Adam77 (407), Eastampton, New Jersey, USA May 14, 2009 Pours a hazy gold with a white head. Aroma of citrus and pine. Sweet citrusy flavor with some pine. So good. Beerapprentice (111), Hopatcong, New Jersey, USA May 13, 2009 12 oz bottle courtesy of Adrian. I love this beer!!! Pours a golden yellow colour with thick white head. Tastes of flowery hops. pine, honey, citrus and grapefruit. Bittersweet taste with light carbonation. Amazing!! MichMicro4x (4), Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA does not count May 12, 2009 This is one of the crown jewels of the DIPA world. By far one of the best DIPA’s I’ve ever had! Starts off great with sweet tones from the honey and a few citrus notes. Gets way intense as you finish just don’t let it get too warm. Found better in an English pub glass or pilsner glass than snifter or tulip. otakuden (518), Vero Beach, Florida, USA May 9, 2009 Vibrant orange with amber streaks and a top-hat of orange tinted foam. There is a bit of a mysterious haze about her person, but Bells doesn’t filter their beers, so that is to be expected. Her crowning glory fades into a gentle ring while taunting swirls tease clumpy marks of lace and foam. Unbeknownst to me, such risky teasing of her tumultuous depths has released a beast of a nose. Oranges dripping with honey, melon glistening in the summer sun, sticky pine needles, sweet cut grass, and a hint of lathered soap. Like a dank tropical rainforest, my Hopslam’s nose cannot and will not be reined in. Further citrus explodes onto the scene with pink and red grapefruit while crushed spent grains and cracked wheat are drizzled with crusty caramelized honey. Magnifique. Submission is my only peaceful option, so I give myself into her call and find myself happily drowning in a sticky-sweet honey froth of tropical fruits, zesty citrus, and forestry esters. All porous cavities are slick with lightly caramelized honey while orange pulp, grapefruit, crushed pine needles, and grass sit atop my tongue and never leave. Lightly peppered cracked wheat adds depth to her palate while lingering in the back of my throat along with more delicate notes of honey. As my palate slowly dries, each quaff refreshes and repeats the whole process all over again.
Having bravely tested the rumors of greatness, I can say without a doubt that they are true. Once more Bells lays the smack down upon the kingdom of beer, establishing a prominent standing. I believe there can never be a dominant position because there are so many great breweries brewing equally great beers consistently, but if there really were a kingdom of beer, then Bells and Hopslam would be of noble standing. ChrisThomson (378), Toronto, Ontario, Canada May 7, 2009 Pours hazy dark orange with white frothy head. Big hit of hops and citrus. Sweetness to balance the high alcohol. A nice beer. TampaBrew (726), Tampa, Florida, USA May 3, 2009 Pours a deep orange. Wreaks of floral and citrus hops. Some sweet sticky notes as well. Taste is a overwhelming rush of citrus and sweet caramel. Some hints of honey. Mouthfeel is very full, chewy. Awesome awesome beer. Tops on my IIPA list. savnac (394), Palmer, Alaska, USA May 3, 2009 12oz bottle, thanks to beernbourbon. Resinous hop aroma full of spruce, citrus and flowers, there is a faint malty aroma as well. Slightly murky amber/orange with a very small off white head. Sharp bitter flavor that finishes sweet. Medium bodied with a soft carbonation and a dry alcohol finish. Very well balanced Imperial IPA, wish this was available in Alaska.
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