Bells Hopslam

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

12oz. bottle, batch #7741. Aroma is suitably dominated by hops, these bringing a fresh and strongly fruity, piney, citric and lightly floral character, and with mere suggestions of honeyish and lightly toasty malt sweetness underneath. Medium golden color with amber highlights and a rapidly thinning head. Strikingly bitter, resinous hop flavor profile, immense pine, juicy grapefruit, lemon and spice throughout with a malt presence that is more felt than tasted, although there is a small amount of sugary maltiness to find late. Oily, prickly mouthfeel with a medium-full body. Finishes very long and lingering, seeming to show off a much fuller spectrum of hop attributes as the beer is allowed to warm sufficiently. Alcohol is nicely hidden here. Fittingly named as it will serve nearly anyone’s hop fix.

Super pinappley- mango, very very tropical. Slight metallic notes. I’m going to have to disagree with Brad here and suggest that this isn’t complex enough to compete with Dread or (especially) Hop Wallop or Avery 11 - unless you love the big fruit and don’t go for earthy, iron components.

bottle thanks to sloth. poured a clear gold with a thin whit head that fades. aroma of some nice fruity citrus and grapefruit. flavor is sweet, citrus, and pine. medium body and carbonation. i found this to be a great IPA. alcohol was rather well hidden.

Thanks to mreusch for sending me this one. 1-year-old (Bottled Oct 2006). Pours an almost clear amber with a small off-white head. Smells hoppy with a hint of alcohol. Strong and full flavored. Lots of hops and quite a bit of alcohol too. Grapefruity hoppiness with a hint of berries. Medium to full bodied. Medium carbonation. Bitter finish with a warming alcohol sensation. A bit too much alcohol.

Piney and citrus hop IPA to the max!! There is deep caramel flavors as well. even at 10% this beer hides it very well. a beer you must try!!

Apr 23, tap @ Excentric Café. Pours clear dark amber with a small off white head leaving some lace. Aroma is sweet, apricot, malty and nicely hoppy. Peppery fullbodied mouthfeel. Pungent, peppery, sweet, fruity, alcohol and apricot flavor. Fullbodied hoppy palate. Finishes well balanced and longlived tart bitter.

Mazy orange hue, fine slice of bone white froth atop. In the aroma, it’s all pungent, spikey, in-your-face hoppitude! Tropical fruit on top, pineapple, lemon, grapefruit,mango, raw, pulpy and vibrant. Pine forest floor, and more. Slightly sweet citriuc feel, but bitter hop feel dominates. Taste: once more, a charge of hops on the tongue, not delivered too lightly. Same citric flavor storms the palate, but a second after it boards, there’s a nice, creamy relief. Rolls playfully on the tongue, like a cat on the rug preoccupied with string. Each new sip imparts this deliciousness, but despite the huge !BUs and way-up-there ABV, you ’d hardly know it. Amazingly easy to drink, if you’re a hop craver like me. Wow! Tangy, potent hoppy twang never quits the mouth. Incredibly full bodied, long-finished, and commendably created. Mmmm, delicious! A pricey beer, (I paid $14 a 6-pack), but well worth it. One hell of an IPA, and a well-named one! Thanks for delivering the goods, Larry & co! Now, I just can’t wait to tap a keg of it!

UPDATED: JAN 12, 2010 [6.8.08] Pours a rich glowing orange brown with a fantastic creamy fine off-white froth on top. Rich malty, honey, fresh hop, grapefruit, pineapple and piney aroma. Earthy flavor, piney with lesser notes of grapefruit, honey, citrus and grass. A little bit salty/resiny. Light waxy mouthful with medium fine carbonation bubbles. So easy drinking for an IIPA. Reminds me a bit of Goose Island Imperial in drinkability/malt profile, but without the Belgian yeast. Yum.. the definition of double IPA! 9.5.9.4.18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [batch 9470 rated 1.12.10] Pours a clear glowing golden orange, very bright with a thick foamy frothy white head 4.5. Aroma is fantastic, sweet bright stingy grapefruit with sharp honey, very floral very bright, hint of biscuit 9.5. Flavor is a bit hot, biscuity, honey, toasty caramel, scorchingly bitter, bright fruits, peaches, mango, mostly grapefruit, piney, quick finish leaving some honey and lots of bitterness. Medium/full bodied, a bit viscous syrupy, sharp sizzling carbonation. 9.5.9.4.18