Bell's Rye Stout - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

3.86/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Thank you jebus, finally more fractioned ratings.

A: Pretty nice dark brown. A molasses color. Head is pretty weak.

S: An earthy acidity comes through. A bit of maltyness.

T: Very smooth. Malt, a kiss of alcohol, a bit of rye, a bit of smokiness. Pretty solid. A bit light.

M: Smooth, medium body. Finish is a bit too light and watery.

Overall this is a pretty solid beer. The flavors are all subtle which is both good and bad. It makes for an easy to drink beer. Problem is the finish is weak and I can't pinpoint any outstanding qualities. Pretty nice beer and worth checking out.

Serving type: growler

01-10-2013 22:37:45 | More by Jamesthebrit

tectactoe

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a deep, deep brown, almost black color, mostly opaque with a light tan head that is somewhat small and hard to bring out, even with an aggressive pour and a swirl of the glass. Aroma is chocolaty with slight coffee flavors surrounding it; silky, creamy, with a sweet aroma, much like a coffee loaded up with cream and sugar. Very smooth initial mouth feel; bittersweet chocolates come out and darken up as they warm on the palate. The heavy coffee flavors come out about halfway though - very similar to the aroma, the coffee profile is sweet, silky, and creamy rather than dark and bitter. Huge gashes of roasted malts hit the palate left and right, providing a nice ground for all of these other flavors to stand upon. Some bread-like rye finally comes out, but not much until the aftertaste. Slight hop presence, dry and ashy, provides a touch of bitterness to help balance the malty sweetness. Silky mouth, medium-thick body, low carbonation.

Seems like more of a milk/sweet stout than a regular stout. I would've liked the rye to play a more prominent part, but overall it was a pretty tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 06:25:27 | More by tectactoe

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at KBE.

A - Black with a thing layer of white head.

S - Light nose. Roast and a light chocolate aroma.

T - Roast, light chocolate and a hint of coffee. Fairly light overall but a decent flavour profile.

M -Medium body. Light carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2012 03:32:56 | More by TheSevenDuffs

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

'Earthy, dark chocolate aroma';

Appearance: significant head; strong lacing; deep brown in color

Smell: malty on the nose; seemingly light cocoa

Taste: chocolate malt in flavor; one of the lightest stouts I've tried

Mouthfeel: easily drinkable, not overly carbonated

Overall: easy and sessionable, but slightly bitter.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2012 01:09:40 | More by SkeeterBoganski

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.73/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours less dark than expected, a dark brown moreso than used motor oil black like in many of the Bell's stouts. Aroma, could discern the rye portion of this. Other than that, it was pretty average in every way. Average roasting, sweetness etc. . .

Taste, solid. Some toffee which probably helped with the darker brown appearance. Still not really getting what makes this a rye stout, just can't taste or smell it. Mild chocolate malt. Seemed like it was more of an oatmeal than a rye stout at times. Hint of smoke.

For a Bell's stout (cherry, expedition etc. . . ) it was below average, but easily above average for every other stout out there. Enjoyable and would drink again. I think the next bottle I'll drink as my first beer of the day to try and get a better grasp on the rye aspect.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 17:31:54 | More by Beerandraiderfan

russwbeck

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Black pour with a light brown head. Very nice retention and a ton of sticky lacing. About a finger of head remains after I finish the last drop.

S: This comes down to basically: Rye and Roast. Slight maltiness underneath.

T: he roastiness really takes the cake here. The rye is noted, but this is really roasty. I didn't get any on the smell, but there is a nice chocolate character to the taste here.

MF: Heavy body with low carbonation. Dry finish and real drinkable.

O: Decent beer. Enjoyed the opportunity to try this. At $3 for 4oz I would probably skip it next time.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2012 15:58:14 | More by russwbeck

smakawhat

Maryland

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on tap at Churchkey into a snifter glass.

An off tan head, fizzy but uniform looking a little foamy but doesn't last. Body color is a dark walnut brown with perhaps some red hues.

Nose is a nice mild drip coffee, with some faint roast, a sense of wetness seems to be noticeable or perceived.

Taste is very soft bodied, real nice. Coffee and mild roast character shines through with some chewy grain. Carbonation seems fairly high for a stout, a little fizzy, but strangely doesn't take away from enjoying the palate. There's some dry finish here a little.

Overall, I wouldn't have guessed there was rye in this, but it's a fairly tasty stout from Bell's.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2012 00:57:03 | More by smakawhat

ChugginOil

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours pretty solid. Black in color with barely any visibility around the edges. An inch of light tan head sits for a few moments, leacing webs of lace behind.

The nose has a good amount of leather working with hint of cocoa, roasted malt, and sweet cream. A bit of spiced rye lingers in the background.

The taste follows the nose pretty much with some amplification of the senses. Leather, earthy hops, spice, cocoa and deep roast.

The mouthfeel is creamy with a smooth texture. A bit thin but enjoyable with a high drinkability level.

Overall, decent offering from Bell's. Enjoyable stout with impressive profiles all around.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2012 07:11:32 | More by ChugginOil

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at devils den in philly

Pours an opaque blackened color with a thin layering of tanned head. Wispy film rests on top, leaving a few spots of film on the glass.

Nice scents of chocolate and roasted malts with a splash of sweetness. Rye spice is definitely apparent with a hint of hops and soft bitterness.

Slight hoppy note up front with a swirling blend of roasted malts. Touches of dark chocolate and malty warmth. The rye spice kicks in towards the back end with a pretty aggressive flavor. Finishes a bit sweet and dry.

Fuller medium body, slightly higher carbonation, dry and sticky on the tongue. A nice hybrid between the stout and rye qualities - something I'd definitely drink again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2011 03:06:05 | More by xnicknj

tykees88

Indiana

3.38/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- a very nice reddish brown. The lacing has a red tinge to it as well. Small head.

S- Smells like chocolate and sweet malts. I don't smell very much rye.

T-Tastes more like rye than it smells. The chocolate is an undertone to the beer. A nice hop flavor. Didn't skimp here.

M- Slick a little too much maybe.

O- It's decent. Creative too. I probably wouldn't revisit, but doesn't mean you shouldn't

Serving type: on-tap

10-13-2011 00:02:40 | More by tykees88

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had a pint at the Bell's Cafe. I enjoyed the earthy, roasted character, but overall the stout was just a little too thick and sweet for my liking. This is a pretty big, thick stout, but didn't have the complexity I'd want from a higher-ABV American stout.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2011 22:48:00 | More by tempest

brew3crew

Ohio

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On Tao at the eccentric cafe

A-black body with a tan head that quickly disapates

S-little bit of rye with a little bit of coffee

T-follows the nose. More coffee than rye but it makes a good compliment.

M-medium body and smooth

O-good beer. Would like to try again

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2011 00:39:03 | More by brew3crew

JackieTH

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured a semi-translucent black with a cap of tan foam that disappeared quickly. Smell was roasted malt and a bit of earthy spice. Taste follows with more roasted malt, semi-sweet dark chocolates, earthy spice. Full-bodied with decent carbonation. Overall impression is richness but lighter than many typical stouts.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2011 21:33:45 | More by JackieTH

oline73

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this on-tap at the Eccentric Cafe as a part of a sampler.

Appearance: Pours almost black with very little light coming through at the edges. There if a finger of thick tan head with great retention.

Smell: Mildly sweet and roasty with some dark chocolate notes as well as some burnt malt.

Taste: This one is very smooth. Mild rye spice. Roasty but not very bitter. Dark chocolate notes with a sweet and roasty finigh.

Mouthfeel: Silky with body on the thicker side. Smooth carbonation with a dry finish.

Overall: I really liked this stout. The rye was there, but it complimented the other flavors and didn't take over. I would definitely have another.

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2011 04:16:45 | More by oline73

ditmier

Idaho

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 Bottle, Batch 9370 - Thanks mibirder! - Pours an opaque dk brown with a large tan head...aroma is roasty and woody, cocoa and plum, with a pronounced graininess...flavour is similar, sweet caramel malt, coffee, a great amount of rye taste without becoming one dimensional, finish is somehow a lingering char bitterness, but the mouthfeel is completely sweet...odd brew that I completely enjoyed!

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 23:54:25 | More by ditmier

EORS

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at their brewhouse in Kalamazoo. On the board as 7.2% abv, so the recipe might be a bit different from past reviews.

Appearance: Black with ruby traces and a thin brown head that leaves little lacing and disappears quickly

Smell: Faint hints of coffee and roast malt. Not a ton here.

Taste: Your usual coffee and chocolate notes, but the rye gives a really mellow feel to the beer. A sweet taste in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth - medium to full bodied with low carbonation.

Overall: I enjoyed the experiment with rye, but I think that it doesn't really impart too much in the way of flavor, and I came up thinking that the stout could have used a bit more in that department. This would be a very interesting beer to barrel-age or flavor with wood. As it is, it's easy to drink, but was left a bit cold by it. Possibly because all the brews at their cafe were served extremely cold...

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2011 03:26:14 | More by EORS

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.13/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served in a La Chouffe tulip.

A- Black with off-white head. Very little lacing. This bottle left a lot of sediment suspended in the bottom of the glass.

S- Rye is definitely there with coffee and a little sweetness.

T- Rye really dominate this beer. Get some coffee and roasted malts like a typical stout. Not a lot of bitterness.

M- Thinner for a stout. Goes down easy with a semi-dry finish.

O- The rye makes it different, but that's about it for this beer. Thought it was good but wouldn't seek it out again.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 02:41:02 | More by kawilliams81

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Found this one to be pretty interesting. This beer pours out like most stouts do with a deep black color and brown head. The lacing was pretty good on this one. The smell of the beer had a deep roasted aroma and had a pretty good amount of rye on the nose. The taste had an impressive amount of spicy rye too. The mouthful was at a good thickness, overall I enjoyed this stout quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2011 15:03:30 | More by Knapp85

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I'm a big fan of rye beers, so I was very pleased to see this on-tap at the Brick Store Pub. It's easy enough to find a rye ipa or lighter beer, much harder to find a rye stout. I really enjoyed this quite a bit. Poured dark brown, approaching black, with a creamy head. Smells of spicy rye balanced beatifully with some firm malt and some roastiness. Tastes similar- and very nice. Lovely gobs of spicy rye supported by lightly roasty malt and a huge creaminess. The rye really shines here and isn't overwhelmed by charred notes. Great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2011 21:53:15 | More by Georgiabeer

ArrogantDeadGuy

Virginia

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Black pour with little head, unpleasantly reminiscent of blended black and tans. The flavors are lacking in coffee notes but almost compensates with nice toasted malt flavors. The smooth dry finish is a high note for this blandish understated stout. While the carobonation is nice and the brew is smooth it lacks the creaminess expected. Overall, eh.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2011 02:42:18 | More by ArrogantDeadGuy

ColdPoncho

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From notes, 3-30-11

Was surprised to see this on tap at an Oberon release event, I didn't even know this beer existed.

A - opaque black body, small tan head. Simple, but strong. Good look

S - coffee, hint of rye spice, some fruity hops. Interesting

T - coffee, earthy notes, rye spice, dark fruit. Nicely complex beer, and it is even a bit hot.

M - really nice body, very smooth and full. Robust and a touch dry.

O (D) - A very solid, fairly interesting stout. A good drink.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2011 22:17:11 | More by ColdPoncho

Brenden

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is a medium-dark brown in color with red hues shining through. It's dark enough that it can just barely be seen through, and not well. The light brown head doesn't tower but isn't small either, about a finger, and thick. It leaves patches and some legging of creamy lacing sticking to the glass as it recedes.
The aroma's a bit light, and not quite what I've come to expect from Bell's. The rye really doesn't come through clearly, and I wonder if rye can really work in a stout the way it can in a less malt-forward style. Caramel sweetness lingers in here. There's a little bit of coffee ground and some smokiness with a woody / earthy touch to it.
The flavor, again, is a little light, but the rye comes through just a little bit more strongly than in the aroma. Sweetness rolls on the tongue with a hint of nuttiness before the smoky woods pull through, finishing out with the malted barley, biscuit / breads, and a touch of sourness I attribute to the rye hiding in the background.
The body is full with a fairly lush, smooth mouthfeel. Carbonation is light to moderate and the somewhat lingering finish is a mix of sweet and bitter tinged with a note of sourdough.
This is a good beer, though Bell's for me has always been top-notch to this point. Still, I'd drink this again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2011 05:00:04 | More by Brenden

dmfrench

Indiana

2.63/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Sub-par pruney, salty, thin stout... try again Bell's
___

A: Opaque black with a fleeting one finger khaki head.

S: Prune, salt, a bit of roasted barley... not particularly aromatic.

T: Again prune, salt, roast, a bit of spiced hops... I can neither taste nor smell rye, which is a shame considering how delicious rye can be... not very inspiring from a giant like Bell's

M: Full and creamy in the mouth, but quite thin on the aftertaste.

D: Just not very impressed...

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 19:57:59 | More by dmfrench

Geuzedad

Arizona

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this at The Birch in Norfolk. Served in a Bells pint glass. Was a very dark brown in color with a one finger tan head that faded to some nice lacing. Nose was a mix of coffee, chocolate, even some fruity? and also spice.

Taste was malty sweet and chocolate, followed by coffee and a hint of rye but not what I expected, and a caramel finish.

Mouthfeel was medium bodied, good carbonation and crisp.

This was my first Bells and I was impressed. I was told this isnt even one of Bells best so I cannot wait to try their other concoctions. I really enjoyed this beer and would definitely drink it again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2011 01:46:08 | More by Geuzedad

Landfill21

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this beer at the local beerfest. This was one I definitely wanted to try. Had a smell of coffee, toffee and a hint of caramel. Had similar tastes. The hint of caramel really comes through at the finish. Has a nice medium mouthfeel and a decent drinkibility.

I expected more from a stout from Bell's overall was a great stout that I would recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2011 02:46:50 | More by Landfill21