Black Note Stout
(has 7 batches)
Bell's Brewery in Galesburg, Michigan, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Imperial Rotating|
Score
8.39
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Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout
One of the most sought-after stouts in Bell’s history, Black Note Stout blends the complex aromatics of Expedition Stout with the velvety smooth texture of Double Cream Stout, each aged in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels for months. Aimed squarely at the stout and bourbon aficionados, Black Note makes a grand statement about the art of the dark.
The resulting harmony of flavors captures the finest features of all three components: malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso, and dried fruits, all buoyed by the warmth and fragrance of the bourbon barrel.
One of the most sought-after stouts in Bell’s history, Black Note Stout blends the complex aromatics of Expedition Stout with the velvety smooth texture of Double Cream Stout, each aged in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels for months. Aimed squarely at the stout and bourbon aficionados, Black Note makes a grand statement about the art of the dark.
The resulting harmony of flavors captures the finest features of all three components: malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso, and dried fruits, all buoyed by the warmth and fragrance of the bourbon barrel.
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7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Chilled brown bottle poured into a snifter. Pours black with small light brown head. Medium/thick body, medium carbonation, and nice chocolate aroma. Taste is complex chocolate, bourbon, a little oak, and hints of booze. My favorite of 12 highly rated imperial stouts one evening.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Apr 2013
at 13:02
8.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Bottle - 2012 vintage: Near black in appearance, with a rich brown head that quickly fades away. The aroma is quite impressive. Very rich and deep with vanilla, oak, espresso, and chocolate. Passes right on into the flavor. The influence of the barrel aging is spot on. Smooth and silky mouthfull. Really really nice... one of my new favorites. Thanks to Overml01 for the trade!
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Apr 2013
at 07:03
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle consumed at THE stouts tasting part 2, thanks to Bruce. It pours near black with a small light tan head. The nose is chocolate, gateaux, dark fruit, vanilla, toasted coconut, bourbon and sweet coffee. The taste is roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, toast, bourbon, light warming alcohol, mild acidity, some bitterness, earth and baking chocolate with a bitter, ashy finish. Full body, fine carbonation and oily mouth-feel. Very smooth, well-balanced and surprisingly drinkable. Good stuff.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Apr 2013
at 13:27
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
19th March 2013
Stouts and Porters II. Thanks to Bruce for this whale. Opaque dark brown beer, short lived tan head. Palate is slightly viscous and smooth with fine minerally carbonation. Rich dark chocolate and a little aniseed. Super light coffee, but this beer really is about the dark chocolate. Finishes smooth. Pretty good, light on it’s toes.
Stouts and Porters II. Thanks to Bruce for this whale. Opaque dark brown beer, short lived tan head. Palate is slightly viscous and smooth with fine minerally carbonation. Rich dark chocolate and a little aniseed. Super light coffee, but this beer really is about the dark chocolate. Finishes smooth. Pretty good, light on it’s toes.
Tried
on 02 Apr 2013
at 05:15
9.1/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9.5
pours oily. light head fades fast smell is all vanilla and chocolate. vanilla dominates very decadent. like velvet chocolate cake. lots of vanilla, toffee and caramel. loads of vanilla I can’t even begin. baker’s chocolate and some sweetness at the finish
Tried
from Can
on 28 Mar 2013
at 05:19
8/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 10
Overall 8
Bottle: 2012 edition 11.8% ABV Pours black, with a small, dark brown ring. Aroma is dark fruit, roast, chocolate, bourbon. Flavor is sweetly, darkly fruited, malt, coffee-chocolate. Very noticeable bourbon/oak flavours. Sweetness morphs to a slightly sour bitterness towards the finish...as more of the barrel manifests itself...very nice, but would be better with some age behind it.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Mar 2013
at 12:56
8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Sample at Ale Wine & Spirits during the Bells Beer Tasting on 03/15/2013. Brown-black pour with a medium frothy tan head that diminishes gradually to a film. Small patches of lace. Bourbon, malt and chocolate in the nose. Full-bodied with flavors of oaky bourbon, bittersweet chocolate and roast malt. The finish is oaky with a bourbon and malt aftertaste. Good beer all around.
Tried
from Bottle
from
Ale Wine & Spirits of Powell
on 15 Mar 2013
at 22:42
9.3/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9
bottle 669 of 1081 epic thnx to nbuttler, never thought i’d get to try this. its relesed again, so its ’ easier’ now, but this is the firsdt batch, so still remains very rare ! you realy deserved the extra i gave ya dude ! pours pure, oily black. very small to no foam. bourbon in the taste , but not to much ( like the bourbion in grey monday ) . very soft carbo, thcik,; buttery, sweet, bourbon, extremely balanced. waaw. this IS a top 50 beer, yet i would not ssay 9 personaly. realy , realy good though ! epic share by Nbutler !
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Mar 2013
at 18:03
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle 2012. Syrupy cane sugar, boozy bourbon, and prune aroma. Black with a minimal head. Sweet bourbon, dark fruit, wood, and vanilla flavor with a bitter alcohol finish. Full body with an alcohol burn. A bit rough. I’d like to try it again after a year or two of aging. For me, it didn’t live up to the hype.
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Mar 2013
at 07:28
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle. Dark chocolate malt, prune, and bourbon aroma. Black with no head. Sweet chocolate raisin malt and moderately bitter herbal and alcohol flavor. Very nice malty aftertaste. A bit rough - still nice beer though.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Mar 2013
at 18:54