One of my favorite Bells beers and one that I grab whenever it is available. +++Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this brew poured a lovely murky mahogany color with a large brown head. Very heavy on the sediment. The aroma was sweet malt and fruit - mostly pear and apple scent. The texture was thick and chewy. The flavor was caramel, malt, fruit and a hint of coffee. Quite tasty and remarkable.

Ah IPA another of my favorite styles. I have managed to have this beer several times in the past but for some reason I have never managed to rate it. Sampled from a typical 12 oz brown bottle this fine beer poured a rich golden color with a medium sized yellow-white head. Very pretty. A strong grapefruit, pine and sweet sugary scent fairly explodes from the glass as one can smell this one before the glass is even taken in hand. The front taste is sweet and pear like with a thick mouthfeel. Then on comes full bore hops. Strong elements of grapefruit that become dominant and linger forever on the aftertaste. Really a very fine IPA.

Brown with orangey/rusty tints, thick and cloudy. Small, but soft-looking head. Sweet, fruity malts in the nose... reminds me of passionfruit a bit. Deep, rich and thick flavor. Bitter plum, with hints of fig and chocolate. Without a doubt, the best barley wine I have had to date... and it ranks up there with some of the all time better beers I’ve had. This one was worth much more than the $1.99 price for a single.

On tap at the Eccentric Cafe. This is a beer for hopheads and it was inevitable considering the popularity of both this "extreme" style and the brewer’s regular IPA, Two-Hearted Ale. While most I2PAs follow the tried-and true grapefruit/pine balanced by caramely malt formula, this example is unique and extraordinary. Hopslam was served in a snifter/tulip and had an unusually opaque peach/orange color, topped by a thin-medium off-white head. The aroma first caught my attention- strong pineapple, pepper, and fruit juice. The flavor is marked by abundant pineapple (including a bit of acidity), pepper, resin, and sweet, fruity malt. Extremely creamy and potent, Hopslam finishes with a nice bitterness and a touch of alcohol. I suspect Centennial hops dominate the hop bill if they don’t have exclusive reign. In fact, this seems like an amped-up version of Two-Hearted Ale, already a great beer. Picture Two-Hearted Ale with more intense fruity, citrusy, perfumey flavors and a creamier, thicker body. This beer is a hophead’s dream and ranks up there with Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA and Three Floyds Dreadnaught IPA on my list. I can’t say I’ve had any beer quite like it. Outstanding.

Aha, another wheat I have yet to try. My mouth waters in anticipation. Then I am presented with a 12 oz brown bottle with a label that could easily have been drawn by any elementary school special needs class participant. Ah well, looks can be deceiving. The beer pours a very cloudy golden color with a large white head. Hmmm - looking up I would say. The strong scent of citrus and wheat is prominent. The scent wafts across the barroom table. Strong orange and wheat flavor fairly erupts upon the tongue. The aftertaste is sweet and citrusy. My wife fights me for the remainder of the glass. We head for home and immediately purchase a case for private consumption. This is easily one of the better wheat beers I have encountered.