Bells Rye Stout

11.09.06 12oz bottle, batch 7235. Mostly dark brown beer with light cola edges and very little head after the initial pour. Aroma is weak coffee, dark chocolate, and mild toasted nuttiness. The nuttiness must be the rye because that’s the closest thing I can find to a grassy or grainy anything in this beer. Very slight acidity near the finish of this otherwise plain (though tasty) stout. The palate is fine with a nice, mild carbonation and somewhat slick but full feel. I can’t knock if for flavor, because it’s good, but I’ll be damned if I can find even a trace of rye anywhere in the flavor or aroma of this stuff. Meh, I’m gonna go drink a bottle of Triumph Roggenbock -- boy am I glad I saved some of that stuff!

Bottle from Sean. Black color without much of a head at all. Smell is spicy, roasted, coffee, chocolate, and hints of rye. Taste is sweet and spicy with a little bit of a thin body, but it makes good for a smooth stout. Very unique, kind of sweet, and a nice winter warmer type beer. Not half bad actually.

Bottle. Smokey rye malt and coffee aroma. Pitch black with a moderate head initially that quickly disappears. Nice creamy coffee and light rye flavor with a smokey finish. Light palate but I really like it that way. Excellent but rather light stout.

Bottle from Party Source. Pours dark brown with diminishing off white head. Aroma of rye bread and dark roasted malt. Flavor of dark roasted malt, rye, vanilla, all nicely blended. A tad thin in the body, but not in a detrimental way. Some sweet rye bread comes out in the bitter finish, that is peppery on the sides of the tongue. Interesting beer.

Bottle. Pours a murky impenetrable black with an average size diminishing tan head. Slightly mild aroma starts with coffee, some chocolate, lightly roasted malt and yes, some faint rye malt (some smoke too) -- smells pleasant. Flavour of caramel malt, some light roastness, coffee and faint rye malt -- a touch watery. Medium bodied, creamy mouthfeel. It’s good but a little dissapointing. To be fair though, if it wasn’t a Bells Stout I would probably be praising it but Bells have so many better Stouts.

Batch #7235. Pours black, looked like cola when first poured, fizzy head, quick dissapating. Aroma malty, with chocolate hints, and slight rye bread notes. Flavor of coffee, and tartness of rye bread, roasty, nice flavors together. As it warmed, there is a nice, suttle, smokeyness in the flavor. Carbaonation was very noticable. Medium bodied, creamy, silky mouthfeel, nice, smooth, easy to drink. I enjoyed this very much, although I wish more of the head was present, it would have given it a greater presentation. I liked the flavors and the zing from the rye. It was def. unique and I will get more. As always though quality from bell’s.

355ml bottle obtained in a trade with <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/ViewUser.asp?UserID=21222 target=blank>OhioDad, thanks Scott. Black in colour, rich creamy beige head, good retention, great lacing. The aroma is smoky, very light traces of rye bread, dark chocolate. The flavour is of dark chocolate, black coffee, some smoke, dark rye bread, great roast. Creamy bitter mouthfeel, medium body, medium carbonation. Finishes with a moderate bitterness, chalky. Very nice all-round beer, quite enjoyable.

Batch #7235.

Nose of caramel, chocolate, with a coffee note; Transparent dark brown with a small tan head; flavor of coffee, caramel with a little chocolate.