Bells Hopslam

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Bottle. An almost totally clear dark golden/pale amber beer with a medium sized, quite persistent and lacing white head. Extremely strong and hoppy aroma with notes of grapefruit, pine, pineapple, flowers and citric fruits. Lightly malty, with alcohol slightly detectable. The flavour begins very sweet with light acidity. Very fruity, it’s like to drink tropical fruits juice. The honey is lightly detectable Medium to full body, lively carbonation, long finish with enormous bitterness, some alcohol is felt. Again not too complex, but very fruity and quite easy to drink for its size and good mouthfeel. Maybe I’m finally beginning to really appreciate this style.

Hops galore. I had 4 of these on 4 seperate days before rating this. Great beer! Smooth flaver. Smoother than the SN Torpedo that has less abv. Honey in the brew is amazing. Nice citrus flavor too. Just a great beer.

Excellent double IPA from Bells. I love this brewery, especially their Two Hearted IPA!!!! Nice beer, great mouthfeel. You get a nice aroma and can taste the honey wthi this one. I am going to piss a lot of people off but I do think it is too straightforward with the honey and leaves the palate too fast. I don’t think I would take issue with this if I did not also feel that this beer is a bit overhyped. When everyone thinks something is so perfect or thinks they think something is so perfect then it is hard to live up to that reputation. It is excellent though and also hides the alcohol really really well. I think personally that this also takes away from the complexity as well. I like drinkability, but not so much in a double IPA such as this because when I have a really good double IPA I want to have to search for the flavors a bit more. Great beer overall however and definitely worth of the high marks. Just don’t get drowned in the hype!

Wow. Perfect pour. Sweet, balanced nose with a touch of fruit and honey. It’s very crisp but full tasting and very drinkable.

Batch 8911 from CK. Clear amber, firm creamy white head. Huge exotic fruity nose, honey melon, passion fruit and some resin, sweetish and nectar like. Beautiful, very balanced flavor with exotic fruits, faint pine and lingering grapefruit & fresh cut grass bitterness, hint of toffee and pepper in the finish. Maltiness shows on the chewy palate; quite low carbonation, runs down real easy. Not a hint of the 10% ABV. Amazing, balanced and fresh fruitbomb, a real summer DIPA.

Pours a toasty copper with a one-finger head that has a slight tinge of tan. I have been waiting for this for awhile. PIcked it up at Bruisin’ Ales. Nose is pronounced strongly with pine sap, grapefruit pith, and some floral spring flower / marijuana notes. Swirl it around and froth up the head a little to give it an extra bump in aroma. It brings out some of the caramel / vanilla sweetness from the malts and jacks up the herbal notes some. I am having some trouble pulling out the honey though. Very fresh. Flavor is not terribly bitter. Sugared Ruby Red Grapefruit, lemon, pine and herbs. A little bitterness up front that is quickly checked by a toasty, caramel malt sweetness. This stuff flows damn fine from beginning to end. Starts out a little bitter then into a sweet and wonderful, full bodied elixir that finishes with a fleeting bitterness. Damn fine stuff !!! Very tasty and very fresh.

12 oz. bottle purchased from Archer Liquor in Chicago. Appearance is orange with light lacing. Subtle aromas. Flavor is more pronounced. For me, palate was the strongest feature of the beer - wonderful, heavy feel, wish I could give it more than a 5. Pleased to have finally experienced this beer.

finally we meet. a clear orange beer under a medium sized creamy white head. aroma has floral notes with citrus notes and tropical pineapple notes. an excellent mix of floral and citrus in aroma and flavor. somehow its light bodied and really smooth for the abv. perfect palate-wise.