Bells Hopslam

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

Pours a hazy burnt orange with white head. Aroma of fruity hops, some malt. Great hop bomb aroma. Similar taste, the hops are ever present but a hint of fruits and malts really balance this out. Very warm in my belly. Exceptional offering from Bells. I’ve just been hopslammed.

Pours an orange-copper color with a medium white head. Aroma is not as profound as I’d hoped for, but still nicely hoppy with malt lurking in the background. Flavor is very hoppy all the way through; the malt comes and goes. A little bit of light fruit makes a brief appearance in the middle, the malts come with more force toward the end. Rich mouthfeel and viscosity - nice palate. Overall, very good.

Bottle: Pours golden coloured, good white head. Aroma is tangerines and lemons, the promise of hops. The flavour is rye bread surrounded by a bitter hop bomb chased by spicy, peppery honey. Just terrific, why can’t beers like this be available every day? Cursed liquor laws and talent hording brewers.

Pours amber burnt orange color, with nice white head. Aroma of hops and citrus. Certainly sweet, with clear caramel and especially honey notes. Goes down easier than I expected with the 10 ABV. A little on the sweet side, and I’m not really digging the honey influence.

Bottle courtesy of Garry (changeup45). Pour is amber brown, with 1 finger white head. Aroma is lots of hops and malt. Taste is quite delicious hop, but very balanced with malt. Tasty brew.

Bottle from Martha’s Vineyard in Grand Rapids MI. Why are so many of my favorite beers being consumed in motels these days? Either I have exquisite luck finding great beer while traveling or I simply have more freedom to sample when I’m away from home. Anyhoo...this is a really wonderful beer. Again, on opening the hops jump out at you...but this time they are leafy, fresh and very citric. The palate is so full with hops and yet the malt balance really does make this beer so much more than one dimensional. Someone else compared this to DFH 90 min and I have to say I prefer this beer...it’s more refined, more even keeled. I’d draw another analogy to women but I’m starting to sound like a guy who equates beer rating to sex which isn’t really fair...since when I sample beer my performance has nothing to do with my enjoyment! HA! Back on topic... Try this beer if you can...it’s fantastic.

Orange brown pour with one finger froth that lingers nicely. Aroma is forward with a citrusy sweet toasty malt with some caramel, molasses, and biscuit. Resin follows closely. Flavor is quite bitter but balanced with sweetness quite nicely. Citrus prevails in the hop depth, leaving a lingering and prickling reminder of its presence. Palate is tingly smooth and full, Truly a nugget of beauty.