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 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Draught @ CBC 2015, Yellow Session, København
Pours dark brown with a tan head. Aroma has notes of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, licorice, caramel and hint of vanilla. Taste is medium sweet and medium bitter with a long chocolate, coffee and licorice finish. Body is full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft
Pours dark brown with a tan head. Aroma has notes of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, licorice, caramel and hint of vanilla. Taste is medium sweet and medium bitter with a long chocolate, coffee and licorice finish. Body is full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft
Tried
on 08 May 2015
at 10:59
8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Sample at CBC. Pours heay black. Nice taste of chocolate, salmiak and coffee. Heavy but drinkable brew.
Tried
on 07 May 2015
at 12:41
8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Tap @CBC15. Black with small beige head. Aroma has wood and coconut. Flavour has licorice and fresh wood. Thick yet light mouthfeel, very drinkable.
Tried
from Draft
on 06 May 2015
at 04:28
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Sample @ CBC. Thick and creamy chocolate dominated stout with notes of rum, milk chocolate and burned sugar.
Tried
on 03 May 2015
at 12:48
8.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 9
Sample at CBC 2015. Black with a small tan head. Aroma of chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, some oak and bourbon. Similar taste. Full body and with a soft carbonation. Very nice and elegant.
Tried
on 03 May 2015
at 10:40
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8
Tap at CBC2015. Dark brown color, small off-white head. Roasted coffeish flavor with vanilla and espresso. Warming finish. Super drinkable.
Tried
from Draft
on 01 May 2015
at 03:14
5.9/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Beer #4 of 13 in blind tasting.
2012 bottle, more than 2 years old This was the second beer in what was supposed to be an unadulterated imperial stout tasting. I have had this a few times and I never liked it. Fortunately, blinded I still did not like it. Poured headless and thinnest of the beers available. I thought this was oxidized, got lots of woody notes, and rather acidic. In hindsight, seems like I was pretty on without picking up bourbon.
Despite me having this as one of my worst beers, everyone else enjoyed it. For the aggregate it scored highest and strongly above average (0.55 standard deviation above). HOWEVER, usually a BA beer scores high in no BA imperial stout tastings. I don’t give these aggregate results much credence.
2012 bottle, more than 2 years old This was the second beer in what was supposed to be an unadulterated imperial stout tasting. I have had this a few times and I never liked it. Fortunately, blinded I still did not like it. Poured headless and thinnest of the beers available. I thought this was oxidized, got lots of woody notes, and rather acidic. In hindsight, seems like I was pretty on without picking up bourbon.
Despite me having this as one of my worst beers, everyone else enjoyed it. For the aggregate it scored highest and strongly above average (0.55 standard deviation above). HOWEVER, usually a BA beer scores high in no BA imperial stout tastings. I don’t give these aggregate results much credence.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Feb 2015
at 23:57
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
2014 Bottle from BlowOffTube, thanks for the opportunity! Solid black color with a quickly fleeting head. Chocolate, roast, molasses, vanilla, wood, light dark fruit, there’s lots going on here and its all good. Rich sweet silky creamy thick body with light carbonation. Damn that’s good, wish I had more!
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jan 2015
at 17:57
9.4/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9.5
Bottle by Cuso, thanks! Incredibly complex beer in both aroma and taste. Aroma dominated by coconut, but also strong dark malts, vanilla, very harmonious. Pitch colour. Coconut remains in taste, but mellows into a rich and harmonious malty base, loads of dark flavours, coffee, caramel, chocolate, also vanilla. Brilliant beer, masterpiece. Recommended anytime.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Jan 2015
at 12:28
9.9/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 10
Flavor 10
Texture 10
Overall 9.5
Bottle from my Secret Santa, many thanks, Brandon. Almost black color with medium beige head. Dark malt, dark chocolate, coconuts, coffee, bourbon, wood. Roasted malt, coffee, milk chocolate, vanilla, peat, coconuts, oak, light ash, bourbon. Extremely tasty beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Jan 2015
at 12:25