Bell's Two Hearted Ale

[studentofbeer]

Today I pulled out a Bell's Two Hearted Ale, which is labeled an "India Pale Ale style well suited for Hemingway-esque trips to the Upper Peninsula" in the description on the back of the label. The beer is apparently a reference to Hemingway's "Big Two-Hearted River"—a story I've never read.

Still, I had the beer, and that might be enough.

The pour produced a giant foamy white head, flat and dense, that made its way most of the way to the top of the imperial pint glass. The nose is all Cascade and all the grapefruity, citrus scents that go with it. You get a hint of bready malt, but whew, those hops knock you out.

As for color, it's a hazy, dirty yellow when you look straight through the glass, and a light, nice burnished brass color when you look down through more liquid.

A sip reveals a substantial but relatively relaxed bitterness, with some lemon, fruit and bread providing a backbone. Nonetheless, the hops are the star of the show, and leave a lasting hop-flavor bitterness in the aftertaste that doesn't go away.

The beer weighs in at 6 percent, but the body feels rather light. The beer seems to just slide happily down my throat, a tribute to its superb balance of hop flavor, bitterness and malt, as well as a soft carbonation and lasting creamy head that keep the beer very smooth.

The body of the beer and the seductive creaminess are what set this beer apart. The flavors and aromas are rather straightforward—strong hop flavor and bitterness with a bready malt background and a burst of fruit sweetness. That direct appeal and the subtle, creamy texture make this a great choice for a warm day.

[steveh]

This beer is outstanding in Cask Conditioned form from the hand pump. I've seen it at various spots around Chicago in recent months.

S.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by steveh
This beer is outstanding in Cask Conditioned form from the hand pump. I've seen it at various spots around Chicago in recent months.

S.

I am jealous!

[denver brewhoo]

No kidding....this is my favorite micro beer and I can't get it, even in bottles, in Colorado....what must it be like in the cask?!!!

The story is about a soldier just back from the horror of war, taking a fishing trip to a place he'd been before the war, and experiencing it again, in solitude...it's been a long time since I read it but I am thinking, as I type this, that it's one of the Nick Adams stories, or at least the protagonist is a very Nick Adams-like character. I think you might enjoy it, over a Bell's Two Heart or three...

[BREWERDLUX]

Thanx to several good trades I had the pleasure of a sixer of Two Hearted Ale... One of the best beers I have ever tried. I am a self proclaimed hophead and this was one of best hop flavored beers I have tried. Kudos to Larry Bell and his crew......Wish they sold it here in Texas.

[BluesHarp]

I have to agree...this beer has become one of my staples as far as IPA's are concerned; there are always a couple bottles in my beer fridge.

[studentofbeer]

whoops i was just informed 2 hearted is 100% centennial, not cascade. Blast me. i knew it was a hop i recognized, but totally messed that one up. someday ill get better at this stuff.

[steveh]

Originally posted by studentofbeer
whoops i was just informed 2 hearted is 100% centennial, not cascade.

Really? Hmm. I need to try a 2H again soon. How'd you learn that? There's nothing stating the hop choices at the Bell's web site, and you did detect grapefruit notes - a definite Cascade characteristic. Centennials are similar in bitternness, but have no grapefruit character.

someday ill get better at this stuff.

Sounds as though you are already.

S.

[studentofbeer]

someone on the board PMed me. It's quite possible i tricked myself into thinking they were cascades and grapefruit because it was so recognizable. ahh well. sounds like i need to grab a sixer of SNPA and just sit there smelling it--repeat after me, this is cascade!

[steveh]

Originally posted by studentofbeer
sounds like i need to grab a sixer of SNPA and just sit there smelling it--repeat after me, this is cascade!

Do a side-by with the 2 Hearted (if there's any left).

S.

[Magnew]

Two Hearted definitly is Centennial. I have read that in a number of places, including a Zymurgy article about hop varieties. And it has definite grapefruit. I liken two hearted to squeezing a grapefruit into beer. Mmmmmm......
I said in another post that a friend used Centennial to bitter a roasty beer and ended up with roasted grapefruit taste.

[steveh]

From my home-brew supplier on Centennial:

"The aroma/flavor is definitely American in nature with pungent aromas and pronounced flavor. Similar to, and blends well with, Cascade but without the grapefruit flavors of Cascade. Often used in conjunction with Chinook or Columbus."

But I see that Al Karzonas describes Centennial as "grapefruity" in his Homebrewing, who to believe? Maybe it wavers with each season's crop?

S.

[studentofbeer]

hrmmm, interesting. at least my taste buds may not be totally retarded in picking up grapefruit flavors. time to drink another tonight and see what else i can learn.

pungent, american, pronounced flavors--im trying to figure out what that might be described as. a bit more earthy hop flavor perhaps? its definitely not of the more piney variety.

[denver brewhoo]

my $.02: I don't know what's in Two-Heart but I agree something in there has a citrusy-grapefruit character, most def. I can tell you I have used Centennial as both an aroma hop at flame-out and as a dry-hop in secondary, and I can tell you that those beers had a citrusy-grapefruit nose and flavor. So I'm with Al Karzonas on this one, and studentofbeer too.

(But I'll also have to admit that I thought there were Cascades in Two-Heart as well, LOL!)

[studentofbeer]

i just want to say i popped open another two hearted and still am getting definite grapefruit aromas. There's a bit more floweryness to it and maybe a different, more earthy sense of bitterness to it, but Im can see how i was confused with Cascade. I still need to do a side-by-side with SNPA to really figure it all out.

[steveh]

Originally posted by studentofbeer
whoops i was just informed 2 hearted is 100% centennial, not cascade.

Well, it's true - I e-mailed Bell's Head Brewer, Alec Mull, about the Centennial and he answered that it is, indeed, the only hop variety in 2 Hearted. Live and learn!

S.

[threecb]

THIS (http://www.byo.com/referenceguide/hops/) reference at BYO that I found has this as it's brief description of Centennial:

"Medium with floral and citrus tones."

It also suggests Cascade or possibly Columbus as a substitute, if needed.

[le qwak]

first off I have to state this is one of the best of my newer
discovered beers...being partial to hops & IPA's it was love at
first taste...secondly I too was surprised to find out it was
Centennial hopped...I was thinking Cascade all the way..when
I get back into homebrewing from my long self imposed sabbatical which I'm hoping to do in a couple month's I might have to try a Centennial themed pale!!

[unkle bik]

A six-pack of Two-Hearted Ale made it's way to the Allman Bros. concert Saturday night. Both me and my brother-in-law agreed it was refreshing for an IPA and very citrusy.
Glad we got a ride there.

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by le qwak
first off I have to state this is one of the best of my newer
discovered beers...being partial to hops & IPA's it was love at
first taste...secondly I too was surprised to find out it was
Centennial hopped...I was thinking Cascade all the way..when
I get back into homebrewing from my long self imposed sabbatical which I'm hoping to do in a couple month's I might have to try a Centennial themed pale!!
I've heard time and again that people who don't like Cascade hops seem to like Centennial just fine... I might have to do the same thing!

Yes, 2heart is UNBELIEVABLE stuff. :D

[chazwicke]

I've been groovin on Amarillo hops this summer.

[fretlessman71]

At some point, it would be very interesting to pick brews based on their not-so-complex flavor AND their use of one single solitary variety of hop. Now, wouldn't THAT be educational?!?!?

We could change the rules for that particular tasting and each of us have several bottles of beer on hand. For example, SN uses Cascade, PU uses Saaz (Not s00z, steveh), 2hearted ale uses Centennial... and so on, and so on. Wouldn't THIS be interesting?

[chazwicke]

I dont think everyone can get Gumballhead. :(

[fretlessman71]

Is there another nationwide (read: America) beer that uses Amarillo? I'm assuming that's what's in Gumballhead...

[Beaver]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
Is there another nationwide (read: America) beer that uses Amarillo? I'm assuming that's what's in Gumballhead...

Mojo IPA from Rockies does. I'm not sure how national they are.

[unkle bik]

Mojo is available here in Ohio.

[Beaver]

What are some other good examples of Centennial - I can't get 2 Hearted?

[Fast_Eddy]

Stone's Ruination and regular IPA both showcase centennial.

[fretlessman71]

"showcase," meaning "that's the only hop in this brew"? That could be our shining example.... :D

[Beaver]

Originally posted by Fast_Eddy
Stone's Ruination and regular IPA both showcase centennial.

I love Stone's IPA! I have yet to try Ruination though. I'll have to head out and grab some.

[steveh]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
For example, SN uses Cascade,

SN doesn't use Cascades exclusively in any of their beers... http://www.sierra-nevada.com/beers/paleale.html And it's been reported that P.U. may not use Sooz - uh, Saaz only too.

I wonder how many beers actually use one hop varietal exclussively?

S.

[Fast_Eddy]

According to the clone recipes in the most recent BYO - Bell's Two Hearted Ale is hopped exclusively with Centennial. Ruination is bittered with Magnum and then all of the aroma and flavor hops are Centennial.