RJ Rockers Brewing Company - Bell Ringer Ale

Will RJ Rockers ring your bell with this big, bad, 8.5% brew? Well, that depends on how fast you drink it and how many you have. But, in our experience… well let’s just say our beer panel was quite the lively event the night we sampled this one. On the pour, Bell Ringer offers a delicious-looking hazy amber color with an off-white head with decent retention for the high ABV. On the nose, look for a floral and lightly grassy hop profile with subtle undercurrents of pineapple and grapefruit. Beneath the hop aromas is a rich and somewhat bready malt center with a touch of earthy yeast and a light impression of straw or hay. As you take a sip, the core of sweet, biscuity malt comes to the fore accompanied by hints of brown sugar. Hanging on the malt backbone is a hop profile with enough bitterness to provide plenty of checks and balances, while offering a delicious flavor profile that’s at once subtly spicy, grassy, floral, and citric. The mouthfeel, which is soft, round, and quite full, makes Bell Ringer a pleasure to drink, and the spicy hop bitterness that lingers in the fade kept beckoning us to take another sip. No wonder it rang our bell!

RJ Rockers’ slogan is “Handcrafted.  Every beer.  Every drop.  Every time.”  And it’s not just a nice sentiment; it’s an honest reflection of the passion that founder and owner Mark Johnsen has for the product he produces.  As head brewer, Mark still makes every batch with his own hands.

After serving in the Gulf War in 1991, Mark was stationed in Germany, which ranks towards the top of our list of most amazing places to live if you’re a lover of good beer.  What’s more, if you have an interest in actually learning the science and art of brewing, there is no better place to be, and Mark took full advantage of his opportune location to learn as much as he could about the brewing process.

Upon returning to the U.S. after an honorable discharge, Mark was ready to get into the brewing business for himself. The New Jersey native settled in South Carolina, and opened RJ Rockers in 1997 as a brewpub in the historic Morgan Square area of downtown Spartanburg.  The brewpub developed a strong and devoted following over the next several years and became a well-known meeting place and watering hole, complete with live bands and trivia games hosted by Mark himself.

After five years of nurturing the brewpub and establishing a reputation for exceptional microbrewed beer, RJ Rockers took the leap from brewpub to full-bore brewery to provide kegged and bottled beer to restaurants, pubs, and stores across the Southeast.  A building was acquired to serve as the brewhouse and a 30 barrel brewing system was installed, giving RJ Rockers an annual production capacity of 25,000 barrels – a big step up from their original brewpub system!  Environmental responsibility and sustainability have been integral to the brewery’s construction.  Solar panels are used to generate much of their energy needs, a steam capture system dramatically reduces water consumption, and the brewhouse’s giant bay windows ensure no electric lighting is needed during the daytime.  Even RJ Rockers’ spent grain finds a home with local farmers as cattle feed.

To learn more about RJ Rockers Brewing Company or scheduled brewery tours, visit www.rjrockers.com or call (864) 585-BEER.