Bells Rye Stout

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Stout
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Serve in English pint

Typical bell stout aroma, rather oaty with some background hoppiness. Extremely sticky maltiness, with a long souring malt finish that keeps getting worse. This is the most confused of the Bell’s stouts that I’ve tasted.

On tap at the Bavarian Lodge, Lisle, IL. and served to a Bell’s shaker. The color was a murky, dark brown with a diminishing, light tan, tiny bubbled, foam head and some curtains and spots of lacing. The aroma was roasty, coffee, and subtle hints of smoke and char. The flavor added to the aroma notes a touch of molasses and caramelly sweetness, low hop bitterness, and a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. A very presentable stout.

UPDATED: FEB 18, 2010 Bottle via trade with phaleslu, thanks Peter! Pours dark, slightly hazy brown with a 1 finger beige head that fades somewhat quickly. Aroma is roast, toasted grains sweet tobacco, light spices, hints of chocolate and dry grass. Flavor is dark caramel, roast, grainy rye, planty notes, roasted nuts, more sweet tobbacco, some char, a playful bit of citrus peel and some extra nutty sweetness and char toward the finish. Palate is medium bodied a little slick throughout (leaving a slightly sticky film on the lips) and has a light, but fairly sharp carbonation. Really good stout overall, the rye notes are certainly interesting.

UPDATED: JUL 16, 2008 Bottle given to me from Robert. Not what I was expecting.. But suprisely good. Dark in color, no head. Aroma that I cant put my finger on. Taste is sweet and smooth. Rye, chocolate, small amount of coffee, roasted malt, but has a nicy spiceyness that suits it well. Texture is a little thin for a stout. Hats off to the brewers at Bells for trying something unique. Good beer! Thanks robert!

Pours jet black with about a finger of dark tan head that reduces fairly quickly to absolutely nothing. After about a minute, once the head has disappeared, it looks like a glass of soy sauce. The nose is fairly muted for a Bells stout, with a bit of the spicy rye poking out behind dark roasted malt. I’m not sure that the combination of scents works too well for me. Light to medium-bodied and fairly thin, especially in comparison to other Bells stouts that I’ve sampled, the mouthfeel is silky-slick with a lightly lingering roasted finish. The flavor is a spicy (rye) roasted malt front with just a touch of hops poking out from behind. It’s a bit thin for my tastes, and I prefer both the Double Cream and Kalamazoo to this one. But a third placed stout from Bells still kicks the crap out of a lot of other breweries’ "best". A very drinkable and enjoyable stout.

12 oz bottle. Dark brown long-lasting tan head. Nose is great. Vanilla malt coffee caramel plum alcohol. Taste is beautifully creamy cocoa coffee vanilla creamy goodness. Some sweetness to go with the bitterness definitely. Yummy goodness. A better than the majority stout.

Pours a jet black color with a small amount of foamy tan head. Aroma is sweet molases, roasted barley, brown sugared fruit. Flavor is pretty light for the abv, creamy smooth sweet caramel mocha. Overall, i liked.

Dark brown pour with a thin light tan head. Looks like a coke. Roasted malt aroma. Mostly bitter with the faintest touch of sweetness. Roasted malt and grain flavor. Some earthiness. Bitter hop finish.