Bell's Hopslam Ale - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

AllenChaney

Colorado

4.56/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

This is one of my favorite beers ever. The flavor is huge but not as big as it gets, more subtle than many Imperial IPA's. Reminds me of laying in a dew saturated field of wildflowers. Wakes up my entire olfactory system and excites me for the next sip. Not very "bite-y" and I love the floral notes.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2013 23:52:23 | More by AllenChaney

Beer_Bitch

Michigan

4.69/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Serving Type: On tap

Appereance: translucent and beautiful. LIke a golden goddess.

Smell: Extreme citrus scent. It smells like you've been placed in a vacuum sealed container for 5.3 years with grapefruit.

Taste: The taste is extremely powerful and complex. It smashes your palate with a right hook of citrus glory than delivers a powerful, but sure, upper cut to your adams apple of glorious hops.

Mouthfeel: light, like the touch of a doves wings

This beer is delicious. The first IPA that I drank and enjoyed. For anyone that has friends that would like to start drinking beers other than Pilsner this is the beer they should try. YUUMMM!

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2013 00:19:13 | More by Beer_Bitch

AndyP612

Illinois

4.29/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Hybrid on tap from notes and bottle split btw 2 low balls collaboration review with Carol.

A- Golden cloudy with low carbonation.

S- Hops forward with apple, pear and citrus overtones. Sweet.

T- Very sweet, hops follow nose but not as much hop bite as is expected from the nose. Almost too sweet and not bitter enough to be a pale.

M- medium heavy bodied, almost syrupy, yet very sweet. Thick.

O- Very much so too sweet for my palate as I like my IPA's well balanced and drier. My tap review came from a shit hole that still had hopslam on tap 3 weeks after it hit the market in Minnesota (Casper's in Eagan, MN) gottah love it. It comes across as a little too syrupy from the bottle and lingers too long which can be good or bad. All in all a great ale but Surly Abrasive wins. Cheers.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2013 02:00:43 | More by AndyP612

vinny21bal

Illinois

4.74/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 5

Hopslam lives up to the hype. i have had the last three years and they are always good. One thing I noticed this year compared to others however is the fact that it is 10 times better on tap. You pull a lot of the honey on tap, but hardly get any of the honey out of the bottle. I have also tried old Hopslam and this is not a good beer after age. Best when fresh

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2013 19:06:30 | More by vinny21bal

57md

Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

The appearance is a shade between golden and copper with a thin layer of head that quickly dissipates but leaves some lace behind. There are hops and a floral essence in the nose, but it is not terribly impressive. Flavor-wise, there is the presence of malt, citrus fruits and, of course, hops. Without a doubt, the hoppiness is not on par with the finest DIPAs out there, but this offering certainly gets more hoppy as one moves down the glass.

Perhaps my expectations were pumped up by the 100 BA rating, but this one definitely does not live up to its billing. Good, but I could quickly rattle-off at least 10 DIPAs that are superior.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2013 06:39:00 | More by 57md

TripelBlove

4.65/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This has to be one of the best IPA's I've ever had. Yes, I know it is a double IPA but I categorize all of them together. Had it as part of a sampler with several other beers and what I love most about this beer is that although you get a strong sense of hoppiness, the honey quickly dissipates any of the lingering bitterness that is usually left by such IPA's. A must have if you are ever at the brewery, try to save as much as possible. Currently aging an '11 and a '12 together. Looking forward to when I can try them next year!

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2013 22:19:01 | More by TripelBlove

martyl1000

Wisconsin

4.76/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

On tap at Maduro, Madison. A beautiful pour in a Bell's tulip glass. Inch of fluffy snow-looking head. And glacial lacing on the glass.

Great aroma,though the cigar smoke in here is obstructing any and all nuance.

in the mouth the hop bitterness and candy sweetness team up to beat back the tobacco smoke. There's only room on my pallate for one alpha flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2013 03:15:14 | More by martyl1000

Bernardkowalski

5/5  rDev +10.4%
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 22:53:28 | More by Bernardkowalski

pcguitarwzrd

Florida

4.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Draft at Wine World. So excited!!!

A: Beautiful and golden, fairly clear. Sticky offwhite head.

S: Hard to pick up, damn my clogged sinuses, but I can still pick up hops and ripe grapefruit. All the things that make my mouth water.

T: Glorious blast of hops, spicy and piney, then honey, caramel, grapefruit, pineapple. Doesn't get much better.

M: Rich and creamy but finishes dry thanks to ABV and a truckload of hops.

O: Amazing beer, a benchmark for the style, and towards the opposite (citrusy) end of the DIPA spectrum from 90 minute.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2013 19:20:25 | More by pcguitarwzrd

Joshuamcsee

4.05/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I don't get it...First year I've tried this phenom. Its a good beer, don't get me wrong, but for the hype I've heard, a real disappointment. solid offering from a top notch brewer, but not an event beer. Talked with several others tonight trying the same tap and got exactly the same response; "Its good, but not as good as last years".

I cant speak to that, but I can say Lagunitas Sucks was my second round.
Good beer, but nothing to write home about. Had some nice citrus flavors up front but got killed by what seemed like an off-the-chart IBU. Just seemed off balance. Like it couldnt decide what to be; a fruity double or straight hop bomb. The middling knocked it from its perch

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2013 04:46:41 | More by Joshuamcsee

thlayli87

New Jersey

3.91/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap into tulip glass.

A - Golden orange with two fingers of light beige head. Thick curtains of lace coat the glass.

S - Piney and herbal hop aromas. Hint of cat urine.

T - Strong hop bitterness and pine resin. Intense hop bite. A bit one dimensional flavor wise.

M - Medium body. Tickles the back of the throat as you drink it.

O - Good, not great. I have to say, I don't really get what all the fuss is about. Pretty easy drinking for 10% ABV, so it's got that going for it, which is nice.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2013 23:36:23 | More by thlayli87

sjones5045

New Jersey

4.95/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

On tap at Bell's. Pours exactly as you'd expect from a quality Imerial IPA, dark orange with a great at hoppy citrus smell. Taste is worldclass. Hits you with a hops out of the gate and remains on the tongue evenly throughout the entire mouthful. Extremely smooth and hides the Abv very well. The hoppy citrus taste does not linger too long which makes you want more. This is an extremely relaxing IPA that you just want to take your time with. Last note is that this may be the first beer I truly can say on tap is hands down better than the bottle. Not to say the bottle is bad, it's more of a comment on just the incredible freshness straight from the tap, and in this case straight from the brewery. This is the best IIPA I've had to date.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2013 20:36:32 | More by sjones5045

BrewsandBlues

4.66/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Had this on tap served in an oversized wine glass.

Appearance : bright golden orange color. About a one finger head that remained throughout and left moderate lacing.
Smell : WOW. Smells absolutely delicious. The first thing that I got was a strong citrus and tropical fruit aroma. Also, floral and honey notes are present along with a slight piney scent that reminds you it's a dipa.
Taste: very well balanced flavors, the hops are certainly present but not at all overwhelming or bitter. The citrus from the smell is present as is the slight honey sweetness. Also getting a fairly strong apricot presence.. Finishes with a dry hoppiness that makes you want another sip.
Mouthfeel : nice moderate mouthfeel and carbonation. Very smooth for a 10% abv. Very slight booziness afterwards but still pleasant.
Overall : Does it live up to the hype? Maybe not quite but is still a top tier dipa in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2013 20:21:04 | More by BrewsandBlues

cliffy2134

Minnesota

3.54/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

chetw

3.33/5 rDev -26.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I just had the 2013 release of Hopslam I was not overly impressed this year. Appearance and color where the same as other years but the aroma and taste were lacking compared to last year. I will still look for this on draft where I think it is much better. I must note that I did think the beer had a good flavor and my less than perfect review could be that my tastes are leaning more to hop forward beers and I would say I found this beer more balanced than I remember and not the Hopslam that I remember.

Serving type: bottle
so glad that someone else had the same experience as i did. everyone holds this beer up so high, and they dont want to say anything negative about it, but i completely agree that this is a different tasting beer from years past. very disappointed in the 2013 hopslam. ive tried it from a bottle to snifter, and from draft as well. same response...disappointment especially for 11.oo for a pint. i can think of 15 other beers id prefer having before this one this year.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2013 15:31:01 | More by cliffy2134

philerman

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Served on tap as a "super premium" at Papago Brewing Co in Scottsdale. Looks perfect, tastes perfect (the exact amount of honey sweetness to balance the hop bitterness), smells perfect. No bitter aftertaste and the 10% ABV is fast becoming the sweet spot for high alcohol ipa's that don't go too far overboard (I'm looking at you 120). Like April Fool's Day, July 4th Fireworks and hanging out with the guys on Labor Day for our fantasy football draft it is something I look forward to every year that rarely disappoints.

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2013 04:03:44 | More by philerman

SaxmanRick

Minnesota

4.74/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

On tap at 3 Squares in Maple Grove in MN. Pours amber colored with 1 inch head. Nice retained lacing. Smells of sweet malt and fresh, but not sharp, hops.

Taste is well balanced...malt base is full and slightly sweet and well balanced with the strong hop presense. This was a very fresh keg, but prominent hops (but not overbearing) were crisp. clean and similar but not quite as sharp as fresh hops. Lighter citrus (orange?), and sweetness apparently from honey, but not sweet for the sake of sweetness. Overall, well balanced and royal.

This is a special Imperial IPA. Alcohol well hidden and very drinkable...almost sessionable. I proceded to buy bottles for future pleasures.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2013 05:17:52 | More by SaxmanRick

RockAZ

Arizona

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Perfect beer to me, one of only two IMHO. 1/4 bbl Slim kegged on 1/27/2012, tapped today 1/28/2013 at my house - cannot get much fresher than that. Beautiful nose, pine forest and grapefruit rinds. Significant carbonation pops the scent of hops into the room, but settles quick clinging to the glass. Complicated mouthfeel, I know it is really bitter, I can feel it at the back of my tongue near the throat where it says grapefruit/lemon but the rest of my mouth says sweet honey and more subtle fruits like peach or that weird fruit pomelo. The final taste is bitter, but not particularly dry (because I am salivating for the next sip?). This is 10%ABV? Hides it very very well under that soft bitter bubbly.

yeah, a perfect 5, this is what it takes to get one of those from my tastebuds and my nose, and any brewery that makes complicated IPA's like this gets my upvotes and money!

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2013 21:47:05 | More by RockAZ

AllanC

Kentucky

4.7/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

What can one say? We wait all year for this to make its brief appearance, and hope we can obtain some before it is all sold.

I finally got to try this on tap this year. Just amazing. I drank a few the past few days, and our two six packs are still intact.

I wish I could give a more detailed review like many of my beer judge friends do. Perhaps one day.

Suffice it to say, I really like this beer, but am glad it isn't a year-around thing. I would probably become tired of quite quickly.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2013 21:17:04 | More by AllanC

Docrock

Illinois

4.54/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

jman005

Served in a 12 oz snifter at Bells 1-11-13

A - nice orange coppery color with minimal head which dissipated quickly. Small amount of sticky lacing.

S - not overpowering but just a solid pine resin with a minute citrus note.

T - pine way up front and across the tongue. nice bitter piney aftertaste. not much of the citrus comes through for me which separates this from a lot of other DIPA's which are more citrusy. almost no sense of the alcohol content here.

M- carbonation was appropriate and there was very little of the maltiness i expected. the hops aftertaste is pleasant and long lasting.

O - a hop lovers ideal brew. not overpowering, just right there on the nose and palate. will try again in a DIPA tasting to see how it compares side by side with other top beers. i really enjoyed the hop profile. When I tried this it was really fresh, 3rd day on tap at Bells. Have heard that in bottle, it's prime is around 5-7 weeks. Will also try some then.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 18:25:06 | More by Docrock

pepsican

Iowa

4/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Amber with a decent white head, didn’t last long. strong grapefruit and thick hop aroma. Flavor is strong piny hops, grapefruit, coconut, pineapple...more hops. Finishes thick, decent burn from the abv. Very good fresh and I'm glad this is a yearly release. Wouldn't want to see this on the shelves year round.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2012 04:31:00 | More by pepsican

tectactoe

Michigan

4.65/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo, MI, also many times out of the bottle. Pours a golden, light-amber with a moderate amount of haze to it, micro particles sift through the brew upon which a two-finger, creamy, light beige head rests and leaves nice amounts of fuzz on the glass. The aroma of this beer hits your nose mid-pour. Up close, things begin to get magical. Humongous citrus aromas; grapefruit, pineapples, tangerines, lemon zest - a wild, sweet, fruity explosion crowds your nostrils. Mild resinous, pine, and hop aromas make their way in as well - after all, this is HOPslam. The nose is absolutely brilliant and does nothing but get you excited to finally bring this one to your lips.

Take one sip - BOOM. MF'ing hop slammed. The hop bill is one of the finest and most robust out there, and you'll realize that when you finally gulp this sweet nectar. Piney, oily, resinous and slightly dank hops will seize your palate and engulf your taste buds immediately. This bitterness here is certainly dominant, but in the best way possible. After some time, some more floral and perfume-like aromas and tastes emerge, just icing on the already delicious hop cake. The heavy hop flavors are much more pronounced on the palate than in the aroma, which is to be expected. The citrus is not to be forgotten, either - it resides just under the thick layer of hoppy goodness; more pineapples, grapefruits, orange and lemon zest... Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

Not picking up much malt, if any at all. But at this point - who cares? This beer wasn't made for the malt. There's enough to give it some kind of a backbone, but that's about it. Any other non-pale malts were probably in very small quantity and just for the color. This beer is about the HOPS, anyways, and any malt distraction would do nothing but make me angry. The end of the sip and a touch of the aftertaste contains an extra dollop of sweetness - could this be from the honey, perhaps? It's hard to pick any actual "honey" flavors amidst the hop assault, but the sweetness of Hopslam doesn't go unnoticed and gets more vibrant as the beer gets warmer. Definitely a subtle, unobtrusive addition that sets Hopslam apart from other DIPAs even more so. The mouth is wet, slick, and on the thicker side, though not as lumpy as you may expect a 10% ABV beer to be. Carbonation is spot on, letting the flavors pop without being abrasive.

Hopslam is, simply put, one of the best DIPAs in the world. A fantastic hop profile that gives off an orgasmic aroma and a wonderfully complex yet drinkable flavor profile. Despite the 10% ABV, the alcohol does nothing more than provide a teeny, tiny bit of warmth. One of the most drinkable DIPAs you'll ever find. If you're looking for a hop explosion, look no further - get yourself some HOPSLAM.

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2012 03:25:56 | More by tectactoe

AdamCzap

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: beautiful, golden color
S: smells like honey and sweetness
T: explosion of flavors in your mouth! Very hoppy, but also has an acceptable amount of sweet taste that balances well with the bitterness. The after taste of this beer just leaves me wanting to drink more of it.

This is truly a world class beer. It's also very expensive and usually costs around $16-$20 for a 6 pack! However, at 10.5% abv, you get what you pay for in alcohol content and exquisite taste.

If I were stranded on an island and only had one beer I could take with me (along with food, of course ;)), this would be it. Well done, Bell's. Of course it would have to be on tap because this stuff is LEGIT coming from a keg. Bottles are good too, but this beer really shines on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2012 16:27:31 | More by AdamCzap

cfrances33

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Eccentric Cafe, served in a snifter.

Pour: Nice clear honey orange body, with three fingers of super soapy, and incredibly sticky off white head. Leaves really fantastic lacing.

Smell: Huge burst of tropical fruits up front, followed by some citrus fruits. A very strong honey aspect comes through as well.

Taste: Big tropical citrus, pineapple, and mango, followed by a big honey sweetness. Doesn't so much balance and just make the beer feel 'bigger.' Some nice citrus bitterness. Finishes sticky and sweet with honey and hop resin.

Mouthfeel: Insanely drinkable for 10%, but with a hint of booze on the finish, especially as it warms. Medium bodied.

Overall: This beer definitely wowed me fresh. If it wasn't for the price point, I'd buy this all the time.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2012 19:59:37 | More by cfrances33

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

had this on-tap at the Eccetric Cafe at the Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo MI. I didn't realize it was available this late in the year.

appears a hazy orange copper color with small white head. hoppy aroma is fruity - I pick up a lot of pineapple. taste is actually fairly balanced with caramel malt, finishes hoppy though. medium body and carbonation works for the beer. A bit of booziness, but in a good way.

overall - honestly I was expecting more based on it's reputation. A very good DIPA, and I'd certainly seek it out again. But not a top ten for me.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2012 02:27:05 | More by jmdrpi

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.7/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- Golden transparent body with a thin bone white head.

S- Piney hops dominate the nose.

T- Tastes like sucking on fresh hop oil. Delicious piney with a hint of citrus hop flavor.

M- Medium body with a sticky mouthfeel.

O- I would be surprised if there was a more hop forward, hop dominated beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2012 18:15:25 | More by stephenjmoore