Two Hearted Ale - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

twoheartedheel

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer is the reason I love beer. It's my gold standard which I compare all other hoppy beers to.

The most perfect combination of hops I have yet to come across. beautiful balance of floral and citrus notes. beautiful amber/apricot pour. smooth and perfect finish.

I cannot recommend this beer enough.

Those Bells boys in Kalamazoo know what they're doing. I've only been disappointed with 1 or 2 out of the 10-15 beers of theirs that I've tried.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2010 19:18:55 | More by twoheartedheel

soco7tyx7

New York

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This bottle has been hanging around for a bit but I decided that I didn't want the great flavor to spoil so I'm drinking it now!

A - Golden copper with a thick frothy soapy head. Thin head remains throughout with some thick heady lacing that hangs around till the finish

S - Awesome! sweet pinous resin with sweet caramelized sugary malts. Some citrus notes

T - Piney resin up front with some solid sweet malty backbone and a hint of citrus in the body. Finishes with a mildly bitter resin flavor that hangs around on the back of the tongue...sooo tasty!

M - Smooth, medium body, wet but a little sticky at the same time. Feels thick towards the finish

D - What an amazing IPA! This has got to be my favorite. It is so well balanced and has everything I would want in an IPA. For the ABV it is super drinkable and so enjoyable to drink. If I could only drink one IPA for the rest of my life this might just be it!

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2010 20:17:04 | More by soco7tyx7

33nickadams

Michigan

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- I like how the head sticks to the glass as you drink it.

S- Almost IPA perfection

T- Once again, almost IPA perfection

M- Excellent

D- Very drinkable!

IMO, all other IPA's should be compared to 2 hearted! This is my favorite all time beer!!!

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2010 02:26:25 | More by 33nickadams

Hoppensniffer

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This was my first really great "hoppy" beer, and I love it above all others. This beer has the best first taste of hops that I have ever tasted. Unlike other hoppy beers, this hoppy taste does not sour, or linger too much with time, it just gives you a great crisp taste, and then you are ready for another mouthful. This beer inspired me to coin my handle "Hoppensniffer", and I love it.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2010 21:30:01 | More by Hoppensniffer

jmich24

Michigan

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Duvel Tulip
7 days aged

A: Gold in color with an orange hue. Fluffy two finger white head that never completely dissipates. Lots of carbonation from etched glass. Lacing is sticking very well.
S: Hops! Lots of floral, sweet orange, some tropical fruits.
T: Nice crisp bitterness yet well balanced. Taste is similar to smell, citrus(orange and grapefruit), floral. Nice lingering bitterness. Sweetness from the malt.
M: Medium mouth feel not to heavy not to light. Crisp and smooth, dangerously drinkable
O: World class IPA.

This is a mainstay in my fridge. I usually buy by the case outstanding easy drinking IPA. I'm a sucker for lots of citrus in my IPAs and the Centennial Hops do the trick.

Outstanding!!!

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2010 21:31:18 | More by jmich24

beanboots1912

Alaska

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Things I like...

LL Bean boots.
Canoeing a wilderness river.
Reading Thoreau.
Frontline on PBS.
A wood stove in the winter.
Flyfishing in Autumn.
A long roadtrip driving to Alaska.
Bell's Two Hearted Ale.

I've tried quite a few beers, and this beer deserves it's own category, it's almost beyond what you can call beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2010 11:42:23 | More by beanboots1912

CreamyBeer101

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This IPA may be the best. Orangle colored, low to no foam head, hoppy, citrus finish, that's so enjoyable then a sixer or two wouldn't be an issue to drink in one sitting.

Whenever I go searcing for this brew it's typically sold off of all the shelves. I would like to see Bell's at some more Beer Festivals so they can get the word out on the great taste and flavor of this exceptional Michigan brew

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2010 19:13:25 | More by CreamyBeer101

unclejimbay

Florida

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

1/4/2011 edit
A few years later with a bit more educated palate and 6+ clone recipe homebrew attempts later. Still one of my favorite IPAs.
Impressive clarity compared to most other IPAs.
Impressive floral and citrus aromas and taste.
So good I used it as a reference for my house homebrew recipe of an all Centennial IPA.

*** 2008
FYI, this is one of my early BA reviews, so forgive my limited knowledge and review skills to date. I may choose to re-review this one later w/ a more educated beer style knowledge, palate and vocabulary....

I will re-review this one when I can, I now know how to describe it more appropriattely as of 3/6/2009....

This review was based off a tulip style glass pour.
ABV = 7.0, calories = 202 ps

APP-5.0 Dark golden orange cloudy color. Large head with impressive retention. It's great to whiff that hoppy aroma for the entire beer. I have drank many a sixers of this stuff and te head is so ready for action it froths out the top once you pop the cap. Quite fun I must say, a sort of volcano style IPA.

SMELL-4.0 Floral hopiness. HOPS HOPS HOPS, minor hints of citrus...

TASTE-4.0 Less bitterness for IPA in my experience so far. Bells did a nice job on this brew. Floral/citrus type of hoppiness, not overly bitter like some...

DRINKABILITY-4.0 A Hophead delight!. More on the floral side of hoppiness, not bitter - right on in my book.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 22:48:57 | More by unclejimbay

boyfromthenorth

Michigan

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Best beer by Bells for sure. One of my favorite in the world. Anyone who drinks IPAs and has not had this- I feel sorry for you. Get it and drink it. I would love to try this wet hopped as well maybe they would do this once- would make it even better.

Thank you for creating this gold standard!

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2011 16:28:37 | More by boyfromthenorth

Stro23m

Kentucky

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

For me persoanlly this is the perfect IPA, There isnt one bad thing to say about it. This may just be my favorite beer of all time.

I love hops and this beer has plenty but its not overpowering, Bells has blended everything in this beer perfectly from hops to alcohol content.

If you like IPA's this is king of the hill.

*note- this is my opinion please dont get mad im not stating this like its a fact just what i think.

A- Orangeish/Red

S- Hops and citrus

T- hops and love

M- to be 7% this is lovely and easy drinking

D- again being 7% alcohol this beer is easy to drink 6 of for me no problems.

This beer isnt cheap or anything, you may pay 10$ or more a six pack but the quality is there.

I wish more people understood that you have to pay for quality with anything in life.

For instance... you guys do realize theres a reason you can get a 24 pack of keystone light for 13$ right??? the answer being the lack of quality

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2011 05:25:51 | More by Stro23m

nickclarson

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Fantastic beer. The BEST that's somewhat easy to obtain.

Great color. It's beautiful to look at.

Definitely a hoppy beer, but unlike others that tend to be overbearing this one goes just perfectly with the other flavors in the beer.

Floral hoppy scent.

Nice head.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2011 04:50:52 | More by nickclarson

KevinBrewer

California

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- Clear dark gold with a huge rocky white head that lasts, leaving spidery lacing down the glass.

N- Ripe tropical fruit, including pineapple, dominates the nose. Some brighter citrus notes and subtle pine resin add complexity. Just a hint of the sweet malt completes the bouquet.

T- Hoppy goodness fills the mouth on first sip. Toasted grain dripping with pine resin. The sweet malt and bitter pine complement each other perfectly. Some fruity notes in the middle accented by juicy citrus. Long grassy finish leads to aftertaste of toasty grain and pine resin.

M- Medium bodied, sticky with mouth-coating hop oils, moderate carbonation, and a semidry finish.

D- Overall, one of the great American IPAs. This is a world-class beer in one of the most competitive styles in the US today. Artfully crafted and undeniable.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 05:06:20 | More by KevinBrewer

Mudja

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bell's Two Hearted has 'It'. Period. You can wax on and on about the citrus this and that & the hoppy whatever... But when it comes down to it, you're never going to find a less boring beer. Ever.

You could find a hundred reasons to enjoy it every time you take a sip, drink it every day for a year and still not be satisfied, and spend the rest of your life trying to find something that will match it.

It is the beer that will remind you why you love beer in a way that you didn't even know was possible. It is the beer that will change the way you think about all of the beers you've had prior and the beer that will affect how you judge all of the beers you have afterwards. And, it is the beer that you would pick if given the metaphorical, "if you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one..."

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 06:05:55 | More by Mudja

hmf05

Florida

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a clear deep gold that leaves a two finger head. The aroma is candied oranges and pineapple. Smells floral, sweet, bitter, and delicious. The taste is perfect. Starts of slightly bitter but a nice caramel sweetness comes in to balance it out. Not too sweet, yet not too bitter. Perfect balance. I get mostly citrus wrapped in caramel candy. Drinkability is extremely high. This is the best single IPA I have ever had, granted I live in Florida and do not have access to most California and other west coast IPAs. The perfect beer in every way. Great for noobs, great for hop heads, and great for those who are looking to get into IPAs. A+

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 17:00:11 | More by hmf05

Caterwaul

Ohio

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

L: Somewhat cloudy brass body, two-finger bone-white head. good retention.

S: Beauuuutiful. Perfumey floral and citrus hop notes. You can smell it at arm's length. Just gorgeous.

T: Perfect level of sweetness with just enough bitterness to balance it. The finish is plenty dry, but with just enough flavor remaining to invite you back in.

M: Amazingly smooth. The carbonation is present and effective, but unobtrusive.

O: This has got to be one of the best American IPAs out there today. A helluva quencher with lots of flavor. Try it with spicy foods.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 15:27:21 | More by Caterwaul

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Really my go-to beer, whether its cheap or not.

Beautiful one inch head that retains. Light golden body.

Smells of a sweet balance between a nice citric hop and honey malt. God I love Bell's malt bill. Cascade hops are everywhere.

Balance is really the key here. Those citric hops are there, but theyre kept in check by a slick, honey malt bill. The difference is that the citric hops are just another flavor in the plethora of flavors.

Sits very light with a medium body.

Fantastic. As usual.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2011 02:42:26 | More by VncentLIFE

BeerRecruiter

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

My everything beer from the office to sports. Very refreshing, and it always brings me back to fishing for steelhead on the Ausable River in MI where I first tasted it.

Citrus flavor coupled with a perfect amount of hops. Not bitter, and finishes smooth and dry. An excellent choice when thirsty, and the alcohol content is enough to get the job done. Initial smell let's one know that they are in for a treat if they like hops.

Tough to beat this IPA, period. I just wish I didn't have to drive an hour to PA to get it.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 20:59:05 | More by BeerRecruiter

dougmiller112

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Consumed over and over, often cases at a time, from 12 ounce bottles.

Appearance: As my girlfriend says, this is the color of the gates of heaven. Pure mahogany to be serious, the color is lighter than it tastes.

Smell: Hoppy, yet sweet. This double IPA's smell alone makes you forget regular IPAs.

Taste: Awesome. It goes beyond pure hops, adding some sweetness to it. The bite of IPAs is gone, too, making this an unbelievably easy drinking strong beer. If you use this as a session beer, look out.

Mouthfeel: Certainly not thin, but not overly thick either.

Overall: My favorite beer. Only a person with no heart will dislike Two Hearted. Forget Christmas: The Grinch's heart would grow 10 times after ddrinking this beer. My girlfriend drools when thinking about this beer. No further comments, please.

beeradvocate dudes: What's up? 78. Please give this one another try.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 01:20:05 | More by dougmiller112

ADemshar

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The beer was poured into a snifter. It came out amber with about 2 1/2 fingers of white head. The scent was very floral and fruity. The taste was extreme citrus with just the right amount of hops on the back end. The mouth feel is very smooth. I love this beer and try to pick it up anywhere that I see it available.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 00:41:07 | More by ADemshar

hsvhughes

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bell's Two-Hearted ale is the best tasting, most complex IPA I have had. It is a little high on carbs, but wow... the flavor is unforgettable.

appearance --> sticky, memorable lacing that will impress
smell --> the BEST fragrance of ANY IPA I have tried
taste --> hard to describe... complex yet hoppy... a true Bell's accomplishment
mouthfeel --> It feels so good, you delay the swallow, but you must.
Overall --> I think this is the best IPA available in the USA. Try it!
Appearance --> if you like clear, clean beer with lacing that sticks to the glass all the way down, then you just might like this one.

Edit --> 8-1-2012

This beer changed my life. No, I am not from Michigan. I am from Alabama.

ALL THESE following BEERS ARE GOOD, but prior to trying Two-Hearted, I did not know beer could be so awesome. I have tried Terrapin's "hopsecutioner" from Georgia. It hits the hops button, but a little too bitter and uninteresting. I tried Stone's "ruination". It stomps out the hops big time, and has that distinctive American Imperial IPA taste, but lacks the complexity I seek. Then I tried Sierra Nevada's "Torpedo". Torpedo is very good, but it seems heavy on the stomach. The "Sweetwater IPA", also from Georgia, is a good IPA, but it is not in the same league as Two-Hearted Ale. "MoJo IPA" is what I buy when the store is out of Two-Hearted.

Two-Hearted Ale has the rare balance of complexity and hops that will deliver that IPA taste we seek.

I have noticed four types of beer drinkers:

1. The BMC Dudes--> They drink Bud, Coors, or Miller Light because they have never tried a good IPA. They do not really enjoy the BMC, but that is all they know. I know this because I was once one of them.

2. Sweet Beers --> Sweet beer drinkers like Porters and thick, syrupy beers that really weigh in on the malty side of beer and they go to sleep after drinking a couple of them. Since they went to sleep after two porters, they think that was good?

3. Sour beers (argh!) --> There are beers from Belgium that are actually SOUR like old wine. Some people actually like this taste, but it makes me want to hurl.

4. Finally, the wonderful, bitter, HOPS laden IPAs --> The American IPAs take first prize. We are so lucky to have access to so many VERY GOOD American IPAs. Belgium can have their sour beer, and England can have their "brown Ale" that looks like toilet water. In The USA, we have the best.

...But I digress.

I have discovered I like beers that are:

* not too heavy on the malt
* hoppy
* complex
* feels good in my mouth
* fragrant, in a hops kind of way
* Not boring

Two-Hearted Ale meets these requirements.

Bravo-Zulu Bells!

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 23:18:27 | More by hsvhughes

Ed_Johnson

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I know that all 5s should be rare. This is a great beer.
Pours a hazy, burnt orange and is capped by a big frothy white head. There was nice lacing in my glass. Citrus aromas explode from the glass and are underlined by tropical fruit and a slight sweetness. Some pine as well as some grapefruit, pineapple, and orange flavors meet a nice malt feel. Medium body and medium-light in carbonation, Two Hearted Ale is well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 18:03:25 | More by Ed_Johnson

thebrood1987

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Amazing smells of grapefruit and piney aromas mixing in with a caramel sweet bready malt.
Slight citrus, blasting with a great grapefruit taste and ending with a piney flavor mixing in so well with the cake and caramel bready malts. It ends with the herbal bitterness that is very crisp and refreshing.

I never thought I'd get this beer but since my family went on vacation in Asheville, North Carolina I was able to try this beer out and wow its definitely worth all the hype. Its like Stone IPA but with a better richer malt bill and the hops mixing in with it to create that deep rich taste.

The pink grapefruit, the herbal piney flavors, the slight citrus all from the centennial hop? Very well brewed beer especially with how amazing the malt bill is with this hop strain. This IPA is one my favorites and I wish I could get this in NJ.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 01:26:14 | More by thebrood1987

acsprouse

South Carolina

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Beautiful pour with little head due to.such.a soft pour. Good retention. Amazing color. Standard ipa look, slighty cloudy. smells very floral, and citrus. The hops are there strongly in the nose. The mouthfeel is nice. Very drinkable. Not thick yet not thin. Its slick. The hops are there in the taste. Bitter with nice subtle malt undertones that balance perfect. This is a great brew! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 08:19:17 | More by acsprouse

Sheils

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I know this isn't the best beer out there, by far, but I am just now really getting into craft brews and this is the best I have had so far. This is my favorite beer and it is 5/5 for everything until I can start trying more, which I fully intend to do - until then, this is the bar.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2013 16:34:57 | More by Sheils

Bernardkowalski

5/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Absolutely one of my favorite beers!! honestly can go good with anything, but you are better off enjoying this beer by itself. it has so much too offer, such great combination between the yeast and malt's making this an outstanding brew. you can put this on my list of top beers.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2013 23:12:19 | More by Bernardkowalski