Bell's Porter

Tasting Notes

The aroma leads with roasted malt, dark chocolate, and a faint earthiness backed by mild hop presence. On the palate, flavors of bitter cocoa, light coffee, and toasted bread play out across a medium body that stays smooth without turning heavy. The roast character is genuine but not aggressive — there's a subtle sweetness in the middle that keeps things balanced. The finish is moderately dry with lingering chocolate bitterness.

About the Brewery

Bell's Brewery is based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and has been one of the Midwest's most respected craft operations since Larry Bell started the business in the mid-1980s. The brewery is widely known for Two Hearted Ale and Oberon, but its range runs deep across lagers, stouts, and barrel-aged programs. Bell's was acquired by Lion Little World Beverages in 2021 while retaining its Michigan identity and production footprint.

Food Pairings

Braised short ribs work well here because the roasted malt mirrors the caramelized fond in the meat. A sharp aged cheddar cuts through the chocolate bitterness cleanly and brings out the malt's sweetness. Smoked pulled pork gets along naturally with the porter's own roasty, slightly smoky undertones. For dessert, a straightforward brownie or dark chocolate tart echoes the cocoa notes without overwhelming the beer's subtler finish.

Style Guide

American Porter is a roasted malt-driven style built on dark chocolate, coffee, and toasted grain flavors, generally sitting in the 4.5–6.5% ABV range with a medium body that stops well short of a stout's heaviness. It draws from 18th-century British porter traditions but leans on American two-row malt and domestic hops, often producing a cleaner, slightly drier profile than its English counterparts. Where stouts push roast intensity and body further, porters tend toward more balance between malt sweetness and bitter roast character, making the style a bit more approachable across food pairings.