 4, Taste 7, Palate 3, Overall 14, Score 3.4
4.4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
First tasted on tap at the Brew Kettle in Strongsville, but purchased from one of the best beer stores in Cleveland if not all of America, Rozi’s in Lakewood. You get the coffee hint right away, but the caramel & chocolate seem to lessen the coffee hit you get from dinking coffee. Stays on the palate nicely and finishes very well. Definitely use a snifter if you have one, keeps the flavor and aroma in the glass as yoy enjoy it. As usual, with the darker beers, let it warm up a bit. You’ll taste buds will appreciate it!!!
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
UPDATED: JUL 23, 2011 first off, the pour is NOT black, it’s darkish brown. settles in the glass much darker looking, but this thing is not black. the smell is sweet and STRANGE. the taste is very sour, bitter, ashy, coffee..there is just a strange acidic sourness that is not pleasant. to me, the off smell really takes away from the beer...
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bottle (thanks to guyinchicago for this one)... Poured black with a thick, brown head. Aroma of dark sugars, roasted coffee beans Nice, soft and subtle palate. Grainy brew with a warming kick to it and a strong coffee and chocolate presence. Smokey oak characters created a sweet base to the beer. Malty and big body to the brews finish.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Bottle from andrew. Nice black color, small head. Good coffee aroma, Taste is roasted malts, coffee and a little chocolate. Nice texture on this beer and enjoyed sipping on this one. Overall a nice stout. Well done bells brewery.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
12 oz bottle. Love java, love Bells. Pours a dark black color with a small brown head that dies quickly. Smells of rich roasted coffee, and a lot of it. Tastes similar, with a nice almost creamy finish. Could have a little more body to it, but very good.
3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 12/20
Coffee, dark chocolate, and roasted malts with some more coffee, dark chocolate, and roasted malts. Very good but a little too much for my taste. I prefer a more toned down version.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Definitely looks like expected. Pours an almost black color. One-finger head of creamy espresso colored foam. Leaves a nice light swirl on top. Lacing is thin and somewhat slick.
Big dark roasted coffee beans, with that acidic tone of sumatra. Light hints of chocolate. A slight touch of smoke, and a very slight note of licorice. Predominantly, just huge coffee-ness. As you’d expect from something called ’Java Stout’.
The coffee is totally dominant here, also. But it’s not as overpowering as in the nose. It’s a much nicer balance of flavor. Some nice chocolate notes can be found. A touch of smoke. A very light hint of vanilla. Some roasted malts.
This is a great full-bodied brew. Nice and thick. Very smooth, slightly sharp and a touch of creaminess.
This is one great coffee stout. I don’t imagine that you could ask for more coffee flavor in a beer than this one. The smooth texture and balance of flavor make this easily drinkable, for me.
Bell’s needs to expand their distribution, and to please make Oklahoma one of their stops.
|
