Hop Master's Abbey Belgian-Style Double IPA - Hoppin' Frog Brewery

OldSchoolGamer

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Belgian IPAs are a very unique style. The combination of American style IPAs and classic Belgian Ale flavors often times create unexpected flavors. I have had quite a few different ones in the past, and enjoyed almost every one. Here is my review on Hoppin Frog's take on the style.

A: This beer looks awesome. Its a nice golden-amber with a nice creamy head. Lacing is excellent. Very clear. No sediment or cloudyness to speak of.

S/T: The aroma is full of citrusy hops. The Belgian character is right behind it with a lot of spice and yeast. Taste is very hop forward. Probably has the strongest hop character of any Belgian IPA I have had. Citrus, grapefruit, and a touch of pine make up the IPA side of things. The Belgian side doesn't come off as well as I expected. There is decent spice, yeast, and a breadyness in there, but the sweetness gives it a somewhat medicinal taste. Very good, but a tad disappointing.

M/D: Medium bodied with a nice crisp finish. Somewhat dry. Drinks very easily. The only deterrent is the somewhat medicinal sweetness, but very enjoyable throughout.

Of all the Belgian IPAs I have had, I think Green Flash Le Freak is the best. It perfectly captures both the IPA and the Belgian characteristics, where this is stronger on the hop component and lacking in the Belgian. I might rank this as my second favorite, but with a few tweaks, this beer could be out of this world. Well worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2009 00:17:24 | More by OldSchoolGamer

KeyWestGator

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.9%

04-27-2013 02:03:31 | More by KeyWestGator

Pencible

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: This poured a clear gold with lots of white head.
S: It smelled like bright citrus, with metallic copper and salty Belgian yeast and a bit of sourdough bread.
T: It tasted like unripe apricot and lemon zest, with some sweet candi sugar and salty Belgian yeast and metallic copper. It had a clean and bitter aftertaste.
M: It was thick with lots of carbonation. Nice big and lively body.
D: This was a decent Belgian IPA, but the scent and taste weren't terribly impressive. The body was solid, and the alcohol was decently hidden, so it was easy enough to drink. Not for aging. Good not great fresh.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 02:23:30 | More by Pencible

cwd

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

04-05-2013 02:08:26 | More by cwd

PStriedl

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.9%

03-06-2013 01:09:25 | More by PStriedl

ebin

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

03-02-2013 21:44:46 | More by ebin

Mattias

Sweden

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%

01-25-2013 18:48:33 | More by Mattias

sendbeer

Georgia

2.75/5  rDev -28.6%

01-16-2013 05:00:02 | More by sendbeer

pathman

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

12-29-2012 20:03:50 | More by pathman

CBodamer

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.9%

12-29-2012 20:03:44 | More by CBodamer

pogoowner

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.9%

10-30-2012 01:19:54 | More by pogoowner

samEBC

Belgium

4/5  rDev +3.9%

10-18-2012 16:25:41 | More by samEBC

brentk56

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber color; the head was rather small, but the lacing left a dancing pattern on the glass

Smell: If it weren't for the onions, the aroma would be much better, as there is an interesting blend of pineapple, tropical fruit and spicy Belgian yeast

Taste: Loads of caramel malt, up front, followed by a strong dose of bitter grapefruit, with pineapple and other tropical fruits underneath; the onions appear, at mid-palate, and dominate the Belgian yeast spice flavors that would have otherwise added a very nice counterpoint to the West Coast hop bill

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate to high carbonation; a bit prickly

Overall: A beer that aspired to be something special that was, unfortunately, negatively impacted by an oniony flavor

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 21:31:47 | More by brentk56

BMMillsy

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.9%

10-04-2012 16:00:16 | More by BMMillsy

BeerTruck

Portugal

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

09-23-2012 21:41:28 | More by BeerTruck

JMBSH

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

09-15-2012 20:30:28 | More by JMBSH

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

great ohio brew here. a nice fusion of styles too. pours a fairly clear apple juice color with an active white head of tiny bubbles on top. it smells like belgian yeast and a ton of sweet hops, oily fresh hops. notes of citrus fruit and spicy yeast dominate the taste too, and the beer has an alcoholic punch to it in the finish. the hops are a little bitter at the finish, but they mostly provide a sweet pungent burst of flavor. the moutfeel is also great. its very brightly carbonated, which makes the sticky thick properties seem less severe. the body then is just past medium, but its balanced by all the bubbles. i love the yeast means hops complexity of this one. a well executed belgian ipa.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 16:37:12 | More by StonedTrippin

GFish

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.9%

09-09-2012 21:08:24 | More by GFish

zeff80

Missouri

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, copper color with a one-finger, off-white head of bubbly foam. It left thin rings of sudsy lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of fruity notes - mostly dark fruits with some hoppy-pine notes.

T - Great dark dried fruit flavors. Good spicy hop bite with pine, citrus and floral notes.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This is a really tasty Belgian IPA. Hoppin' Frog has done it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 01:57:19 | More by zeff80

boot11222

Ohio

4/5  rDev +3.9%

08-12-2012 23:53:09 | More by boot11222

Kromes

Georgia

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought at Sprayberry Bottle Shop. They have one of only a few cases sent to GA.

Pours a slightly hazy gold colore with a thick off-white head that laces the glass. Some grassy hop and Belgian yeast aroma.

The alcohol hits right up front. There is also a nice Belgian yeast flavor, a little funk, a little clove, and some grassy hop that finishes a little bitter and warm from the alcohol.

Medium body, a little oily, and peppery from the carbonation and alcohol. Overall a good Belgian IPA. Nice Belgian aspects and a strong hop presence.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 19:16:29 | More by Kromes

sammo

Kansas

4/5  rDev +3.9%

07-26-2012 06:51:06 | More by sammo

BobCobb

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -15.6%

07-24-2012 01:56:04 | More by BobCobb

wvsabbath

West Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving Type - 22oz bottle

Appearance - Light golden yellow/tan, moster 3+ inch head and lots of foamy lacing.

Smell - Belgain spices, hops, onion, sugars, lemon, grapes, slight malts and yeasts.

Taste - Much like the smell, huge belgian spices and floral hops up front. Simular to a trippel mixed with a ipa. Lemon, pine and orange are main hop flavors, but the spices and belgian yeasts overpower this to make it seem like a ipa other then a double ipa. Some malts sneek in at the finish. Alcohol is masked well, only slighty present at the finish.

Mouthfeel - Loads of spices and floral, grassy flavors hit the tounge. Palate gets more of the same with a malt flavor. Afteraste is floral, sugary and spicey.

Overall - Its soild, but just a little to belgian flavored for its own good. Has great flavors but the hops get a little buried behind everything else. Its still good, and easy enough to drink, and also unique and different. Worth a drink for sure.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 02:49:28 | More by wvsabbath

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a translucent gold, leaning towards yellow and straw. There is about a finger and a half of off-white head that settles in a normal amount of time. Some lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is yeast, lemons, and spice. I pick up a slight bit of onion, but only barely. I hope that doesn't show up in the taste.
Darn. Another onion beer from Hoppin' Frog. It starts out sweet with nice citrus notes and Belgian yest. In the middle I get a blast of onion, but it's not terrible. Spice and lemon show up in the finish.

M: Medium bodied beer. It is sweet to start, the flavor transitions are nice. It has some yest and spice hold over in the finish.

O: This beer is mediocre. It's not terrible, but it's far from my favorite. Anytime onion make an appearance I know I'm not going to enjoy it. However, this beer is actually drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 23:33:29 | More by trxxpaxxs