Bells Hopslam

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

What a great change from the Atwater Salvation I had right before this. This beer was more like a salvation! Beautiful bright orange with a bountiful flowing white sticky resinous head. It slowly dissipates, so not to discourage your lips from hitting the beer right away. Excellent lacing, aromas are bright and vibrant- grapefruit, piney, limes. Flavors are great also, accented well by the citrusy hops, and just a touch of caramel sweetness.

Golden-orange in colour with a thin but lingering off-white coloured head, good lacing. The aroma is quite hoppy with lots of orange citrus, grapefruit, pine, highly sweet with a bit of alcohol. The flavour is juicy with lots of hops, high bitterness, orange zest, some pine but at the same time just a bit thin. Thin but bitter mouthfeel, medium body, medium/high carbonation. Finishes dry, lengthy and hoppy.

The more that I drank this the more thirsty I became. Very chewy but I can’t help but feel that this was a bit too thin. I much prefer the stouts that Bells produces.

355ml bottle obtained in a trade with miketd, thanks Mike.
Opened on April 20, 2008
Batch #8277.

UPDATED: FEB 24, 2008 Big time shout out to da Illinismitty for this brew. Pours an extra cloudy orange with a little white head. The nose on this one is super fresh. Hops come out in a very citrusy fashion with strong herbal, maryjane notes. Lots of definition on this nose, very spicy but not biting. The flavor is not all the bitter, but filled with grapefruit and lemon. Malts are medium sticky and balance things out quite well. The finish lets some biting citrus presence nip the tongue just a bit more. This is a very tasteful, clean, and fresh tasting IIPA. Not really a monster like some others in the style, which is neither a good or bad thing.
[Feb 24, 2008]
Bottle split with Tronraner. Man, Hopslam destroys. There is a ridiculous amount of fresh, herbal, citrusy hop quality in the aroma. Deep, spicy pine, grapefruit, ganja. The whole nine yards. Mouthfeel is sticky with loads more hop devastation and a smooth, malt presence to balance out things. Perfectly clean and deep.

12oz bottle Batch 7741 courtesy of mreusch- A medium amber body with a nice white head and has a nice aroma of citrus, hops, and grapefruit. Taste of hops and more hops with a nice bitterness on the back end. A great tasting IIPA.

One of three from a trade - Thanks shigadeyo! I probably should have gotten a six. This is a fabulous IPA, the kind that makes you want just one more sip after you’ve already discovered the bottom of the bottle. Grapefruit and pineapple and pine and fruit and cramel and nuts. Whohoo!

bottle, pours light carmel with a medium white head. Aroma is strong pine and spruce tips. Flavor is so smooth, sweet bready malts and a nice pine hop finish with just a touch of alcohol. Very nice.

UPDATED: FEB 9, 2009 Another go at this one, pretty fresh to boot, and I’m not as impressed as I once was. Clear red-amber with a nice fizzy white head. Nose has fruit but its sweet, almost no citrus, almost synthetic, and lots of pine. Flavor is very sweet, malty, honey, some mango and banana, a little tea. Palate keeps the un-spritely flavor from sinking, but is too short to earn the 5/5. A little boozy in the finish. Overall decent IIPA, but this is too sweet for hop extremists, lacks the fruit refreshment and palate explosion... RR has fortunately set the bar way high.

Small white head, looks good, fair retention and a thin stringy lace. Hazy, orangey copper colored ale. Fairly aggressive nose, fruity, tropical, melony and some bubblegum notes as well. Body is medium, palate is lightly oily, a hint resiny. Plenty of hop flavors! Fruity, peaches, pears, grapefruit, light notes of pine and some burnt wiring and a hint pineappley. Malts are hidden in the big hop bill but appear as light caramel notes peaking threw. Finish is lightly sweet and hoppy with a fair bite. Props to my Secret Santa for this one!