Bells Hopslam

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

The smell is the wonderful sharp citrus aroma of hops, and the pour is a cloudy amber, with almost no head. The flavor... well, it’s hoppy, a strong citrus flavor that has the slightly oil mouthfeel of a good IIPA. Alcohol content is very well hidden, and this is amongst my favorite IIPAs to drink.

[1546-20080723] Bottle. Fresh juicy sweet navel orange peel aroma with a great hint of pine hops, reminds me of a bed of evergreen needles. Hazy, orange amber body with a long-lasting creamy off-white head. Full orange grainy hops flavour has notes of pine resin and bitter seeds, a boozy sweat finish and a long hoppy aftertaste. Medium-full body is boozy. In perfect shape, extremely enjoyable.

12 oz bottle, courtesy of StompBrockmore - pours a cloudy, glowing orange with frothy white head and lots of floating sediment that settles slowly and literally coats the glass bottom. Aroma is pure grapefruit - not the typical grapefruity west coast hops, but ACTUAL grapefruit. Like sticking your nose in a freshly cut grapefruit. Some other tropical fruits in there as well - mango and passionfruit, some lychee perhaps? I’ve NEVER smelled any beer this fresh and fruity and lively before. AMAZING. The first sip is simply stunning. All those fruit hops combine with a big malt backbone to create a superbly balanced beer. Bitter off the bat, then smooth in mid-palate, then with a fading bitter finish. Alcohol VERY well-integrated, which could prove to be dangerous if you have a few on hand (which, regrettably, I don’t). Certainly one of the best dIPAs I’ve had - this is a benchmark by which all other IPA/dIPAs should be measured. Damn - I wish this glass was a whole day long. Thank you, thank you SB.

Whewww! Got one of the last six packs, thanks Solan. Was going to wait to have one, but I think I will put off work and test drive this beast. Pours out a nice deep amber with a frothy white head. Aroma is very strong citrus, grapefruit, floral, honey,and pine. An amazing explosion of taste upon the first sip. The hops are incredibly dominant (duh!) and has an almost grapefruit dry/bitter taste. My wife almost spit it out and said it tasted just like grapefruit juice (well i like grapefruit juice!). After a few sips you start to get hint of malt and honey, but it is a struggle for them to be noticed. Be careful of the subtle 10% alcohol, it is well hidden. Finishes pretty nice, with only a mild bitterness left on the tongue, which you would expect. Overall, an intense experience of slamming hops for people who like to abuse themselves in such a manner. I might like to see a touch more of the honey or malt poke through, but otherwise, wonderful.

600th rating. Bottle. Pours a hazy copper orange with a small frothy white head that leaves behind good sticky lacing along the glass. The aroma is floral hops with light fruit and grass. Medium mouthfeel with a piney hop taste and not as bitter as i was expecting. Hides the alcohol very well making it very easy to drink. So smooth, one of the best IIPA i have ever tried.

16 oz. draft at Ashley’s. Golden orange, decent white head, citrusy, tons of hops of course, very strong, well-balanced and complete. Mmm.

Just awesome. Super fresh bottle. Great hoppy smell that filled the room with lots of grapefruit. Thick on the mouth. Alcohol is very well hidden under all the hops. Like getting slapped with a fresh hops plant. Wonderful.

Wow, what an aroma to begin with. This beer pours a golden amber color with a huge pine and citrus presence. I loved the pine sap in the smell, then the flavor was very sweet in the hops and biig in sweetness with a balanced finish, which is what separates the men from the boys in the Double IPA Category. Very grapefruity, more so than even 90 Minute, it is almost 120 minute hoppy. This is an outstanding beer.