Bell's Kalamazoo Stout

I heart Nathan for picking this up last night. I had asked him to pick up a stout for the beer toffee I wanted to attempt. This was his choice; I was elated. If you haven't been paying attention, Bell's is my favorite brewery. I shied away from this particular brew for a long time, as I don't like licorice at all, and it's made with brewer's licorice. Am I regretting those years that I passed this over for something else!

Kalamazoo Stout pours a deep brown, almost black color, with a dark-ish caramel-colored head. Because it's 6% ABV, it has moderate head retention The aroma is straight stout... you get a whiff of roasty malts and coffee with a little chocolate. And a hint of the brewer's licorice. It doesn't smell like black licorice. I was expecting a Sambuca beer, to be honest. Apparently, brewer's licorice is a completely different beast. Or not... according to How Stuff Works, it's the same plant that gives us the horrible black licorice, but brewers add it to dark beers to add complexity of flavor and stabilize the head. Brewers use the root in brewing, whereas candymakers and Sambuca makers use an extract of the juice of the plant.

There is just enough licorice in Bell's Kalamazoo Stout to add that complexity of flavor without sending it to Sambucaland. The first sip gives some coffee flavors and bitterness from the licorice. The middle is more coffee. There is a lovely pleasantly bitter finish, probably from hops and licorice. It's a very smooth stout, and has quickly become one of my go-to's.

4.5/5 caps

-Jennie

Again, I have to agree with Jen-a-len-a-ding-dong with this review... Although it's brewed with licorice, it's not prevalent. Nice tones for being out of the state up north.

4.5/5 caps
-Nathan-