09 December 2008

Beer Review, Bell's Bourbon Barrel Aged Cherry Stout

Bell's Bourbon Barrel Aged Cherry Stout
Comstock, MI
8.5% ABV

Appearance: Dark black opaque body with a slight reddish tinge to the top, with a thick slightly pink head that dissipates quickly. Looks interesting. 4.5/5

Smell: Strong tart cherries up-front with the chocolatety coffee-ish undertones present underneath. Slightly astringent, slight notes of hops. 4.5/5

Taste: The cherries are way up top on this one, very tart, slightly astringent. The middle balances it out with the more standard "stout-like" flavors of roasted chocolate malts. Finishes sweet, dry, but clean. I've had a few bottles of this, and some are more tartly astringent than others -- it's almost a luck of the draw thing. 4.0/5

Mouthfeel: Thick, coats the tongue nicely. No significant hops or carbonation. 4.0/5

Drinkability: This is one of Bell's one-off releases that is unlikely to be widely available, but if you can find it and are a fan of stouts that don't fit the "standard" definition of a stout, this might just be up your alley. 4.0/5

Overall: 4.2/5

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