I've long maintained Bell's Two Hearted Ale is the finest beer, or at least my favorite. It's full in taste, plenty of hops, but not excessively heavy. The label is beautiful and makes me think of Nick Adams. Plus, it's from Michigan. I've had dozens of them over the course of my adult life, and I will always order it when I see it on a menu and nothing else jumps out at me. Imagine my slow realization as I made the connection that the design shares a curious similarity, at least in color scheme, to Founders Centennial IPA. Also delicious, also hoppy (in fact, using the same exact variety of hops as my beloved Two Hearted, as I later learned), and also from my beloved Michigan. Now, I have not had this beer near as often; their All Day session IPA is more of my go-to option. But when I realized they shared similar characteristics, according to experts who taste such things, I had to do a blind taste test. My conclusion? My taste buds are still non-functional. Sipped from the can, I preferred Bell's. Sipped from a tasting glass, it was Founders. What struck me seeing them side-by-side was how red the Centennial was. I've always thought Two Hearted is a beautiful pour, but it literally pales in comparison. Evidently, this did not affect the taste, however, as I had mixed results, which admittedly detract from my credibility in declaring a favorite. All said, I can't go wrong with either one.
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