Search This Blog

Sunday, October 23, 2011

RJ Rockers Bell Ringer Strong Ale



RJ Rockers Bell Ringer Strong Ale, from RJ Rockers, poured a slightly hazed amber hue into the glass, topped with a tall beige head and small carbonation streams trailing from the bottom of the glass.  The nose carried forward a citrus-pine blend of hops over a sugary, if somewhat blurred, malt and no alcohol heat (surprising given the 8.5% ABV). 

RJ Rockers Bell Ringer Ale opened with a somewhat lackluster pale malt start, with hints of caramel and orange coming through as the ale warmed on the palette.  Similar to the nose, there was a surprising amount of sugary sweetness in the malt and a complete absence of alcohol heat.  As the ale faded, light grassy notes came through and added a soft bitterness to the fade.

RJ Rockers Bell Ringer Strong Ale is a hard ale to recommend… not because it’s a bad beer, but because it just doesn’t have much going on.  It’s commendable that such a potent beer is so soft, but the lack of complexity and a sweetness untamed by the light hopping make it unmemorable.

No comments:

Post a Comment