#316: Bell's Beer » Mercury - The Winged Messenger (Belgian Single)

Bell's Beer » Mercury - The Winged Messenger (Belgian Single) | ABV: 4.8%

Bell's planetary series has been an adventure so far, and we're not even half-way through - from the deftly delicious Mars DIPA to the polarizingly alien Venus... we now find ourselves at Mercury - The Winged Messenger, a subtle 4.8% Belgian Single.

Mercury curiously emits gose-like nose with firm lemon zest, initially leading me to believe there may be some sour tartness heading for the tongue, but instead, my palate met with a lively carbonated, mellow brew.

Subtle savory spice puts the punctuation on an otherwise, clean and clear bear. Light and airy, with a touch of breadiness and delicate, subtle esters.

A good beer, but mild and just a little underwhelming for the price, compared to the usual value of Bell's seasonal and the rest of the planetary adventure thus far.

#293: Bell's Brewing » Venus: The Bringer of Peace (Blonde Ale)

Bell's Brewing » Venus (Blonde Ale w/ Honey, Apricot, Cardamom, & Vanilla) | ABV: 7.5%
Bell's second offering in their Planetary Series, Venus has been garnering some polarizing reviews. Somewhere in there there's a joke about what what humanity through the planet was like until we actually landed there, but it's a bit too early for that.

Curiously brewed with apricot, honey, over 60 lbs of hand cut vanilla beans and cardamom, it's a complex, adventurous, and atypical brew. At it's core, Peace Bringer is a Blonde Ale, but that's about as far as the thread of that style goes.

Unabashedly aromatic, Venus emits a big, sweet, nectar and juicy nose. Notes of elderberry, vanilla, stone fruit, and oranges swirl through the olfactory system.

Onto the palate, it's dry and puckering and far beyond just a beer at this point. Venus is dense and mildly astringent - tart, but not sour. Wielding a myriad of fruit (apricot nectar, blood orange, tangerine), herbal and spice flavors (the cardamom and vanilla gracefully dancing), this is a mouthful of a beer with a stacking mouthcoat.

Straight up, this is a fruit beer. A big bold fruit beer, akin to a younger sibling of Founders' Rübæus and Mango Magnifico. Not quite as refined as those brews, but highly enjoyable nonetheless.

A goddamn great beer aimed for those with a curious and adventurous palate. If you're looking for a strong ale or dimmur blonde, better look elsewhere, but for those looking to sip the fringe of craft brewing, grab this while you can.

#270: Bell's Brewing » The Oracle (DIPA)

Bell's Brewing » The Oracle (Double IPA) 
ABV: 10% | Rating: 9.3

I'd hate to try and fathom, much less try and count the number of IPAs or even Double IPA's being brewed at the moment. It's fairly astounding to see one style take off and soak in such far-stretching hype. At the epicenter though, is a plethora of amazing beer - which is why we're all hear anyway, right? Sometimes I complain or get beer-political about IPAs hype-dominance, but then I find another gem and shut rite up.

If anyone knows what they're doing with hop-forward beers... Bell's is on that list. Two Hearted, Hopslam, the aforementioned Mars, and now their seasonal summer DIPA, The Oracle makes it's way to the blog. Having Mars and The Oracle back-to-back, just shows how diverse the spectrum is on this particular brew style.

This time around, dry aromas of pine and biscuit kick things off followed up by complimentary, delightfully arid hop flavors. Resinous pine, chocked full of citrus rind and pith notes with a sprinkle of earthy threads sewn in.

An unapologetic, sipper of a hop-heads only beer that is highly enjoyable.

#269: Bell's Brewing » Mars (DIPA)

Bell's Brewing » Mars - The Bringer Of War (Double IPA)
ABV: 10.% | Rating: 9.4

The first in Bell's series of seven beers, inspired by Gustav Holst's 'The Planets' has arrived. Evolved from a trial brew called Larry’s Latest Double IPA, Mars is a big, bold, must-have brew.

Big, orange, juicy and dank citrus hop aromas plume from the glass followed up by a huge hop experience on the palate. Just when I think I may have tired of big IPAs, here comes Mars.

Robust, silky flavors packed with blood orange, pineapple, and mango all stacked up atop sweet, firm malts. Boozy esters rise further through to keep this bold and expertly delivered brew. The whole experience caps off with a sneakily growing dryness in the finish.

Overall a wonderful hop-forward dream that isn't brutally bitter.

#233: Bell's Brewing » Consecrator (Doppelbock)

Bell's Brewing » Consecrator (Doppelbock) | ABV: 8.0% | Rating: 9.2/10
With a busy week of shows, mixing, writing, and possible travels ahead, I've been catching up on some recent activity. Activity always goes better with a a bit of lubrication, don't you think?

I've been eyeing Bell's Consecrator for a bit now, having never been disappointing with any of their higher-end sixers. However, doppelbocks have to be pretty tasty to drop $18 for a pack. Initially, we picked this up for a bottle share. In hindsight, I recommend having this early / middle and not later as I'd expected.


Starts up with a deep, translucent and unhazed ruby body with a ring of staying head. Beautiful, sweet lager malt nose of brown bread and toast shines through with distinct notes of ripe grapes.

Understated and exquisite flavors and prickly carbonation roll over the tongue, pushing soft sparks of caramel sugars, bright esters, and hazy dark fruits. Malts are the star here, in this wonderfully subtle brew, riding the balance of soft, dark bitterness and roasted flavor, hovering on a light and fluffy mouthfeel.

Note to pour the entire bottle into the glass as there's flavor-packed goodness that settles. Further through some dry cocoa notes appear with a mild, building, soft chalky mouthfeel.

As one of the most German-inspired American brewed Doppelbock I've run across of late, it's all about classic elegance with this brew - no kitchen-sink, Americanized gimmickry here. The pricepoint will target this one to the dark lager fans and those with particularly discerning palates - highly recommended for both. Overall, a wonderful find. Looking forward to see what this does in a couple months.

#216: Bell's Brewery » Third Coast Old Ale

For the love of American Barleywines...

The Brewery: Bell's Brewing (Kalamazoo, MI)
The Brew: Third Coast Old Ale
Availability: Draft & Bottles (Seasonal, Limited)
ABV: 10.2%
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: J Ryan's (Syracuse)

On Friday, some friends and I headed up to Syracuse to catch Lemuria, a trio from Buffalo whom I booked 4-5 years ago, but haven't been able to see since. Any Syracuse stop for me usually involves J Ryan's and their 69 taps. We decided to roll in before the show instead of after for some sandwiches, cross-cut fries, blaring jukebox tunes, and amazing beer. With draft offerings like KBS, Expedition Stout and other numerous Bell's offerings, it was a tough call until I saw Third Coast listed. I'm a sucker for any old ale / barelywine, especially on tap and furthermore if I haven't had it yet, as with this case.

Third Coast is highly aromatic and full of rich, complex flavor. Inviting dark fruit and sherry aromas start things off, furthering into deep, dry flavors. A plethora of enigmatic tastes are woven between ripe fig, esters, soft red apples, burnt caramel, raisin notes that is all quite dry for a barleywine. There's an intriguing sweetness that peaks through for just a moment in the middle of the sip.

Overall, an impressive sipper of an ale that can be aged for years to come. Highly recommended to anyone seeking a complex, palate exciter.

#201: Bell's Brewery » Cherry Stout

A unique, dart/tart experience...

The Brewery: Bell's Brewing (Kalamazoo, MI)
The Brew: Bell's Cherry Stout
Availability: Draft & Bottles (Seasonal)
ABV: 7.0%
Rating: 9.1/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? Going back a few weeks, I finally remembered to go out and pick up a true tulip glass (thanks to Ithaca Beer Taproom folks for the fine swag) and, of course, picked up a few bottles from around town to try it out.

The Beer? Bell's Cherry Stout is crafted with 100% Montmorency cherries, grown in Michigan. It pours out with a thick, dark-mocha head, foamy with plenty of lace topping opaque, jet black body. The nose is dark, fruity, and tart. All is oftly inviting so far.

The flavor is really where this one stands out - it's truly wonderful. Instead of upping the sweetness, as with many fruit-augmented brews, Bell's knocks it out of the park with this dark, tart brew. It's roasted and juicy, bursting with mildly sour cherry flavors, threaded with mild molasses and soft chocolate and coffee notes. A thick, chewy and silky mouthfeel backs this big one up.

Overall, a standout in Bell's line and a recommended brew for anyone looking for unique flavor that isn't gimmicky what-so-ever. Cheers!

Bell's Hopslam lands in Upstate NY today! (Tues 1/28/14)

That's right, Bell's renowned blend of Pacific Northwest hops hits Upstate NY for the first time ever. For those in Ithaca, Ale House is hosting an event on Wednesday to kick things off and Fingerlakes Beverage Center confirmed they have bottles. Review soon...

#188: Bell's Brewery » Bell's Special Double Cream Stout

The darkside is creamy...

The Brewery: Bell's Brewing (Kalamazoo, MI)
The Brew: Bell's Special Double Cream Stout
Availability: Draft & Bottles (Seasonal)
ABV: 6.1%
Rating: 8.6/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? I've been doing my best to keep up on Bell's seasonal offerings as they roate through, this first year distributing to NYS. This, their Special Double Cream Stout is a dairy-free and brewed with ten different specialty. I was in a dark malty mood and this sounded like it would just hit the spot.

The Beer? A thick, fluffy, lacy head foams up from Special Double's bubbly, jet-black body. Deep, roasted coffee notes dominate the nose with aromas of chocolate and milk.

Lively carbonation and a mouthfeel that gets silkier and chewier with each sip follows, with flavors of soft cocoa and espresso. Further through, there's distinct brownie flavors, slight burnt characteristics, mild alcohol heat and spice, and even inferred cinnamon on the finish.

Overall, Bell's Speacial Double is creamy, but drinkable, with adequate depth that fills out nicely into a warming winter seasonal.

#177: Bell's Brewery » Expedition Stout 2013 (Russian Imperial Stout)

One of the best...

The Brewery: Bell's Brewing (Kalamazoo, MI)
The Brew: Expedition Stout (Russian Imperial Stout)
Availability: Draft & Bottles (Limited)
ABV: 10.5%
Rating: 9.8/10
Location: Home
Found: Chicago

The Story? Back in the fall of 2012, thanks to my cousin Alex, I had my first taste of Bell's. He had a bottle of Bell's monstrous Expedition Stout from traveling earlier in the year. Fast forward to March of 2013 and picked up a six-pack while in Chicago. This Russian Imperial Stout is meant to be aged and so, I cracked into two of them to share upon the return home, but the rest went to the cellar.

10 months later, I had to see how things were progressing.

The Beer? Thick, lacy, hot-coco colored head tops Expedition's deep, dark, opaque brown body. Alluring aromas of sweet chocolate, dark fruit, and even soft hop citrus follow.

Huge, creamy chocolate flavors swirl around - sweet and wet at first, but quickly drying into baking coco, booze, and espresso. The mouthfeel is straight silk and far lighter than it should be for a beer with this much girth.

Expedition is completely exquisite with notes of vanilla, toffee, and bourbon rising in the second sip. A firm, bitter finish starts early and continues to build on itself. Earthy notes fill in further through. This roasted, slow sipper demands to be savored and not just because of the sheer 10.5% ABV, which instead is well masked by the rich, luxurious flavors. Towards the end, faint nods of licorice, anise and other herbs, and black tea finish off this deep darkness of a beer.

Overall, one of the best beers Bell's produces on a yearly basis and one of, if not the best 12 oz Imperial Stout. Highly recommended.

#112: Bell's Brewing » Two Hearted Ale, Porter, and Kalamazoo Stout

Bell's is now available in New York State...

The Brewery: Bell's Brewing (Kalamazoo, MI)
Availability: Bottles/Draft (Year-Round)
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? My cousin introduced me to Bell's luscious nectars via their Expedition Stout, one of the earliest examples of a Russian Imperial Stout brewed in the U.S., and I was instantly smitten. On the road, I've been able to sneak a peak at their Two Hearted and Golden Rye Ale as well, but that barely scratches the surface of their illustrious offerings.

Until this year, Bell's has never distributed through NYS. I never really thought it would either, so it was with great excite I reveled in the news with my fellow Bell's lovers here in upstate NY, that we would be the first to receive these great beers. I picked up three staples of their year-round line (two I haven't enjoyed prior) as an introduction. Look for a post on Expedition Stout (2012) coming soon.

Two Hearted Ale (IPA) | ABV: 7% | Rating: 9/10
This American IPA starts off with a wonderful, orange-filled citrus nose. The taste follows suit, with a smooth mouthful of fruity orange flavor and floral hop notes. Brewed exclusively with Centennial hops yields an aromatic, but clean brew with significant room for the malt body to shine through. There are even hints of apple and esters. An intricate, year-round IPA offering that is about more than just hops.

Porter | ABV: 5.6% | Rating: 8.8/10
A rich, full nose with heaps of roasted malt aromas and a dash of chocolate are revealed on this simply monikered brew. The taste counters with dry, roasted flavors and an almost champagne mouthfeel, carbonation, and dryness . Very intriguing and drinkable.

The chocolate notes begin more in the spectrum of coco powder, but blossom in richness when pared with food. Fresh, roasted, semi-sweet, and dry - this one is a treat for any year-round porter lover.

Kalamazoo Stout | ABV: 6.0% | Rating: 9/10
This one kicks off sweet and chocolaty in the nose easily transitioning into a rich, silky mouthfeel that is a touch on the side of creamy. Well carbonated for a stout with a unique, sharp bitterness in the finish attributed to the anise aspects of the licorice it's brewed with.

Smooth, full-bodied, and artfully complex. There's plenty of subtlety in this big brew to stroke your beard (or lack of beard) to here - hints of smoke, toffee, chocolate, coffee bean...  it's choose your own adventure, really.


Well, there you have it. Three must-try brews that are readily available year round in NYS now. Crack one open and let me know what you think!