Two Hearted Ale - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

Bosoxfan20

Missouri

4.21/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A- Pours a golden/copper with an off-white head that lingers for quite a while. Sticky lacing.

S- Normally I have a tough time picking up on the smell of my beer when I drink at a bar. The smell of smoke and food generally mask the beer's aroma. That is certainly not the case here! This beer has a huge floral hop aroma and a wonderful bready malt base.

T- Follows nose wonderfully. One of the more floral hoppy beers I can remember. Some juicy tropical flavors and citrus also comes through, all riding on a delicious bready malt backbone. Not overly bitter as I suspect this one has a lower IBU than most of the style. Powdery yeast also comes through. Well balanced.

M- Very drinkable. Mid body. No alcohol detected. Light carbonation

O- Simply delicious. A little different take on the IPA as it packs a solid hop punch, but doesn't pound you to death with nothing but hops and massive bitterness. Certainly a must try if wanting a balanced IPA

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2013 01:59:37 | More by Bosoxfan20

magictacosinus

California

4.84/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

At last, Bell's Two Hearted Ale! Had this on tap at Hopleaf in Chicago, where apparently the relationship between this beer and that bar is about as institutionalized as Pliny is with Toronado Pub in SF. Served in a shaker pint glass. Review is from my notes.

Pours a gold amber clear color immediately reminds me of everything I love in IPAs. Shines beautifully in the light, completed with a cascading, massive amount of carbonation that rises to the top thanks to the Hopleaf's very own pint glasses with nucleation points (which I noticed later)! A a result, there's a half finger of head that lasts on this beer the entire time, and makes this instant eye candy. Tons of lacing stick to the glass, and every swirl further reveals this beer's oily, resinous nature that I wish were more common than not in these types of hoppy beers. Excellent stuff.

The aroma is filled with all kinds of fruity varieties that I love, ranging from bittered oranges, mangos, pineapple, and grapefruit, for starters. I'm loving the particularly earthy flavor that this beer has going for it right from the start, which is presented in the malts in a slightly sweetened, caramel-toffee combo, and within the delightfully mineral-y and integrated hop oil phenols. Slight graininess, and a kiss of alcohol that adds extra balance to the beer. I think I was whiffing at this like a total dork the entire time that I was consuming this. It's so porous and dank - yet not in an exaggerated but rather soothing manner.

The flavor is fantastic. Not only does get all of the fruity flavors in various separate stages of consumption - rather than lumping them all together in one giant, dank bouquet - but it contains an earthy, nearly rustic feel that's as great as any fresh homebrew. Oranges, mangos, pineapple, lemon, a smidgen of pine, and little bit of other dried citrus rinds mixed with some faded grassy texture. Very earthy, but in a way where you get the core of the hop flavors from the vine all the way to the soil it came from. Other than Zombie Dust and occasionally with Pliny, I've never had a hoppy beer other than this one that does it this well. Everything is well integrated, and when the hops are all said and done, you're left with a clean, hearty, slightly syrupy but never too sweet finish of grains and slight breadiness that works so well. The astringency is never too grating, and, in fact, drinking this every few minutes allows the resin to settle on the palate and bring forth more of those mineral and earthy properties.

Wow! Everyone that's ever raved about this beer was right about it's greatness. I wish I could have brought six packs of this home. I really don't need to finish with a huge closing statement about this beer. As someone who's just started homebrewing and a huge fan of hops when they're pervasive in a beer but not grating, and also with beers that strive to find so much balance and use such fresh ingredients - which many brewers fail to do with IPAs - this really is one of the hop masterpieces of this country. I hate to add so much to the hype, but find fresh batches of this and drink it on tap whenever you have the chance. If always this consistent, this is probably the best IPA brewed year-round in the country. And with that, I leave myself in mountains of hops and joy. My favorite beer I had on my trip to Chicago. One of my new favorite beers.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2013 22:22:10 | More by magictacosinus

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.14/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Served in pint glass.

Appearance: Simple amber, heavy bubbles on the body. Nothing to go crazy over. Body creates a white head rising to maybe 1/4".

Smell: light pink grapefruit scent, pretty descent wish it was more potent.

Taste: a fruity beer believe it or not, complex with citrus and hops. This beer as far as taste is concerned which in my opinion is the most important propery of all beers...incredible.

Mouth: a nice bubble texture obviously consisting of an almost heavy carbonation. Smooth...and I'm serious.

Overall: this beer is a flavor bomb, on tap here on my little getaway here in PA. Would I buy again, heck yea...I'm shooting for a few more. Salud.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2013 02:02:37 | More by BlurryVisi0n

orcsinspace

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My second beer from Bell's, and this one is much better. I did like it, but whoever gave this beer a 95 rating at BA needs to stop drinking on the job. It is a good beer, but just like with the other beer I had from Bell's, there are too many on the market where I live that shame this one, and shame it hard. Beer is becoming like indie rock was 15 years ago--the more obscure, the better people will think it is.

The head was nice on this, and the color was a rich, typical IPA color. Very standard. There was some nice lacing down the glass, but nothing like you'd get from a Ranger, or a Torpedo.

The smell was very standard, and if you have ever had an IPA before, imagine that. This one is more piney than citrusy, so I do like that.

The taste was also very standard, and again, more pine. It tasted fairly fresh, and had a nice bitter bite to it.

Overall, a decent beer, but where I live this beer rings in at nearly 12 bucks for six at the grocery. This beer is overrated, and while it is good, I just can't justify spending that much on a six pack.

Bell's is middle of the pack for me, and I have to admit that I am let down. All I have hear about lately is Bell's it seems, but this is really nothing special.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2013 19:10:56 | More by orcsinspace

ptwilson

South Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Not your mainstream everyday IPA.

Unusually light copper color for an IPA and a bit cloudy, head a bit thin

Pleasing floral aroma

On the lower end of hoppy for an IPA, light enough to taste some complexity in the hops, leads with a flavor more like a Marzen, but finishes like an IPA

Feel is typical for IPA

Overall a nice change of pace if you get bored with the standard IPA fare.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2013 22:55:14 | More by ptwilson

Daktah

North Carolina

4.51/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Can't really offer anything new on this beer, but it deserves more than a simple 'had'. Clear, bright orange, slightly off white head and great lacing. Smell and taste both full of citrus and tropical fruit. Not overly fruity or sweet, but the tropical fruit aspect of this beer is amazing. Medium body with a creaminess that makes it very easy to drink.

Overall a fantastic beer, and the fact that it's so widely available makes it even better.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2013 13:48:59 | More by Daktah

eends33

4.74/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Had this on draft when i was visiting my family out of state and i was blown away this is a very well balanced ipa one of the best ipa's ive had to date i reccomend everyone trying it if you can get a hold of it...they dont sell it around my area but my goal is to get my hands on hopslam...i was very impressed with the two hearted ale !

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2013 15:59:25 | More by eends33

Bernardkowalski

5/5  rDev +17.1%
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

Sheils

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +17.1%
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

Efay

Illinois

3.71/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A craft staple in the Midwest. Had it before, but never fully reviewed it.

A- A transparent, dark amber beer. No head retention and no lacing.

S- Abundant amount of honey and floral notes, I can barely smell any pine.

T- Doesn't taste like how it smells. Has a piney hop taste with some tangerine, and ends with a mix of light malt and those bitter hops.

M- Very light but high amounts of carbonation.

O- A decent beer, but I feel that I can find better beers that are in the same category as this.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2013 14:51:11 | More by Efay

One2Remeber

Florida

4.53/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Frothy, creamy white head. Bright yellow body with a golden hue. Lacing sticks, dense head stays put.

S: Big toasty, bready malt backbone with a tropical citrus hop aroma.

T/M: Malt up front before a blend with of hops. Tropical citrus finish and lingers. All the resinous, oily hop bitterness a hop lover desires, enough malt backbone to balance. Clean, pronounced flavors. Moderate carbonation bitterness makes refreshing.

O: Someone got their Centennial hops back! For the past year Two Hearted did not taste the same. Taste like their pale ale which is far below average. This IPA reminds me why I love the style, similar to Dogfish Head 60 Min in regard to how well it is balanced. Malt is more on the bready side than 60 min's caramel backbone.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2013 02:18:59 | More by One2Remeber

jethrodium

California

3.95/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap. Pours a clear light golden amber with a small head that has decent retention and leaves some light lacing on the glass. The aroma is sugar cookie with a lot of grapefruit and some orange as well. There are also some light floral notes. The initial taste is sweet with some sugar cookie and a bunch of grapefruit and a bit of orange as well as a bit of caramel. The finish has a mild bitterness as well as quite a bit of sweetness. Medium-light bodied. Relatively low carbonation. A bit more sweetness than I would like, but a pretty solid IPA, especially for one that is regularly available.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2013 03:13:00 | More by jethrodium

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Two hearted- served on tap at the BWW in Waukegan IL

Pours cloudy med amber, dark tones. Foamy, lots laced. Sweet fruity pine nose. Bubblegum. Light malt and lighter hop open. Bitter builds but stays balanced. Tasty. Some sweetness around the pine. Very good. 45 45 4 35 4

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2012 21:41:04 | More by KTCamm

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap served in a pint glass

A - Clear copper amber with 2 finger fluffy white head with great head retention and excellent sticky lacing

S - Crikey, the great white Centennial hops is a beauty in this bouquet starring that grapefruit stink, the love of many a hop head. Touch of floral and grassy hops and hint of booze.

T - Catch of the day is citrus hops with a side of sweet caramel malts which compliment this course quite well. This fish pairs well with the heavy citrus hops and almost perfect balance of malt and booze and a solid bitter finish.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, chewy.

O - One of the best of the popular IPAs in the country, Two Hearted is so well fashioned, crafted to suit almost any beer drinking occasion, I'll pick this one up just about anytime I can out of state. It was better on tap, after having it bottled, the floral and citrus hops on the nose as just a bit more pungent.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2012 19:35:38 | More by williamjbauer

chanokokoro

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed at The Beer Bistro-West Loop in Chicago, IL. Served in a Bell's shaker pint glass.

Served with a two finger head and shows copper with orange accents. Good head retention, and splotchy lacing. Big floral and citrus aromas on the nose. Fairly bitter citrus-tinged hops are ever-present as is the biscuity malt bill. Finishes dry with citrus rind bitterness. Medium-bodied, well-carbonated, and smooth. Very drinkable, however the nose tends to promise much more depth to the flavor than is actually delivered. Certainly a very solid American IPA, but nothing groundbreaking. Still not among my top choices for go-to American IPAs

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2012 05:52:38 | More by chanokokoro

JamesShoemaker

New York

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Loring Kitchen and Bar in Minneapolis.

Appearance - good looking beer, ochre with a lighter head that's super rich.

Smell - decent smell, nothing terribly special in my opinion. It smells as crisply as it tastes though, which is fun.

Taste - excellent. The hops are certainly present, but not overwhelming. Lots of excellent fruit flavor behind the initial crispy bite too.

Mouthfeel - also very good. This beer is very drinkable. I generally have at least two in a sitting.

Overall - I used to call this beer my favorite. While I don't think that's any longer true, I do love to return to it every once in a while.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2012 21:34:08 | More by JamesShoemaker

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.95/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance – Served a light amber color with a tiny white head. The head faded quite fast to leave only a very small amount of lacing.

Smell – The smell is very light and consists of some sweet caramel, bread, lighter fruit smells and a citrus hop smell.

Taste – The taste begins on the drier side and is of a light roasted malt with a decent presence of a an citrus hop bitterness. In the middle it sweetness slightly with some flavors of caramel and light fruit coming to the tongue. These flavors are rather short lived however and fade toward the end, where a more sharp bitter earthy and citrus nature come to the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the slightly above higher than average side in terms of creaminess with a medium level of carbonation. Good for the hop flavors as well as for the more bitter and sharp hop flavors.

Overall – Not much sweetness here but very nice and dry. A flavorful and tasty drier IPA with a nice sharp hop and malty base.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2012 22:23:36 | More by Darkmagus82

SometimesIfart

Michigan

4.7/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a keg into a whiskey glass.

A - Pours a deep Orangeish-Amber one finger of white head. Slight bubbles continuing to rise. Leaves trace amounts of lacing.

S - Strong grapefruit on the front of the nose, followed by moderate amounts of lemon and malt. Hops hops and more hops.

T - Tastes of strong hops upfront with some mild grapefruit in the background and a malty slightly burnt finish. All the flavors melded together perfectly and reminded me of a slightly stronger Mad Hatter. Delicious.

M - Mouthfeel remains the same as the taste, With medium carbonation and a moderate body. No complaints here at all.

O - Overall, This was a delicious, Yet quite simple IPA with great flavors. Definitely not as malt heavy as others, Which is fine by me. Would I buy it? Yes, Definitely.

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2012 00:57:03 | More by SometimesIfart

divineaudio

Michigan

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

served in a pint glass.

a - came to the table a glowing amber liquid with a finger of creamy, tan head. retention is excellent, calming to a thin cap and lasting for the duration. leaves spotty lacing in the glass.

s - orange, grapefruit, grass, faint honey.

t - malt base of toasted bread with just a touch of honey-like sweetness. big grapefruit notes with a piney bitterness that comes in at the end. well balanced given the huge hop character in this one.

m - firmly medium in body with the right amount of carbonation. very smooth.

o - quite enjoyable and well deserving of its reputation. noticeably better on tap than from a bottle. worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2012 14:38:21 | More by divineaudio

cfrances33

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Eccentric Cafe on 8/13/12, served in a tulip-like pilsner glass.

Pour: Clear amber orange with a finger and a half eggshell head. Nice lacing, and head diminishes to a coating.

Smell: Lots of pine and grapefruit, with a hefty amount of malt. Pretty straightforward, but is done perfectly.

Taste: Honestly, the same as the nose, and amazing in every way. Grapefruit, followed by resinous pine bitterness. A substantial caramel malt balances.

Mouthfeel: Really quite refreshing for the style, and the amount of flavor and bitterness this packs. I could have a few of these,

Overall: One of my favorite IPAs, and is best enjoyed on draft in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2012 02:30:28 | More by cfrances33

Alextricity

Michigan

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap at Ciccarelli's at 21 and Hayes.

Appearance: It has to be the best beer I've seen ... behind MAYBE the legendary Guinness. I got it and it had a nice, dark color to it with a beautiful three finger head on it. A thing of beauty. Better yet was the super sticky lacing -- with every sip, you could see the line of how much I drank. Fantastic.

Smell: The smell and taste and a lot of what I got from this was a very deep, pleasant earthy and spicy hoppiness. The smell is much like the taste.

Taste: But the taste is just a BIT better. As nice as it smells, it comes out in every sip. Wonderful balance with the hops... great flavor, with a perfect light bitterness on the finish. I love that I get a taste of Fruit Loops in there, as well as an earthy grit. Delicious.

Mouthfeel: Nice and smooth ... goes down dangerously easy for a 7% ABV.

Overall, a pretty magnificent beer. This has a distinct, strong, pleasant taste to it. As someone that's new to Bell's, this and Oberon have made a good first impression on me ... at least on tap. In about a half hour of drinking, I had my first two "Wow." beers.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2012 03:44:28 | More by Alextricity

socon67

New York

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours bright amber with a 1 inch foam. Lacing is fantastic and patterns the glass.

S - Fresh smell of grapefruit. Mild hop resin scent. Slight smell of fresh pine needles.

T - Great flavor of fresh citrus that balances great with the bitter hop finish. Neither is overbaring. It is a subtle combination that makes this a joy to drink.

M - Great balance, crisp feel. Minimal carbonation.

O - I see why this is such a highly rated beer. A very flavorful IPA that goes quenches your thirst.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2012 01:09:53 | More by socon67

srv33

3.5/5  rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Light brown pour, good lacing. Scent of malt and wheat. Well balanced, taste is similar to scent though nothing really stuck out to me - could have been an old keg or dirty lines. Nothing too striking, I was disappointed considering all the great things I had heard about this brew. Though this might just prove I'm not a huge pale ale fan. EIther way, I despite feeling pretty neutral about this brew, I'd be willing to give it another shot in the future.

EDIT: Tried it again today, in a bottle, and had a more pleasant experience. Color was oddly lighter than it was when drank on tap previously. Stronger scent of pine, and the taste was more hoppy and just overall tasted more full and balanced than my previous experience with it on tap. Notes of grapefruit and pine were much more apparent.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2012 22:43:46 | More by srv33

NiceTaps

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap in a pint glass.

A- a great looking ogange color with a huge head that lasts and leaves lots of sticky lacing. A little hazy with good cabonation.

S- citrus hops and some floral and pine notes. Nose candy for sure.

T- hop forward, lots of citrus and some pine. A note of malt back there as well.

M- thick, full body. Good cabonation. A dry hop finish that lingers between sips. Drinkable.

O-A solid American IPA on all counts.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2012 21:51:04 | More by NiceTaps

cagocubs

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap into pint glass.

A: Pours a hazy light amber/gold with lots of active carbonation. A one finger head dissipates over time leaving a nice film with definite lacing.

S: Hops assault the nose with good citrus/grapefruit. After the initial scent you can sense florals and earthy pine. Some maltiness to cap this one off.

T The hops, citrus, malt, and earthy tones come into one impressive beer. The ingredients unleash bitterness and the citrus gives great juicy character.

M: Medium body with slight creamy flow. Good carbonation and impressive warming.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2012 00:34:33 | More by cagocubs