Bell's Porter 6Pk

Bell's Porter 6Pk is a Michigan-brewed American brown porter with a 5.6% ABV, available in a 6-pack of 12 oz servings. This dark malt-driven ale earned a Gold Medal in the Brown Porter category at the 2008 World Beer Cup, cementing its reputation as one of the benchmark porters in American craft brewing.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.6%  |  Origin: Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA  |  Style: American Brown Porter  |  Brewery: Bell's Brewery

Production & Heritage

Bell's Brewery was founded in 1985 by Larry Bell in Kalamazoo, Michigan, making it one of the oldest craft breweries east of the Rockies. Bell's Porter is built on a blend of dark malts fermented with the brewery's proprietary house ale yeast — a strain that has defined much of the Bell's lineup for decades. The result bridges the gap between malty brown ales and heavily roasted stouts, occupying a middle ground that showcases roast character without the astringency or body of a full stout.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark chocolate and freshly roasted coffee dominate the nose, followed by undercurrents of black licorice and toffee. Distinctive hints of dark fruit — plum and raisin — add aromatic complexity rarely found in competing porters.

Taste: The entry is smooth and malt-forward, with bittersweet chocolate and coffee arriving immediately on the palate. At mid-palate, roasted barley deepens the flavor profile while a restrained hop bitterness emerges to balance the sweetness. A subtle black cherry note threads through the malt backbone, keeping the beer layered without becoming heavy.

Finish: Medium in length with a clean, lightly dry close. Lingering roast and a final echo of dark chocolate fade gradually without any harsh or ashy aftertaste.

How to Drink Bell's Porter

Pour into a tulip pint or English nonce glass at 45–50°F to let the dark malt aromatics open up fully; drinking straight from the bottle mutes the plum and toffee nuances. Bell's Porter also holds its own in beer cocktails: try it in a Black Velvet (half porter, half sparkling wine) where its roast character contrasts the effervescence; a Porterita (porter floated over a classic margarita) for an unexpected malt-meets-citrus pairing; or a Poor Man's Black & Tan layered beneath a pale ale, where the dark fruit aromatics add depth to the lighter beer on top.

Best For

• Introducing a hop-focused craft drinker to malt-driven styles
• Fall and winter evening sessions by a fire pit
• Pairing with a backyard barbecue or smoked meat spread
• Building a curated American porter tasting flight

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Bell's Porter taste like? Bell's Porter leads with bittersweet chocolate and roasted coffee, supported by dark fruit undertones of plum and raisin, and finishes clean with mild hop bitterness and no harsh roast.

How does Bell's Porter compare to Deschutes Black Butte Porter? In head-to-head tastings scored on the BJCP scale, Bell's Porter and Black Butte Porter finish within a single point of each other; the key difference is that Bell's is noticeably more aromatic, with dark fruit notes on the nose that Black Butte lacks. Black Butte tends toward a slightly drier, more chocolate-focused profile.

Is Bell's Porter good for beginners? At 5.6% ABV with a smooth, balanced malt character and no aggressive bitterness or roast harshness, Bell's Porter is an excellent entry point for drinkers exploring dark beer styles for the first time.

Where is Bell's Porter made? Bell's Porter is brewed at Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a craft brewery founded in 1985 that ranks among the oldest in the American Midwest.

What foods pair well with Bell's Porter? Smoked brisket or pulled pork — the roasted malt mirrors the char on the meat. Dark chocolate brownies or flourless chocolate cake — matching intensity with the beer's cocoa notes. Sharp cheddar or aged Gouda — the salt and fat cut through the roast. Grilled portobello mushrooms — earthy flavors amplify the malt depth. Chili con carne — the porter's body and slight sweetness balance the heat.

What sizes does Bell's Porter come in? Bell's Porter is widely available in 6-packs of 12 oz bottles and cans, and may also be found on draft at select bars and restaurants.

Is Bell's Porter worth the price? Bell's Porter sits in the everyday craft beer value tier, priced in line with other widely distributed American porters while delivering gold medal-recognized quality and more aromatic complexity than many beers at the same level.

Why Bell's Porter?

The 2008 World Beer Cup Gold Medal validated what Midwest beer drinkers had known for years — Bell's Porter is one of the most complete brown porters brewed in the United States. Its aromatic distinction, particularly the dark fruit notes absent from close competitors like Deschutes Black Butte and Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, gives it an edge that trained judges and casual drinkers alike have recognized. Brewed with Bell's long-tenured house ale yeast and a carefully balanced dark malt bill, it delivers roast-driven flavor without crossing into stout territory. For a porter that punches above its weight class in complexity while remaining thoroughly sessionable at 5.6% ABV, Bell's has few equals in national distribution.