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

beer2day

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown pour. Thin sheen of foam and no retention.

Dry nose. Lots of rye in there. Shot of oats as well.

Oats and rye dominate the flavor. Very dry in taste, to match the nose. Always nice when the nose and taste match.

Thin feel for a stout, but somehow appropriate with the overall presentation.

Very easy drinker for ~7%.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2010 12:33:00 | More by beer2day

Chronofied

North Dakota

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Cellar temperature, pured in a pint glass.

Appearance - Dark brown, almost opaque; mahogany around the edges where the light gives it a bit of glow. Very little head to speak of, and what head there was dimished quickly, leaving behind no lacing.

Smell - Rich but not very aromatic. A definite scent of mocha, that is to say coffee with a hint of chocolate. Grain smell is also strong, unsurprisingly. Malt came through more clearly than expected.

Taste - Huge coffee taste right away, slightly nutty and slightly sweet. Pleasant dark malt taste, moderate intensity. Most of the grain flavor comes along at the finish, and hangs out for a while afterwards.

Mouthfeel - Only slightly creamy, this stout is much lighter than expected, though still sweetly sticky. Carbonation is moderate, giving the stout its lightness, but not making it overly sharp. Cripness in the finish is nice.

Drinkability - For a rye stout, it's pretty drinkable, thanks in large part to the lightness and the coffee, which blends the alcohol into the background quite effortlessly. The slight sweetness makes it that much easier to open another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2010 03:20:05 | More by Chronofied

semibaked

Kentucky

3.13/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured into a Pint Glass.

A - Pours damn black and produced about 2 inches of brown foam but didn't produce very much lacing.

S - I get the usual roasted malts from a stout but I really can't smell any rye at all. It does smell slightly oxidized to me.

T - Tastes like a middle of the road stout with roasted malts, coffee and just a bit of hops. I don't taste anything remotely like rye in it.

M - Good mouthfeel, coats a bit like oil but smooth.

D - Ya don't believe I will be having this again, just unremarkable overall, sorry Bell's!

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 21:23:50 | More by semibaked

nrbw23

Ohio

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

A- Pours a dark black with a good sized brown head that sticks around for a bit. Head is rich, creamy and leaves some nice lacing.

S- Dry malts, slight coffee and chocolate, bready maybe a bit of vanilla.

T- A very tasty stout and was quite surprised. Starts of light and dry with coffee and a bready rye flavour coming in. Very nice and good.

M- Fuller side of medium and lighter on carbonation.

D- This is my first rye stout. I really enjoyed this one and would come back to it again. Super easy to drink and a great amount of flavour going on here.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2010 06:53:41 | More by nrbw23

wagenvolks

Texas

3.7/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Batch 9399; 12oz bottle into a Great Divide tulip. Props to jconrick1 for the killer extra!

Rye is such an underrated grain, but it's gaining fast on the craft brewing scene. And for good reason. Let's see how it does in Bell's Rye Stout: the beer pours with a syrupy chocolate-brown body preserving a sluggish carbonation level. At first, I almost thought the bottle was flat, but surely enough a sizable, light tan head built from the depths below. Average retention, but no lacing. Nice aroma filled with subtle notes of rye and dark malts; unlike some other "in-your-face" American Stouts, this one doesn't try too hard. Toasted rye bread crust balances nicely with a floral hop presence, while molasses-filled coffee beans coated in dark chocolate hold down the background. A little sweetness, a little bitterness, a little sourness...nice balance.

The flavor finds spicy rye grains battling it out with roasted milk chocolate malts. Earthy, soily hops grab hold of the tastebuds and provide a lasting bitterness. The carbonation was really a sleeper, and it fired up after the pour to lash the palate with spritzy, sharp bubbles on into the finish. Rye eventually pushes out the rest of the malt, unfortunately, because I think the base for this beer is probably delicious. Still, Rye Stout is tasty, and I applaud Bell's for the ingenuity. (again) It helps that I love rye. Pick this up and give it a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2010 06:33:33 | More by wagenvolks

manahansf

Indiana

3.43/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a semi-hazy light brown color with ruby red highlights. There is very little head to speak of, but what is present is very lacy and light tan. The nose is grainy and sweet with a similar taste. Grainy malt sweetness is semi-tart and a little harsh. I blame the rye, needs more patent malt maybe? There is no hop presence causing it to be somewhat out of balance, especially with
the light body and high carbonation levels. The finish loses the harshness but the tartness continues as it fades quickly with some lingering sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2010 01:24:49 | More by manahansf

aerozeppl

New York

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

Thanks to a BA for this as an extra.

A: Slightly dark brown color with minimal brown head. Nice amount of visible carbonation.

S: The nose is really nice. A nice mix of a big chocolate with just a touch of rye. The chocolate is massive in the nose.

T: It is a nice mix of rye and chocolate. It really works well together but the chocolate comes in a bit more. Just a bit of spice. Really quite nice.

M: Medium body. Very nice for the style.

D: I really liked this beer. Something quite a bit different. Would drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2010 02:45:05 | More by aerozeppl

JoePat

Kentucky

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

Pours a dark brown with a thick tan head.
Smells of chocolate mostly with a some roasted notes and fruitiness not much different than a normal stout.
The flavor has the chocolate and fruitiness as well but you get a little dryness/spiciness from the rye but only a little.
It is a very drinable beer and a great stout but I would like to see a little more flavor from the rye when it comes to something that has rye in the name.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2010 18:54:55 | More by JoePat

tetonka4kzoo

Michigan

3.55/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a murky dark brown. Has a two finger head with decent lacing on the snifter.

A light aroma for a stout. It has a hint of rye; not as overwhelming as I expected.

The taste has standard attributes like coffee and chocolate. It also has a creamy and bready taste.

The mouthfeel has a milky creaminess to this stout.

The smokiness and roasted flavor make it good tasting, however, the strong flavor hinders the drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2010 01:43:15 | More by tetonka4kzoo

rawthar

Pennsylvania

2.48/5  rDev -36.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle from my Bell's Dark Side case int a Brooklyn tulip.

A- Dark, very dark, and yet not black. After the thickly bubbling one finger of head diminishes, it looks like a flat cola.

S- A slight bit of sweet alcohol notes on top of some yeast, but not the same rye tones that I'd expect based on rye pale ales that I've had.

T- Most of the flavors come through on the back of the tongue and in the throat. A bit bitter, which I guess comes from the rye because it's not the bitterness of hops. There's a hint of sour, almost wheat-like.

M- Not much of an impression, accept again for the back of the mouth and throat.

D- I found this stout better slammed back than savored, in comparison to some of the other beers that came in the case.

Overall, I don't dislike the beer, but it's definitely one of the least remarkable of the Dark Side case. I found it to lack the complexity of the Expedition or the Third Coast, though I understand that they are different styles of stout. I guess they can't all be first place winners, and it's not my least favorite in the case either.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 01:14:45 | More by rawthar

uwmgdman

Wisconsin

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

The stout pours near black with a bit of a garnet hue when held to the light. The moderate fluffy tan head diminished to a skin with just a hint of a lace. The aroma is moderately roasty along with some hints of chocolate. The flavor is moderate-high malt, bittersweet upfront followed by roast and chocolate. The roast character of the malt, hop bitterness and maybe rye give a spicy, slightly dry finish that is pleasant and leaves just a bit of bittersweet malt on the palate. Carbonation is moderate and body medium. Overall well crafted stout, rather drinkable yet a lot of flavor. Maybe a bit less roast than most stouts and more bittersweet malt with a spicy/slightly dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2010 01:18:56 | More by uwmgdman

nickd717

California

3.43/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle via trade as an extra thanks to kramer.

Pours just about pitch black with a small but thick tan head and decent lacing.

Aroma is really roasty with coffee and lots of dark rye bread. A little metal.

Flavor is burnt dark rye toast, coffee, and slight metallicity. Pretty tasty despite the metallic notes, but not quite one of my favorites from Bell's.

Fairly full body and a fairly slick mouthfeel. Somewhat low carbonation.

This beer suffers a bit on drinkability. It does sort of overwhelm you after awhile. Drinking more than one 12oz bottle would be tough. A solid offering overall though.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2010 02:10:28 | More by nickd717

CMW

Missouri

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - This beer pours a murky dark brown color with a medium sized caramel head. Retention is very good and there is nice soapy lacing down the side of the glass.

S - The aroma seems somewhat muted but I can pick up on the rye mixed with your common stout qualities (chocolate, coffee, molasses).

T - Slightly grainy up front and then changes as the stout qualities kick in. Good mix of chocolate and molasses with well balanced bitterness.

M - Smooth and creamy.

D - This is a very drinkable beer and I would venture to say that this wouldn't be a stretch for your Guinness drinkers. Overall, no one quality is overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2010 00:56:44 | More by CMW

mdcrouser

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Charred brown, with barely noticeable hints of red-brown making their way into the top and bottom of the glass. A ring of tan head circles the top of the glass, and just enough to let you know that head once resided there - otherwise, it's just a trace.

The nose is undeniably intoxicating - the best of two great worlds - rye and stout. The rye imparts a softness, while the stout adds depth through chocolate, molasses, and toasted breads.

This beer might as well be the beer of hippies - it's just so mellow. Certainly a stout by nature, it exists less on being big and bold, and moreso by being smooth and subtle. Crisp and somewhat acidic, but with definite notes of coffee and dark fruits.

Lightly carbonated - this might be the best aspect of the beer - really allows the decent flavors to stand out and take the fore.

Enjoyable, and a unique twist on a stout, but not the best option - rye has been done better.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2010 04:45:33 | More by mdcrouser

zdk9

Texas

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

Michigan Trip Beer #3 (see my GI BCS review)

A- Black, no highlights. Not much head and not much lace.

S- Not a strong smell. Notes of roast. Sweet moist raisins. A coffee character.

T- Coffee, maple syrup, roasted straw. I'm not noticing any rye character but more of an oatmeal coffee stout.

M- Pretty silky. A perfect amount of bitterness for this style and this taste. Sits on the tongue for a bit and then slinks off and lets you drink some more.

O- A good stout- not a lot of rye but worth getting a sixer of.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2010 00:51:35 | More by zdk9

Beejay

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: A black stout with a little tan head that is running away.. FAST!! RUN!! RUN FROM THE RYE!!! It looks nice.

S: Dark chocolate malts, and roasty, rye-ee goodness.

T: Now thems some yummy beer. Smokey, bready, roasted with bitter chocolate tones. Nice.

M: Fairly thin bodied for the style, and a little over carbed, but still tasty.

D: Nice, big roasty flavors dominate. Bready, smokey and tasty as all hell, though a bit of a sipper. Still damn fine brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2010 04:14:45 | More by Beejay

jsh420

Illinois

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

batch 9399

pours dark brown almost black with a 2 finger head that left no lacing

smell is roasty malts cocoa and some sweet milk

taste - i dont pickup on any rye - reminds me more of a milk stout - a very creamy roasty chocolate

mouthfeel is light and very smooth

drinkability is good - any lower abv stout with this much flavor is a winner in my book

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2010 04:48:20 | More by jsh420

weatherdog

Illinois

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

12oz. bottle poured into a Duvel tulip glass

Batch 9370

It pours a almost pitch black with a head that dies as quickly as it came.

The aroma is just jumping up and down with rye malt. Its like opening up a loaf of rye bread. I'm also picking up some roasted and coffee character as well.

The taste is like biting into some dark rye bread. I've had more than a few rye beers and this one has the most rye flavor I've ever tasted. It's pretty roasty as well. I'm picking up a hair of astringency at the end.

A little too carbonated off the bat but once I got to the end of the glass it felt just perfect. the roasted malts are a little too sharp for an excellent drinkability

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2010 22:24:54 | More by weatherdog

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a deep pitch-black color stout with a small dark brown foamy head with average retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of roasted malt with light peat notes. Taste is very particular with some good peat notes and deep roasted malt. Body is quite full with a very nice creamy texture and good carbonation. Very singular since I am not used to rye being used in a stout but still very interesting.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2010 03:32:34 | More by Phyl21ca

bort11

Missouri

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

12 oz bottle poured into a Dogfish Head tulip. Not a lot of head, it's a dark tan flash then settles to a moderate ring around the edge. Despite the lack of head, large amounts of carbonation sticks to the inside walls of the glass. Color is a murky chocolate brown. Dense hues do not let light through.

Smell has a wonderful dark rye bread aroma. Toasty notes that fill the senses. Hints of chocolate malt and a little lactose. Taste is a creamy sweetness countered with a rye bite.

Mouthfeel is coating as each swallow glides down my throat. There must be some oatmeal in there to make it so creamy. Carbonation is a little too crisp while cold. Let it warm up a little and it expands in it's chewiness. This is not like any stout I've ever had and it's fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2010 02:49:07 | More by bort11

sleazo

New York

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A_Pours a dark brown converging on black with a small wispish head that disintegrates into nothingness rather quickly.

S_Dark roasted malts greet the nose upon first whiff. This is followed by notes of chocolate and a spiciness from the rye.

T_The rye hits in the front here and the roasted malt, chocolate and chicory flavours come through right afterward. The aftertaste is like good bittersweet chocolate with a definite Bell's character that I have had in some of their other stouts.

M_Starts out thin and bubbly but quickly transforms itself into a thick slick of flavour throughout the mouth. rather unique in this regard.

D_A well done beer by Bell's and an interesting way to do a stout. I could go with a little more rye but I would imagine that is hard to pull off with the bold roasted malt presence.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2010 01:20:31 | More by sleazo

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into an Imperial Pint. Batch #9370 (Sept. 29th '09).

Thanks to Sweemzander for yet another good MI brew.

A - Clear dark brown that's near black in the glass with dark brown amber highlights. A quiet pour gives off a small off-white head with little retention and a thin right left over.

S - I can't say I have much experience in the rye area but I pick up a grainy, wheat-like dry aroma I can only imagine is rye. It blends really well with a coffee and roasted malt nose. The more I smell it the more it smells like a coffee stout.

T - Lots of black coffee flavor and dark roasted malts with a touch of molasses and a bitter finish. The grainy wheat-like thing I assume is rye comes out on the finish and lingers through the aftertaste.

M - A higher level of carbonation gives the rye stout a lighter feel with a crisp finish. Medium-full bodied and dry and bitter at the end.

D - I like it. I could have another I think but again, my lack of experience in the rye area doesn't allow me much insight into the exact uniqueness of this over, say, Bell's Java Stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2010 21:07:51 | More by BeerFMAndy

danielharper

Michigan

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

Appearance: Dark black color, slight reddish hue at the bottom, moderately-sized brown head that sticks around. Head is rich and creamy. Nice presentation.

Smell: Smells almost like a nitro stout. Dry malty aromatics, slight notes of chocolate.

Taste: Nice rye flavor up front with a significant chocolate malt presence on the backend. Slightly astringent finish, dry aftertaste. A bit cloying.

Mouthfeel: Moderate thickness, slightly chewy.

Drinkability: A rye stout is an interesting concept, and this is good, but it's not quite up to the standards of most Bell's beer. Definitely worth a try for fans of Bell's or those who love rye, but a bit lacking for my palate.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2010 05:58:09 | More by danielharper

afausser

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: pours with a very minuscule head that disappears quickly. A hazy, dark coca-cola shade of brown (though purple-tinged) with soda-like carbonation bubbles--though much fewer of them than in soda, and more slow-moving as it calms down. Little to no lacing.

S. Rye, chocolate, and strawberries are big in the nose, as well as a hint of lemon and slight grass while its still cold. As it warms, bitter and smoky, and then dark candy hints come out as well as sour cherries.

T. Heavy rye bread, black pepper, burnt cocoa, earth, smoke, and coffee, as well as a slight hint of brandy. The carbonation brings out slight spice and crisp apples. As it warms, hints of anise, caramel, brown sugar, cherries, and molasses present themselves, presenting quite a complex brew.. Very nice.

M. Sparkling, hot carbonation and heat make the heavy notes pop out. The carbonation, while a good vehicle for the taste, is a little frustrating at first. Flattens out quite a bit as it warms, which ends up being slightly disappointing. A little balance would be nice.

D decently drinkable, smooth, a little heavy though and will fill you up.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2010 04:52:50 | More by afausser

GeezLynn

Minnesota

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

Dark brown with an off white head. Pretty good retention with occasional agitation. Pleasant sweet caramel scent along with vanilla and a little cocoa. Flavor is a little more dry and bitter with a lot more dark malt character. Nice roasted flavors, with a balance between coffee, chocolate, bread and a little sourness. Rye adds a welcome earthy touch. Finish is long but fairly dry.
Mouthfeel is well-carbonated. Though it looked a little thin coming out of the bottle, it had a good full-bodied feel to it.

Overall, this is a pretty enjoyable stout with any glaring weaknesses and is very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2010 04:40:09 | More by GeezLynn