Hopslam 2017

Have heard great things over the years about this Beer. Sadly it is NOT available here in Montana . Like Pliney the Elder it is almost impossible to find I may have to do a road trip to Michigan.

 

If anyone is still looking for Hopslam:

Check out: www.france44.com

$16.49/6pk (plus shipping) - No Limits

 

Agreed. This is my fourth year drinking Hopslam and the 2 cans I've had so far are the best I can remember. $16.99 here, reasonable for a once a year treat.

 

Just picked up my first 6 pack of this ever. Looking forward to trying it out.

 

Picked up two six-packs this week, two six-pack limit, at $17.99 each, canned on 1/23/17, tasting great. I think it's a good price considering Stone Enjoy By and Xocoveza is $16.99 a six-pack.

 

I've gone into Hopslam with low expectations each time I drink it, because I hear so much negativity, but it continues to surprise me. There aren't many 10%+ IPAs with this much hop/malt balance (looking at you Devil Dancer... though I think Founder's finally killed it).

Also, as far as the cans, it probably keeps it fresher and is definitely easier to ship, but I miss the aesthetic of the classic Hopslam bottle.

 

It's my third year with it, and as I posted last night this is the first year that I can say I "get it". While the past two years were good, this one definitely seems to be firing on all cylinders and there's nothing I'd change about it. Heck, I even grabbed another sixer today (although the severe limits of the past two years probably have something to do with that as well ).

 

Good stuff. Real good stuff.

 

This is the first time Hopslam was available in Oregon, and it was on tap near me.

It was okay. There's nothing wrong with it- it's a very good DIPA- but to be honest, it struck me as a pretty middle-of-the-road beer given its reputation. I'd drink it again if it were on tap and not too expensive, but I wouldn't wait in line for it. Solid and certainly worth my $5, but I didn't find anything extraordinary about it.

 

I discussed this year's Hopslam in today's New Beer Sunday thread:

Let’s ‘Slam a Can!!

It’s that time of the year again: Bell’s Hopslam was recently released.

First let me provide a BIG thank you to a good friend who gifted me with this can.

I have had this beer a few times before on draft but this is a first for me in several ways:

• My first time drinking this beer from a can
  
  
• My first time drinking this beer so fresh

I suspect that the second bullet is likely a more important aspect. All of my previous drinking experiences were at least one month after the release timeframe and in all probability a couple of months. For hoppy beers, time is not an ally for peak of beer drinking flavor.

Permit me to first discuss some history about Hopslam and how this beer was distributed in the recent past. The Wholesale Distributor for Bell’s in Southeastern Pennsylvania is Shangy’s in Emmaus, PA. Shangy’s also has a license to be a retailer (what we call a Retail Beer Distributor in PA). Well, Shangy’s the Wholesaler would provide the majority of Hopslam to Shangy’s the Retailer since their records indicate they were the largest seller of Bell’s beer. Does this have the appearance of the fox guarding the henhouse to you? Well, the net result was very little Hopslam was distributed to non-Shangy’s retailers. Most craft beer drinkers would drive to Shangy’s in Emmaus to purchase one case of Hopslam. There was a rule of only one case per car so carpooling was disallowed. This was how craft beer Extreme Exuberance was practiced then. Today you get to wait in lines for hours at beer releases like they have weekly at Tired Hands.

In case anybody was curious, I never drove up to Emmaus to buy a case of Hopslam. Between gas and tolls (PA Turnpike) that was too much money for me (also the travel time would have been several hours).

It probably is not necessary to discuss the hype associated with Hopslam but needless to say this is a highly sought after beer and folks are willing to pay BIG BUCKS to buy this beer.

Below is the description for Hopslam from BA:

“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.”

I will not discuss my previous drinking experiences with Hopslam since as I noted above they were less than fresh.

Drum roll please!! How does a fresh can of Hopslam taste?

Served in my Spiegelau IPA glass

Appearance:

Golden colored with a BIG white head.

Aroma:

The dominant aroma is citrus but there is some sweetness there as well. Kinda reminds me of candy orange slices.

Taste:

The flavor pretty much follows the nose. There is citrus accompanied by sweetness. There is a firm bitterness as well. There is just a very tiny bit of alcohol perception here.

Mouthfeel:

Nicely carbonated, medium body with a soft mouthfeel.

Overall:

I enjoyed drinking this beer. It was on the hairy edge of being too sweet for my palate but it did not cross the line.

I think that folks who are aficionados of the DIPA beer style would enjoy this beer more than me. When it comes to hoppy beers my personal preference are IPAs. I sometimes find DIPAs to be too cloying. As I mentioned above Hopslam approached that aspect.

This one can will suit me for 2017. Maybe I will drink one can next year too?



Do you remember eating these?

 

I'm always happy with the product and this year doesn't dissappoint. This was released in Indy two weeks ago and some stores still have a few cases sitting for sale if anyone is looking in Indy or traveling through.

 

$23.99 per six pack at total wine in tampa. Absolutely ridiculous on the price.

 

I think that it probably has to do more with how DIPAs have evolved over the last few years. Hopslam tasted to me like a pretty standard DIPA, so when your beer's become the new standard, it becomes harder to stand out.

 

Wow, yeah that's crazy. One of my accounts got a keg and charged $6 a 16 oz pint (a real pint not the thick bottom ones). It sold out in 70 minutes.

 

That sounds like the Pliny the Younger tappings we have in my area except that PtY would be gone in 40-45 minutes.

Cheers!

 

17.99 is what i paid here in SoCal.
Excited to try it for the first time.

 

I picked up 3 six packs at an Omaha bottle shop yesterday.. $14.99 a sixer.. Fantastic double IPA!...

Peace..

 

So at $18 or less it's awesome. For $18-20 it's ok. And for $20 or more it's no good.

I do not get the argument that there are many better DIPAs available at a lower price point. The only ones I can think of are also limited release, only available locally or regionally, and are priced similarly.

Drink what you like. Respect beer.

 

I believe these are better after a year. We did a vertical to prove it.