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

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz.. bottle into a tulip.

The appearance is a mahogany brown, nearly black, with a small mocha head.

The aroma has a nice bourbon presence. Sweet vanilla, milk chocolate, bourbon, roast malt, and a bit of chocolate control the nose.

The flavor is really nice and smooth while at the same time maintaining the the distinctness of flavor that I like. Milk chocolate first, then bourbon, vanilla, oak, a bit of general booziness, with some roasted malt and a touch of coffee as support.

The body is pleasantly full with very light carbonation. The finish has a light sweetness, but it rounds out well with the oak and whiskey dryness.

This is my favorite BORIS for sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 05:05:08 | More by KickInTheChalice

vfgccp

New York

4.39/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1 yr + old bottle, opened in Jan 2013.

A - Pours with a great, fine bubbled, milk chocolate colored head. Low retention and lace. Thick, solid black body. Almost no highlights.

S - Boozy rasin-bran bread pudding. Silky smooth.

T - Delicious warm, dry, boozy chocolate. Porridge. Caramel flan sweetness. Dry coffee.

M - Stellar smoothness. Full body.

O - Great integration, great balance, great body.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 01:52:19 | More by vfgccp

ONUMello

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Tasted back-to-back with the regular BORIS.
A: Pitch black with a 1/2 finger head that dissipates quickly. Much smaller head/ quicker settling than the non-barrel aged version.
S: A bit muted compared to the regular, though similar characteristics- dark roasted malt, mocha, vanilla
T: The palate is where this is better- smoother flavors, featuring toasted malt, vanilla, chocolate, & a hint of coffee
M: Full-bodied, smooth, a bit of bite on the finish from the hops
O: I can't decide if I like this or the regular BORIS better. They're very similar overall, each with separate strengths, though at $5/btl less, I guess I would give more props to the non-barrel-aged version, even if my end score for this is higher b/c of the higher taste score

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 04:27:31 | More by ONUMello

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged BORIS

Thanks to ncketchum for the bottle. Poured from 22oz bottle into CBS snifter. Served slightly chilled.

A) This one pours out like motor oil. I mean really like motor oil. Black.... No light is going to get through this. A nice big creamy mocha head is produced upon the pour. This settles rather quickly with some minimal lacing.

S) A nice vanilla bean aroma. The barrel aging is very prevalent in the aroma of this beer. Wonderfully woody, and a pleasing bourbon aroma engulf your sense of smell.

T) This one follows the nose nicely. Roasted malt, and some nice bitter chocolate are present. This provides adequate balance and does not get overly sweet. Finishes with a good amount of bourbon and oak.

M) A full bodied brew with a light amount of carbonation. The feel is slightly syrupy, but smooth overall from mouthfeel perspective.

O) This is a fine barrel aged stout indeed.... I'd prefer a BCBS or a KBS, but Hoppin Frog can hold their head up high with this effort. This is an excellent beer.

Paired with a fresh baked chocolate muffin.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 00:49:01 | More by RoamingGnome

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Bomber shared with friends and poured into a tulip. The brew appears black in color with a dark brown head. A swirl revives a finger worth of creamy froth that displays decent retention and produces spotty lace patterns on the glass.

The aroma is toasty and roasty with a scent of fresh oats and chocolate mingled with dark fruity alcohol notes. A bit of raw oak and a hint of spicy quality reminescent of raw oak.

The taste includes that previously mentioned raw oak, woody with roast and coffee. Some bitter chocolate and earthy grain blend in with some solvent alcohol that is a little fruity.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. A pleasant mixture of roasty and fruity character but with a raw barrel presence to mix things up. It is nice but for the price not something id revisit again anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 20:27:11 | More by stakem

mhksuccess

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

poured from a bottle into snifter glass
it is pretty dark not much head
the smell is amazing smell pretty boozy
the taste is not as boozy as it smells can tell it is an oatmeal stout
it is real smooth not hott and could drink it down but seem stronger
than 9.5 % but maybe cause i already had been drinking
it is a definite must try if you can find worth it for sure
only thing i dont have another bottle

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 20:31:33 | More by mhksuccess

brewtus

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Drank 11/29/12

Pours black with a super tiny brown head. Smells are dark chocolate, cinnamon, bourbon, hints of vanilla. Starts and finishes with a great bourbon backbone. Tastes a lot like it smells , chocolate, cinnamon, bourbon, oak, A bit boozy but overall pretty smooth. the texture is great, not chalky but thick enough to hold its great flavors for a whileI'll buy another one, which means a lot from me. I love watching our Ohio breweries get bigger and bigger. Buy this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 01:23:46 | More by brewtus

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.65/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

650 mL bottle poured into a St. Bernardus goblet. Green cap. Reviewed from notes.

Appearance - Black, but not quite inky. Good mocha head but no retention. Some surface bubbles. I poured some into a pint glass for my dad and it has great retention. Huh.

Smell - Whiskey with some oak. Sweet chocolate malt. A lot of whiskey mostly, though.

Taste - Whiskey right up front. Chocolate malt all over. Less barrel but booze comes through. Very malty and chewy. Lots of oatmeal and a sweetness that recalls lactose, but probably isn't.

Mouthfeel - Chewy with a nice viscosity. Not really boozy, but it has a bite from the whiskey. Hot from the barrel, I guess.

Overall - Good, but too sweet for me. I'd like a bit more bitterness to balance it.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 18:52:09 | More by Alieniloquium

jsulko

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into snifter

Pours a dark black with a slight brownish head that disappears quickly.

Smell is slightly sweet with some hints of bourbon.

Taste is dominated by the bourbon. Slight hints of vanilla with some sweetness.

Good bourbon flavor that mellows out a bit as the beer warms up. Nice to have another bourbon barrel as it is almost impossible to get BCS in my neck of the woods.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 06:03:17 | More by jsulko

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on 2012-12-14 in Columbia, PA

A - Black with a 1- finger brown head that drops quickly to a skim coating with some ringed lacing.

S - Bourbon, dark roasted grain, cherry, fig, sasafrass (like Hires rootbeer), vanilla and a whiff of chocolate. Fairly strong.

T - Like eating a decadently-rich bourbon-soaked chocolate fruit cake while sipping a mocha expresso. Plenty of peppery spice, vanilla and coconut. Finishes with a rich semi-sweet chocolate sweet/bitter, balanced by a good amount of roasted and hop bitterness, alcohol sweetness and heat. Noticeable lack of char flavors.

M - Thick body and light carbonation. You can chew on it. I like 'em thick and this is it.

O - This is a step up from the non-barrel aged version and I've raised my ratings to reflect this. I'm not always in the mood for a bourbon-flavored stout but when I am, I'd be glad for this in my chalice any-old-time. Up there with some of the best.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 22:54:00 | More by Tucquan

Treb0R

Oregon

4.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

2013 vintage - 25.3 Plato, 60 IBU

A good example of how barrel-aging can elevate an RIS.

Motor oil black body, very thick. 1-cm dark brown head that disappears within a minute or so.

A harmonious blend of dark bittersweet chocolate, real quality vanilla, complex whiskey, used characterful oak barrel, roasty malts, bitter coffee, and toasted coconut that perfectly meld with each other to create a wonderful drinking experience. Some alcohol hotness is sensed in the tummy, but it is not too hot when you sip it. Very smooth and rich with just enough sweetness where things don't become cloying. The hop bitterness helps in that regard.

Full-bodied mouthfeel. Probably my 2nd fav barrel aged whiskey stout other than Founders KBS.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 16:56:39 | More by Treb0R

themind

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I am a big fan of bourbon barrel stouts and this one is very good. Pours a small head, has a good bourbon aroma and is tasty. Back to back with Founders Backwoods Bastard I am inclined to say I like the Founders better but I am comparing different styles. This beer is worth the cash ( $15.00) and a must try for barrel aged beer lovers.

Bottom Line: You like barrel aged bourbon? well look here it's worth a try!

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 01:59:40 | More by themind

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

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into snifter - thanks Mark000

Pours a viscous, motor oil blackness with a little crop of brownie-colored dark head. Bubbly collar of film sticks to the edges of the glass, leaving a few spots of lacing on the glass.

Splash of warm bourbon and vanilla in the nose with notes of cocoa and dark chocolate. Light hop presence with thick, robust dark malts and toasted oak. Rich and warm throughout.

Chocolate swirled bourbon with hints of vanilla and oaky tannins. Darkly sweet with nuttiness and layers of roasted malts. A few touches of dark fruit with raisin, followed by toasted oats and boozy warmth.

Full bodied, milder carbonation, creamy and heavy on the tongue. Definitely a rich, chocolately barrel aged stout, although it doesn't quite pack the punch or vibrant attributes as others of it's kind.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 14:30:48 | More by xnicknj

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

red-capped bomber poured into 2012 SAVOR snifter. pulled out of the wine fridge set to 54 degrees F. no bottled-on date in sight.

A: typical BORIS fashion, totally pitch black pour. nothing like seeing motor oil come out of a bottle. head is tightly bubbled brown head. retention is good. some thick lacing.

S: big time oaky notes. bourbon too, but not over the top or too intense. dark chocolate. black coffee. a little bit of coffee bean aroma as well.

T: vanilla and sweet sugar cane. more vanilla. tobacco leaves. reminds me of the inside of a humidor. sweet chocolate. the finish has such a strong linger of chocolate and coffee. awesome.

M: carb is super mellow. definitely a full body. the carb works really well with the style.

D: pretty tasty brew. not the best BA RIS ive had, but certainly some tasty shit. and definitely a drinkable bomber. similar to un-BA BORIS, drinks like a rich stout, not an almost 10%abv brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 12:54:35 | More by Jimmys

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Smells muddy with rich roasted malts oozy booze slight licorise and cream caramels, you know, the one with the cream in the middle.

Pours twice as thick as really used motor oil, The lagging head is small and mocha colored.
Super brown in color with some carbonation.

Taste is full and complex. Plenty of bourbon, and bourbon barrel too. I can pick up chocolate, roasted malts and barley oatmeal creaminess.
Drinks smooth and thick. A beer this thick and volupious I would expect some char but not here.
A good beer. Rather plain looking about half way through but shows good depth of flavor and character.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 12:04:37 | More by micromaniac129

joecast

Australia

3.15/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Note - trying this after Baptist which was amazing.

As a comparison, this one struggles to hide the abv and barrel ageing. Much more obvious alcohol presence making the aroma and taste sharp and less luxurious. Drying and more astringent finish.

Not bad, but you're going to want to find a few more people to share with to end up with smaller samples.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 05:56:25 | More by joecast

Lare453

Florida

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Large format bottle into a riedel cab glass

A black., small light cocoa brown head, light lacing.

S whiskey, peat, cocoa, malt, oak

T sweet cocoa and malt beginning, the middle is peaty, whitely and oak, the end is an amazing blend of whiskey, oak, vanilla, chocolate, lemon peel and the aftertaste is vanilla oak and whiskey.

M kinda thick. Amazing. Smooth, light carbonation.

O wow. The best beet I've ever had from h.f. fantastic. If you get a chance, get it. A great barrel aged stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 00:31:42 | More by Lare453

Mebuzzard

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This bottle is about 1 year old, from my cellar.

Pours very dark, deep ruby. almost black. Head is off brown and minimal. Lacing is invisible.

Cocoa, dark chocolate, leather, ripe black plum and dark coffee beans round up the nose on this bad boy. De-lish!

Flavors are simple, yet powerful. Cocoa nibs, leather, dark chocolate, faint coffee beans, baked caramel. Tastes dark. Very nice.

Feels soft and velvety. Carbonation has no chance here. The booze thins things out nicely to allow full enjoyment of the flavors. Could use some bubble on the end to loosen up the slick feeling a bit. This beer is a sipper, but the abv is well hidden and sipping just won't happen.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 09:43:05 | More by Mebuzzard

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass from a 22oz bottle.

Pours a very oily and thick velvety black color. There is a thin quarter inch brown head that is nice and dense but it recedes slowly. Amazing.

Great oat notes start things off. Nice and roasted. Amazing cocoa powder that is rich, sweet and slightly bitter is followed with some really nice barrel notes. The nice brown sugar and slightly caramel notes are so perfectly blended with the RIS roast and the chocolate notes. Amazing nose.

Flavor is quite similar to the nose. The barrel aging definitely adds a lot to BORIS. Very delicious roasted notes with cocoa from the base RIS. Nice dark malts with good milk chocolate sweetness and also some nice oat and grain notes. The whiskey notes are very nice and add some nice caramel and some dark fruit notes. Mouthfeel is very nice and slick. Oily, velvety ands soo smooth. Nice strong medium body. 9.4% what?! The carbonation is

Overall. As stated previously. I enjoy this BA BORIS better than the base but I still think that DORIS is top dog. It is still and amazing brew and one of the best RIS out there.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 00:34:59 | More by JoEBoBpr

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks, Yeahnatenelson!! 2011 bottle ...I think anyways, possibly older.

Appearance. Pours black and fairly viscous with just a skim of dark brown head.

Smell. Bakers chocolate and whiskey, slightly woody and just a little roasty malt.

Taste. Sweet dark chocolate, some nice toasted oak and vanilla, a bit of smooth whiskey, a drop of dark coffee and just a hint of blackberries. Very nice.

Mouthfeel. Full body, lightly warming and lowish carbonation.

Overall. A very nice big stout. Smooth, rich, and a nice level of whiskey and barrel. The sweetness is about as much as I would want in a beer like this. Well made.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 03:19:08 | More by Rutager

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Hoppin Frog Brewery branded snifter (thanks Pensfan!)

Pours an opaque black with a one and finger dark beige head. The head quickly dissipates to form a foam ring around the glass. The nose is whiskey-forward, with dark fruit and roasty notes. Opens with a touch of roasted malt, bakers/dark chocolate, and dark fruit including hints of black cherry and plum joined by oak and whiskey notes. Finishes with continued whiskey and booziness, roasted malt and roasted espresso notes. Full bodied, low carbonation as expected with most barrel aged beers and a slightly creamy, smooth mouthfeel. The base beer is exceptional and the barrel adds a new dimension here. Really enjoyable and recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 05:11:31 | More by chanokokoro

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

bottle to HFS sniffer

A: black as night total opaque heavy Mocha head that fades quick super dark chocolate

S: a little boozy upfront I can smell the oats and the malt in there too but is slightly off putting

T:follows the nose with a little bit of alc upfront but it does fade quickly into a creamy oatmeal like flavor that goes to a bitter malt finish and you can taste the alc again a little but not horrible

M: thick but oily texture that has a creamy consistency were the carbonation is mixed in perfectly

O: really solid oatmeal imperial stout but the alc and bitterness of the hops kinda ruined it for me especially when paired with a weak smell but I liked the look and mouthfeel so though its not my favorite I still recommend it curious as to taste after some aging.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 01:02:10 | More by Pinknuggets

kennylopez

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured a 22Oz bottle into a snifter.

Appearance: a think dark black with a mocha colored head that is about a finger thick and fades rather quick leaving little to almost no lacing.

Smells: a nice roasted malt with some vanilla and beautiful barrel nose.

Tastes: as good the orginal version just alot better. There is whiskey layer that adds a velvety smooth sweetness to the perfect hoppy stout. there is a caramel/ vanilla hint that comes through more as it warms up that I love from this beer.

Mouthfeel: a full bodied stout with a slight burn from the 9.4% but the whiskey front blends well it.

Overall: I fully enjoy this beer. I have to call it a beer for an occasion for me with a tag of $18 but no doubt about it I will pick up some more and make a day to enjoy some more. My favorite brew from hoppin frog that I have tried so far.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 22:41:09 | More by kennylopez

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

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

It was International Stout Day when we sampled this. Thanks the Masterski for this one.

Poured from a 22oz. bottle and shared with my wife.

Appearance: Pours thick and dark with a real dark brown head. Good sized retention that disappears in a few minutes.

Smell: Oat flakes, chocolate mixed with wood and whiskey notes that blend real well. Strong without being boozy.

Taste: Chocolate mixed with whiskey. Oatmeal felt in the finish and there's a robust, roasted flavor in the middle. Slightly less balanced than the aroma but still tasty.

Mouthfeel: Remarkably smooth, bit coarse midway with a medium-low carbonation.

Overall: Packs a punch and almost busts out of balance but doesn't Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 20:57:26 | More by papat444