Bells Hopslam

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

Bottle from a trade with StFun. Smelled of peaches and apricots. From an IPA I usually expect a lot more uncontrolled bitterness. This beer was exceptional!! Very complex, but smooth on the palate with the perfect amount of hops.

I’ve asked it before, and I’ll ask it again: why the hell can’t I get a beer like this in Iowa? Our crazy laws and distribution system keep some of the best beers out of our hands. Fortunately, I’m not that far from states where I can get it. Just an astounding beer.

Uhhhhh, are we all thankful this beer exists?? YES! Leave it to Bells to flush their completely sweet and malt citrusy goodness hop BOMB with honey...to only sweeten it up even further! The palate and finish on this brew are absolutely amazing...hands down on of my favorite DIPA’s! Now if somehow I could find it on tap...

On tap at the flying saucer in KC!!! WOW!!! Pours a golden orange, hazy body with a finger-width, dirty white, dense and foamy head that dissipates slowly and remains extremely lacy. Sexual. Aroma loaded with pineapple citrus hops. Some earthy notes to it and a good amount of sweet maltiness. Juicy aroma! Juicy flavor! Very very very fresh tasting citrus hoppiness that tastes just like I’m biting into a just cut pineapple. Explodes in the mouth. Semi-sweet maltiness balances the juicy hop explosion very well. Finishes with a residual honey sweetness that is very unique to the style. Palate is actually light to medium bodied and very crisp and refreshing. Overall, a fantastic DIPA. Extremely drinkable and loaded with intense juicy flavor. Phenomenal beer.

Bottle shared with tupalev, blankboy, HogTownHarry & jerc - jerc’s bottle. Deep golden-amber with a small white head. Aroma - hoppy as all hell (grapefruit, spruce) with quite sweet as well. Flavour of big, fresh hops, some honey and caramel - huge, but balanced. Just fantastic all around.

In short: A sweet, alcoholised and intensely juicy hopped American IIPA.
How: Bottle 12oz, fresh, from tertons, thanks a lot Nelson!
The look: Clear dark-golden body topped by a medium white head
In long: Nose of grapefruit, citrus, pine-tree and caramel. Somewhat sweet, sweetness got a bit annoying after a single bottle. Quite a bit of honey and oily caramel. This thing has a ton of hops but almost felt unbalanced towards the malt sweetness. Interesting complex hops profile with flavours of citrus, grapefruit, pine-tree and more… Alcohol somewhat apparent. A splendid IIPA from Kalamazoo, a city that is a lot more fun to pronounce than it is to visit.

Excellent looking beer here, blonde color with a white head that has great retention and leaves plenty of lacing. Smell is very nice too, plenty of pine and fresh grapefruit to treat your nose. Taste was very hoppy, as expected. Flavors of grapefruit, pine, various other citrus flavors were also noticed. Bitterness was certainly present, but not a harsh bitterness, was more about hop flavor than IBU’s. Medium body with a medium carbonation pair quite well with this one. Very solid beer, I would definitely have another, wish I picked up more than a single.

Perfect orange pour with a slight head. Wonderful aroma! citrus fruitsand sweetness.The flavor is much of the same with grapefruit, peaches, pine and tangarines. This is my favorite beer. Perfect! You would never know it was 10%. A true testament to craft brewers around the world. II will re-rate this beer every year becasue it is my favorite.......I Love this beer unconditionally. Everything I have said before I will say again the best in the worl batch number 8908.