Double Two Hearted Ale

Review Date 10/12/2020  By John Staradumsky

Last year, The Bell’s Brewery of Kalamazoo and Comstock Michigan released Bell’s Double Two Hearted Ale, a bigger, bolder version of its classic IPA, Two Hearted Ale. I never did find any, though not for lack of trying. I’ve been a fan of Two Hearted Ale for over two decades now, so the idea of an enhanced version of the beer was intriguing to say the least. To be sure, Bell’s already has a double/imperial IPA in Hopslam, but hey, what brewery doesn’t have two or five or eleven of them these days?

Recently I started seeing pictures of Double Two Hearted posted in that great and sage beer group, Honest Craft Beer Reviews. I checked Total Wine’s website-they had it! And just like that, I was off to buy some.

Bell’s says about the beer:

Everything you love about our classic Two Hearted® Ale... now in a double IPA. With two and a half times the amount of Centennial hops, Double Two Hearted® has intense pine and citrus notes, a resinous hop aroma and rich malt character.

Ohhh I was looking forward to this! Bell’s Double Two Hearted has an alcohol content of 11% with no IBUs given. Bell’s pegs it at 3 months shelf life, though I believe it could go much longer than that, especially if refrigerated. You know I’m going to save at least one bottle for a while to test that theory. The beer is pricey, I paid $17.99 for my six-pack, but we live but once and this is a special beer indeed.

Since I frequently pick up single pint cans of Two hearted and had one on hand, I decided to do a side by side of the original and the bigger version.

First, I sampled the Two Hearted. As always, it is gloriously hoppy in the nose with pine and herbal notes, rich caramel malty in the palate with citrus and resiny pine, herbal earthy notes and a sharp bitter finish.

Next, I sipped the Double Two Hearted. This beer is very similar in the nose with the same earthy and piney hop notes in the nose, just more of them. Taking a sip the malt is much more robust, too, chewy caramelly with fuller body and deeper malt notes. It balances off the piney, citrusy, herbal hop notes a little more, though those come at you in waves which get stronger as the beer warms. The classic American Centennial hops are beautiful here and I’m digging the double dose of them. The finish is a bit more bitter and warming with  the higher alcohol content.

Bell’s Double Two hearted is truly Magnificent. It is everything Two Hearted is but double the pleasure, double the fun. A true sipping beer, I am glad I finally got some; it was worth the wait. If you see it, buy it.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 

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