Bell’s Hopslam
Ah, Hopslam. I usually like Bell’s beer, but when I first caught wind of this before it was released, I was pumped.
And oh man, I was not disappointed. I love me some hops, and this was never too hoppy for its own good, but it does pack a punch.
This is the first Hopslam I’ve had in a while.
Its color is very golden, and clear. As expected, the aroma is nice and floral, and crisp and a hint of malt. It pours with very little head.
The flavor is very hoppy, as you’d probably guess. There’s a nice little bitterness, and a hint of alcohol, which is rather incredible, since at 10%, you’d expect more than a hint of it. The hop bitterness masks it pretty well.
This is a little less malty than some of my other favorite IPAs, but one thing it does really well is hit you with TONS of hops and maintain the floral character in the flavor as well as the aroma.
If you like big IPAs, and love you some hops, this beer is for you.
9/10
Ian!
Did you notice that this release is just a little less… WOW! than the previous release? I really felt it was missing something. Its also possible that my palate is just too blown out to realize it. I was a tad disappointed with the current release because it just didn’t live up to what it was last time… I’d still give it an 8.5-9 /10, but I thought the last batch had some extra oomph. Amanda thought so too…
i just thought it was time to mention HOW GROSS IPAs ARE.
blehk.
if you like the taste of asprin dissolving in your mouth, by all means, enjoy the hopslam.
this is just the first of my comments that will attack IPAs for no reason other than personal preference, but needless to say, it will not be the last.
seriously, blehk.
Lauren, your reply hurts my soul. I will, however, mention that some former roommates of mine think IPAs taste like burnt plastic.
I think they are one of the most glorious beverages on earth. You are clearly not awesome enough to appreciate them.