Bells Rye Stout

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Bottle from batch 9399. Pours a very dark brown almost black color with a small tan colored head of foam that settles quickly to a thin film of bubbles. The aroma shows notes of dry cocoa, caramel malt, some earthy roast, and fresh rye grains, This one really opens up once it has warmed up. The flavor follows with the dark cocoa and caramel malts, earthy roast, and fresh toasted rye grains. Some spicy hops add a nice bitterness on the finish. The ry and the cocoa really work together nicely. Medium bodied and smooth and a lengthy, dry cocoa and rye finish. This is a really nice and easy to drink stout.

Wow, after the DFH this was very good! Kinda a Storm King light. Anyway, looks good smells good and was easy to drink.

Had this in the bottle thanks to my pops. It poured a dark brown with small tan head. The aroma is a lot more coffee than I expected. This actually reminds me a lot of the java stout I had recently from Bells, although this was lacking balance as well. It comes as a surprise, as Bells makes 2 of the best stouts I’ve ever had. Oh well. Cheers!

12 oz. Opaque chocolate with a small ring of bubbles. Aroma is sharp rye, light cocoa and dust. Flavor is cocoa, rye and wood. Medium-heavy body is watery and fairly smooth.

12 oz. bottle from Ludlow Wines. Pours very dark brown, near black, with a tny tan head that fades immediately and leaves a thin ring around the edge. The aroma isn’t strong, but what’s there is mostly rye, with notes of coffee, roasted malts, nuts, chocolate, and figs. Flavor is roasty, not much different but certainly stronger than the aroma, with notes of rye, roasted malts, chocolate, molasses, nuts, smoke, and dark fruits. Medium bodied and smooth, with not enough carbonation to keep it from feeling flat on the palate. Light, roasty finish. Okay, but overrated- this brewery makes a lot better stouts.

I’d like this to have a higher overall rating than a 3.5, because I do think it’s better than that. But, not much aroma, thin head that receded quickly. Sweet slightly thick flavor, not sure quite where the rye kicks in but it’s not your traditional roasty flavor. Pretty darn decent.

Draft at redlight redlight. One of the best out of Bell’s line of unusual stouts. Pours a dark translucent brown. Warm nose with lots of rye and dark roasted malts. Smooth, very drinkable. Fairly traditional (though solid) stout with some delightful rye flavors improving everything. Only criticism is that it is a little thin. Still a very good beer.

Draft pint at Taphouse. Moderate lacing. This drinks with a silky mouthfeel that’s quite unique. Bells makes some stellar stouts but this one, while pleasant enough, fails to stand out. But maybe that’s the point. (#3770, 12/14/2009).