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Hopslam Ale
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
- From:
- Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
Ranked #21 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 98
Ranked #291 - Avg:
- 4.45 | pDev: 9.66%
- Reviews:
- 3,800
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 22, 2024
- Added:
- Apr 14, 2004
- Wants:
- 2,763
- Gots:
- 3,984
Starting with six different hop varietals added to the brew kettle & culminating with a massive dry-hop addition of Simcoe hops, Bell's Hopslam Ale possesses the most complex hopping schedule in the Bell's repertoire. Selected specifically because of their aromatic qualities, these Pacific Northwest varieties contribute a pungent blend of grapefruit, stone fruit, and floral notes. A generous malt bill and a solid dollop of honey provide just enough body to keep the balance in check, resulting in a remarkably drinkable rendition of the Double India Pale Ale style.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Nugganooch:
Reviewed by Nugganooch from California
3.83/5 rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.83/5 rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4/20 - Hopslam review and why the hells not. Perfect way to complement the day. Thanks for the trade Shuggy!
A: Pours a very clear bright straw pale color with some tiny tiny bubbles that tried their best to mature into foam. But that faded quickly swirling back into the glass. Lace struggling to hang on.
S: Some nice fresh apricot and peach notes are trounced pretty quickly by sweet malt aromas. Alcohol a bit evident here.
T: Some very considerable IBU's present. Peppers the tongue nicely. Hints of some fresh citrus and fruit flavors but mostly spice and piney resin hops. But the big sweet and chewy malts really come through and it finishes on the warmer side. ABV definite on the exhalation. Dont really taste the honey but considerably on the sweeter side of DIPA's.
M: Nice overall creaminess that finishes on the warmer side.
D: On the lower side of the spectrum but this one does definitely grow on you considering it is up at 10% ABV. Definitely a bigger brew with big hops and chewy malts. Very filling. Not too shabby.
Considering this bad boy comes available in a little 12oz bottle is pretty cool. A bit on the sweeter side for me to consider Outstanding. I suppose the hype is over its limited availability. A good brew none the less that I wouldnt mind recieveing again.
Now...where's my Pliny and a lighter?
Apr 20, 2011A: Pours a very clear bright straw pale color with some tiny tiny bubbles that tried their best to mature into foam. But that faded quickly swirling back into the glass. Lace struggling to hang on.
S: Some nice fresh apricot and peach notes are trounced pretty quickly by sweet malt aromas. Alcohol a bit evident here.
T: Some very considerable IBU's present. Peppers the tongue nicely. Hints of some fresh citrus and fruit flavors but mostly spice and piney resin hops. But the big sweet and chewy malts really come through and it finishes on the warmer side. ABV definite on the exhalation. Dont really taste the honey but considerably on the sweeter side of DIPA's.
M: Nice overall creaminess that finishes on the warmer side.
D: On the lower side of the spectrum but this one does definitely grow on you considering it is up at 10% ABV. Definitely a bigger brew with big hops and chewy malts. Very filling. Not too shabby.
Considering this bad boy comes available in a little 12oz bottle is pretty cool. A bit on the sweeter side for me to consider Outstanding. I suppose the hype is over its limited availability. A good brew none the less that I wouldnt mind recieveing again.
Now...where's my Pliny and a lighter?
More User Ratings:
Rated by Z-Hoole from Indiana
4.69/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.69/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
notes: pine and honey
very impressed with this
Feb 18, 2024very impressed with this
Reviewed by UWDAWG from Washington
4.03/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 ounce can with a best by date of 2-15-24 at 52 degrees in a snifter.
Look- Medium amber, very slight haze, light tan frothy head, above average head retention and lacing.
Smell- Biscuit, grapefruit, pine, honey, medium strength of scent.
Taste- Grapefruit, biscuit, honey, slight pine, moderately sweet, highly astringent, high strength of flavor.
Feel- Full body, slightly below average carbonation, highly creamy, highly bitter, slightly mouth warming, highly astringent.
Overall- The medium amber color was the first indication this was going to be a malt forward beer. The above average head retention and lacing helped to keep the look number at 4. The bouquet was definitely malt forward with grapefruit as a strong secondary aroma. The flavor was malt forward and pleasant right up until the astringency got in the way. The flavor rating would definitely have been higher without the astringency. The feel with full body and high creaminess was outstanding, but the astringency once again held my rating down by overshadowing the positive attributes. Overall this was a solid beer that was just too malt forward and astringent for my taste. I bet fifteen years ago this beer would have been mind blowing, but now it’s fairly average amongst the enormous available options.
Jan 08, 2024Look- Medium amber, very slight haze, light tan frothy head, above average head retention and lacing.
Smell- Biscuit, grapefruit, pine, honey, medium strength of scent.
Taste- Grapefruit, biscuit, honey, slight pine, moderately sweet, highly astringent, high strength of flavor.
Feel- Full body, slightly below average carbonation, highly creamy, highly bitter, slightly mouth warming, highly astringent.
Overall- The medium amber color was the first indication this was going to be a malt forward beer. The above average head retention and lacing helped to keep the look number at 4. The bouquet was definitely malt forward with grapefruit as a strong secondary aroma. The flavor was malt forward and pleasant right up until the astringency got in the way. The flavor rating would definitely have been higher without the astringency. The feel with full body and high creaminess was outstanding, but the astringency once again held my rating down by overshadowing the positive attributes. Overall this was a solid beer that was just too malt forward and astringent for my taste. I bet fifteen years ago this beer would have been mind blowing, but now it’s fairly average amongst the enormous available options.
Reviewed by TwilightBeerCareer from Illinois
4.4/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Always stayed away from Hopslam because of the 10% abv. Was out and about today and it was on tap at the place I stopped, so I opted for just a taster. The alcohol is barely present, which was a surprise. A good malt backbone compliments the generous hopping. Well done. Not anything I would drink, but was glad to give it a try.
Jan 02, 2024Rated by mpk2020 from Illinois
4.5/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Draft at whole foods in Pittsburgh
Dec 15, 2023Rated by jonhodges from Georgia
5/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Best Beer to date.
Dec 13, 2023Reviewed by sjrider from California
4.41/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.41/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Can pour - clear orange/amber with foamy off white head leaving frosty lacing. Nose is sweet malt with a lot of resiny pine and hints of citrus. Taste follows with a bit of alcohol creep on the finish. A treat for hopheads.
Dec 06, 2023Reviewed by upsbeernut from Georgia
1.45/5 rDev -67.4%
look: 3 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.25
1.45/5 rDev -67.4%
look: 3 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.25
Well got a real bad batch with emphasis on drink by dates which really shouldn’t be allowed to use. That’s not an honest way to distribute beer cause of environmental affects that make the beer lose its taste. The average rookie consumer will not be able to judge to buy the beer or not. My two six packs were poured out and 40 bucks went down the drain too. Bought in November with the carton saying best by January 24 th. Guess what the bottom of the can revealed? January 2036. Now I haven’t a clue when it was canned. No recourse from Bells as I expected. Just another who cares.
Nov 21, 2023Reviewed by ClemsonMike from South Carolina
4.56/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.56/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
It seems as though Hopslam’s popularity has fallen off since its heyday about 15 years ago. This is not justified by the quality of this brew. This beer is as good as ever. Just purchased a few six packs of a 10/24 canned on date. Terrific balance of malt, hops, sweetness, and a bit of a booziness. I look forward to its release every year, now in October. This is a true classic and belongs in the beer Hall of Fame.
Nov 08, 2023Reviewed by Orca from Washington
4.42/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
12oz can (best by 1/3/2024, so packaged 10/3/2023) into a tulip. Pours a honey golden amber with a monstrous fluffy off-white head, nice clumpy lacing clings to the inside of the glass.
Aroma is resinous and piney; sweet bready malt and I’d guess mostly Simcoe, Centennial, and Amarillo hops in abundance. Some grapefruit rind.
Taste is a blast of sweet fruity malt and resinous, citrusy hops. Honey evident. Lots of pine, grapefruit, hop oils. Then more resin and pine. Some alcohol. Intense. This beer just grabs your palate by the throat and takes no prisoners.
Mouthfeel is full-bodied, chewy, slick. Tongue-coating. Sticks with you.
Overall I’d consider this a “statement” beer. It’s strong, bold, unapologetic. Still it manages to hold a tight balance between the solid malt bill and copious hops, so it’s clearly well crafted. Nicely done.
Oct 28, 2023Aroma is resinous and piney; sweet bready malt and I’d guess mostly Simcoe, Centennial, and Amarillo hops in abundance. Some grapefruit rind.
Taste is a blast of sweet fruity malt and resinous, citrusy hops. Honey evident. Lots of pine, grapefruit, hop oils. Then more resin and pine. Some alcohol. Intense. This beer just grabs your palate by the throat and takes no prisoners.
Mouthfeel is full-bodied, chewy, slick. Tongue-coating. Sticks with you.
Overall I’d consider this a “statement” beer. It’s strong, bold, unapologetic. Still it manages to hold a tight balance between the solid malt bill and copious hops, so it’s clearly well crafted. Nicely done.
Reviewed by EVH5150
4.4/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.4/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
I always grab a few six packs of this legend when it comes out every January -ish. Seems much easier to find the past few years but absolutely a must try beer. I've always loved the faint taste and mouthfeel of honey hidden behind the massive hops and malt. One of the best beers i've ever had.
Sep 18, 2023Reviewed by Hobbs87 from New York
4.48/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.48/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Excellent DIPA. One of the best. Only drawback is that it has a pretty strong alcoholic aroma and taste which people may not prefer. Really good but just not quite in the same level as a Heady Topper or Pliny the Elder.
Aug 10, 2023Reviewed by nwalke16 from Michigan
5/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This is the best Imperial IPA that I've had so far. 4.45/5 is too low. Firstly, the smell and taste is exactly what a West Coast Imperial IPA should taste like. The hops are complex and massive, but balanced with the malt and the sweetness. The overall taste is not like a 10% ABV beer, but tastes more like something that is 8%. I would really like to compare it to both Heady Topper and Pliny the Elder, but this is the best beer that Bells Brewery makes.
Jul 26, 2023
Hopslam Ale from Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
Beer rating:
98 out of
100 with
14024 ratings
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