Bells Rye Stout

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Label features a pencil sketch of a sullen old women, casting her eyes downward, perhaps grimly reflecting on a miserable life, soon to end, or sadly summarising the pathetic events she has yet to endure. Haven't these guys learned anything about marketing from the Swedish Bikini Tean???? Perfect ebon color, large fizzy brown head. Aroma is richly roasted and spicy, with hints of graininess. Heavy mouthfeel, but smooth on the palate. Sits sturdily in the mouth, leaving a nice, pleasant finish, and an abiding sweetness, with hints of cherry, coming through in the middle. A very satisfactory stout, and an accomplished experiment from Kalamazoo

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!

Very dark brown body and a small creamy beige head with an oily fade. Characterful aroma of lightly roasted grain and coffee beans, plus fresh rye. Flavor of cream, chocolate, caramel, and warm spicy cinnamon rye. Semi-sweet with low roasty bitterness and a smooth, even body. This is a ridiculously drinkable bantam stout that pairs well with all manner of seafood.

Dark almost soda like appearance - mild carbonation. Faint aroma of roasted rye. Mild taste with some rye and sweet fruit.

bottle, dark brown with slight tan foam, aromas of nutty, alcohol, flavors of rye bread, hazelnuts, malty, finish is roast and slightly thin

Long waited for them to make another batch! Bottle, batch 9370. Typical Bell’s stoutiness in the nose but this has much more pronounced coffee roast, light grain. Deep dark pour with a creamy, rocky light brown head. Creamy smooth feel (5/5 all the way), very luscious, taste is a sort of rounder Kalamazoo with a little more heft and a deeper malt complexity - lightly spicy rye, but very restrained, definitely more of an accent than the full monty. Light prunes, nuts, blackberries, and a slight herbal quality, in the vein of Jägermeister. Roast is backed way off from what was expected by the nose. Dry and tweaked lightly off of center, almost of lemon zest, with firm but low-level bitterness and a dash of coffee creamer. Beauty in subtlety.

Courtesy of Ohiodad and Goldtwins who both sent me bottles the same day. <P> Aroma is a little spicy with chocolate and dark karo syrup notes. Deep black with a quickly fading tan head. For is spicy and tobacco tinged with the flavor what I imagine hot water that had had rye seeds steeped in it would taste of. Spicy pepper notes tickle the tonsils as I swallow. A smooth choclate malt flavor runs through all ranges. The finish kind of reminds me of a very toned down version of the Stone 03 03 03 and its lingering spiciness. Interesting, but it gets thin and the lack of any real head hurts the visual appeal.

Re-rate based on Batch #7235, 2006 bottling.I’m glad the Rye Stout is back, in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Deep brown body with reddish highlights, thin tan head. Roasted malt aroma with distinctive spicy rye character. Toasty, roasted malt body with spicy, earthy rye that lingers on the palate. No offensive tartness or acidity. Rather delicate and quaffable for a Bells stout, this is a perfect session beer. Like biting into lightly toasted rye bread.

Previous rating: Smells like a fine cup of coffee. Pours dark brown/red, with a thin tan head. Flavor is strong roasted malts, rye, and a tangy sweetness that I do not remember being as strong when the beer is fresh. Nonetheless, enjoyable. Trumpeter’s Stout is the best November offering by these guys.
8-4-7-4-15