Bell's Smitten Golden Rye Ale - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An easy drinking ale. Prevalent but not edgey rye flavour, a decent pale ale level of IBU. Good drinkability. Floral. Cloudy golden colour with a good lasting head. A bit above average mouthfeel. Bottle from February 2012, thanks Steve.Rich, satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 03:09:14 | More by northyorksammy

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Bell's last weekend.

Pours a clear golden color with a thin white head and some spotty lacing on the way down. The nose carries some rye and a bit of light spicing. The hops are mostly floral and there is an earthy component as well. Nothing over the top. The flavor has a bit of rye and spice with mild hops. Light body and high carbonation. Body is crisp and fairly bitter. A nice, easy-drinking brew.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2011 21:57:37 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.94/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

12 ounce bottle - $1.79 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

11726 - 01/24/13

Appearance: Pours a hazy, dark golden body with a tall, growing, near white head.

Smell: The aroma is weak, hesitant, with a faint degree of maltiness, a touch of rye grain, and a some dried flower petal undertones.

Taste: A little toasted grain to the maltiness, with a definite rye kick to it. Very low sweetness on hand. Firmly floral throughout. Medium bitterness. Some sustained spiciness on the bitterish, bone dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation.

Overall: I found it to be tiresome and tedious, frankly.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 14:21:36 | More by ChainGangGuy

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.74/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Smitten- what a clever name for a beer that is down to earth, charismatic, and a real beauty to look upon. Yea, maybe I have a little crush on this honey rye.

Smitten opens with a bright and cheery straw color with just enough of a haze to create a vale that gently breaks up the light. A light and foamy head caps the beer with persistence and clingy lace. Though a pale ale, the beer takes on lager-like appearances.

The lightly kilned barley makes way for a grainy-sweet scent that's accompanied by a kiss of floral honey tones. Spicy to the nose, that background husky rye and grassy, citrusy hop notes deliver the scent from the grain and balance the sweetness at the same time.

Thin caramel sweetness greets the front of the mouth, light enough to allow the earthy and flowery taste of honey to make equal impact. At the same time, the zingy spice of rye tingles the tongue with the grainy, peppery, spicy tone of the steely adjunct. The rye balance to the sweetness links up seamlessly to the citrusy hops at middle palate and then the sharp yet clean grassy bitterness that finishes the beer. It's overall balance is even-keel with the taste of malt that evades much of the sweetness from malt.

The beer's short-lived sweetness is whisked away, favoring a dry malt bready texture that's light, airy, and highly refreshing. The rye spice pangs on the tongue with the heated sensation of fresh cracked peppercorn. But the beer delves into a dry finish with mild alcohol warmth and clean hop bitterness.

Smitten pits its supple sweetness against raw spicy notes for balance that shows both its seduction and its boldness.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 17:03:12 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.46/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Pours into a standard pint a clear light to medium golden with a great looking sticky over one finger white head that lift multiple rings of broken lace as it settled into a frothy mass.Aromas were just mild with a sharp note of rye over top of light citric hops,again pretty light.Flavors have some decent citric hops and sharp rye notes but they end ebruptly and nothing really lingers.There is some earthiness that comes into play but the flavors seem to die out pretty quickly after a good start.Not one of the better rye ales I have had but it's not horrible by any means.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 22:31:18 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.71/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Served in a moustachioed shaker pint glass.

Thanks to VDubb86 for this bottle!

But what did he end up saying when the last petal was plucked? Anyway, this stuff pours a clear gold populated by a steady suspension of floaties and topped by a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises pine sap, leek-y grass, funky lemon rind, and a light dusting of rye spice. The taste generally brings in more of the same, though now the leek character is more of a dank/dark one, and there's less of a funkiness present, allowing the lemon to express itself as it sees fit. The body is a rather light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a relatively dry finish. Overall, a pretty nice rye beer, one I could easily see enjoying a few sixers of over the course of its availability.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 03:28:43 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.84/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bell's Smitten Golden Rye Ale. Hey, at last a new Bell's seasonal offering that I can actually find on the shelves and won't cost me $16 for a six-pack. I had a pint of this on tap at a bar a few weeks ago, and like it, then. Looking forward to sitting down and tackling it in the quitted of home, with a mind undistracted.

First off, what about the name? Cute, dear, darling. The dandelion with the petals pulled? Are they shooting for a female market? Perhaps the colors, images and name are looking for ladies who want to be pulled towards something approachable, but substantial, not the same old honey wheats and wits they're used to being marketed to? Just some thoughts. Now let's get to the beer…

Highly hazed, with plenty of particles, but a beautiful golden color despite that, under a slim, sure white dotted head, leaving a little film behind.

Aroma: Bright, fresh hops lead the way, citrus-y, spicy, but not too bitter. Floral hops meets spicy, bread-y rye malt. A nice combination.

Taste: That one-two combo jumps right on to the palate, when the liquid lands on the tongue and floods the mouth. A very vivacious flavor in the mouth, a fantastic combination of slightly bitter hop profile and sweet and spicy malt mouthfeel. Light to medium body, smooth to somewhat tickle texture.

I'm really getting it now. I'm suspicions about the name, branding and imaging are proven true. The flavor is a step up from Oberon, for the craft beer fan needing a little something more, …not so much from hops, but enough. Not too much from malt, but the right amount to keep things tasty, light and easy to drink.

I like this. Might not choose it myself too often. But I recommend it. Refreshing and delightful. Maybe I'm smitten?

Here's the typically terse but clever label verbiage from the bottle: "With wonderfully bitter citus notes, resinous hop flavors and earthy overtones, this interesting take on the American Pale Ale doesn't leave a lot of room to wonder if you'll love it." Well done, but I'd skip the superlatives. "wonderful" and "interesting" should be left to the consumer to decide. True enough, it's a very likable brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 08:23:05 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On draft at Churchkey, beer is yellow, mild haze, wispy white head, minimal lacing, low retention, moderate to low carbonation.

Aroma is a little nutty, a little yeasty, a little spicy, I really like the aroma.

Beer is medium to light in body, a little grainy, a little dry on the finish, overall a nice beer but a little bit of a let down. I"d have it again though.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2012 18:53:33 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

3.94/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, bubbly, orange color with a one-finger, white head of foam. It left thin rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of spicy rye bread with some caramel.

T - Some toffee and caramel sweetness. A very subtle spiciness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale.

O - This was really tasty. I wished that I had another one as soon as I finished the first.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 02:43:23 | More by zeff80

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.71/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Packaged 01/14/13

Pours honey colored with a thumb of beige head. Pretty good head retention & some lacing

S: Grassy, bready, some dry hay, some floral notes

T: Grassy, lemon, floral & pepper notes up front, along with some herbal hops. Slight lemon pepper notes as this warms, just a touch of grapefruit & some grain husks. Finishes crisp with lemon zest, grainyness & grassyness

MF: Light body with subtle carbonation, decent balance

Easy to drink, but nothing I'd buy again. I'll take Red's Rye any day. I would take this over Oberon to be sure

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 03:41:24 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

3.81/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

3rd bottle of the sixer thus far, it's fairly unique, and more of a Rye IPA imho.

Pale orange yellow, murky with suspended sediment, billowing white foam and concentric halos of spindly lace in the glass. Lasting head retention, looks rustic like a saison, and the first whiff lent to this impression.

Complex aromatic combination of hops, rye, and yeast, sort of rustic and herbal, mildly grainy.

Firm herbal bitterness, floral, lemon rind, rye and pale malt, lingering dandelion bitterness. Light bodied and a little bit thin, would be quenching on a hot summer day for sure. Hope to revisit in warmer months.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 02:52:02 | More by emerge077

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Listening to Dr. John on Spotify goes great with this light summer/spring brew from Bell's...color is a kiss of orange/apricot preserves with a whipped head that brings a beige cream colored head forms thick with fine even banded lacing poured into a Tripel Karmeliet chalice. Aroma heavy hitting with floral citrus based hops, underlying hints of spicy rye malts with signature Bell's house yeast strain glowing through like your favorite artisanal crusted bread. The nose hits with orange marmalade like notes heavy on the peel, glazed with sweetness from the malts and balanced with the rye sharpness. Flavor is melding well, heavy bitterness with minimal crashing waves of alcohol seeping through this beer is sending out a lovely message, refreshment with hop bitterness. Someone had to do it I'm glad it's a great company like Bell's, I'm going to quit trying to act like somebody else and just enjoy what's good and not what's popular. I don't see this beer getting raved about, let me start the bandwagon, it's fuckin' good simply pleasurable well crafted American pale ale. The more I taste and smell this beer I'm getting limoncello with spiced rye grains bleeding through the alcohol, not nearly as strong but the same presence. Mouthfeel is creamy textured with hints of nuttiness on the sides of my palate, ample flowing carbonation this beer is smooth but still has that lingering rough hop oil bitterness that most "normal" beer drinkers don't care for, however I'm a "hophead" and I wouldn't expect anything less. Overall high quality well thought out beer, that I'm pleasured to sample a bottle of keep 'em coming good stuff from our friends up in Michigan.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 18:27:59 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A bit thinner than I would have expected for a rye beer. But it's a nice earthy presentation overall. Inky and earthen tones are there on the end. Fairly full carbonation. A hearty drinker, even though it's on the lighter side of most rye beers you get out there.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 04:33:55 | More by RblWthACoz

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a teku)
Bottled 1/18/13
A- This beer has a hazy golden yellow body with lots of hops jetsam suspended while big bubbles push their way to the surface. The thin snow white head sticks to the glass and soon forms a thick ring.

S- The green British hops have a bright pungent woody herbal quality to them with a fresh pale malt note that is a bit dry coming through as it warms.

T- The green pungent hops have a British hop character and a papery quality to them. There is a full spicy hop or rye character in the finish. An earthy rye note comes through as the dry finish opens a bit. The woody herbal hops pungent flavor lingers in the aftertaste but it is never overly bitter.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a scrubbing fizz that cuts into the hop flavor until it dies back a bit.

O- The great hop flavor and nice rye support is full and tasty but it is dry enough and light enough in the body that it is very drinkable as a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 14:18:08 | More by rhoadsrage

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap @ Bell's Eccentric Cafe on 4/23/09. Served in a pint glass.

Pours a crystal clear golden copper with a thin head of foamy brite-white. Retains mostly around the edges, leaving some light spotty lace back. The aroma is mostly smooth smelling rye that is promiment but doesn't dominate the profile, as I'm also getting strong backing notes of bread, citrus, and floral hops, as well as a touch of alcohol heft.

The taste is similar with drying rye notes up front that balances the sweetness that comes courtesy of bready malts and some citrus character. Firm dose of hops in the back ends things with light bitterness and dryness from the rye. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a sharper feeling carbonation that punctuates the hops and rye. There is also a bit of beef to the body, that when mixed with the heavier rye notes, kept the drinkibility down somewhat for me.

Not bad. This definitely brought the crisp rye character but the alcohol was dialed up just just a tad to too much make this thirst quenching. This was worth a try though.

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2009 16:44:31 | More by Kegatron

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.56/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

Bottled 1/24/13

Pours a slightly cloudy, pale golden orange color with a half finger frothy white head that quickly settles into a lasting ring. Sporadic streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Spicy, faint floral hop aroma with some earthy resin and sweet citrus countered by pale malt and bready yeast. Somewhat bland really with not much of a rye presence. Just some spicy, grassy hops followed by bread, biscuit and subtle light fruit notes.

Full bodied and much more interesting than expected. The nose is pretty boring but it's actually complex, well balanced and flavorful. Crisp spicy hop bite up front gives off some dry bitterness with resinous oils, grass and pine needle flavor. Some peppery rye, but like the nose, it's not a dominant flavor. Nicely balanced by yeast, light fruit notes and a pale malt backbone. Hints of bread, biscuit and cracker round things out in the dry finish. Not a great beer but it's refreshing and easy to drink with nice hop flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 07:45:38 | More by corby112

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

Bells Smitten Golden Rye Ale

Pours a honey gold color with a white head and a bit of lace. Large chunks of yeast or proteins are hanging in suspension. Aroma of clean maltyness, some floral and sweet fresh doughy bread. In the taste, bready malt sweetness balanced by a citrusy hop character and a bit of grainy rye. Mild bitterness with notes of grapefruit. Medium bodied with a chalky finish. Overall, this was an ok beer but a little disappointed. This ale could use some cleaning up.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 15:04:30 | More by Stinkypuss

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.51/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Clear brass and light copper color mix, minus the perfectly suspended yeast sediment. No bubbling, quick head, and a thin foam that lasts for most of the twelve ounces.

The aroma is full of lightly spicey rye, eathy and grassy hops, with toasted cracker malts. There's just a small note of yeasty fruity, sweetness.

Very light in body. Just a little syrupy in texture. Light flower hop bitterness and rye spice. Watery, toasted cracker with a little crouton dried bread crust. Easy to drink, spicey, bitter, but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 23:30:29 | More by scruffwhor

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.96/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I picked this up at Giant in the mix-a-six cooler enjoyed chilled from a willybecker.

The color is slightly darker golden with light amber accent with mild haze and thick pale cream of about 2.5 fingers and retention is very good with lace stickage on the glass. The smell is nice with some floral hop elements and mild nutty and grainy malt in the nose with slight citrus in the hop aroma with light orange rind and grapefruit tinged nose. The feel is very good with moderate bitterness and mild sweetness with slight husky grain presence midway through with semi-dry and moderately astringent aspect toward the end with spicy and gently acidic quality in the finish

The taset is pleasant with citrus peel hop flavor and gentle earthy malt with slight grassy taste from the hops w/ light tannic element which seems like a tea-like hop astringency with toasted maltiness in the back end. Overall a pretty tasty rye w/ nice balance and plenty of hop flavor which is almost a Rye IPA in terms of perceived bitterness with fresh taste and dry feel that brings you back for more.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 15:14:56 | More by Slatetank

dirtylou

Washington

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on-tap, Dexter's

appearance: served in a shaker pint, golden-straw body, 1/2" white foam

smell: pale malts, lightly spiced rye, earthy hops

taste: Nothing overly excited here - easy drinking ale - clean earthy hops, light spicy rye, toasted grain, pale malts.

mouthfeel: light and crisp

overall: fine, and certainly drinkable, jut not very exciting

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2011 18:08:28 | More by dirtylou

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.01/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle, Batch 11695, packaged on 1/14/2013. Served in a nonic pint glass, the beer pours a hazy gold color with an inch and a half white head. The head stays around a long time, and there's also a good amount of lacing. The brew smells like bready/grainy malt, rye, citrusy hops, and some grassy hops. The taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some light peppery spice. There's a nice bittersweet finish in this brew. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's a bit creamy, but also refreshing with good carbonation. Would be a great beer on a hot day, but it's still good on a 25 degree day, too. I like this brew, I'd buy it again. $9.99 a 6-pack.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 01:14:30 | More by bluejacket74

tdm168

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - orange with a thin lacing of white head; a lot of floating hop sludge

S - intense, peppery rye; some spicy hop notes; and some faint citrus notes

T - peppery, rye, some spicy hop notes, faint herbal notes, mildly bitter hop finish

M - medium bodied, smooth, well carbonated

This is a decent beer. The rye is forward and intense. and the hop character is very complementary. There are some subtle, underlying citrus and herbal notes as well. Though not terribly complex, I am impressed with its drinkability. I really enjoy a rye beer especially a rye beer that showcases the rye as the primary ingredient rather than a secondary element. This is worth a try for all rye fans.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 02:12:36 | More by tdm168

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Bell's brewpub on 11/28/08. Served in a 12-oz. glass.

A - Slightly hazy golden body with minimal carbonation and half a finger of off-white that receded into a thin ring of retention, some patchy film and spotty lacing.

S - Not much going on here except some graininess and some toasted malt. Hop presence is minimal with just a pinch of grassy hops.

T - Dull grassy hop bite with quite a bit of dryness from the addition of the rye. Hops are mild overall, with the grainy and toasted malt characteristics dominating the flavor.

M - Medium body with a dry, crisp texture and fizzy mouthfeel. Finish is dry and moderately bitter on the palate.

D - Not a lot happening with this brew, but it does have a dry rye presence and a decent hop bite in the finish. Pretty average for Bell's.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2008 22:15:13 | More by ffejherb

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.71/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Another mixed six pickup. 6 packed for a $1.75 Bottled 1/15/13 so less than two weeks old.

A - Wow this one is unfiltered too with a crap ton of floaties. Mild carbonation resulted in just a thick sticky lace ring. Beer seems to be a bright yellow.

S - Smells of spicy rye, some bread, and a touch of wheat.

T - Starts of dry and bitter with some rye then I get some bready malts, touch of wheat and a dry finish. It's not as rye forward as other rye beers so it's enjoyable.

M - Light and crisp, somewhat watery so it could use more carbonation.

Overall I haven't found one bells beer that I hated and even though I don't enjoy rye this one is very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 02:49:59 | More by DrDemento456

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Brilliant golden bronze with a thin off-white veil for head. This dissipates to a thin film and leaves spotty lace,

S-Light spice and a bit of sweet biscuit malt,

T-Light biscuit sweetness with a mild spicy rye kick. This is kind of like your average "beer" fermented with ale yeast with a spicy twist!

M-Medium-light body, sharp and crisp with a good lingering bite.

D-Nothing fancy but solid and easy to drink. A nice intro craft beer that is certainly a good summertime drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2010 13:21:29 | More by Deuane