Bells Hopslam

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

Bottle. I just love hoppy beers, and this one is hoppy in the best way. Pours hazy orange with a white head. The aroma is very floral, peach and grape, and the taste is sweet malty, alot of grape, maybe chinook hops, a bit peach that gives some freshness. Medium body with a sweet light alcoholic, dry, hop finish. Another good beer from Bell´s, more please!!!

Bottle. Malt, grapefruit and red berries in the aroma. tart flavor with grapefruit and red berries, pushing the firm oily hop character into the background. Soft, tasty, well balanced, still with a firm bitterness, especially in the aftertaste. Nice!

A Mes rate: Bottle at Tom’s UGT Pt. 2.
What an absolute cracker this is. Superb in every department. I got so carried away with this one I didn’t even write any notes. Luckily you have 794 other ratings to read so my opinion is not really too needed is it? Awesome American hops with a near perfect balancing sweetness. Absolute sex in a glass.

Bottle. [thank you sk8viking]. Hazy dark yellow-orange with some particulates in the liquid. A small white head. Aroma is stunningly hoppy. There are pines, apricot, dried fruits, oak and flowers. Very full mouthfeel. Flavour is stunningly well-crafted - there is a heavy caramel base that gives a fullness and a sweet edge to the preceedings. But there are plenty of hops to make it suitably bitter. Very, very good!

12oz bottle (thanks Josh!). What a cool looking label! Poured a medium amber color with a smaller sized off white head. Had strong fresh green leafy hoppiness aroma with orange peels. Sticky. Tastes of oranges, caramel, floral, with a grapefruit finish. Smooth and way too easy to drink. Alcohol content well hidden.

Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 2     Pale Yellow(1)->Dark brown(5) : 2     Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 3
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 3   White(1)->Tan(5) : 1   Lasting: 2   Lacing : XX
Aroma:
Intensity : 4  
Yeast : 1   Bread : 2   Apple : XX   Tropical Fruits : XX   Soap : XX   DMS : XX   Diacetyl : XX Sulfur : XX  
Malt : 3   Biscuity : 2   Hay : 1   Toasty : XX   Caramel : XX   Nuts : XX   Honey : 2   Cereals : XX   Grainy : XX
Hops : 5   Noble(1)->American(5) : 4   Leafy : XX   Spicy : 2   Floral : XX   Lemon/Lime : XX   Grapefruit : 1   Orange : 3   Herbal : 3   Grassy : 3   Pine/Spruce/Resin : 3  
Notes :   Peach/Apricot : XX   Earth : XX   Mint : XX   Butterscotch : XX   Smoke : XX
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 4   Sourness : 1   Bitterness : 3   Complex : 2   Length : XX
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 3   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 3   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : 3   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : 3   Mineral : XX   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: A rather confusing offering from Bells. Dynamic hop aromas range from the herbal character from noble hops while direct, punchy mandarine/tangerine nuances strongly hint at Amarillo Americanised hops. All the while, the body remains kinda smallish, a bit oily and leaving room for residual sugars – a bit like I would expect an Stone IPA and kinda failing to provide the usual roundness and nourishment I associate with a Bells. Perhaps this might be explained by the absolutely clear appearance? Larry Bell wouldn’t filter, would he?

Bottle massive huge thanks to badgerben. Aroma is pine grapefruit, lychee tangarine, orange character, peach and apricot, bursting with tasty hops. Taste is similar the honey is evedent reall hoppy fruity charcater but balanced and super tasty. I can easy nderstand how all you american chaps get a 6 pack of this and find yourself in a bad way. Iv got another 5 to get me going, yee haaaaaaa!!!!!!!

Bottle... Murky golden ale with lots of sediment and a mid-sized, creamy, off-white head. Good retention. Smells like pink grapefruit; maybe a hint floral as well. It’s just shy of heavily bitter. A southern California IPA for sure. The high abv is completely hidden in and behind all those beautiful hops. Medium-bodied with a milky mouthfeel and moderate carbonation. Lengthy, bitter, bone-dry finish. Thanks to the parents-in-law for bringing me a sixer down from Detwah!