Bell’s Brewery started distributing to the Pacific Northwest this spring, bringing classics like Two Hearted IPA and Oberon Wheat (and possibly others) to the region, and the company sent me samples of its flagship Two Hearted as part of the rollout. I suspect it’s a distribution push made possible because of the sale of Bell’s to Japanese giant Kirin (which also owns New Belgium Brewing) in 2021; prior to this year, getting a taste of Bell’s in Oregon meant jumping through hoops.

Two Hearted IPA in its current form was first released in 1997 and is a single hop beer, brewed entirely with Centennial hops. For a number of years, the American Homebrewers Association consistently rated it as one of the best beers in the United States.

I’ve had it before, and I’ve also been consistently impressed with it and rate it highly. Not to invent a beer style, but in my mind, it’s a great example of what I think of as a “Midwest IPA,” with its focus on all Centennial hops and a bit of caramel in the malt bill, eschewing many of the IPA trends of recent years.

It’s 7% ABV with 60 IBUs, and I’ve never formally reviewed it before, so here we go:

Appearance: Hazy golden orange, but not hazy as in “hazy IPA” — unfiltered. Thick and lacey off-white head.

Smell: Big citrusy notes with orange rind, herbal orange essential oils with a light resin note. Mellow notes of pine or fir, a touch of dank diesel, and a woodsy note.

Taste: Clean forest floor bitterness with bitter orange pith and a big piney flavor; some duff, rotting log, orange oil, lightly peppery spiciness. Clean crackery malt with a hint of caramel; provides a stiff backbone that’s crisp and somewhat neutral to showcase the hops. Light kiss of alcohol draws out more hop spice at the back.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, clean, good lip-smacking dry finish.

Overall: It’s simply still one of the best American IPAs that I’ve had.