Bell's Hopsolution

Bell’s to Add Hopsolution DIPA Year-Round — And They’re Brewing a NEIPA

In Beer News, Press Release by Karl

Here comes year-round Hopsolution — plus a KZOO-only hazy brew

Bell's Hopsolution

One of the things I like about Bell’s is that even though they’re a decades-old brewery who produce two of the nation’s landmark beers — Two Hearted and Oberon — they aren’t content to sit back and stagnate.

This year has seen releases of fun beers like Larry’s Latest Sour, an announcement about a new year-round “wheat IPA” coming in February — and now we’re getting a year-round DIPA to add to the mix.

(No, it’s not Hopslam.)

Their Hopsolution isn’t new — we’ve been drinking it since 2010, back when it was an Illinois-specific beer under the Kalamazoo Brewing Company label (the Bell’s way to get back into Chicago after their distribution issues). That said, I’m not going to complain about any DIPA offering from the makers of what some consider the #1 Beer in America…again. I just hope we can get it into cans sooner rather than later.

The NEIPA is a Kalamazoo-only beer, made on the company’s new pilot system and for release at the General Store and Cafe. It sounds like it’s one part hazy beer, one part harvest ale as they’re using Chinook hops straight from the Bell’s hopyard.

As for the golden ale, well, given the way that other golden ales (and light lagers) have gone big this year, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that get exponentially bigger in the months to come.

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The release from Bell’s follows:


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

September 13, 2018

Bell’s Double IPA joining year-round lineup; exclusive, new releases coming to its General Store

COMSTOCK, Mich. – Two brand new Bell’s beers have been announced for 2019, but Bell’s Brewery has more in store for craft beer fans this fall.

Michigan’s largest independent craft brewery is proud to announce the addition of Hopsoulution, one of its Double IPAs, to its year-round lineup in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. Hopsoulution was previously a limited, specialty release for Bell’s entire distribution area.

Twelve-ounce bottles, packaged in 6-packs, along with kegs of Hopsoulution will start shipping in September. It will remain a specialty release for the remaining 35 states in Bell’s distribution footprint (plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico), returning in the spring of 2019.

“Our fans have been asking for a Double IPA to be a part of our year-round portfolio. We’re going to start with the Great Lakes region and re-evaluate other markets in the future,” Larry Bell, President and Founder of Bell’s Brewery said.

Remarkably drinkable for a beer with an 8% ABV, Hopsoulution is brewed with several hop varieties for massive aromas of tropical fruit, citrus and pine. A mild caramel malt character and dry finish provide balance.

Also debuting this fall will be two brand new, but limited, specialty releases.

Side Yard Ale (6.8% ABV), a fresh-hopped New England style IPA, will be available exclusively for purchase at the Bell’s General Store and on tap at Bell’s Eccentric Café in downtown Kalamazoo. Packaged in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans, the beer will be brewed with Chinook hops freshly harvested from Bell’s Hop Yard located right next to its Comstock Brewery. It will be released in early October.

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Each can will feature one of three labels, each showing a different image of the Hop Yard including one from last year’s harvest.

Tessie’s Golden Ale (5% ABV) will also be a Bell’s General Store and Cafe exclusive. The bottle label features Larry Bell’s Yellow Labrador, Tessie, wearing an Oberon dog collar. It will also leave the brewery in late October.

Both beers will be brewed using Bell’s brand new pilot brew system. Tessie’s Ale will be bottled using Bell’s new specialty bottling line. Both are part of a brand new innovation pipeline – a 12.8-barrel pilot brew system and specialty packaging line designed to fill 12 oz. and 750 mL bottles.

This Pilot Brewery is located where Bell’s original Comstock Bottling Hall was located, the same space where all Bell’s bottled beers were packaged from 2003 until 2016. Bell’s newer and primary Bottling Hall is capable of filling 750 bottles-per-minute.

For more information and for updates, keep an eye on Bell’s website, bellsbeer.com, or join them on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Untappd.

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ABOUT BELL’S BREWERY, INC.

Bell’s Brewery, Inc. began in 1985 with a quest for better beer and a 15 gallon soup kettle. Since then, we’ve grown into a regional craft brewery that employs more than 550 people over a 40 state area, in addition to Puerto Rico and Washington DC. The dedication to brewing flavorful, unfiltered, quality craft beers that started in 1985 is still with us today. We currently brew over 20 beers for distribution as well as many other small batch beers that are served at our pub in Kalamazoo, the Eccentric Cafe. Our ongoing goal is to brew thoughtfully, creatively and artistically. 100% family-owned and independent, we strive to bring an authentic and pleasant experience to all of our customers through our unique ales and lagers. For more information, please visit bellsbeer.com.

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About the Author

Karl

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Karl has written about food, travel and beer for Chicago Magazine, Thrillist, Time Out Chicago, AskMen and more. His book, Beer Lovers Chicago, is now available via Amazon and other booksellers. If you're buying, he's likely having a porter or a pale ale.

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