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Special Double Cream Stout

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A stout with only a touch of burnt notes, leaning on the softer, cocoa and espresso-like side of roasted malt. Ten specialty malts shape its depth. The name refers to the smooth, creamy texture rather than to ingredients, and the beer is completely dairy-free. At 6.1% ABV it is one of the stouts from Bell's in Michigan.

ABV
6.1%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark35
PaceTwo or Three
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
roastedcoffeechocolate
roasted
coffee
chocolate
malty
dark fruit
Aroma
The nose leads with cocoa and espresso, backed by the warm, toasted notes of a well-rounded malt bill.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Special Double Cream Stout

◎ Appearance

Deep brown to near-black in color, with an opaque body and minimal light transmission typical of the style. A dense, tan head forms with good initial retention and moderate lacing that clings to the glass as you drink. Carbonation is restrained, contributing to the beer's overall smooth and settled character.

deep brownopaquedense tan headmoderate lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with cocoa and espresso, backed by the warm, toasted notes of a well-rounded malt bill. There is a subtle hint of dark fruit beneath the roasted layers, while burnt character remains deliberately muted. Noble hop character adds a gentle earthiness without asserting itself, allowing the complexity of the ten specialty malts to unfold.

cocoa, espressotoasted maltsubtle dark fruitrestrained roast

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and creamy, with chocolate and coffee flavors developing across the mid-palate in equal measure. The malt structure is full and rich without being heavy, underpinned by a gentle bitterness that resolves rather than lingers. Roasted malt complexity persists throughout, balancing sweetness with a dry, slightly astringent edge that keeps the palate engaged.

creamy mouthfeelchocolate, coffeemalt-forwardgentle bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and moderately dry, with cocoa and espresso notes fading into a subtle roasted grain dryness. Aftertaste remains short to medium, allowing the cream and smoothness to be the final impression rather than lingering bitterness.

dry finishcocoa fadeclean aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
79
Taste
80
Appearance
77
Finish
76
Serve at 10–14°C

Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Can be cellared 2–5 years. Develops dark fruit, leather and port-like complexity with age.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Special Double Cream Stout

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About Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Stout?

Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.

Finding a similar Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same creamy, roasted, smooth character as Special Double Cream Stout will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Stout beers in hopIQ →New to Stout? Read our guide →Browse United States beers →