Terrapin Hopsecutioner

Today was one of those Florida days where you realize that it is just fantastic to live in this State. While the northern states are buckling down for yet another blizzard, I was able to walk the dogs wearin' a pair of shorts and a light t-shirt. Gotta love it. Naturally though, in July and August, I will be begging to get out of this State and be teleported to Maine or some other awesome New England destination. Oh well, until then I will bask in the glory of early summer time and enjoy what we have now.

The last couple of reviews, aside from the awful Walgreens beer, have been amber red ales, and to be honest, I'm a bit ambered out. I know I keep saying I enjoy ambers, but I could use a break; and what better way to take a break from ambers than with an IPA. Taking a hint from last night, tonight will be another award winner with Terrapin Beer Co's Hopsecutioner. That is such a cool name for a beer. Can't help but notice that Bell's has an awesome IPA name too with their Hopslam. I don't know what it is with hops, but for some reason they're very angry. Maybe they should check in to some anger management classes...

Terrapin Beer Company, of Athens, Georgia, is another brewhouse that established itself within the past 10 years. In 2002, their first offering, Rye Pale Ale, won a gold medal at GABF in the American Pale Ale category. Tonight's killer IPA also won a gold medal, but at the 2010 Atlantic Beer Festival, IPA category.

Pour before you GULP! Probably one of my favorite things about reviewing beers that aren't from the big companies is getting to look at the colors of each beer. Lately the standard colors have been amber/red/copper, and what do you know, the Hopsecutioner falls in to the same category. But if you hold it in the light, you can see a very light shade of orange. Overall it's a great shade of copper orange, and upon first pour, you get quick glance at the carbonation.


GULP! It up! Keep in mind the last IPA I had was Hopslam, which was a Double IPA, so I was sort of preparing for a quick death by hops, however that wasn't exactly the case. I wouldn't say that's a bad thing though! The killer turtle delivers a nice blend of citrus fruity notes, and definitely a hoppy back end, which shouldn't be a surprise considering Terrapin's use of six different hops.

The nice part about the Hopsecutioner is that it's very drinkable for an IPA. Dare I say it's probably the most drinkable IPA I've had in my short IPA drinking life. Just a heads up, be prepared for a pretty bitter midsection. From an alcohol perspective, this killer of hops sits at a non-conservative 7.3% ABV. That part actually makes me laugh because last night, while at a new burger joint, my wife and I overheard some people, best described as "middle aged", saying they wanted to check out at nearby bar. They were warning each other because the select establishment sold "real beers" that had alcohol levels higher than "4%". I can only imagine how they would react to this!

Grade the GULP! This is my first Terrapin brew, and I must say, I really like it. Even with the 7.3% ABV rating, it's not too overbearing. The hops make a quick appearance before being beheaded by the Hopsecutioner. GULP! Grade? I give it an 8. Beware, "you may lose your hophead over this one!"

Bell's Hopslam Ale

So, tonight will be the first actual beer review featured on GULP! Hopslam by Bell's Brewery, out of Comstock, Michigan, is the latest buzz online. In fact, on Beer Advocate, there are almost 2000 reviews of this baby. I bought it at the local Total Wine store, of course, and was pleased that for the most part, they had a pretty good number of the single bottles, especially considering all the hype it was getting. So, I was pretty excited about the whole thing; also because it's the first Double IPA I'll have tried. But, I'm jabbering, so without further adieu, let's do this thing.

Holy mother of hops. If you don't like hoppy ale's or IPA's, this beer is NOT for you. There are a few emergency signs of what you will experience with this Hulk Hogan of a Double IPA. First off, the name is Hopslam, and wow, this baby is hoppy! The back label warns you with: "a biting, bitter, tongue bruiser of an ale. With a name like Hopslam, what did you expect?" That, slogan, we'll call it, is pretty close, but don't expect to fall off your chair calling 911. However, it does measure up to 10% ABV, so make sure you have some grub beforehand.

Hopslam pours a beautiful golden honey orange with a decent sized head. The aroma is intense, full of hops, honey, and citrusy fruit. On the way down, you'll notice a creamy texture, and you will get a hoppy aftertaste. Overall, it is really tasty, and quite drinkable. For some reason, it puts me in the mood for some vanilla ice cream. I can't figure out why, maybe because I was craving some beforehand... perhaps I thought it would go well together. I'll have to think some more about that. Vanilla Hopslam. You listening Bell's people?

Now, at the request of a friend of mine, I'm going to provide ratings for the brews at the conclusion of the write up. That being said, on a scale of 1 to 10, I'll give Hopslam a 9. It's very drinkable, nice to look at, and full of flavor. So, go out to your local package store, such as Total Wine (plug) and buy yourself the beer that could possibly be  a finishing move in the WWE - HOPSLAM BROTHER!!

What's on Tap for GULP!

What's up party people. It's Monday, a new week, and less than 14 days until the most anticipated sporting event of 2011... at least until the next most anticipated sporting event of 2011. Thanks for coming back to the site. I've spent a bit of cash money lately on brews that I'd like to try, and of course share with you, my faithful, loyal, readers. That being said, the picture above will give you a sample of what's on tap here for GULP! in the near future. They aren't in any particular order, but I will say that I plan on starting with Hopslam from Bell's. Hopslam has been getting a lot of airplay online lately, but I'm not going to say anymore because then my eventual review will be skeletal. Anyway, you may recognize some of the selections, such as the Terrapin Hopsecutioner, some you may not, such as the Lobstah' Ale. Either way, prepare to be bombarded with information as I plow through these bottles of fun over the next couple weeks.

On a side note, please "follow me" and tell your friends. We're going to have some fun going through this journey together, so the more the merrier. Plus, I could use some more friends (no offense real friends).

Be responsible!

Steve