2002 Bottle:
Pitch black in colour, fully opaque with a dense brown head with suspended tan particles. Aroma of roasted malt (perhaps oatmeal), dark chocolate and definately coffee. Medium-bodied; Sweet caramel flavour mixed with the roasted malt instantly masked by the coffee and chocolate characteristics. Aftertaste fully bittered from the combintation of chocolate and coffee tastes. Overall, a decent beer, not as good as it could be-the alcohol was still noticeable (a bit too much). I got this twelve ounce bottle purchased by my mom from Merchant's in Dearborn, Michigan and sampled it on 22-November-2003.

2002 bottle. Tasted like coffee mixed with beer. About as simple as you would imagine. It was interesting, sure, but come on Bells, stop making novel beers with 1 particular ingredient that stands out. I get tired of being disappointed by their monthly stouts. But I am being too harsh, at least they make lots of stouts, more than most breweries can say. Again, a simple, smooth stout, with bittersweet coffee tones. 8/4//6/2/12
2004 bottle After having Founders Breakfast, Kuhnhenn’s Creme Brulée and Péché Mortel, it was high time I rerated this one. So here we go. Roasty peanuts and coffee beans in the nose, a bit of bitter chocolate and some lactic notes. Flavor is much more rounded than I recall from 2 years ago. There’s more chocolate in this coffee stout, which translates to more sweetness and more balance. Gritty, chewy, medium-full to full body, low carbonation. They’ve certainly worked this one out. Chocolate and roast on the finish, a bit of vanilla and hops as well. 8/5/8/4/16

You have to like coffee to like this Stout. I don''t drink coffee but I do like a hint of it in many of the Stouts I drink and enjoy. There is much more than a hint here though. Dark brown with a thin light brown head. Minimal lacing. Aroma is pure coffee. Flavor is somewhat bitter but not to the point where it becomes hard to drink. Finish is all roasted coffee with a little malt. I couldn''t take this in large doses.

My first rate of this was overly harsh - I thought the beer was, too. Very dark brown. Very coffeeish aroma with light nuts. Big beany taste with lots of chocolate syrup character. Quite sweet, despite the heavy coffee. I’m still not crazy about it, because I don’t usually like coffee stouts anyway, but it’s a decently made beer and gets a substantial upgrade.