Black Note Stout
Bell's Brewery in Galesburg, Michigan, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Imperial Rotating|
Score
8.39
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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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stevoj (18528) reviewed Black Note Stout from Bell's Brewery 8 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
Bottle from Modern Liquors. Black pour, scant head, come off as a bit thin. And thats the only weak point. All else this baby has it in spades. Aroma is sweet and roasty, some underlying bourbon notes rising through. Taste beings more of the sweetness, molasses and brown sugar, marshmallows and vanilla. Lingering sweetness with some more of the whiskey notes.
gave a cheers!
Werckmeister (8153) reviewed Black Note Stout from Bell's Brewery 8 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
0,355l bottle at home from trade with Biroholik, big thanks. Bottled 10/05/2017. black color, small coffee colored head. smells of bourbon, nutty, marzipan, some cinnamon, chocolate, cocoa, lightly boozy. very nice smell. full body, light carbonation, slick mouthfeel. tastes of bourbon, wood, nutty, some vanilla, earthy, cocoa, light cinnamon, spices, ligh oxidation. finishes lightly roasty bitter with notes of bourbon, nutty and some vanilla. very nice one overall, very bourbon forward, some oxidaton notes and some (a bit too much) vanilla. 8, 4, 8, 4, 17
gave a cheers!
Saeglopur (4009) reviewed Black Note Stout from Bell's Brewery 8 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Score: 9 / 4 / 9 / 4 / 17
355 ml bottle, pkgd 10/05/17, shared by Werckmeister, many thanks!
Pitch black body, with a small, creamy, dark beige head.
Very smooth aroma of bourbon, coffee, dark chocolate, soy sauce, liquorice, toffee, some vanilla, some coconut, some dark fruits.
Tastes very lovely, quite similar, but with more tobacco, dry wooden barrel, slight booze.
Medium, oily mouthfeel, with a moderate carbonation.
Finishes dry, roasty, a bit sweet, a bit boozy, wooden, with bourbon, coffee, dark chocolate, liquorice, tobacco, some soy sauce.
Delicious! Smooth and greatly balanced, with the bourbon barrel very well integrated, not too dominant. The alcohol presence is also very well dosed. Lovely dry roastiness towards the finish. Not my favourite bourbon BA Imperial Stout, but close, really amazing stuff.
Frothingslosh (19444) reviewed Black Note Stout from Bell's Brewery 8 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 10 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9
Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this beer poured a black color with a small foamy brown head that faded quickly and left minimal lacing. The aroma was rich and deep chocolate, toasty malts, bourbon, marshmallow and coconut. The flavor was toasty malts, coconut, wood, bourbon, chocolate, vanilla and marshmallow. Exceptionally long finish. Alcohol well controlled. Full bodied and silky smooth. Outstanding.
Clarkvv (16760) reviewed Black Note Stout from Bell's Brewery 8 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5
Batch 1 750mL cork/caged bottled 10/28/2011 drunk 9/20/17.
Inky, ebony with very little light making it through the edges. No head, even after a vigorous pour and some warming....
So at a full six years of age, you can't really fault a beer for being well past its prime. That being said, this was specifically designed to lay down, which I did, since acquiring it young, in a wine fridge. So I was, I think understandably/justifiably, VERY disappointed when this thing was just plain DEAD. I mean, I could understand if it was well past its prime or something, but this was just fully oxidized soy sauce. Will certainly get a bottle to rerate and just put in an average placeholder score. Bells instills no confidence any more and I can't remember too many good beers I've had from them in the past 10 years. 2002 Expedition stout, in a 12oz capped bottle no less, aged FAR, FAR better and longer than this piece of crap.
dwest (2978) reviewed Black Note Stout from Bell's Brewery 8 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8.5
bottle. outstanding imperial stout - on par with Expedition Stout and Dark Lord for the best imperials I've had. Incredibly complex. World class beer
trapped (8421) reviewed Black Note Stout from Bell's Brewery 8 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
Bottle. Pours inky black with large spongy tan head, boozy mocha aroma, mildly sweet mocha taste with strong alcohol undertones, thin body, log mocha finish with bourbon aftertaste. Potent, could be overwhelmingly boozy.
gave a cheers!
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 10 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9
2017 bottle from Craft Brewed. Pours a deep brown to black with almost no head. Bourbon-forward nose with fudge brownie and rum cake-like notes. Vanilla, faint coconut aromas as it warms. More cacao nib and roasted coffee aromas as well. Deep fudge notes, brownie, vanilla all over the palate. There is some bite from the bourbon, but it isn't overbearing. Flavors are extremely well-integrated with both the base beer and the barrels both complementing each other. Some prune and fig as it warms. Smooth finish, with lingering chocolate cream and bourbon notes. Wow. A flawless beer.
gave a cheers!
Iznogud (14911) reviewed Black Note Stout from Bell's Brewery 8 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
On tap at at Beavertown Extravaganza 2017. Pours dark brown with beige head. Roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla, caramel, cocoa, some bourbon, wood, bit harsh bitter finish. Full bodied.
tiong (21414) ticked Black Note Stout (2017) from Bell's Brewery 8 years ago