Beer of the Weekend #185: Expedition Stout
My productive nightcap is Expedition Stout, brewed by Bell’s Brewery, Inc. of Comstock, Michigan.
Though I may like Expedition Stout, I think the cost makes it unworthy of my LV recommendation: $17.99 per sixer at Dirty John’s. That is insane. For that price, it better be worth it.
Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle. The batch code of “9554” corresponds to the decrypted bottling date of January 27, 2010. Ten months is way past prime for some beer styles, but it should be ideal for Expedition Stout since the alcohol content (see below) allows it to keep almost indefinitely.
Appearance: Straight pour into a becker glass. I do not think I have ever seen a beer look so sexy on its way out of the bottle. The color is a completely opaque black; no light passed through when I held it to my lamp. Three fingers of a thick, chocolate-tan head developed and dissipated slowly to leave trails along the glass, a spotted lacing, and a ring around the edge.
Smell: My first whiff was a mélange of roasted coffee, chocolate, and caramel; dark fruit (mostly plum, cherry, and raisins); molasses; black licorice; and brown sugar. Tinged with a spiced rum-like edge and slight hint of Belgian yeast (really?), the general aroma reminds me of dubbel.
Taste: The mouthfeel is incredibly thick and creamy, which perfectly exemplifies the flavor experience that follows. Though subtle, the complexity is there: roasted coffee, chocolate, and a little caramel; brown sugar; molasses; the dark fruit plum, cherry, and raisin from the smell; and the spiced rum-like tingle of alcohol. Though it sounds crazy, I seriously think I taste a little bready, Belgian yeast. The roasted coffee leaves a nice, bitter aftertaste, which sometimes pushed my bitterness threshold as the pint warmed.
Drinkability: This is a very well-crafted brew. The price is justified.
Fun facts about Expedition Stout:
-Style: Russian Imperial Stout.
-Price: $3.49/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City. As mentioned above, six-packs cost $17.99.
-Serving temperature: 50-55ºF.
-Alcohol content: 10.5 percent ABV, so it is packing a punch.
-Food pairings: The same as those for Old Rasputin. Chocolate, dessert, and “digestive.”
-Here’s a little characterization from the Bell’s website:
-Surprisingly, Expedition Stout is seasonal: it is available only in the winter.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A.
Though I may like Expedition Stout, I think the cost makes it unworthy of my LV recommendation: $17.99 per sixer at Dirty John’s. That is insane. For that price, it better be worth it.
Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle. The batch code of “9554” corresponds to the decrypted bottling date of January 27, 2010. Ten months is way past prime for some beer styles, but it should be ideal for Expedition Stout since the alcohol content (see below) allows it to keep almost indefinitely.
Appearance: Straight pour into a becker glass. I do not think I have ever seen a beer look so sexy on its way out of the bottle. The color is a completely opaque black; no light passed through when I held it to my lamp. Three fingers of a thick, chocolate-tan head developed and dissipated slowly to leave trails along the glass, a spotted lacing, and a ring around the edge.
Smell: My first whiff was a mélange of roasted coffee, chocolate, and caramel; dark fruit (mostly plum, cherry, and raisins); molasses; black licorice; and brown sugar. Tinged with a spiced rum-like edge and slight hint of Belgian yeast (really?), the general aroma reminds me of dubbel.
Taste: The mouthfeel is incredibly thick and creamy, which perfectly exemplifies the flavor experience that follows. Though subtle, the complexity is there: roasted coffee, chocolate, and a little caramel; brown sugar; molasses; the dark fruit plum, cherry, and raisin from the smell; and the spiced rum-like tingle of alcohol. Though it sounds crazy, I seriously think I taste a little bready, Belgian yeast. The roasted coffee leaves a nice, bitter aftertaste, which sometimes pushed my bitterness threshold as the pint warmed.
Drinkability: This is a very well-crafted brew. The price is justified.
Fun facts about Expedition Stout:
-Style: Russian Imperial Stout.
-Price: $3.49/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City. As mentioned above, six-packs cost $17.99.
-Serving temperature: 50-55ºF.
-Alcohol content: 10.5 percent ABV, so it is packing a punch.
-Food pairings: The same as those for Old Rasputin. Chocolate, dessert, and “digestive.”
-Here’s a little characterization from the Bell’s website:
One of the earliest examples of the Russian Imperial Stout in the United States, Bell's Expedition Stout offers immensely complex flavors crafted specifically with vintage aging in mind, as its profile will continue to mature and develop over the years. A huge malt body is matched to a heady blend of chocolate, dark fruits, and other aromas. Intensely bitter in its early months, the flavors will slowly meld and grow in depth as the beer ages.
-Surprisingly, Expedition Stout is seasonal: it is available only in the winter.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A.
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