Brewer Profile - Bells (part 1)

I'd like to start doing some Brewer Profiles where I give a rundown of some of the better products from breweries we see a lot of here in Des Moines.

Bells Brewing based out of Kalamazoo MI makes a lot of different kinds of beer, so many so are available in the Des Moines metro that I really couldn't do a rundown of the brewery in one blog entry, so I decided to present to you one specific style of beer that Bells is best known for, their stouts.

The Lineup

Kalamazoo Stout-

One of Bells flagship products is their Kalamazoo stout, such a definitive product of this brewery that it bares only the name of the city where it was born. Kalamazoo stout is an impenetrably dark unrelentingly roasty, and unapologetically unique beer. The label says in very simple terms "Stout Brewed with Brewers Licorice" and how! While licorice notes are only mild on the aroma which lends it's self more towards tones of espresso and slightly burnt toast, the flavor is particularly laden with notes of licorice balanced by a good deal of roasty malt bitterness and a mild fruity hoppiness rounded out by that espresso promised to us in the aroma. This beer at 6% abv is the "smallest" of Bells stout lineup yet has as much flavor as prized Imperial Stouts from other brewers. Good things can come in small(er) packages.

Special Double Cream Stout-

This rich stout pours a deep almost black color and (despite my picture) has a thick fluffy head. The complexity of the aroma is remarkable with deep roasty tones akin to a strong mocha along with some nice smokiness. The flavor is nice, just a mild bit of sweetness does this beer right and gives it almost a latte character, flavors of dark berries and fruity hops follow making this a warming and decedent beer.Bells Double Cream was for a few years the strongest beer Bell's sold in Iowa slipping in just under the former 6.25% abv limit. Now repeat after me, beer does not need to be strong tobe good. Thanks. But sometimes a cold day deserves a strong stout, and this one always delivers. As such it became a regular drinker for me for quite some time.

Cherry Stout-

There is no lack of creativity among the brewers at Bells and one of their most unique products is this their Cherry Stout. A rich, complex, black stout with a generous addition of tart cherries. Cherry Stout is a beer that can be drank fresh, but I prefer to cellar it for a year or more as it develops very nicely in the bottle, most particularly the cherry characteristics. This beer fresh or aged has much more depth than a standard fruit flavored stout. The aroma has tart cherries with light vinous & woody notes that give way to tobacco and whiskey. The flavor does not lack for cherry tartness but it also has roastiness, bitterness, and a fair amount of dark chocolate and raisin. My only complaint is that at times there are light hints of robitussin that distract from the subtitles of the beer. At 7% abv there are some warming alcohol notes you would expect from a cordial or port wine. This beer really ought not be served too cold, somewhere between 50 degrees and room temperature will pull out the best in the aroma and the flavor of this beer.

Java Stout-

I'd love to know who first decided that if Stout beer tastes like coffee, then why don't we just flavor it with actual coffee to intensify that character. Bless them whoever it was. Bells didn't miss a beat when they made this their coffee stout.

The beer pours a deep black and the head leaves an elegant lacing on the glass. The aroma is strong with coffee but not without a bit of sweetness akin to say a fruity coffee varietal add to that a bit of charred wood and you've got a very straightforward and simple aroma while remaining pungent and luxurious as a great cup of coffee. The flavor is as expected bitter and roasty as a cup of coffee, however this beer doesn't taste nearly as sweet as the aroma lets on. The coffee flavor is some sort of odd dichotomy between cheap diner coffee and a strong espresso... terrible as that sounds on paper it works very well somehow here. The beer is remarkably full flavored but barely lets on that at 7.5% abv the beer is as strong as it is.

Expedition Stout-

Ranked among the top 50 Beers in the world on Ratebeer Expedition Stout is one of the most beloved of Bells extensive lineup. First brewed over 20 years ago Expedition Stout was long ahead of it's time and remains a benchmark for the American Imperial Stout and a world classic to countless brewers, beer writers, and drinkers.

The beer pours absolutely black with a big tan head. Aromas of molasses & espresso are abound on the bouquet of this beer that features complimentary notes of pine, alcohol, and maybe just a touch of vanilla. The flavor is absolutely enormous making this a "sipper". This beer has a nice bit of residual sweetness but avoids being cloying by a mile a particularly healthy dose of hop bitterness that rounds the huge dark fruit, lightly burnt toast, and coffee flavors of this beer perfectly. This beer is elegant, it is complex, it is both bold and subtle, it is a masterpiece to be sipped and savored. Not to mention that the beer is one of the best in the world to lay down in the cellar for long term aging. What's most remarkable is that despite the current trend of limited release beers and huge prices for bigger beers, Bells Expedition Stout can be found for a modest price at anyplace good beer is sold here in Des Moines.