It doesn't take much to work out why the Torquay brewers would opt for this AC/DC reference for one of their beers. And once you realise it was born to mark the 2020 Bells Beach Rip Curl Pro, which fell victim to COVID, it makes even more sense. That said, the character of the liquid and its name couldn't be much further removed.
Ask someone to pick a style of beer for Hells Bells and you're like to come up with a big stout, or arguably something gnarly and red. However, what you have is the most appealingly quaffable of XPAs, one brewed with all-Aussie ingredients.
Pouring clear as a filtered pilsner, it's light and refreshing but still delivers a juicy hop character that recreates the essence of hop oils with aplomb: citrus and ripe melon to the fore. The finish is less bitter, more the feathery sort found in an old world lager; the whole tasty enough to make a trip to hell perfectly pleasant.
James Smith
