Bells Hopslam

Where Spotted: Grape Juice, 5707 Lee Hwy, Arlington

Price: $15/six-pack

get it while it’s hop: For those with fridges in which a few holiday beers cling like old tinsel, joy. Hopslam, a double IPA that trickles down to D.C. in scant quantities, prompts a two-week buying frenzy among hopheads. It’ll take you awhile to burn through a case of the 10 percent ABV stuff, but stock up anyway—some stores limit customers to two six-packs, and a few will be sold out by the time you read this. Don’t panic yet: Tap and Vine, Grape Juice’s sister restaurant next door, will feature Hopslam on tap into late February.

from the comb to your dome: Bells’ delectable Two-Hearted Ale is a touchstone for the amped-up Hopslam, which shares its orange-and-apricot malt profile. Hopslam features more sweetness (it’s brewed with honey) and more bitterness (way more hops), achieving the same balance as its little cousin. The honey flavors intensify as it warms in the glass, tickling the back of your throat like a hoppy mead wine. It’s no soothing balm, but it’ll cure what ales ya.

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