Bells Hopslam

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

On draft at redlight redlight. This is one of my favorite beers when I need a hop fix. Pours a gorgeous amber with a subtle white head. Good lacing. Smells super hoppy with hints of grapefruit and candied apricot. Smooth bubbly with mouthfeel with huge hops, honey, and more of the candied apricot/peachy hints. Lingers around long enough for you get another pint before you start feeling lonely. A must have for hopheads.

Bottle from Cracked Kettle. Bright orange body with puffy head. Seriously bitter nose but also very rounded and smooth. Starts dry with lots of hops, then gets sweeter with lots of pine in the finish. Just delicious. Taste of mango and pineapple, and lots of hoppiness. Illustration of man bowled over by three giant hops is classic.

Bottle, last of the twelve at Bullies! Copper orange with a great hop aroma, off white head. Poured in wine glass. Hops!! with a malt drive that seemed to keep this in a straight line. Really good, you would think bitterness would poke it’s head but in the background. Took my time drinking it, really good. Good luck getting this now because it was slim pickings when I had it, last of the case!

Bottle, pours syrupy honey gold with a super dense fluffy head, the most intense and enjoyable aroma of any beer I’ve had: super rich with honeyed grapefruit and pure Cascade hop, flavor is simultaneously intense and balanced, with huge notes of grapefruit and honey with huge bitter wallop on finish, all supported by a sturdy caramel malt backbone, finish is a perfect warming bitter fade, an astounding brew

Poured a hazy orange hue, with a big white head. Very, very powerful citrus aroma -- smells like pineapple juice. Tastes like pineapple and grapefruit, very sour. Fairly mouth-puckering. Long-lasting sour, citrusy finish. No alcohol aroma or taste.

We beer geeks rarely mention how big of a role rumor and hype play into our beer-hunting, tasting and judging processes. There are many beers out there that have made a name for themselves in the craft beer community through reputation alone, but then again there’s a fine line between word-of-mouth and hype. I was anxious to try Bell’s Hopslam Ale after seeing and reading rave reviews of it around the internet, but always wondered if it was genuine or at this point just hegemony. Now that I’ve actually tasted it I can understand why its regarded so highly, although I wouldn’t quite consider among the best of the best (but it IS excellent, though!).

APPEARANCE AND AROMA

Hopslam Ale pours to a very hazy body of marigold or tangerine orange. It’s difficult to tell how effervescent it is, although I’m guessing rather low as it produced a surprisingly small, off-white, soapy head (which lasted throughout the life of the beer and left some lacing on the glass).

The aroma is extremely inviting as it smells more like a tropical fruit juice than a beer. Grapefruit and orange seem to be the most predominant scents along with a slight piney resin character. For a beer as big as this is, there is zero alcohol present in the nose.

TASTE

One of my small pleasures in life is taking my first swig of a new IPA and loving the taste. That was definitely the case with Bell’s Hopslam Ale. Just as the aroma indicates the first flavor I notice is a tart citrusy, almost juice-like taste. It’s actually quite refreshing not unlike a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day.

The beer finishes with a slightly dry, honey-like malty sweetness. The aftertaste is strong with a noticeable pine and resin-like bitterness. Surprisingly, it does not dry out the tongue the way many standard IPAs tend to do. I’m not sure of the IBU rating for this beer but I’d estimate it’s in the 60s or 70s as the bitterness is quite strong, but seems to back off on the way down.

I’m actually a little surprised the hops do not linger here. I’m also surprised the citrus flavors quickly fade and the palette becomes almost exclusively pine-like. It’s definitely a satisfying taste but it doesn’t exactly knock my socks off the way the word on the street implied it would.

DRINKABILITY

I like a good "double IPA" which tends to weigh in at 8-9% ABV, but anything above that tends to border on the obese. Potent beers aren’t known for their drinkability, but Bell’s Hopslam could signal a change in the direction for brewers who want intense flavor and big body without sacrificing drinkability.

If it wasn’t public knowledge I’d bet the average drinker would not guess this beer is actually 10% ABV. There’s only a touch of warmth as the beer finishes, but it doesn’t leave a boozy aftertaste the way many bigger beers tend to do. Additionally, the mouthfeel is remarkably lighter and thinner than some standard IPAs and goes down very smooth.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There’s a heck of a lot to like about Bell’s Hopslam Ale from the great taste to the high drinkability, so I can certainly understand why it receives a 100 on Rate Beer and an A on Beer Advocate. Personally, this isn’t an all-time great for me but it was very satisfying and I think that would be true for almost every beer drinker out there.

NOTE: This beer was sent to me from a friend in Michigan. Bell’s beers are not available here in upstate New York (yet). I cannot comment on the price. Also, this beer is only brewed once a year in January so if you miss out you’ll have to wait until next year (why don’t they just brew it year-round?)

NOTE: Watch the video version of this review at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEmdSod0Pf4

The honey is a great touch but it doesn’t soften the biting, bitter hopslam in you mouth that makes it stand out. On tap at Old Chicago in Okemos.

Incredible aroma! Overwhelming hops scent when opening bottle reminds you hops is of the Cannabis family. Citrus taste is comparable to the best of this style. Bell Two Hearted Ale’s Big Brother.