Comments on: Bell’s Hopslam

By: henry a

henry a — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 02:15:59 +0000

Yo mark, dope website try drakes hopocalypse I recommend hope to hear ur reply

By: jason h

jason h — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 01:35:33 +0000

This year I finally got to taste the Hopslam. Got a sixer then went to Phoenix to find 9 cases on the shelf at Total Wine … What? Crazy. I grabbed more. Probably my favorite IPA. On one night we had it next to Pliny and Sculpin. Hopslam slammed um.

By: Calvin

Calvin — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:50:06 +0000

Just so you know, I wrote Bell’s requesting that they make this beer more than once a year. I totally agree with you and enjoyed this video. Thanks.

By: thehopry

thehopry — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 02:19:48 +0000

Very nice score.

By: dan

dan — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 01:51:28 +0000

Great review. I really like this beer. Just bought a mini keg of it tonight here in DC, 50 bucks plus dc tax!……..i’ve had it before in bottle, and can’t wait to tap the keg!

By: HopSucker

HopSucker — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:31:13 +0000

I fully agree with you Mark, Hopslam is better from the bottle or keg than from the cask.
I am glad the “slosher” gave some of us the opportunity to try it pushed from a cask, but I had a pour of each version side by side and hands down the c02 helps the flavor profile.

By: thehopry

thehopry — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:12:39 +0000

Hi Martin –

Glad you liked it. When they hit the shelves next year drink one the minute you get it home and see how much better (or worse) you like it. This beer (of any I’ve ever experienced) changes flavor very very fast based on the loads of high-end aromatic hops it’s brewed with. And by the way, I’m jealous that you get to shop at the Cracked Kettle.

Thanks,
Mark Starr

By: Martin

Martin — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 10:05:51 +0000

Hello Mark,

By accident I bought this beer in Amsterdam at the Cracked Kettle. Through your website I got aware of the specialness of this beer, so I saved this beer ’till my birthday. I’m not really fond of IIPA’s, because of the alcoholic sweetness that comes with it. But the Hopslam is a different IIPA. It stays with its hoppy bitterness and it gives you a slight sweetness, what is OK to me.
Thanks for your great beer reviews. I wish the beers that you are talking about, were easier to get here in the Netherlands. A Hail to the Hops, from the Netherlands,

greetings, Martin

By: Tom Cahill

Tom Cahill — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:30:02 +0000

Mark I couldn’t agree with you more. Hopslam is king. Its because of beers like this that I love beer. That is why I have a 1/2 barrell I purchased through a Chicago distributor, through my local liquor store. I have a kegerator. I was told that I am the only individual in an eight state area that has a keg of this in my home. I love, love, love this beer. I have had it tapped for 2 weeks and man this is great.

If you’re coming to Chicago let me know we’ll knock down a couple.

By: Tröegs Nugget Nectar « The Hopry

Tröegs Nugget Nectar « The Hopry — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:51:09 +0000

[...] to-do list for quite some time and has been put in the same class as some of the other greats like Bell’s Hopslam and Russian River’s Pliny the Elder. Needless to say, my expectations were set pretty high. [...]

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:19:46 +0000

Thanks for the info, Mark. I’m starting to feel indifferent to my groceries decision to let their sierra nevada’s torpedo (as well as the Sam Adam’s Nobel Pils) stay out in room temperature. Doesn’t make much sense if the fridge, holding their cheap, macro beers is leaving out the beers that would benefit more from the cold.

By: thehopry

thehopry — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:06:56 +0000

Yeah, it goes really quick. I wish they would brew it at least twice a year. There is certainly demand for it. I’m sure they have their reasons, though, for only releasing it once…

By: thehopry

thehopry — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:03:04 +0000

Hello Scott –

To answer the question about timing for drinking an IPA, they are always at their best when they hit the shelves. If not properly stored in refrigeration they will begin to lose their aromatic qualities fairly quickly. The flavoring hops usually go second, and bittering last. For these types of beers, the aroma is a huge part of the experience so that’s why people try to drink them quickly. As for the comparison of Pliny and Hopslam, it’s a matter of preference I think because they are both amazing beers. They have different aromas and taste, but both are deserving of their praise. I prefer Hopslam myself… Check out my campaign tab at the top of the page.

Thanks,
Mark Starr

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 02:36:50 +0000

Question for ya: I see this beer a lot where I live in Ohio. So I thought I would finally try it, although my dream has always been to try Pliny the Elder. Is there much of a difference between the two? Also I’ve read that Pliny is sensitive to time, in that its best fresh within weeks and this is the reason why Ohio doesn’t have it, considering its brewed in Cali. So does this apply to Hopslam, too?

Scott

By: mark

mark — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:39:06 +0000

Lucky enough to live in the Great Lakes state so I get my fill of Bell’s. The Hopslam this year is heavenly!!! I ordered 3 cases for our bar and it was gone in 2 days, people just can’t get enough.

By: thehopry

thehopry — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 04:59:19 +0000

Welcome Brother Bean. Thank you so much for the comments. You are absolutely correct that these beers die out quickly. However, if you refrigerate them in a cold fridge, they will hang on for longer than you think. If you do a search on this site for Tripel Karmeliet, you will see an extra (at the end of the video) I did for a Hopslam I was able to purchase back in October. That’s a full nine months after its release. It was in the fridge the entire time. Kept cold, it was honestly still a very good beer – though not quite as bright and good as it is/was in January and February. Also, click on the tab at the top called “campaign.” You’ll see I’m very serious about keeping the hops cold to preserve the flavor as much as possible and for as long as possible.

Thanks,
Mark Starr

By: Brother Bean

Brother Bean — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 04:37:11 +0000

Congrats on the two cases, steep but a small price to pay for something so perfect. But if I may, a word to the wise: drink it fast. This beer changes by the day (deteriorates, in my opinion) so the longer you sit on it the farther it will stray from the masterpiece you originally purchased. I sat on one bottle from last year’s batch for almost a year as an experiment, mostly to prove wrong the people who bestowed upon me similar advice to what I’m giving you, and I was sorely disappointed to find that they were absolutely correct. Drink it fast and enjoy!

By: thehopry

thehopry — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:45:20 +0000

Hello Marvin!!! I guess great minds truly do think alike. Good to know we’re on the same wavelength…

By: mr p

mr p — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:35:46 +0000

Shit, that’s funny — I just bought some Hopslam and was going to email and ask if you wanted me to buy you some. Didn’t know you got two cases! Also funny is that I listened to Atlas Sound today too (this morning).

By: thehopry

thehopry — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:48:29 +0000

Thank you Craig, yeah just trying to keep it fresh with the music and intro themes. One day maybe I’ll get something professionally done. But anyway… There will be a few more with the old intro and credits, but then I’ll be moving to this one for a while. Glad you and the wifey love the beer. I don’t think you’ll be able to go back now, but that’s a good thing.

By: Craig & Gay Jones

Craig & Gay Jones — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 06:52:12 +0000

Nice review. Gay and I were drinking our Hopslam (in the pimp glasses) while watching the review. As you know we tend more towards the porters / stouts, but this just drinks so smooth and fresh….we love it.

BTW, we both really love the new music. … Nice collection growing in the background.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:20:44 +0000

Drinking one now. Wow i LOVE this brew!!!

By: theReaper16

theReaper16 — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:06:38 +0000

I bought one case on Tuesday and I’m one six-pack down already. I’m gonna’ need more. ^_^

By: thehopry

thehopry — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:15:39 +0000

Thank you for the compliment. Just started following you on Twitter, too…

By: Taylor

Taylor — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:06:29 +0000

I’ve been meaning to try this one. Love the Bell’s. Their Best Brown Ale is BALLER. Cool site! Come swing by The Perfectly Happy Man sometime. Cheers!