Bell’s Brewery, Inc.

Galesburg, MI

Smitten Golden Rye Ale

6% ABV

As winter begins to loosen its grip and spring … uh … springs again, hopheads everywhere rejoice, for it heralds the return of one of Bell’s most desired beers: Hopslam.

But seemingly lost in the mix is Smitten, one of the newest Bell’s beers which also just recently hit shelves. What started out as part of a smaller series of rye beers, Smitten is an American pale ale with a heaping helping of rye malts to help spice things up a bit. But with the hops used, you’d think you were drinking … well, you know.

For a brief second after first checking the nose, I thought I had poured myself a bottle of Hopslam. Those rich, juicy flavors of mango, papaya, pineapple and more are all there in spades, and there’s a dank hoppiness coating everything coming out of the glass. But those dreams were quickly dashed when the spicy rye took over. It’s masked just slightly by the hops, but there’s certainly a bite in there. There’s just a touch of wheat and a yeasty sweetness present as well.

The taste is pretty unique compared with other rye beers I’ve had. To start, it’s got a really dry and bitter beginning. There’s a slight pinch on the front of the tongue and just some mild carbonation on the mouth. In the middle of the mouth, you get those really dank wet pine notes from the hops, which is cut immediately by the spice of the rye. The finish is dry and piney again with a lingering wheat and yeast sweetness. The rye lingers quite nicely throughout the mouth, but it settles and lets up a bit the more you drink. The mouthfeel is full and flavorful, and overall it’s a great new brew.