Bells Hopslam

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

I love this beer! It poured a hazy orange amber color with a light cream colored head that dissipated quickly - maybe due to the 10% ABV. Aroma is amazing, in your face citrus - oranges, grapefruits, and I guess what everyone calls pine (I still don’t get the pine thing - but it’s something...). It tastes wonderful. I first had this beer a year ago, and every time I have had it since I have loved it. Cheers to Bells brewery for a mighty fine beverage!

This is a big American DIPA that does a fair job of hiding its 10% ABV. I much prefer this more balanced hophead’s delight over the more malty and higher IBU Avery Maharaja.

This is one of the best Imperial IPAs that I have had. Strong aroma of ctirus hops and pine notes. Had a nice fluffy white head, and left a pretty good amount of lacing. Had the usual IPA taste to it, but with a touch of honey. LC

Pours a hazy gold with a white head. Aroma of citrus and pine. Sweet citrusy flavor with some pine. So good.

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!!

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.

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.