ABV: 10.1% | IBU: 100

It is my pleasure to introduce you to the first of what is going to be an incredible beer series, Bell’s Mars – The Bringer of War. A roaring Double IPA that is the first brew to roll out of Bell’s Brewing Co. “Planets Series”. A series that has been inspired by Gustav Holst’s seven-movement orchestral suite, “The Planets.” As a fundraiser for the arts and consumer of higher quality beer, my passions are colliding in this deliciously tasteful work of art known as the Planet Series.

With so much happening at once in this bottle, it is hard to know where to start. Gustov Holst’s orchestral suite? The Planet Series beer line-up? Are we really alone in the galaxy? Knowing how quickly these questions can spiral into existentialism, let’s stick to the beer itself, Mars – The Bringer of War.

The Bringer of War has an army that is not to be matched in taste. The Mars company attacks with a heavy 10.1% ABV and is not shy when it comes to firepower. An artillery of flavor, Mars unloads on your palate with heavy hops, tropical fruit, pine, citrus and even a hint of lime. These army words doing anything for ya? The nose is equivalent to the flavor index of this beer. You can taste everything you smell and smell everything you taste. The equilibrium is out of this world! (planet puns… hehe) One of the best characteristics of Mars is the color and appearance. Once poured into a snifter, Bell’s Mars actually looks like the planet Mars. I felt as if I was holding Mars in my hands as I sipped the reddish copper deliciousness down. An incredible sensory satisfaction on all levels is had while enjoying Bell’s Mars.

Now about this guy Gustav. Gustav Holst was a British composer, born in Cheltenham, England in 1874. Gustav composed many songs and orchestral pieces, but is most famous for his orchestral suite “The Planets“. The Planets was composed during the years 1914-1916, also during Gustav’s midlife crisis. By the way, this is what real men do in their mid-life crisis: write a seven piece orchestral suite, not buy a damn sports car. What happened? I digress, back to Gustav. He was creating a suite that captures the progression of life. Mars is the dissonant, rocky beginning, an amorphous planet unsustainable for life. This is captured in Bell’s brew. A high ABV, bitter, bold, tasteful beer that has atmospheric conditions unsuitable for gnats to land in. Be sure to take a listen to the piece. You’ll be able to understand exactly where this beer is coming from.

So there’s the beer and the composer, but the story is only beginning here. Bell’s has plans to unleash a beer for each movement of this suite. The next beer to be released in this series will be Venus, The Bringer of Peace. This beer will be more graceful, as life begins to form, and can be enjoyed in October. So stay tuned as we capture each new movement and enjoy the beauty of life, music and beer.

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