Bells Oak Aged Java Stout

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Maduro pre GTMW- Intense roast and sweetness. Big bold flavors all fight eachother for center stage. The bourbon and coffee were dominant and worked well together.

sampled at GTMW 06. poured via handpump by Larry Bell. pours black with very small off white head around the rim. nose of stale coffee and bourbon. i didn’t think the oak/bourbon notes worked with the coffee notes this beer, it sorta comes off tasting stale and burnt.

Sampled from bottle at Larry Bell’s Brickskeller event. Deep jet black color with a ring of light beige head. Great nose of intense coffee, oak, light bourbon and yes, a note of that furniture staining stuff (in a good way). Flavor is very earthy and coffee-like with some caramel, wood, light tinge of bourbon and roastiness. The body, although smooth, was a bit on the thin side with very light carbonation. One of the more enjoyable oak-aged beers I’ve had. Very nice stuff.

Rerate, growler, courtesy of nflmvp. Thanks, Steve! Pours an oily, dark chocolate color; light tan head with patchy, fine-bubbled glistening lacing. Solid amounts of coffee, dark chocolate, and a touch of toasty oak in the aroma; lots of coffee, light barrel notes. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: loads of coffee grounds, dark chocolate, and warming alcohol; bourbon aging is well-integrated, but the coffee notes are a bit much. Lengthy finish: lots of coffee, chocolate, and dark chocolate.

Stout / Porter rating #100. Tap, Larry Bell event at Brickskeller. Pours a dark brown core; dark tan head with fine-bubbled lacing. Loads of coffee, vanilla, and light sour-mash whiskey character in the aroma. Medium, coffee mouthfeel: plenty of green coffee, hints of vanilla and roasted marshmallows; very light whiskey character. Long, coffee and roasted malt finish. 8.4.8.3.15=3.8

2004 version (I think), from a keg. Called Bells Bourbon Aged Java Stout. The nose is pretty remarkable, it’s a buttery bourbon (with lighter wood) scent, the coffee almost unnoticed in the nose, and the malt character is sticky and sweet (at least it smells that way). I like the lack of hops in the nose. That all being said, the bourbon almost comes across as spoiled butter, so it’s not on the level of the Founders Kentucky Breakfast, though it does smell similar. While drinking this someone mentioned furniture varnish, so that’s something I picked up right then... flavorwise it’s better, it’s more wood and less bourbon, especially up front, and on the back the rich and chewy coffee presence is felt. Very good overall.

Minimal tan head atop brown-black body. Aroma is medium sweet, coffee, vanilla/Bourbon. Taste is medium sweet, vanilla, coffee/chocolate, light alcohol burn, wood. Medium-full body with minimal carbonation.

Draft E-Day 05’. Dark brown semi-transparent around edges. Huge coffee aroma and flavor, with only minor hints of wood. served way too cold, like my face is burried in coffee grinds. Too much. As it warmed, no mention of bourbon, but getting a pretty big vanilla character. Long bitter coffee aftertaste. Coffee is just not my thing.

GTMW 06. Black, opaque body with no head. The aroma is coffee, bourbon and chocolates. The flavor is coffee, chocolate, light whiskey and a touch of alcohol. Medium body and oily.