Hopslam 2017

I don't really like Hopslam all that much so no, I don't think it would make a difference. It always depends on the time and place though. If I'm craving a hoppy beer and that's the best hoppy beer that's available and I have enough dough for one, sure I'll get one. Usually there are better options available though, hence why I purchase it so rarely...

 

This stuff is selling quicker than last year it seems

 

In terms of double ipas brewed with honey that are less than 2 weeks old, what better options are there?

 

Bought two cases of Hopslam from Meijer in Stevensville, Michigan at $17.99 per six pack on 1/11/17. Definitely felt it was not as good as previous years. After four 2017 Hopslams, I grabbed a 2016 canned Hopslam. Wow, the 2016 Hopslam was exactly the world-class beer I had remembered. What the hell happened to the 2017 batch? Any insights?

 

Bought two cases of Hopslam from Meijer in Stevensville, Michigan at $17.99 per six pack on 1/11/17. Definitely felt it was not as good as previous years. After four 2017 Hopslams, I grabbed a 2016 canned Hopslam. Wow, the 2016 Hopslam was exactly the world-class beer I had remembered. What the hell happened to the 2017 batch? Any insights?

 

^sounds like you got Hypeslammed. It happens.

 

I have no idea, those are pretty narrow terms. There arent that many honey DIPAs out there and Hopslam was usually around 3-4 weeks old by the time it made it out to AZ. Usually I'd pick a local DIPA over it like Tower Station or Dragoon Sarcosuchus DIPA. I know that neither of these beers have honey added but I do enjoy them both more as a DIPA than I did hopslam and both are a bit less expensive than Hopslam. Maybe I just don't like honey in my DIPAs? If that's the case then perhaps Hopslam really is "the best honey DIPA less than 2 weeks old". Sorry I couldn't answer your question.

 

More likely end of Jan/1st week of Fev @tlema1

 

For me, 2017 is the best batch that I can remember in the last couple of years. If you liked a 2016 Hopslam that much than you don't like Hopslam, you like Barleyslam which is fine but more than likely it's your palate that has changed vs the Hopslam recipe. This gets brought up yearly, when most people had Hopslam for their first time there just was nothing to compare it to because no one was doing anything remotely similar. Nowadays there are tons of breweries trying to copy Hopslam or do their version of it so there are tons of options including some that you may like better but that doesn't mean Hopslam has gone down hill, it means you've had other options to try so Hopslam doesn't stand out from the pack as much as it used to.
I live in Kalamazoo & have had Hopslam on draft, from cans, bottles & mini kegs for years & I love this year's batch so much that I went back & bought more after having the first couple of cans

LOL

Hey @lsbell you should hire this guy because in his estimation he can apparently brew Hopslam better than you guys

 

lol.....17.99 a six pack? In the NY area it's going to cost $17.99 per can!!!

 

The fact that you like a one-year aged Hopslam over a 2-3 week fresh one indicates you may prefer a maltier style beer over a hop-forward DIPA. I don't think your comparison is a fair apples to apples comparison.

Based on your assessment, it sounds like you're looking for a very malt-forward IPA, or even barleywine. You may want to try other styles, possibly more west-coast varieties.

Hopslam fresh and aged Hopslam are two very different beers. Both worthy experiences, just vastly different.

 

What is this "Barleyslam" you speak of? I can find nothing about it. Anyway, hoping Hopslam hits town tomorrow, I have enjoyed every batch even though the freshest I have ever gotten was 10 days old.

 

What do you define as a batch?

 

@Blutz explained it a bit differently in the post right above yours but that's the point I was trying to make w/the Barleyslam that I was joking about

When I say Batch I truly mean the yearly run not necessarily one specific batch that could be part of that larger run

 

It has been my consistent experience that yearly releases of hoppy beers can indeed vary from year to year. As a point of example I personally notice that Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale varies from year to year. Bill Manley of Sierra Nevada has posted in the past specifically on the topic of Celebration Ale variation as being due to the difference of hop aroma/flavor from each year's hop harvest.

Maybe the variation of Hopslam from year to year is also due to each year's hop harvest variability?

Cheers!

 

Ah, I might call that the 2017 production run, or even vintage. The hops and even honey will vary in aromatics from year to year. This beer is many brews in the kettle, blended into a 400 bbl fermenter. They made around 11,000 bbls last year. So there may be some differences due to fermentations.

 

Sorry @tlema1 just got word we will release around 1/23. A little sooner than I was originally told!

 

I agree with both of y'all that the difference in taste from year to year is much more likely to come from the raw materials themselves versus some sort of change in recipe or brewing process.
Personally I remember thinking 2014 & 2015 were down years for my palate but loved 2016 & am loving 2017 even more

 

Crazy that it's going to be sold in Jewels in the Chicagoland area. Jewels (grocery stores for those who don't know) have been getting some crazy beers in stores this year (BCS, Rare, Hopslam)