In light of my upcoming epic beer run, I was surprised that I had not yet reviewed one of the tastiest beers that has ever been in my mouth. A few weeks ago, fellow “Twitter”-er Hoptopia pointed me in the direction of Bell’s Hopslam, a famously hopped and very popular IPA from Bell’s Brewery in Michigan.
HopSlam from Bell's Brewery
I was so blown away by this beer I can barely describe it. I always take an immediate whiff of a bottle as soon as I pop the top, and my first impression of Hopslam was “wow, this is incredible”. The aroma will literally slam your nose with fresh hops, ripe fruit, and freshly cut grass, and it has the unmistakable amber appearance of tree sap. The flavor profile of this beer is full-bodied and complete, although it seems more hoppy and the botanical taste much more evident. It’s marketed as being brewed with honey – while that may contribute to the texture, it barely affects the taste as far as I can tell – there’s so much else here overwhelming your taste buds that you won’t even notice that it’s missing. The 10% alcohol content is masked very well by the flavor, and you won’t realize why you’re feeling groovy until you get to the bottom of the bottle. The texture of this beer when hits your mouth can best be compared to maple syrup. It’s thick but still watery, has zero head, is somewhat sticky when you swallow it, and leaves your mouth feeling papery when all is said and done. I found it to be very similar to Dogfish Head’s 120 Minute IPA that I reviewed a few months ago, with quite a few major differences – it’s less intense, drinkable on a daily basis, a third of the price, and far more available. For example, if you can find a bottle of DFH120, look around for Hopslam – I found several cases of it nearby. It also contained everything that I loved about Stone’s Ruination – the grapefruit, assorted citrus, and wonderful hoppy goodness – without all the temperamental crap one has to go through with Ruination to really enjoy it and avoid the extreme bitterness.
HopSlam in the Glass
Overall, this IPA is beyond excellent and is definitely one of the best beers that I have reviewed to date. If you spot a bottle, or even a case, of this beer at your local store, stock up with as many as you can because it’s well worth whatever you pay for it – it apparently ages very well under the right conditions. I found Hopslam at my local Total Wine for about $3 a bottle, and it was available in 6-packs or by the caseload. On that note it’s time for bed – I’m starting my weekend early and flying to San Francisco in the morning to start my 800-mile beer run. First on the list (straight from the plane, actually) is 21st Amendment, which was one of the original inspirations for Beersurfing. There’s a pint of Hop Crisis waiting there with my name on it, and I don’t want to keep a good beer waiting!
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