Bell's Expedition Stout

Bell's Expedition Stout is an Imperial Russian Stout available during the winter months. This is a BIG beer clocking in at 10.5% ABV and reportedly with a starting specific gravity of 1.110 (Bellsbeer.com). This beer has an indefinite shelf life (if stored properly!) and would be a great candidate for cellaring and comparing vintages years down the road. Having attended Bell's Brewery's Vintage Beer Tasting earlier this year during Kalamazoo's Beer Week, I can personally attest to the Expedition Stout's ability to become more interesting and complex with time. 

This beer pours a silky jet black with a thin head that soon dissipates. Being a Russian Imperial Stout, this beer has big complex malt character that drips of succulent dark stone fruit. No alcohol flavors are apparent upfront, but it is clear that you are drinking a big beer.  Expedition stout has excellent mouthfeel befitting such a behemoth and is well balanced between sweetness and bitterness. This is my standard for Russian Imperial Stout and would rank it "Excellent" on any scale.