Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale - Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Ezekiel81923

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a 22oz bomber from Matt at Capone's. Poured into my HopDevil pint glass.

Appearance: Quick pour builds up a nice head which recedes quickly. Brew is a dark amber color, letting a decent amount of light through. Clear. About what I would expect for a bolder version of a pumpkin ale. Minimal lacing. That never bothers me though.

Smell: Spicy. Clove, Nutmeg, Allspice, Cinnamon, a hint of Vanilla? I don't pick up much pumpkin in the nose, but I give them the benefit of the doubt that it's in there.

Taste: Pretty spicy. It all comes together well though. This is also where the pumpkin comes out of hiding. It's barely noticeable in the nose but it shines in the flavor. The brew leans heavier towards the spices, but the malty backbone and pumpkin flavor balance it out pretty well.

Mouthfeel: For how dark the beer is, the mouthfeel is pretty thin. Not watery, I wouldn't go that far, but the malt doesn't give off a very full body. Carbonation is good. Warmth from the alcohol is there, but faint.

Drinkability: No problem polishing off the bomber. Wish I had more. The thin body seemed like a bit of a let down at first, but I think that lends itself to being more of a drinkable double pumpkin ale and I don't mind that at all since it was so tasty.

Probably going to buy a case of these to last me through October. Second favorite Imperial Pumpkin. Definitely try it.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2009 18:35:08 | More by Ezekiel81923

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear golden ruby/copper color with golden orange/amber hues when held to a light source and a 1 finger frothy white head that quickly settles into a lasting ring. Not much in the way of lacing.

Spicy pumpkin pie aroma with hints of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. This smells exactly like a pumpkin pie with a very subtle hop presence.

Creamy medium body which is on the fuller end with a nice malt presence and a very prominent pumpkin pie spiciness. Pretty sweet but not too much so with a healthy dose of ginger and clove accompanying some brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. The alcohol is extremely well masked making this very drinkable. The prominent ginger and clove notes provide this pumpkin beer with a nice twist that separates it from many of average pumpkin beers. Not the best example of the style but still very good.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2009 05:02:45 | More by corby112

Tbone

Illinois

2.35/5  rDev -39%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

What little head there is disappears right away.

Not much aroma at all outside of some clove.

The taste is dominated by a spice profile that is just off and not very pleasant. Just way too much clove, which of all the pumpkin spices used is THE one that can be ruinous if overused.

The mouthfeel is thin and watery.

This is perhaps the worst pumpkin beer I have had (out of about 20).

If you want an Imperial Pumpkin stick with Southern Tier, even if this years version is too heavy on the cinnamon.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2009 01:41:49 | More by Tbone

IBUnit63

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber of this fine elixir into a Duvel tulip...

First pour heads up nicely, but doesn't keep it together for too long. Body is rather clear with a light bourbon color, reminiscent of powdered cloves or nutmeg. Carbonation is moderately present and quick.

The spice is a little more powerful today than in previous rounds of this (nutmeg and clove again). However, it still smells like beer. I can think of a moderate pininess (of course at 7.3 IBUs it may be just my imagination running away from me). Malts are slightly Germanic with a nice balsa wood dryness. There's still a little pumpkin sweetness that the allspice squeezes out as well.

The taste is where this comes together. Sure, there are the aforementioned spices, but they come together nicely in a package that's still definitely a well-crafted, well-balanced beer. Probably the best example of Beautiful Chemistry for the style. Extremely tasty and smooth. I like the way the nutmeg dries it out as well.

Palate feel is well-put together also. Although dry as previously mentioned, it still has some decent viscosity and a nice amount of alcohol. Not a burn, but a little weight. Dryness and carbonation mesh with the spiciness to create something with a nice spring in its step that won't fill you up any further on Thanksgiving.

I'm thinking the "overall impression" of this is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. This is enjoyable as hell and I have to anoint this as my new favorite in the Pumpkin category. Sure, it has a little weight to it, but the balance and smoothness do it very well. If you enjoy pumpkin beers this is a must-snag.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2009 22:20:20 | More by IBUnit63

BeerImmediately

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Bomber to nonic pint glass.

Poiured with nearly no head fading quickly. Some light lacing. Body is a translucent burnt orange.

Smell is allspice, vanilla icing, cinnamon, and some ginger twang. Light rum creeps in as it warms.

Taste is pretty sweet and a little boozy. Similar flavors to the smell - vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, plus a touch of clove, and even some fat marshmallow as it warmed.

Mouthfeel is terrific. Decent carbonation, fairly rich, and a little heat from the alchohol.

Drinkability suffers a little from the heat, but pretty enjoyable overall... ranks #3 in my book for 'imperial' Pumpkins behind Weyerbacher and Southern Tier.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2009 20:04:38 | More by BeerImmediately

FtownThrowDown

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear copper in color. There's a very bubbly head of about an inch that forms with a rigorous pour. Looks good so far.
Smell is all spice and very little pumpkin to go with it. Lots of cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar.
The pumpkin flavor comes through more noticeably in the flavor. This beer is still dominated by the spices though. Fairly thin in the mouthfeel. At least more thin than I would like it to be. Still very enjoyable. I think a bomber is more than enough of this beer. Would have liked to see more pumpkin in the flavor and a fuller mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2009 19:31:30 | More by FtownThrowDown

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 22 ounce bomber bottle poured into my standard shaker glass. The ale appears a clear copper color with about an inch of creamy off white foam. The foam settles to a thin ring in a minute or so. Nose and flavor consist of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, roasted grain, brown sugar, allspice, maybe some ginger. Mostly dominated by spices, not pumpkin. Nice medium to full body and amply carbonated to match the bold spices. Pretty tasty overall.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2009 03:19:36 | More by ClockworkOrange

OldSchoolGamer

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hoppin Frog's newest brew, and a good one at that. Lets see how this one compares to the King of Pumpkin beers, Pumking. Here is my review.

A: Pours a nice orange-amber color. Very clear. Head dissipates to nothing, which is a little disappointing. Good looking pumpkin beer nonetheless.

S/T: Excellent pumpkin beer. Definetly in my top three I have had yet. This one is more compareable to Dogfish Head Punkin as opposed to the 'liquid pumpkin pie' of Pumking. Spices are in full force. Cinnamon is very dominant with the nutmeg coming in a close second. I also get some clove in the finish. Pumpkin is definetly there. Alcohol is nowhere to be found. Very tasty and full-flavored beer. Probably the best comparison I can make is to Dogfish Head, only heavier on the spice and a fuller flavor.

M/D: Medium bodied brew with good carbonation. Spices tingle the tongue and throat. Drinks too easily for such a high ABV brew.

I have to admit, I have very limited tasting experince in pumpkin ales. But, I tend to enjoy the ones that are heavier on the spices. This one fits the bill nicely and is a very festive and tasty beer. Not quite as stellar as Pumking, but is still going to be a staple in the fridge throughout the fall months. Beers like this is the reason I love the fall so much.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2009 18:00:35 | More by OldSchoolGamer

jbennett1919

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark orange hue with almost no head.

Pumpkin is detected on the nose, with some other faint fall spices; coriander, cinnamon, etc... These notes are accompanied with a piney-citrus smell as well.

The taste resembles a pretty good pumpkin ale. There is a good balanced flavor between the fall-type flavors of pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon - which are detected on the first taste - and the aftertaste which is fairly piney, hoppy. I like the flavor of this brew and would rank it in my top five pumpkin ales of the season.

The mouthfeel is a bit sub-par IMO. The beer seems a bit flat, non-carbonated and lackin in complexity. For 8.4% ABV, the beer seems very easily drinkable and sessionable. I was hoping for something a bit heavier and heartier.

This is a drinkable beer. I'm glad I tried it, and as said before, I will place this in my top-5 favorite pumpkin ales. But I would probably not seek this beer out again in anticipation of its release.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2009 01:38:55 | More by jbennett1919

brentk56

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a clear amber color with a one finger head that fades away while leaving a bit of splashy lace

Smell: Although the brew is spice-laden, with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar dominant, there is a bit of pumpkin underneath

Taste: Spices, up front, dominate the flavor profile, with vanilla and brown sugar overwhelming, along with the cinnamon and nutmeg underneath and ginger/allspice tagging along; the vanilla finishes up but there is very little pumpkin going on here as it is all about the spices

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Although the alcohol is well hidden, so is the pumpkin and this beer ultimately overwhelms with the spices

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2009 01:30:43 | More by brentk56

WITTBEER

Illinois

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

My first review. Don't know what took me so long, but here it goes!

Bought a bottle at the local Binny's. Drinking out of my FOBAB sampler glass from last year.

Appearance- Poured at a decent pace and got an 1/8" of head that dissipated quickly. I little lacing upon drinking. Nice light pumpkin orange color.

Smell- not as strong as most pumpkin beers I've had, but I'm not complaining. You still get a decent pumkpin aroma.

Taste- Similiar to the smell: Pumpkin and spices are there, but for an 8.4% ABV beer I thought the flavor would have been similiar to a ST Pumpking as far as strength goes. Still has a good balance of spices and pumpkin though. Alcohol is covered very well.

Mouthfeel- Small fizzy bubbles help to release the flavors. Carbonation level is very good.

Drinkability- If you like pumpkin ales like I do, you should be able to drink a bomber by yourself. Like a lot of fruit/veggie beers you can only drink so many of them in a night.

Overall, a pretty solid imperial pumpkin ale. I would drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2009 21:10:35 | More by WITTBEER

orbitalr0x

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours into my glass an autumnal copper orange. Not much head to speak of, just a little ring around the top of the glass. Aromas start out with sweet malts intertwining with lots of spice flavors. Ginger, cinnamon and clove are the most prevalent. Vegetal underneath with a touch of caramel.

First sip brings sweet caramelized malts upfront with a bevy of spices rushing across the palate. Bold ginger meets clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. Somewhat vegetal midway through that's reminiscent of pumpkin meat. Flows down with a big lingering spicy kick and a touch of crisp sweetness with ginger in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and creamy with good carbonation. Goes down smooth and the alcohol is well hidden throughout. Overall, I found this to be a spice forward pumpkin ale that didn't come together as nicely as some others I've had. Lots of ginger lingers on with each sip. Worth a shot, but I wish the spices were toned down a bit.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2009 01:21:51 | More by orbitalr0x