Bell's Expedition Stout

As the season change so does the style of beer, like now, winter, the beer tends to be darker. People drink dunkels, schwarzbier, brown ales, porters, stouts and other such styles. Here we have Bell’s Expedition Stout, 10.5% ABV.  Expedition Stout is an imperial stout, which is just a stronger stout style usually over 9% ABV.   Bell’s Expedition Stout pours a thick rich black color that is a bit brown on the edges of the glass and has a finger of tan/brown head that went out rather quickly. I found no light coming though the glass nor did I see and sort of carbonation bubbles. The aroma on Bell’s Expedition Stout is big with a roasted coffee bitterness with hint of baker’s chocolate and faint licorice. The taste is big with a bitterness up front quickly followed by a baker’s chocolate with hints of black licorice. I didn’t really get a roasted flavor on this like I would’ve expected. The mouth feel is full and heavy with a warm thickness. The finish is big with bitterness, and aftertaste of bitter chocolate and faint licorice, with a very tiny roasted flavor following around the rest. I would say this Bell’s Expedition Stout is at least a B-. I think that if you bit this in you pantry or cellar for a while it would mellow out and become less bitter, and might be sweeter. Bell’s even recommends that on the back label, I would have to agree with that. It would hold up nicely to time. But having this fresh isn’t bad. It is true to the imperial stout style, but it could’ve been a little less bitter with some more roasted notes. Overall this is not a bad beer. Bell’s Expedition Stout starts to have a little more bitter and roasted flavors as it warms up some, But not enough to go higher than B-. So go and try Bell’s Expedition Stout and see what you think of it, and get two on to have now and one to set aside for a while. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!