22 oz bottle from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. The pour is a very attractive garnet colored pour with a smallish head that eventually forms a light, mocha colored spotty film on the surface of the beer. No lace to speak of. The nose delivers a HUGE blast of cinnamon. Not subtle, not restrained and a little off-putting. The tastes follow suit with some large cardamon, cinnamon and ginger elements all present. Underneath it all there are some caramel malts, but the spices are extremely dominant...
Notes on beers brewed by
Hoppin' Frog Brewery
Frog’s Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale
$9.99 from Arbor Place Beverage, Douglasville, GA, USA. 22 oz bottle, the usual Hoppin' Frog presentation. Pour has an attractive, deep orange color with good clarity, but a smallish and poorly retained head. Nice combination of spices in the nose and the taste. The dominant flavor is a warmish, ginger. The ginger actually burns a little and is quite strong, with a little heat. The beer is plenty simple and reflects what one would expect from the style, but the ginger heat is definitely the...
Wild Frog Wheat Ale
22 oz bottle from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. A surprisingly dark pour that takes on a honey-orange color. Head is really disappointing considering the style, in fact one of the worst I ever recall seeing for a Hefe. Virtually zero head or retention. The darker than usual color I can cope with, the lack of head is a no-no for the style. Pretty good pineapple, banana and clove in the nose and tastes with for me, the emphasis on a candied pineapple sweetness. It tends to build and get a bit...
Hop Master’s Abbey Belgian-Style Double IPA
22 oz bottle courtesy of DogBrick - thanks Micah. Surprisingly golden/orange pour with good clarity - like a little like a Tripel in terms of color. Head is minimal and limited to sticky film on the surface of the beer and some creamy bubbles at the edges. Nose gives quite a lot of sweetness and a hint of medicinal hop character but not much. Tastes have some chest warming alcohol and more sweet candy notes but a lack of any great hop presence. To me this drinks more like a Tripel than...
B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout
Big thanks go out to Tim (5thOhio) for the chance to have a crack at this (at the time) top 100 beer. 22 oz bomber poured into the Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs chalice. Jet black body with no hint of any light penetrating the beer. Fine mocha head on top, no lace. Standard nose for the style. Fairly light mouthfeel, not at all heavy or cloying which can happen with the style. Light roastiness like a bitterness that a coffee can give without the coffee taste. Light bitterness in the initial...