D.O.R.I.S. The Destroyer Double Imperial Stout - Hoppin' Frog Brewery

bevenson

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured into a tasting glass

A - Dark as a black hole and thick. Dark brown head with small tight bubbles. Leaves clear residue on sides of glass that is a warning of the alcohol content.

S - Grassy and citrusy hop aroma. Alcohol is evident in nose, especially as the beer warms. Firm coffee and chocolate malt aroma.

T - Strong chocolate and coffee with a hefty backing of grapefruit. Normally I don't like a strong American hop presence in a dark beer, but this beer has found a nice balance between the roast and the citrus. Slight mineral, chalky quality. Very firm bitterness which is keeping the slightly sweet finish well in check.

M - Thick, full bodied with medium to low carbonation which lends to a very smooth beer. Warming alcohol even from a few ounce sample.

O - When Hoppin' Frog decides to brew this beer again, I am definitely seeking it out again. However, I am a little torn on what to do with this beer. I think the alcohol could use a little age to mellow, but the hop flavor and aroma contribute a lot to this beer. This beer could be a little better if the alcohol was a little more blended with the rest of the flavors but the hop aroma and flavor was retained.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 03:46:26 | More by bevenson

ridglens

Indiana

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

so, the D.O.R.I.S....

Bought in Cincinnati, aged a week haha, and poured into a Portsmouth Brewery snifter. i drank most of the bottle (except half a glass shared with my father) from just warmer than fridge temperature to just under room temperature.
A- Jet black, poured thick as motor oil.no light through any of the glass, even the thinnest edges. could not force a head out of this beer, even with a strong pour i only got a thin layer of bubbles.

S- pretty typical of the style, lots of coffee and malt, with some bitter chocolte, but with more hops than most RIS's that i have tried. makes everything smell more bitter... a little alcohol in the back as well.

T- good. very malty, but has a STRONG kick of hops. not overly sweet as some, in fact a little less sweet than "typical" i would say, but could seem like that because of the hop presence. SOLID beer though

M- thick and rich, coats the mouth. you can "dig" this one out of the corners of your mouth ten minutes later, which is to me the ideal feel of the style, this beer feels great.

D- this guy could probably use at least a little while in the cellar, as it is so intense in malty and hoppy, it could stand to chill out a bit. that being said, it was completely enjoyable to the last drop, so 4

great beer! thanks Hoppin' Frog

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 02:48:58 | More by ridglens

levifunk

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Brought a 22oz bomber to a tasting.

Sadly this is my first hoppin frog beer, so I can't compare this to the BORIS or BA BORIS.

This was way more hoppy then I was expecting, but if you have had BORIS, maybe that wouldnt be a surprise? Taste was very good. smoky chocolate and caramel balance the hops very well. Low carbonation made the feel very thick and sticky.

I'd say definitely something to share with friends as it packs a punch and is pretty intense.

edit: now that i've had BORIS and BA BORIS, I can say this is nothing like it. HUGE hoppy flavor (at least when fresh). Its a great beer, but I'm letting this one lay down for a while.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 15:51:54 | More by levifunk

klewis

Ohio

4.78/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours pitch black with a sticky, tan head.

S: Malty with aromas of molasses and mocha with a nutty character.

T: Huge flavor. Charred oak, anise, burnt chocolate. Well-balanced with some hops up front and a slight residual sweetness in the back. A very mild alcohol presence.

M: Thick, chewy, and sticky with light carbonation. One of the biggest feeling beers that I've had.

D: As advertised, this drinks like an amped up BORIS. Awesome.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 14:18:23 | More by klewis

kirok1999

Ohio

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

Pours black with just hints of garnet around the edges of the snifter. Wispy head and hints of lace.
Smells of sweet coffee and tastes the same. This is a coffee dominant beer with hints of caramel and some mild spice hops. Definitely different than BORIS, not as sweet or fruity. Feels rich and smooth and is nice to sip on when you are in the mood for some coffee flavored beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2010 21:04:30 | More by kirok1999

sitarist

Ohio

4.63/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours the deepest shade of next to black, it is opaque. The head looks like the crema on a good espresso, it falls quickly to a ring that is purple where it meets the beer. Looks like waste oil.

Smells like full bodied coffee, dark caramel, slightly smokey, earthy, with dark ripe fruit and some liquor. Tickles the nose and invites me to take a sip.

The first think I taste is strong coffee then it fades to bitter sweet chocolate. Taste like something you could get at Starbucks. The hops are used very well to support and dont overpower.

Mouthfeel is thick, and sticky, with a slight carbonation, it warms as it goes down. Leaves a long, pleasant aftertaste.

Big and heavy with a lot of alcohol; its a sipper for sure, but a dam fine one. It is so well balanced and smooth.

Worth the $10.99 price tag. Ill be trying to get a few more. This is one hell of an R.I.S. Bigger and better than B.O.R.I.S. It is good fresh; cant wait to see what some cellar time does.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2010 03:32:31 | More by sitarist

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with almost an inch brown head. Head retention and lacing are both good. Aroma is roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, and a bit of hops. The taste is similar to the aroma, but has the addition of some burnt/charred malt and a bit of booze. Also, the hop flavor is stronger in the taste (compared to the light hops in the aroma). This is a good and mostly bitter stout. Mouthfeel/body is full, it's creamy, rich, coating, and has moderate carbonation. Drinkability is good, but this is definitely a sipping brew. There's a bit of booze noticable that cuts down on the drinkability a bit. All in all I think this is a good beer. I think I'll be aging my other bottle for a while!

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2010 22:37:39 | More by bluejacket74

jampics2

Ohio

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

A 22oz bottle into my snifter. A touch under room temp.

Nice looking beer. Pitch black with a nice ring of reddish-brown foam. Rich and thick looking. Good start!

Smell is wonderful. Not too boozy, but there is some alcohol in the nose. There's also a really nice roasted malt with some coffee, chocolate, and even roasted nut teases (or something else that's a little off).

Taste is a wild ride. Tons of roasted malt, some molasses sweetness, more roasted malt, some ethanolic hints, roasted, no, burned malt. This has a huge flavor peak and some lingering bitterness. It leaves a hell of a taste in your mouth. Some chocolate and coffee. Altogether well done but not as cohesive or complex as I would like - this is like rampantly bitter.

Mouthfeel is thick and satisfying but could be a touch thicker. Carb is spot on.

Overall, this was nice. But B.O.R.I.S. is such a perfect beer that this can't keep up with the bar that was set. It's good but not elite, glad to have a few bottles to see if it cools down and gels over the next few years. I'd take any BORIS (including all 3 BA batches) over this anyday.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2010 18:15:53 | More by jampics2

strikertown

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Thick, very thick. I was hoping for motor oil, and got it. Very limited head during pour but when i finished the pour, it flared up and looked good with an appropriate amount of Carbonation.

S: The hops come through the right away, but you also get the chocolate and malt on the nose.

T: Bitter chocolate, and a lot of hop bitterness only to be counter punched with sweet malt flavors. This thing is really big and bold. The first glass was very bitter but as it began to warm up it began to loose a bit of the bite and made it much more drinkable.

M: Syrupy, thick.

D: First glass was a sipper, but the rest of the bottle moved a little faster as it mellowed out and opened up. Definitely going to age 1 or 2 of these to see how much better it can get.

Serving type: 22oz bottle

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2010 15:03:33 | More by strikertown

Beejay

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Thick as oil, and just as dark. Milk Chocolate head from quite an aggressive pour. Looks great.

S: Roasty, and malty sweet. Huge Chocolate. A little boozy, but nice. A bit of earthy hop aroma in there as well.

T: Wow. BORIS's big sister is mean. Bitter chocolate, and a lot of hop bitterness. All the bitterness is backed up by sweet malt goodness. A bitter malt bomb. Big and bold. It mellows a bit as it warms, and looses a bit of the bite as you progress through it. A very impressive, albeit destructive beer.

M: Syrupy, thick, and creamy. Carbonation fits the beer and the style.

D: Perhaps a bit of a sipper, this thing is a beast. I would almost like to see it subdued a bit, but I guess that is what BORIS is for. Wish I had another bottle to age for a year or three. Tasty and larger than life.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2010 02:38:59 | More by Beejay

betterbgood

Ohio

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

poured an 22oz bomber, first pour was in a 12oz snifter, the second pour was in a Ommengang belgian snifter, had a milk chocolated head which didn't last long black nice smooth smell to it, which i anticipated it was going to be a smooth balanced imperial stout at the abv it was at being 10.5.

the smell was sweet chocolate malty the taste was smooth and delicious, the alcohol is not overpowering in taste,,but you do feel it.

mouth feel is thick and coats the tongue, this is a sipper of course, great beer i could handle two of these bombers cause i got to go to work in the morniing Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 01:34:17 | More by betterbgood

KAP1356

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Shared this 22 oz. bomber with the driver that agreed to head to Akron from Pittsburgh for the release of this truely destructive oatmeal russian imperial stout. Another amazing brew from Fred Karm and the crew at Hoppin' Frog.

A - Pours as dark as you can get. Not quite the motor oil I was expecting, but a warm velvety like dark brown. The minute head that was there was a creamy mocha colored froth that was as inticing as it was intriguing.

S - Roasty malts with a solid hop backbone. Great aromas of chocolate and an almost molasses like smell coming through.

T - Thick, creamy, roasty malts up front. Much more of a hop presence than her brother BORIS. This is absolutely everything I was expecting for a beer that was billed as a "double" russian imperial stout.

M - Creamy and thick are the two best words to describe this one. Just a tremendous velvet quality that makes me wish this had come out in the winter as I can picture myself sitting in front of a fire slowly enjoying this brew.

D - It was a good idea to split between two people as the entire bottle might have done a bit to impair my senses. Absolutely worth the treat if you can get your hands on it.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 03:51:09 | More by KAP1356

imaguitargod

Ohio

5/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I must say this is probably the coolest beer label Hoppin' Frog has. It just screams, big, evil beer. This poured to a 1 finger head in my nonic glass. I gave it a little rough pour because I knew the carbonation was a little low on this beer. The color of the head was a deep brown color and it lasted for a bit before dissipating to a ring around my glass.

This beer tastes AMAZING. Dark, roasted malt sweetness right up front with a hint of chocolate. The oats are there and there are hints of B.O.R.I.S. giving the illusion that this really is his evil sister. Aggressive, but so tasty. One hell of a good beer and I can't find a single thing I would want to change about it.

~Jonathan Passow

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 00:49:59 | More by imaguitargod

TurdFurgison

Ohio

3.13/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

I picked up this bottle for $10.99 in Columbus, and I'm trying it immediately to guage whether to purchase any more tomorrow (just released today). The beer is very dark, opaque brown with a thick tan foam, about 1-finger dissipating to 1/2-finger.

The aroma is rich but a little odd at first. There's something like a burnt corn-husk component to it, light but present along with the roasted malts and faint ethanol. After tasting the beer I suspect the smell is somehow related to the hops, as I get some mild similarities with overhopped stouts (Darkness, Night Stalker). The main flavors are roasted malts and ethanol, with hops bitterness in the background and some lasting cornhusk/floral mixtures in the aftertaste.

The body is fairly thick and creamy, and the carbonation is somewhat light. Viscous stuff, with loads of flavor.

Overall I'm a little disappointed. I can't get enough of BA B.O.R.I.S., and I hoped Hoppin Frog would approach that level of greatness with D.O.R.I.S., albeit at a lower price point. It seems to me, however, that the beer is just B.O.R.I.S. with the malt and hops bills ramped up, leaving a beer with odd hops presence and too much alcohol in the flavor. Oh well...

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 00:37:21 | More by TurdFurgison

MbpBugeye

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

So BORIS has an evil sister? I love BORIS the Crusher and BA BORIS even more so I jumped at the chance to give his big sister a try.

A- Typical HF label with the frog holding a mug, but the logo looks really pissed off. The word Stout is made up of hammers and sickles. Really really dark and thick. It pours out like old motor oil. The head is tight and dense. Its a really deep reddish brown. Sadly it doesnt last too long but who would expect that from a beer like this? Some lacing.

S- First smell I thought of was peanuts. Dirty peanut shells with peanut butter and chocolate. Lots of earth, spice, meat tenderizer and jerky. This smells like its going to be aggressive and rough. Lots of soy sauce, and dark fruits with some herbal hops.

T- That interesting (albeit somewhat good) peanut shell characteristic comes out first in the taste too. Peanuts and chocolate, leather, tobacco and jerky. Its like someone ground up a cowboy and threw him in the mash. Quite a bitter, abrasive stout.

M- THIIICK. Almost no carbonation. There is a quick shot of carbonation at first, just to let you know you didnt get a bad bottle, but from there its all just a huge full bodied, chewy beer. It makes for a super creamy feel. This would be very nice if this were a sweeter stout. This stuff is leaving my lips very sticky. Tons of roasted black coffee bitterness lingers.

D- Definitely bigger and more evil than BORIS. This beer is here to rip your jaw off. I like it but I think I like her baby (if you can call him that) brother more.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2010 22:29:41 | More by MbpBugeye