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Very dark brown blackish color with an immensely thick and crispy cocoa brown head that grew to about a finger high only to subside fairly quick to a thin ring, leaves a good amount of spotty lace all over the glass as it goes. Smell has a big time sweet roastyness, tangy dark cherryness with sweet chocolate, vanilla, and cookie dough notes, but mostly a very heavy roasted black malt heft on top with some coffee beans and a juicy tart-like sweetness. Taste is more of the same, light roastyness starts it out but is headed off quickly by a major tangy sweetness of dark cherry and maybe some dark orange that coats the palate and mouth with a chewy tanged sweetness which resides some as it fades out bringing in some light sweet chocolate and notches of coffee. Trails of the tangyness lead into the finish which dries out slowly bringing in a touch of bitterness of hops and coffee. Feel is a solid medium body, pretty smooth and creamy with a moderate sweet/tarting bite and a lightly dry finish showing through late. Its a fine stout with a sweet/tart effect thats OK, maybe if that tang were held off by just a bit it would be better.

Served In: Pint Glass

12oz Pour
$2.25
Eccentric Cafe

Bell's Rye Stout poured the darkest of browns bordering on black. Mahogany highlights flashed through along the sides of the glass. A minimal ecru crown formed on the pour (because the bartender) and left decent spotty lacing as it fell.

Aroma was that of roasted grains and a mild coffee ground goodness. The rye was definately apparent wit ha very welcomed spicy caracter.

Flavor was very similar to the aroma with a solid rye spicing that made this beer special. A lot of the standard stout flavors came through like roasted grains, mild coffee, and mild bittersweet chocolate. The alcohol is amazingly well hidden.

This is on the lighter side of stouts and the mouthfeel really shows that. Body is medium and smooth with a nice slickness that keeps things moving.

Highly drinkable with the moderate body and enjoyable rye spiciness.

Drank this rye stout while eating a reuben and I don't think there could have been a better combination on that cool November day.

Reviewed: 11/11/07

Price: $2.25 Served In: Pint Glass

Batch 7235, February 2006; Sampled August 2008
Quite the viscous appearing brew, it definitely pours with a certain thickness to it. I easily rouse a full three fingers of a light brown colored head that fills my 25cl tulip glass to the top. The beer is a deep, almost black, concentrated brown color that shows just a hint of light in its depth when held up directly to the light. The aroma has quite a bit of spicy grain character to it, though this is not the most prominent note. Instead a nice, mellow roasted character is most notable; aromas of dark chocolate, toasted whole grain bread, smooth espresso, an earthy burnt note. A touch of fruitiness (almost a bit of prune juice) and a sweet malt note are just noticed in the nose towards the finish. While the aroma is mellow, smooth and well integrated, I would never have guessed this was two years old from the nose.

A fullness to the body does not keep this beer from having a quaffable character; this definitely has a viscous rye character to it though. A smooth roast character delivers flavors of roasted prunes, blackened raisins and a rich, deep, darkly toasted grain character that comes off with quite a bit of a biscuit / cracker character. Up front, there is a nice cocoa quality to this beer that doesn't quite become lush chocolate flavors before a touch of roasted grain acidity kicks in. This last is quite light and the acidity actually helps to counter-balance the viscous body of this brew. This really has a nice fruitiness to it as it warms up and it definitely reminds me of a dark, sweet dried fruit (like those mentioned previously plus some fig). A significant nutty note (almost toasted hazelnut really) is in the finish and adds quite a bit of another dimension to this brew. This nutty note is likely a touch of oxidation showing through, but it adds a really nice touch here.

This has held up quite well and I am quite enjoying the cocoa notes and the bright, concentrated fruit flavors that are offset by the smooth roast character.

Served In: Tulip

A - Pours a quarter inch tan head consisting of medium sized bubbles. Within thirty seconds it is only a ring around the glass and some whisps on the surface. Body is very dark brown and opaque. Borders on black.

S - Roasted dark malts. That tangy rye odor is definitely present here. Ever so slight chocolate aroma.

T - Rye hits right away up front. Roasty malts hit the middle of the tongue. Slight cocoa taste in the finish accompanied by the rye again. There is a sweetness going on here that I can't put my finger on.

M - Medium bodied and very smooth. Despite the lack of head, the carbonation is fine.

D - This is one easy to drink stout. Could easily put away quite a few of these on a nice fall day.

Served In: Pint Glass