Beer: Bell's Kalamazoo Stout
Brewery Location: Comstock, MI
Beer Style: Milk/Sweet Stout
Serving Style: Bottle
ABV: 6.5%
I've had this beer waiting in the wings for a little while to try. I've had plenty of beers from Bells, but this is the first time I've had the Kalamazoo stout. I've really been hitting up the darker beers lately huh? As soon as it warms up a bit outside I tend to stay away from these beer though, so I guess I am tasting them while I still want to taste them.
The beer pours a very deep black with no highlights when held up to the light. I was a little disappointed on the head on this. A small swirl of tan head dissipated quite quickly, but did leave solid lacing on the glass. The nose is fairly classic for a sweet stout. Chocolate and coffee make way for molasses and roasted grain. The flavor profile's two strongest flavors are roasted coffee and bitter chocolate, but it also has a nice medium sweetness as well. Side flavor characteristics include black liquorice and toasted grain on my palate. The mouthfeel is full bodied and very creamy. An easy drinking stout that I would gladly have again.
Overall, this is a very good stout. Its got a slight sweetness that helps make an good entry level stout for new stout drinkers. I would drink this again, but this costs more than an expedition stout at Party Pak. I would most likely reach for the expedition stout from Bells before I reach for this one again. Those are two very different beers, but I enjoy the expedition much more for a better price tag.
Edit: Upon further review I just got a deal at Party Pak. They have this beer mis marked in the system and I paid to much for this and didn't pay enough for the Expedition stout. Since I bought both at the same time I don't really feel all that bad about it since I would have paid the same price regardless. This will not be cheaper than expedition stout when you are out looking for it. Thanks Chris and Joe for clearing that up.
Cheers!
Matt
7 comments:
"I would drink this again, but this costs more than an expedition stout at Party Pak. "
Wow, really? I don't think that's right. Maybe Party Pak has it entered in their system incorrectly.
More typical prices I've seen are Kalamazoo for around $9-10 and Expedition for around $15-16. What are their prices?
Really? I've only priced this at Party Pak, but last time I was there the Kalamazoo stout was 2.99 a bottle and they still have Expedition for 2.19 a bottle. That was about three weeks ago, so it may be a glitch in their system. Good to know.
My guess is that those numbers somehow got flipped in their system.
I may be slightly low on the 6er price for Kalamazoo -- I haven't bought it in a couple months -- but I just checked Kahn's webpage and they're selling Expedition for $16.99.
http://www.kahnsfinewines.com/product_display.aspx?productID=172
(For some reason, they don't have Kalamazoo in their system.)
Yeah, this beer should be cheaper than Expedition Stout. They're both awesome, but this one has about half the alcohol (which should make it cheaper). Bell's is such an awesome brewery. I need me some Hop Slam, God damn it!
I think it should be in Thursday. World Class is picking up their shipment today, and Party Pak gets their WC shipments on Thursday, so I will be calling them then.
It looks like it is just wrong in their system right now. I still even have my receipt from that day and I was charged 2.19 for the expedition and 2.99 for the Kalamazoo stout. I will see if it still that way when I pick up some hopslam.
I got some Hop Slam last night. It was only fifteen bucks a sixer. Garber and I each got two. It's so fucking good. It kinda pisses me off that this beer is seasonal, though. I mean, I could drink a double IPA all year long. Am I wrong? Dude, am I wrong?
You're not wrong Walter you're just an asshole
I picked up some at Party Pak on Saturday. they should make this all year long though. Now wouldn't be the best time to do it, but once the hop shortage comes to an end they should make it all year long.
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