Bells Hopslam

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

12 oz bottle courtesy of hopdog. Hazy pale golden-orange beer with a thick white head. Heavy layer of sediment on the bottom of the bottle. Fresh orange aroma, lemon and grapefruit citrus as well. There is also a floral/fruity flavour in this as well. Fresh pine and spruce sweetness. There is also a lightly caramelly maltiness that adds a sweet touch to all of the juicy hops. Flavour is very hoppy, sweet grapefruit, orange and apple sweetness hiding behind all of the tropical orange/mango/pineapple hops. The alcohol is barely noticeable except as a cooling sensation. Awesome.

Rich cloudy creamed orange body, almost hefeweizen-like in appearance, with a properly firm creamy layer of white foam sitting on top. The pungent grapefruit, melon and maraschino cherry hop nose is exactly what I dig in IPA. I certainly dig a nice dank, grassy hop nose, but the sour grapefruit sugary nose on this is even better. I can’t think of anything I like more than the smell of this beer. Perfect. Amazingly creamy and smooth, with a moderately thick body, consumed in melon and grapefruit sour hop flavors, rich in every way. This beer is good, but when warmer the nose tends to get a little boozy, smelling like dirty vodka. If this were around 8% it would be pure gold.

Hokey Smokes! The hops jumped out of the bottle and slapped me in the face, then dove up my nostrils as soon as I uncapped this baby! [Good looking, too, a pale copper with a white head that pastes delicate lacing along the sides of the glass.] This is a sniffing beer, something Linda (my imaginary girlfriend according to a certain <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/ViewUser.asp?UserID=3 will never understand. The hops continue to hop into my nostrils, withering the graying hairs. Pine, grapefruit, pineapple, lemon zest, tart tangerines, and - I swear - a stalk of rhubarb. I think only knowing that it’s an IIPA gives the mental suggestion that there’s a sweet caramel buried ’neath it all. I am instantly blown back upon enjoying the first sip...a ridiculously lopsided lupilin rush twists my tongue in circles and leaves me loose-limbed and longing for more. Oh wait - someone else wrote that! But upon my first sip, I, too, was noose-numbed with my ting pretzelled into non-Euclidian shapes. The intense bitterness gnaws at my tongue and begins to pluck my nasal hairs and tears of a hop-head’s intense glee form in my eyes. A touch of caramel annoys me with its sweet interference of my painful and pleasurable experience. By the third tasting the sturdy ABV hits my veins and my other ear falls to the ground and mingles wih the dust bunnies under my table. My tongue is burning with the prolonged bitter finish, and I’m starting to get pissed that what seemed to be an act of generosity from a life-long friend and colleague was actually a willful act of cruelty. I have no more of these on hand after my drink is done. And, damn the gods!, they don’t sell Bell’s in Illinois (or the Chicago area) anymore!

All in all, a nice little drink!

<font size=-4>Thanks to the generosity of my life-long friend and The LoSBD colleague <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/ViewUser.asp?UserID=1 size=-1>

Bottle. Lightly hazed golden color with a tall heavy cream colored head. Rings of lace as it is imbibed. Ruby red grapefruit with some mild herbs and flowers coupled with light fruit and light malt. You like hops, you should not find may faults with this scent. Light fleshy aroma that throws things off for me. Quite a bit of fruit and flowers in this one. The last of pack here and I am starting to catch a lot of fruit an flower. Perhaps a touch too much, but still I am attracted. Lots of fruit with berries, pears, apples and other light fruit. Still a big hops presence. For me the flavors hops combine with the sweetness and create a brew that is slightly too sweet. This is a sweet brew that like Yukon Jack is way too good to think that it could be dangerous. I enjoy this a lot, and a touch more bittering balance would be welcome, but still more than enjoyable.

Bottle@Home. Strong but not overwhelming floral, fruity and grassy aroma. Golden/amber color, beige firm head, good lace. Pretty sweet, very bitter, fruity, certainly grassy and oak twigs. Full with dry finish. Flavourful yet excellent balance.

Bottle: Pours a hazy orange yellow gold color with a light white head and light spotty lacing. The nose is bright and citrusy with some yuzu, pumello and lime peel, just light pale malts, not much in the caramel department. The flavor is nicely balanced with a clean malt body and some nice punchy bitterness. The overall flavor is grassy and very citrusy like asorbic acid. The mouthfeel is full and dry hopped. This is totally a San Diego style IPA. Nice to find something so brash and unique outside of that area. But knowing how imaginitive American brewers are, I knew it would only be a matter of time. 9.5%? Doesn’t even taste like 7. Thanks to BuckeyeBoy for this gem!

Bottle @ Oliver Twist, Stockholm. Pours a slightly hazy amber color with a small off-white head. Sweet malty hoppy bitter grapefruit aroma. Sweet malty hoppy and burning bitter flavor with hints of grapefruit. Very bitter and burning hoppy finish with a long bitter aftertaste.

Bottle. Poured amber color with a large frothy white head that was lasting with excellent lacing. Heavy complex sour citrus aroma. Medium body with a slick texture and soft carbonation. Medium sour citrus bitter flavor with a medium sour bitter finish of long duration. This is a standout beer.