Beer #172 - Java Stout, Bell's Brewing Company - Galesburg/Kalamazoo, Michgan

I don't particularly care for what I will call "Flavored Beers" but occasionally, they will get my vote. A sure bet is by throwing coffee in the mix, then I'm on board. One of my favorite beers is from Bell's Brewing Company, called the Two-Hearted Ale (see earlier post) which I happened to pick up unprompted on a move across the country. It proved a good move. A good friend of mine, who has strong Michigan ties, recently gave me a bottle of their Java Stout. I am unable to find their beers out here, so I was reasonably stoked to have another from their line-up. Let's pour!

It pours opaque with a big head.

The aroma is heavy with dark roasted malt. The coffee tones are very present.

Letting the beer warm, it has a smooth body. Roasted dark coffee tones are present at all times, but is especially apparent in the finish. Vanilla sweetness and heavy roasted malts are also present, curbing the bitterness that arrives in the finish. The beer is dominated by the coffee.

The aftertaste is thick with roasted coffee.

This beer definitely gave me my coffee fix! It isn't the most balanced beer, but sometimes it's just fine to indulge!

Two Hearted Ale, Bells Brewing, Galesburg and Kalamazoo Michigan

So about 10 years ago, I took a road trip to Michigan with my friend Kevin. We were into beer, but not that into it - more into just drinking it. If only I had come across this fine brewery (at the time known as the Kalamazoo Brewing Company). But I did have the fine fortune of picking up a 6 pack somewhere along the road on a recent move from the East to the West Coast. Bell's beers are available throughout the middle states, but unfortunately not on the coasts. I've only had the Two-Hearted Ale, but it blew me away. I recently found out that my friend Dave, who's wife is from Michigan, had this beer at their wedding. He was a brewer for sometime (Boundary Bay, etc) and ran the beautifully stocked BottleShop (R.I.P.) in Bellingham, WA, but enough of my ramblings...

It pours a bright amber with a big foamy head.

It has a nice full aroma with flowery hop and mild citrus.

It has a medium body full of flowery hop. It is noticeably bitter that carries nicely throughout enjoying.

The aftertaste is bitterness that gives way to hop citrus that lingers nicely...

I love this beer, as you can tell by the lengthy introduction. It's well worth finding and once you do, please enjoy one for me....

Cheers!