Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S. Oatmeal Imperial Stout - Hoppin' Frog Brewery

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BA SCORE
96
world-class
-
1,020 Ratings

rAvg: 4.31
pDev: 8.35%
Reviews: 497
Hads: 523

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Brewed by:
Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Ohio, United States

Style | ABV
Russian Imperial Stout | 9.40% ABV

Availability: Rotating. bottle (495), growler (1), on-tap (1).

Notes:
English-style Imperial Stout aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels.

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Reviews

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Reviews by TheBrewo:

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.1/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We pour a brew of syrupy, motor oil black. It gives up nothing around the edges or when held to light. A rough pour puts up a one finger head of tight, dark brown bubbles. This recedes rather quickly, but comes back readily with a hearty swirl of the snifter. Spots of lacing ring the glass. No haze or sediment is noted, and the active carbonation rises slowly. The aroma is fusel, boozy and warming, with thick and roasty coffee malts, massive oak and vanilla coolness from the barrel aging, fatty buttery diacetyls, sweeter milk chocolates, and more syrupy and sugary black cherry sweetness. Simple but excellent. Our first impression is that the flavoring is great, with excellent representation of the whisky barreling. The flavoring opens with thickness of buttery diacetyls, deeply roasted malts, and a bittersweet warming cloy of soured oak. The malts take on further sweetness of syrupy dark chocolate and that cherry aromatic from the nose. This pulls to the peak which highlights more bitterness of roasty coffee and chocolate malts. This contrasts with more oak and muskiness from the barrels, as well as a far off earthen hop bitterness. The warmth from the alcohol finally works its way in, giving peppery bite, but soothing and cooling fusel fumes. We finish with equally as smooth malty wash, and lightly soured burn of oak and whiskey. The aftertaste breathes oak, cherry, roast, booze, chocolate nibs, faint char, and light earthen hops. The body is full, and the carbonation is light. There is great slurp and smack to the lip, with lesser cream and froth to the mustache. The mouth is thickly coated, with only lightly drying astringent boozy bite by the end. Otherwise the lips are left sticky and smacked, and the beer warms to the core. The abv is appropriate, and you’ll take your time on this one.

Overall, what we liked best about this beer was the strength of the oak, and how well that translated into aromatic, warming buttery diacetyls. From the moment you open the bottle the nostrils flood from across the room with wood, butter, roasty malts, char, and vanilla. It remains very simple, but hits all the necessary points, and hits them hard. The flavoring follows nicely, with the same qualities of the aromatics, plus a hearty warming of the soul. The feel is nice as well, with a good deal of stickiness and oily slickness. This is an excellent beer, and a serious improvement on the standard B.O.R.I.S.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 00:39:35 | More by TheBrewo

More User Reviews:

VirginiaJeff1

Virginia

5/5 rDev +16%

05-21-2013 19:31:26 | More by VirginiaJeff1

Beerandboards

New Mexico

4.25/5 rDev -1.4%

05-21-2013 19:06:58 | More by Beerandboards

moonknight31

California

4.5/5 rDev +4.4%

05-21-2013 14:20:55 | More by moonknight31

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4.25/5 rDev -1.4%

05-20-2013 19:43:59 | More by InspectorBob

mwgroove23

Georgia

3.75/5 rDev -13%

05-20-2013 06:40:00 | More by mwgroove23

TreeBeard

Ohio

3.75/5 rDev -13%

05-19-2013 20:40:58 | More by TreeBeard

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.25/5 rDev -1.4%

05-19-2013 15:33:43 | More by ShawnMH

lunarbrew

Wisconsin

4.35/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sexy beer. Very dark and viscus with only a little dark brown head. This looks very tastey. Right up my alley as far as BA beers are concerned.

Bourbon forward. The beer smells dark, rich, umami-y, and a little sweet. Not too much of a roast/smoke smell here. The bourbon notes are oak, booze, vanilla, and toffee.

Awesome flavor! Wow is this good. There is a very strong booze and oak presence, which I really love in a BB stout. The flavors follow the smell nicely, although there is a very roasty taste that is covered in the nose--obviously a side effect of some hearty dark malt. This roast covers the sweetness some, which I think there could be a bit more of. While the flavors are delicious, my only complaint is that the beer is a little two-dimensional. I would love for some more nuanced bourbon flavors to come across.

The mouthfeel is excellent. Creamy, low-medium carbonation, full-bodied, and pretty heavy. While there is a syrupy consistency, the oils don't linger too much making this more drinkable than many thick BB Stouts.

Overall this beer was very impressive. I don't know if it justifies the high cost to play, but at the moment I have no regrets!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 02:33:47 | More by lunarbrew

2beerdogs

California

4/5 rDev -7.2%

05-18-2013 13:54:27 | More by 2beerdogs

Honus1

Ohio

4.5/5 rDev +4.4%

05-18-2013 02:39:49 | More by Honus1

inanity

Massachusetts

5/5 rDev +16%

05-18-2013 00:07:57 | More by inanity

carlosega

Ohio

4.5/5 rDev +4.4%

05-17-2013 16:46:56 | More by carlosega

raffy313

Texas

4.5/5 rDev +4.4%

05-17-2013 02:21:40 | More by raffy313

JandJMD

Maryland

4.5/5 rDev +4.4%

05-17-2013 01:47:42 | More by JandJMD

Westuh

Wisconsin

4/5 rDev -7.2%

05-16-2013 18:36:16 | More by Westuh

mvdillman

Indiana

4.75/5 rDev +10.2%

05-15-2013 18:18:32 | More by mvdillman

KFBR392

Illinois

3.96/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: dark burnt brown head forms on the pour. About a half a finger then dissipates to the edges of the glass. Pours pitch black with above average thickness.

Smell: Bright licorice sweet front to this brew. Malt and barley hit on the body of the beer. Sweet molasses adds to the brightness of this brew. Oatmeal hits on the body as well as the bourbon accents are light.

Taste: The sweetness theme continues here. A smooth front transitions into an bright oatmeal and dark chocolate. Nice hoppy accents in the body give it a unique twist. The barrel accents are light, I could use more of a presence. A roasted malt back end pleasantly bites and sticks on the palette long after drinking.

Mouthfeel: Clean, the body might be a little light for an RIS but nothing to get upset about.

Overall: I've liked all the Hoppin' Frog Stouts I've had so far. I expected a little more out of this one being the barrel aged version but it is still a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:02:09 | More by KFBR392