Bell's Two Hearted Ale

This beer tends to receive a lot of general compliments online, so I decided to finally give it a try.

It shows a pretty amber glow, with a solid white top.


Smells of sweet citrus fruits on ice (frozen pineapple & grapefruit), floral hops, a hint of bready character, possibly a pound cake in the far distance.

Taste is very astringent, with the hops pushing the max on bitterness. The taste is extraneous and surprisingly unrelated to the expectations derived from the welcoming smell. Warming notes from the alcohol, and a teasing amount of the citrus flavors from the smell that I expected to find more pronounced in the taste.

The mouthfeel offers a silky tingle, and the finish concludes with a lingering grainy aftertaste.

Not at all what I was expecting. I was hoping the citrus and/or floral character from hops traditionally tossed in an American IPA would show in this brew. The bittering character was, in my opinion, too dry and lacked a friendlier compliment. But, if you are into American IPA's that pack a bitter punch and leave the flower giving for anniversary celebrations, this one just might be what you are looking for.