Bell's Kalamazoo Stout
Brewed by:
Bell's Brewery
Kalamazoo, Michigan (United States)
Style- American Stout
ABV- 6%
As mentioned in another article, American Stouts tend to be a bit more innovative than their English and Irish forebears. Thick, dark, and roasted are three words that pretty much sum up the style. The addition of actual chocolate and coffee complement such tastes that are already present in Stouts. Bell's makes a number of great beers and is quickly becoming one of the most popular microbreweries in America. I particularly enjoy their Two-Hearted Ale. Their Oberon was good as well, but maybe not so appropriate considering that Summer is over.
This stout is one of Bell's year-round offerings. What intrigued me most about it was the fact that it uses licorice in the brewing process; never before have I had a beer with licorice in it. The licorice is gelatin-free, making it safe for all you vegan sots out there.
The cover shows a black-and-white sketch of what really looks a friggin serial killer. Leave it to serial killers to put licorice in their beer. Seriously, it looks like the unibomber with less hair and more anger. Hopefully you won't see me on CNN after I drink this. (Note- according to the website, the label art varies by bottle, but it's all portraits of creepy old men done by a local Michigan artist from what I can tell).
Poured from a 12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.The cover shows a black-and-white sketch of what really looks a friggin serial killer. Leave it to serial killers to put licorice in their beer. Seriously, it looks like the unibomber with less hair and more anger. Hopefully you won't see me on CNN after I drink this. (Note- according to the website, the label art varies by bottle, but it's all portraits of creepy old men done by a local Michigan artist from what I can tell).
Appearance- 3.5 out of 5. This beer is black. Imagine that. It's pretty hard to grade the appearance of stouts since the only distinguishable problem would be that they weren't opaquely-black. The head is a little disappointing, not even one finger, but it's a nice dark brown color.
Smell- 4 out of 5. Most Stouts smell somewhat roasted. This one smells straight up burned-- not in a bad way, mind you. It's just more powerful than usual, reminiscent of the smoke itself instead of just roasted barley. The other high note in the nose is the unusually strong scent of hops, which are often only used in small quantities in Stouts; then again, American brewers love throwing hops into damn near any fermenting brew they can get their hands in. A bit of coffee shows up as well.
Taste- 4 out of 5. The hops aren't nearly as strong in the taste as they are in the smell, but the smokiness remains. With the combination of baking chocolate and a slight tinge of sweetness, it tastes like a Smores cooked over thick wood smoke; I can taste the charred wood in addition to the chocolate. The licorice is rather difficult to distinguish from the other tastes but provides a pleasant undertone. It's definitely not the main flavor, which had concerned me when I initially read the label. The bittersweet aftertaste leaves smoky malt and pine hops, like walking through a forest of smoldering Christmas trees.
Mouthfeel- 4 out of 5. Thick and chewy, like a liquid smores that someone held too long over the flames. Luckily, it goes down smooth.
Drinkability- 3.5 out of 5. I'm a little disappointed that the licorice was mostly lost, but it was otherwise a good beer. It's certainly not a Stout for beginners given how strong the smoke is, but I recommend it for anyone who loves thick, dark, roasted beers. However, two or three would probably fill you up, but that's the case with most Stouts aside from somewhat lighter ones like Guinness Extra Stout (ironic, considering the name).
To be fair, if I didn't like smoky beers, the taste would probably have turned me off. Given my bias, I give it a B.
Note: I realize I'm giving a lot of B's lately; that's not because I'm especially nice, forgiving, or lenient; on the contrary, I simply do a bit of research before I buy beer, so the beer I buy generally tends to be good. However, there may be a few stinkers in next week's line-up (Jimmy Buffet's gimmick beer, for instance)
Bonus mini-review! I'm currently drinking a Marzen from Gordon Biersch to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox. Marzen is the same style as Oktoberfest; the only difference is that it is produced year-round thanks to improved refrigeration techniques. This one was bottled exactly one year ago, on September 22nd, 2009. Happy Birthday, Beer! As for the beer itself, it's good-- not as smooth as some Marzens but still full of malty-sweet goodness. It's orange-- not amber-orange, not yellow-orange, straight up translucent orange, making it a perfect Autumn beer.
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