Bells Hopslam

In the realm of Imperial IPA’s, I definitely do not like paying nearly $20.00 for a sixer. Seriously, at that price I would hope to get some form of sexual gratification with it. Aroma of this is heavy on the floral side, not as citric as, say, a Stone offering. There is also just the slightest notice of honey in there. Gotta love it. Flavor actually does give me a half, maybe three quarters stock. This is the third straight IIPA I have had, Gemini then Founders Double Trouble, and now this, and this one is going down the quickest. The flavor just begs fore more. It’s hoppy- sweet, but not sugary, bitter, but not overpowering, and just the right blend of spice from hops blending with the honey. OK, this may be worth the money, occasionally.

Appearance: A dark auburn-orange with an eggshell white, creamy head. After sipping, sudsy lace remains. Aroma: Green pear,mandarin orange, and peaches. I also find a smell associated with Orange Jell-o. Taste: Orange, mango and tart peach. After the wonderful lineup of fruit flavors, I get a mouthful of piny, spicy bitter hop notes. The level of sweet malt held all this fruity and spicy hop goodness together, but didn’t seem "sugary." Mouthfeel: A tad astringent, a bit on the heavy side, but not syrupy. The flavors linger for a while without coming across as sticky. Overall: My first Bell’s beer, and I am very impressed. I am a fan of an over the top Double IPA, and usually brace myself for something chewy or something that makes me pucker. This beer somehow packed all those hops in without compensating balance. Worth all the hype it receives. thanks daknole!

Appearance: orange, red; average head stand at best; slightly off-white foam; cloudy appearance Aroma: heavenly; best aroma I’ve ever experienced in an IIPA; citrus, lots of fruit; maybe even some orchard fruit; a touch of pine, and a honeyed slightly malty sweetness; a faint hint of spice probably from crystal hops; very complex Flavor: beautifully balanced; might be even more complex than the aroma which is scary; has a little bit of everything; medium sweetness, medium bitterness Palate: full body, creamy, average carbonation, long finish (tasted and rated three times)

aroma is strong bitterness -- not overly floral or citric, just harsh bitterness refined to a smell. appearance is bright yellowish with a red hint, reminiscent of the clover honey contained therein. flavor is mindblowing bitterness! the normal ’fun’ notes present in so many other hopped beers are gone, this is the major leagues! alcohol prescense is completely unknown, only a strong mouthpuckering grapefruit ultra acidic note remains to slap you silly. the mouth continues to reel from bitterness even after a sip is long since completed. hands down, one of the most potent beers ive had in terms of flavor and everything other category your care to allow it to compete in. everything expedition stout is for imperial stouts, this is the real deal for IIPAs. even strong beers fail in its shadow, this is mammoth!

New 2009 batch just released. On tap at Jerry’s. Orange amber with decent, creamy white head / Bright, potent fresh pine & citrus nose / Medium to full body, big, chewy, biting hops, sweet, with great, rich finish / Flavor of fresh cut pine, brown sugar, orange, and pineapple / Better than Dreadnaught?

To all the recent ratings that say it better than I could, I’ll add that I side-by-sided one from last year (kept in the fridge) with a new release, and there is no comparison. The fresh stuff is bright & lively; grapefruity & zingy phenomenal mouthfeel too; last year’s bottle turned musky & muted, and the hops were kind of enervated to boot. The moral: get it fresh!

A- Pours a clear orange amber hue, three fingers of thick off-white foamy head that sustains, sticky lacing on the glass S- Major hops, mostly pine resin and floral tones fleshed out by citrus and light grapefruit, caramel malts lurk in the background T- Initial taste is moderate sweet piney hops intermixed with sweet citrus and caramel malts, some fruits and spices creep in, finishes bitter and oily M- Medium-bodied, slick yet thin texture, mild carbonation D- A great DIPA, balanced, flavorful, with extremely well-masked alcohol, there is a good deal of sweetness that keeps the hops in check, I wouldn’t exactly put this is the ’hop bomb’ category, but this DIPA can stand up in terms of flavor to some of my SoCal DIPA favorites

Pick this up from Steve’s liqour in Madison. Pour’s a light golden color. Aroma is of pine, grass , and grapefruit. Lots of earthy flavor combined with sweet grapefruit. A smaller bite than i expected, with a 10%abv. One of the best imerpial IPA out there. In my top 10 of best beers