I like this Brewery Focus thing. The last one, Scotland's Isle of Skye Brewing, isn't done and yet I can start another. Why? Because a pal went to Michigan for work [Ed.: (later) he has revealed himself in the comments.] and all of a sudden, realizing the implications, we made calls to his cell phone before he passed Port Huron and Ryan's Party Source. As a result we are all drinking Bell's this week.
This one, Bell's Expedition Stout, is a 10.5% imperial stout. Dandy. You forget about how dandy imperial stouts are in the summer even though once the sun is down the big minty roasty brew isn't that far off that chocolate pepperminty nutty something you would get at the Mary's Frosty King or Steve's Freezie Snack-shack. Stouts are good. Imperial stouts are gooder. Much gooder.
This beer pours deepest inky brown with a deep mocha foam lacy head. Sweet chocolate and coffee on the nose with a fail wiff of the grain as well. In the mouth you fall off a cliff (Wile E. Coyote style) into the Le Brea Tar Pits of of stout - thick with hot asphalt mineral hidden by swaths of dark chocolate, espresso, mint hops, pumpernickel malt, double cream yeast. Rich and massive with a soft water moreish mouthfeel. Huge BAer approval.
Comments
Drew - July 17, 2007 11:51 PM
Bell's beers are extremely good. Their summer brew, Oberon, is one of my favorites.
Alan - July 18, 2007 8:39 AM
Excellent. I have one of those in the stash. Even though we live under a repressive regime beer-wise here in Ontario, geographically we are blessed in the number of other jurisdictions that border or nearly border on it on it, allowing for plenty of of these dashes into good beer territory.
Paul of Kingston - July 18, 2007 10:21 AM
I had an Oberon last night - quite a good summer brew. An ale masquerading as a lager perhaps.
Also had their double cream stout - tremendous (Thanks BR). A lot lke our very own Mill Street Coffee Porter but creamier and sweeter. Very high on the yum and more-ish factors.
br - July 18, 2007 12:07 PM
man oh man, I love this brewery too. I really wish I could have brought back more! Wait till you have the Two Headed Ale, it's a standout as well.
With respect to the Oberon, I had it on tap in Grand Rapids which caused me to aquire the very bottles you are speaking of. Not sure if it was the company I was with or the founders IPA's consumed earlier in the evening, but the draught version was beautiful. BTW, the Founders were excellent as well (Dry Hopped and Centennial)
Thomas - July 18, 2007 3:23 PM
Love that Stout a friend gave me a couple of their beers he brought back from them and I was really impressed by the quality of the brewery.
Bob Schneider - July 18, 2007 9:18 PM
A friend and I went to Bell's last year and tasted about 5 crazy stouts. I think they had nine listed on tap or in bottles, "because we can!"
Larry Bell is the patriarch of the mid-west craftbrewing scene. Oberon is availble in mini-kegs too.
By the way here is a link to Michigan Beer Guide run by Rex and Mary Halfpenny.
http://www.michiganbeerguide.com/beerguide.asp
I'm on the west coast of Michigan, southwest of Grand Rapids, outside of Saugatuck. We have a new local brewery Saugatuck Brewing Co., that is in-between locations right now so things are kinda of dry.
Cheers
Bob
Drew - July 18, 2007 11:01 PM
Oberon in mini-kegs. I can now die happy.