Two Hearted

We are proud to announce an incredible beer lineup coming to coolers, store shelves and draft lines in 2020. The first few days of January saw the packaging and release of Hopslam Double IPA. Coming in at 10% ABV, Hopslam was again released in 12 oz. cans, packaged in 6-packs, on draft and in 5L mini-kegs. New for this year, is a brand new Hopslam mini-keg design. Cans and mini-kegs are limited, and have already arrived on many store shelves and coolers. Each batch is packaged and shipped as quickly as possible so this beer can be enjoyed fresh. The most anticipated release for the year is the brand new, low-calorie, Light Hearted Ale. A Lo-Cal IPA, this member of the Hearted family shares many of the characteristics of our award-winning Two Hearted Ale. At 3.7% ABV and only 110 calories (per 12. oz serving), Light Hearted is now shipping (and in many locations, arriving) in 12 oz. cans, packaged in 6-packs and on draft. Twelve-packs of 12 oz. cans will also ship in February in Michigan. “This is going to be another exciting year for us. In addition to our release calendar, I am also very proud to celebrate our 35th anniversary. Funvitational (2020) will be a huge part of that milestone and we’ll have other ways to celebrate throughout the year,” said Larry Bell, president and founder of Bell’s Brewery. Bell’s Official Hazy IPA will also be back for its second-year after an incredible reception by fans and beer writers in 2019. It is available now on draft and in 12 oz. cans packaged in 6-packs. Twelve packs are also an option. Seasonal beers, Best Brown and Bright White, will both return (Bright White is available now through March or while supplies last). Oberon, Bell’s summer flagship American Wheat, will return on March 23 with midnight release parties, special tappings and more (available until September). In May, Oberon limited mini-kegs will begin shipping featuring a brand new design as well. Returning specialty offerings include: Flamingo Fruit Fight (Tart Ale brewed with passionfruit and lime zest), Octoberfest (Märzen), Special Double Cream Stout (Sweet Stout), Expedition Stout (Russian Imperial Stout), Third Coast Old Ale (Barley Wine), Cherry Stout, Christmas Ale (Scotch Ale) and Lampshade Party Ale (a Double IPA previously only released in 2018). Double Two Hearted (11% ABV) will return in August. New to the Bell’s specialty release lineup is another Flamingo Fruit Fight variation; a Gose-style Ale brewed with lemon and lime. Cans and kegs of Lemon Lime Flamingo Fruit Fight will ship in July. Incessant, a Double New England-Style IPA, will be released in 16 oz. cans, packaged in 4-packs and on draft for a wider release in May. Incessant was previously a Bell’s General Store Exclusive. With Incessant’s release this spring, Bell’s will offer four different Double IPAs for a wide release in 2020 in addition to the year-round Hopsoulution (Great Lakes state area distribution only). Bell’s Leaves of Grass series, seven beers each inspired by a different Walt Whitman poem, will conclude in 2020 with three remaining offerings. Song of the Open Road, a Winter Warmer Ale, is available now. Salut au Monde will ship in March and Spontaneous Me will conclude the series in May. The General Store Exclusive Series will also continue in 2020 with a variety of new beers and possibly some old favorites returning from Larry Bell’s Recipe Library. That includes yet another member of the Hearted family, Black Hearted, which will debut in “celebration” of Valentine’s Day. Black Hearted will only be available on draft at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe and in 12 oz. bottles packaged in 6-packs at the Bell’s General Store. “Now, this isn’t all we have lined up for 2020. We always like to keep a few things close to the vest. We’ll have plenty more to share in due time,” Bell said. Bell’s fans should save Sept. 12, 2020 for Bell’s Funvitational Beer Festival. This will be Bell’s second Funvitational and will feature a variety of breweries from across the globe at Homer Stryker Field, home of the Kalamazoo Growlers, in downtown Kalamazoo. The original Funvitational was held in 2015 in celebration of Bell’s 30th Anniversary. Additional details will be announced at a later date. Keep an eye here on the Bell’s website and its social media channels for the latest information and release updates. [[{"fid":"10181","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Bell's 2020 release calendar is now available. ","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Bell's 2020 release calendar is now available. "},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Bell's 2020 release calendar is now available. ","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Bell's 2020 release calendar is now available. "}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"alt":"Bell's 2020 release calendar is now available. ","title":"Bell's 2020 release calendar is now available. ","height":814,"width":1200,"style":"margin: 10px;","class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"1"}}]] Download a PDF of Bell's 2020 release calendar.  Bell’s 2020 release calendar at a glance Year-round Two Hearted (7% ABV), Light Hearted (3.7% ABV), Official Hazy IPA (6.4% ABV), Lager of the Lakes (5% ABV), Amber Ale (5.8% ABV), Kalamazoo Stout (6% ABV), Porter (5.6% ABV) and Hopsoulution (8% ABV - MI, WI, IN, IL, OH, MN only). Seasonal Bright White (5% ABV), Oberon (5.8% ABV and Best Brown (5.8% ABV) Specialty Hopslam, Flamingo Fruit Fight (5% ABV), Oberon 5Ls, Incessant (8.5% ABV), Flamingo Fruit Fight Lemon Lime Gose (4.8% ABV), Octoberfest (5.5% ABV), Special Double Cream Stout (6.1% ABV), Expedition Stout (10.5% ABV), Third Coast Old Ale (10.2% ABV), Cherry Stout (7% ABV), Christmas Ale (7.5% ABV) and Lampshade Party Ale (9% ABV). Leaves of Grass Song of the Open Road (8.5% ABV), Salut au Monde and Spontaneous Me General Store Exclusives Black Hearted (7% ABV) and many others TBA.

Every September, we travel to the Pacific Northwest for our annual hop selection. This is to make sure we’re getting exactly what we want for our beers. During the trip, we meet with many farmers in Oregon and Washington who've become friends over the years. Their hop fields are extensions of our brewery and they care about quality as much as we do.  This is the beginning of Two Hearted.     The beginning of Two Hearted: Bell's Hop Selection from Bell's Brewery on Vimeo.

Every year we head to the Pacific Northwest for hop selection. We tour and visit with the farmers who grow a majority of the hops we use. During these visits, we also get to learn about the challenges of the season. We then evaluate and assess the hops first hand.  Integrity, moisture content and ultimately the aroma of the hops are just a few of the criteria we use to determine which lots will eventually become Two Hearted, Hopslam and more.  Hops are an agricultural product. They are grown by real people who rise to meet the challenges of the weather, the environment and beyond. Many of the farmers and brokers we work with are family-owned and go back generations.  These are important relationships for us. We work with unique individuals who are fantastic people. They are friends. They are partners. They are part of the Bell’s family.  Quality beer begins with quality ingredients. Below are some of the sights and “smells” (how we wish we could share that part here) from the 2019 hop harvest. 

Good things come in threes. Bell's Two Hearted Caramel Corn recipe is spicy, salty and sweet, making it the perfect snack to satisfy all your cravings!  Bell's Two Hearted Spicy Caramel Corn Yields about 1 gallon ingredients: 15 cups popped plain popcorn (from about 1/2 cup kernels) 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 12 TBS unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, and more to coat pan 1/4 cup and 2 TBS light corn syrup  1 tsp salt 2 tsp lime zest 10 dashes of hot sauce 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper 1 cup of Two Hearted 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp baking soda  Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 250°F and place popcorn in a large bowl. 2. In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, salt, lime zest, hot sauce, cayenne, and Two Hearted. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes.  3. Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda, mix well. Pour over popcorn and stir until well-coated. Pour into two greased 13x9 inch baking pans.  4. Bake, uncovered, at 250°F for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely. Store in air tight containers.   

Check out this recipe for one of our favorite foods paired with the Best Beer in America. Cheers! Ingredients 8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs 1 small yellow onion, diced 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 TBS vegetable oil 12 oz. Two Hearted Ale 1-2 cups chicken stock 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp chipotle powder 1/2 tsp sugar Suggested garnish Taco shells Your favorite salsa/slaw Diced onion Cilantro Yields: 12-15 servings  Instructions  1. In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is slightly translucent. Add all of the spices and stir to make sure everything is coated. 2. Deglaze the pan with Two Hearted Ale and 1 cup of the chicken stock and bring to a boil. If chicken isn’t fully covered with liquid, add more of the chicken stock. 3. Lower the heat so that the chicken is simmering in the liquid. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken can be shredded. 4. Once cooked, pull the chicken out of the liquid (use tongs or a slotted spoon as the chicken will be hot), pull the chicken off the bone and shred. Put chicken back in liquid and you are ready to have some delicious tacos! 5. Pour yourself a pint of Two Hearted, you deserve it! Download a PDF of this recipe. 

We (Bell’s Brewery) and two of our beers - Two Hearted and Hopslam - were recognized again in this year’s Best Beers in America survey from Zymurgy magazine.  Two Hearted was No. 1 in the Top-Ranked Beers category and Bell’s in whole was named top brewery. This is the third consecutive year that Two Hearted has claimed this honor. It came in second to Russian River’s Pliny the Elder for seven straight years previously.  Hopslam Ale also placed in the top-ranked beers list tied at No. 7.  Now running in its 17th year, the survey asks members of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), which publishes Zymurgy, to choose up to five of their favorite commercial beers available for purchase in the U.S.  “Receiving this honor once, twice even was incredible. But a third time? I am speechless and incredibly thankful to the homebrewing community and everyone who has helped make this beer what it is today,” said Larry Bell, president and founder of Bell’s Brewery.  The full Best Beers in America list—which includes complete rankings on all the top beers, breweries and more is available at HomebrewersAssociation.org. “Being selected as a winner for this esteemed list is no small feat. All of this year’s winners showcase exceptional flavors, expertly crafted by some of the greatest talent in the brewing industry,” said Gary Glass, director of the American Homebrewers Association. “I’d like to extend congratulations to all of this year’s winners and toast to their exemplary beers favorited by homebrewers and beer lovers alike.” The AHA announced the results of this year’s survey in a press release. “It is an honor to once again be awarded the top-ranking spots among so many great breweries and beers,” said John Mallett, Director of Operations here at Bell’s. “Only the best Centennial hops, a commitment to quality by the entire Bell’s team, and the splendor of our home state are all part of the beauty of Two Hearted Ale. There is one other vital component, the beer lover. We are truly humbled to be recognized by the finest palates in homebrewing.” The American Homebrewers Association has worked on behalf of the homebrewing community since 1978 and celebrates a membership of more than 46,000 homebrewers. The Bell’s General Store has been supporting homebrewers in Kalamazoo and beyond since the 1980s and even, predates the brewery. Larry Bell founded the company originally as a homebrew supply store in 1983.  For homebrewers interested in replicating some of the winningest beers at home, the AHA provides clone recipes in Zymurgy and online, in the recipes section of the AHA website. Clone recipes for Bell’s beers, including Two Hearted, can be found here on our website. Kits can also be purchased on the Bell’s online store here.  

Want to add a little Two Hearted flair to your favorite wings or spicy snack? Here is a recipe that uses Two Hearted Ale to make a delicious Buffalo sauce. Two Hearted Buffalo Sauce Developed by Bell’s Eccentric Café Executive Chef Kris McDonough Makes about 4 cups of sauce Ingredients 1 ¼ cup your favorite hot sauce 1 cup melted butter (warm) Zest from 2 limes and juice from 3 limes [[{"fid":"8112","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"2":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"attributes":{"height":"1000","width":"667","style":"float: right; height: 450px; width: 300px;","class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"2"}}]]¼ cup Bell’s Two Hearted 1/8 tsp garlic powder ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ¼ tsp ground juniper 1 tsp salt Directions In the base of a blender, mix together the hot sauce, zest and juice from the limes, Two Hearted, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, ground juniper, and salt. Pulse to combine everything together. While blender is running, slowly pour in the warm, melted butter so that the hot sauce mixture and the butter mix together and fully emulsify. If your butter is too cool, it will start to solidify and you’ll have a grainy buffalo sauce. Use the sauce to cover your favorite wings, roasted cauliflower or anything else you’d like!   [[{"fid":"8106","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"default"}},"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"1"}}]]  

For the first time since 2012, Bell’s Two Hearted mini-kegs will return to store shelves. These 1.32 gallon cans are perfect for sharing (or not) and make great gifts. We are one of the few breweries to offer a beer in such a fun and eccentric package. Two Hearted mini-kegs will ship from the brewery starting the week of Nov. 5, just in time for the holidays. After being picked up by our distributors, it will take some time to travel to their final destination. We suggest you contact your local retailers directly to inquire about availability. You can also use the Bell's Beer Finder - but know that you will need to call each location directly to inquire about mini-keg availability. Please be patient with retailers as they may not have all information right away. Two Hearted mini-kegs will ship to our entire distribution footprint, but will be limited. They will go on sale at the Bell’s General Store in Kalamazoo on Nov. 7. FOOD PAIRINGS Savory: Oysters, BBQ, brisket, cilantro, bleu cheese, coriander, cumin, balsamic, chili Sweet: Apples, grapefruit, carrot cake, maple syrup, caramel The Eccentric Way: Curried Vegetable Soup

INDY fans! The Oberun 5K is headed south!  The inaugural Oberun 5K INDIANAPOLIS will be held on Saturday, August 4, 2018. Celebrate summer on a Saturday night with a 5K run/walk to a Bell's beer garden in historic Military Park at White River State Park. Pair Oberon with a bottle opener finisher's medal, finisher's pint glass, sweet shirt, food trucks and lawn games in the park, too! Flat, fast and scenic, the 3.1 mile course starts and finishes at Military Park in downtown Indianapolis. Paved trails through White River State Park offer skyline views, live music and BEER for participants 21 and up at the finish party! This event is walker-friendly, but please leave canine friends and jogging strollers at home. A portion of all entry fees will go to Gleaners Food Bank to lead the fight against hunger in Indiana. Consider making an additional donation to Gleaners with your registration. With every $1 donated, Gleaners can feed three people. The Oberun 5K race started in 2017 at Wiard's Orchard in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  Also new this year is the TWO HEARTED TWOSOME! Finish both the Oberun 5K Ypsilanti (July 20, 2018) and the Oberun 5K Indianapolis (August 4, 2018) to earn an additional Two Hearted Twosome finisher medal! Remember, you must be registered for both races by June 25 to be guaranteed a Two Hearted Twosome medal. For additional race details and to sign up, please visit runoberun5k.com.

Editor's note (5/29): All spots for this tour have been claimed. If you would like to add your name to the wait list, please reach out to us here.  This August, we will be offering a limited number of guests the opportunity to tour our Comstock Brewery for a unique Two Hearted experience.  Weather permitting, your journey will start with a sensory experience in our hop yard and continue through every step of the brewing process. Tour guests will also get to sample Two Hearted before it is dry-hopped and take a look around our dry-hop cellar. This tour will only be offered Friday evenings in August (August 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31). It will last just over an hour. All Hoppy Hour tours will start at 6 p.m. As always, this tour is free and we reserve the right to add surprises. Reserve your spot before these tours fill up! Why not make it a Kalamazoo weekend/mini-beercation? Here are some tips on how to make the most out of your visit.