Bells Hopslam

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

(Bottle, thanks Hopscotch and Ughsmash) Pours hazy, juice like orange. Very hoppy, tropical fruit juice aroma with tones of passion fruit, lychee, grapefruit, mango, peach, tangerine, oranges and smaller notes of grass, resin and pine. Also rather sweet with notes of caramel. Very fruity, hoppy flavour with tones of grapefruit, pine, lychee, orange peel and peach. Medium sweet and Medium to full bitter. Rather dryish. Extremely clean hop peppery mouthfeel. Lingering hop bitter and fruity aftertaste. Medium to full body. A perfect, has it all, IIPA.

UPDATED: JAN 19, 2007 12oz. bottle - pours extremely thick and cloudy orange with a frothy white head. Aroma is absolutely amazing - perhaps the best smelling beer ever? Tonnes of intensely grapefruity hops, along with pine and other earthy notes. Some hints of other fruit in there as well - pear and mango even. The mouthfeel on this is thick and rich. Flavour - good lord this is amazing! First sip was incredibly bitter, but each subsequent sip was less intense and revealed much more of the same qualities found in the aroma. Tastes extremely fresh and for 9.5% I didn’t pick up very much alcohol. Just tonnes of grapefruity hops with a good, smooth malt background. Amazing beer. The best IPA/dIPA I’ve yet had.

Whoa! Silly me for only purchasing one six pack on the first visit. I’m a skeptic about hyped beers, but this one delivers. Pours a very bright orangey-amber color with medium sized white cap that receds nicely to a good rim layer, with plenty of residual lace. Nose is very bright with fresh fruit. Literally those nose on this compared to other DIPA’s is like comparing fresh squeezed OJ to some generic brand made from concentrate. Fresh, citrusy, floral, a delight... While I get mostly orange and grapefruit there’s also some miscellaneous tropical fruit that I can’t nail down - maybe mango, pineapple, apricot perhaps. On the palate I’m amazed at the honeyed & gently sweet flavors that start things off for the big hop flavors that follow. Although they’re full-flavored, they’re not overwhelming like a Double Bastard, for example. Just right for this style, IMO. Alcohol is masked relatively well and this is a delight to drink. Rating relative to style, this is probably the most drinkable DIPA I’ve had.

12oz bottle with 1/2inch head that dissipated quickly. Transparent amber color with some carbonation. This is the most aromatic beer I have had: strong grapefuit, hops, some clementine, and sweet malts as well. This beer does in face explode in your mouth and it’s like taking a bite out of an alcoholic citrus fruit. I can’t imagine how much work it took to create the great balance. Creamy, smooth finish. This beer is addictive.

Poured into a snifter. Slightly hazy, pure amber color, that is almost nectar-like. Nice solid white head that dissipates and leaves a white ring around the glass. Aromas are sweet, honey, sweet citrus, along with earthy tones like grassy, floral, and piney from the hops. Tastes are sweet from the honey. Strong hop character; smokey hop flavors. Amazing DIPA! Great mouthfeel, smooth, and very palate pleasing, also a little creamy. Very drinkable, I am actually on my third.

By far the best beer Bells has brewed. Strong hoppy aroma and flavor with citrus blend. I have not had it on tap, but you can’t go wrong in the bottle.

UPDATED: FEB 25, 2009 Bottle. 6-pack for $8.99 from Hollywood Market. Pours a deep golden yellow, with a little white head, Smells a huge, hoppy, honey, citrus, sweet aroma. Taste is huge, complex, and full of citrus, hoppy IPA flavor. Each sip of this brew is more complex, thick, syrupy, and great. Nothing about this brew is light or subtle. This is in your face from sip to after taste and the flavor is distinct all the way through. Very good. Going to cellar one of the 6-packs I bought.

I love a lot of Bell’s brews and this has to be one of my favorites. It not only represents a great Double IPA, but it let’s you know that Kalamazoo is a little demanding of the quality of their beer. Larry Bell said, "Drink this and shut up!" You got to give the guy cradit with this well balanced brew that takes it’s grapefruit, pine,and honey notes to give your palette the time of it’s life. It almost makes you feel guilty for enjoying other Double IPA’s. What a fool I am. If I only knew it got this good, I would’ve broke their hearts years ago.