REVIEW: Bell's Hopslam

So we finally get to Hopslam. A bit of a holy grail for some beer geeks. If I'm being honest though, a bottle of Hopslam isn't really that hard to find. If you're on the ball, you can come across some fairly easily. I just walked into Krogers and walked out with a six pack. It's not like this beer is Dark Lord or Canadian Breakfast Stout or anything. But there certainly is a fair amount of hype swirling around this beer's release each year. Is that hype for hype's sake though, or is it warranted? Only one way to find out. To the beer!

Hopslam pours a slightly hazed polished copper in color. My photography skills apparently leave a bit to be desired as the photo above makes it look a bit more scarlet than it appeared in my hand. It's topped by a fluffy layer of stubborn bone white head that leaves some wonderful lacing.

The aromas are led by some big flowery clover notes, no doubt from the honey. Pungent, aromatic citrus notes follow with hints of tangerine and grapefruit. There's also a bit of resiny pine and a strong, sweet, caramel malt backing.

Hopslam is very full and is possessing of a nice creaminess. Once again, as in the aromas, the floral citrusy hop takes center stage. Flavors of grapefruit, pear, and orange are balanced quite well by a sweet, almost verging on syrupy, bready caramel malt. The bitterness, while a bit bracing at first sip, mellows as the beer warms and results in a very balanced brew, especially for such a big imperial IPA. Some bitterness and a bit of subtle warming linger on the finish.

I think it's safe to say that Hopslam lives up to the hype. This is a delicious beer, and what makes it so delightful is the expert balance. In recent months I have found my love affair with big west coast IPAs to be diminishing. We all know they can do big amazing hop flavors, but I need some balance, some body, some sweetness to counter all of that bitterness. Hopslam has that in spades. You may have a bit of a hard time finding Hopslam out in the wild at this point but if you do, snatch it up. This beer's reputation is well deserved.

HD