It’s hot and steamy outside and I have another Stout to review; sometime soon I swear that I’ll start to review more seasonably appropriate beers. Today I have the Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout, a 6% ABV Stout brewed with brewers licorice, which will probably lend some sweetness to the taste and smell of the beer.

The Kalamazoo Stout pours a very dark brown, almost black in color and a tan, caramel colored one and a half finger head. The beer smells of roasted malts and ground coffee, nothing out of the ordinary there. There is also a pleasant sweetness in the aroma as well which comes thanks to some chocolate and that licorice that I mentioned earlier. The sweetness is a bit sticky, but not overly so as it blends nicely with the other aromas.

Bell’s has managed to present some deep roasted and burnt malt flavors in the Kalamazoo Stout without overdoing things. This balance lends itself to an almost crisp mouth feel with little alcohol burn. There are other flavors present such as coffee beans, but the licorice as a pleasant sweetness to everything, as well as combating the roasted and burnt flavors.

Bell’s has created a really nice easy to drink standard Stout. It doesn’t try to be outlandish or rock the boat (too much). The flavors and aromas work well and create one of the better Stouts that I have had.

Overall: 9/10