All About Beer Magazine

Recently named the second best commercial beer in America by the readers of Zymurgy Magazine, Two Hearted Ale from Bell’s Brewery in Michigan has been a staple in my diet for the last several years. I sampled batch 9704 which according to the web site was packaged in April of 2010. This IPA pours orange yet is hazy much like fresh apple juice. A tiny head sports little retention and there’s some basic lacing. Floral and citrus hops supplant a smooth, crisp mouthfeel. Centennial is the hop in question here: A Pacific Northwest-bred strain from Washington State that was almost eradicated due to lack of interest. I know, hard to believe as popular as the hops are today. A pleasant, sweet malty backbone keeps the beer from being overly bitter. Honestly, I’ve tried to stray from this beer under the guise of expanding my horizons but I never seem to tire of it.