2012 Hopslam

Got lucky last night, I was going for a regular beer run and was going to checkout then saw the sign Bells Hopslam available here! Got a sixer for 20 bucks!! Question is who's looking for a beer trade? Second is this beer good to seller? Will is got better with age?

Had one of last year's release last night, held up really well. :rockin:

Heavily hopped beers are meant usully meant to drink soon,but some people dont mind age on them,although more of the malt sweetness may start to show and hops will loose their potential.You will find people or hopheads would preferr to get them when they come out.

$20 for a sixer, yikes. A few years back it was $8.50.

Hanso said:

$20 for a sixer, yikes. A few years back it was $8.50.

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I'm not really sure about that but it's one of their limited releases to that's kinda calls for it. They don't have a problem selling they guy at Wegmans told me that they just got them in yesterday and I took the 2nd to last pack. They had 36 6packs!!

jonmohno said:

Heavily hopped beers are meant usully meant to drink soon,but some people dont mind age on them,although more of the malt sweetness may start to show and hops will loose their potential.You will find people or hopheads would preferr to get them when they come out.

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Yeah I'll just drink 5 let one set till next years release and see. I love hoppy beers.

jimmayhugh said:

Had one of last year's release last night, held up really well. :rockin:

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How did the hops come though?

Bell's Hopslam....similar to Pliny the Elder, but a little dryer and a more honey - alcohol finish! Nice!!!! $21.00 for a Growler and happy to pay it in the state of Alabama! (they do not under stand good Beer)!

Ajae said:

Yeah I'll just drink 5 let one set till next years release and see. I love hoppy beers.

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Good idea, i may save two and try one a 6 mo,and one @ a year. Im enjoying my second one more than my first one(2012-same batch) for some reason it seemed slightly sticky sweet, but this ones seems to have a drier citrus cleaner finish,guess it is what i ate that day or today. This one is dryng my whole mouth out/ and teeth from the hops I just like that this year im really noticing the honey quality it has in flavor and aroma. I had a hard time noticing that last year,but then again my palate has change since.I dont think the same beer always tastes exactly the same either.

jonmohno said:

Good idea, i may save two and try one a 6 mo,and one @ a year. Im enjoying my second one more than my first one for some reason it seemed slightly sticky sweet, but this ones seems to have a drier citrus cleaner finish,guess it is what i ate that day or today. This one is dryng my whole mouth out/ and teeth from the hops I just like that this year im really noticing the honey quality it has in flavor and aroma.

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Nice to know, I don't have any other years to compare it with. This is my first batch. looking forward to other special release date this year!!

I just had a 1-year old Hopslam yesterday. I drank one of the two bottles that we saved from last year in the hopes that I'll get a 2012 batch soon. It was good but it didn't pack the hopslam punch like they did when fresh. It was more like a hop-tickle.

YMMV.

Ajae said:

Second is this beer good to seller?

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I bet this beer is very good to it's seller.

Ajae said:

I'm not really sure about that but it's one of their limited releases to that's kinda calls for it. They don't have a problem selling they guy at Wegmans told me that they just got them in yesterday and I took the 2nd to last pack. They had 36 6packs!!

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Yea, I probably exaggerated and my memory is bad . Supply and demand rules all.

Ajae said:

How did the hops come though?

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Fresh is better, but there was still sufficient hop note to keep thing even. I can't get Bell's locally, and have to rely on the kindness of friends, relatives and strangers to get the occasional gift, So I try to cellar one or two for later. Right now I have a bottle or two of Oberon, Double Cream Stout, Amber Ale and Expedition Stout to tide me over. This year, getting two Hearted Ale is like trying to buy plutonium.

3rd six pack this year plus one growler! I must say the bottles are far Superior to the draft this year!

sea1961 said:

3rd six pack this year plus one growler! I must say the bottles are far Superior to the draft this year!

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very true. still, i wasn't all too impressed with the bottles this year either. only MO here, but i think there are many better examples of double IPA out there, i used to get really excited for Hopslam every year, but the last few years i haven't been too thrilled with it.

I picked up a sixer last week here in Tampa.. I still had 2 bottles from last year in my fridge so I opened one of the old ones and compared it to the fresh batch... As expected, the hoppiness in the 2011 release was significantly diminished, both in the nose and taste. It was still good, but nothing compared to the fresh 2012 release. I've yet to find it on tap but the bartender at my local beer bar said the bottles are better this year.

The only Hopslam I had this year was in a blind tasting vs Double Trouble and Lagunitas Sucks.

Hopslam was the worst of the bunch.

Howie said:

The only Hopslam I had this year was in a blind tasting vs Double Trouble and Lagunitas Sucks.

Hopslam was the worst of the bunch.

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Interesting idea. I'll be taking this challenge soon!