Tonight I got to have my first offering from Bells Brewery. I examined this very simply decorated bottle and hoped the contents inside were a bit more complex. I poured this very dark stout into the glass to receive a construction paper thick head that was colored brown like caramel. Holding it up to my nose I got hit with a strong syrupy alcohol smell. I realize it is 10.5% but I didnt pick up the chocolately coffee smells I receive in other stouts.
The first sip it goes down a lot smoother than I expected. I didnt notice the presence of alcohol until it hit the throat. The taste was a lot more vibrant than the smells I picked up initially. I tasted a lot of chocolate with coffee as the second most noticeable flavor. Right behind that came syrupy and caramel flavors that added great sweetness and enjoyment to the beer.
This is where I got a little surprised. I had drank about a ¼ of the beer by this point and went to smell it again and the alcohol scent had nearly faded completely and gave way to the scents of the beer. I think when I cracked it open I should have let it sit in a sniffer for a few good minutes to let it breathe more. From this point on it was all flavors with just a warm kick and lingering light taste of booze saying hello in the background. It became very easy to drink and more flavorful by the sip. Fantastic beer, and very enjoyable to drink. I think my senses werent spot on at the beginning of the tasting, but as it went on the beer showed why it is ranked so highly.