Arcadia Hopmouth vs. Bell's Hopslam

It is a battle of 2 hop titans – In one corner we have weighing in at 10% ABV and over 100 IBUs, Bell’s Hopslam Imperial IPA. And in the other corner, the challenger fighting out Arcadia and weighing in at 8.1% ABV and 76 IBUs is Hopmouth.

As soon as the bell rings Hopslam hits with a big bitter (in a good way) punch and you know it as you bring it to your nose. There is a whole lot happening in this beer – a high alcohol content that could make it too sweet or overwhelming, but it is balanced by all the hops this one packs.

Hopmouth starts with a jab by comparison. While it is a great beer, it is fighting in a higher class. The taste is not nearly as complex, but it is easier to drink. You might easily get knocked out by repeated jabs if you are not careful.

While for the long haul, I think I could drink more of the Hopmouth, ultimately, the winner by decision is Hopslam. It’s close with the Soviet judge scoring in favor of Arcadia, but the complexity going on caught us looking at the fancy footwork and getting knocked out.