Hop Heathen - Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Beer_Runner

4.55/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

No bottling date; but, purchase this about one week ago at the brewery.

A: An aggressive pour into a standard pint glass produced a about an eighth of a finger of head that is a dark mocha color and very dense. Although it was small, the head lasted through most of the glass and left a good lacing. The brew is a true black and is absolutely opaque.

S: The aroma is very robust and full of floral, citrus, and some pine, along with some dark roasted grain.

T: The taste is also a very robust balance of spicy and some earthy hops characteristics and a strong backbone of malted barley.

M: The feel is velvety smooth and almost creamy. It also has a body that is medium/heavy and very satisfying.

O: Outstanding all the way. This is a beer that mixes styles and succeeds in bringing out the best in both styles. This one has the hop elements of a great DIPA supported by an excellent black ale. These two characteristics work together to create a wonderful balance of robust and satisfying flavors. And, the mouthfeel of this beer is really good – very smooth. This beer is unique; and, it is definitely a “must try” for beer drinkers who admire outstanding craftsmanship and innovation in brewing.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 02:57:27 | More by Beer_Runner

JandJMD

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

05-12-2013 01:46:24 | More by JandJMD

kjkinsey

Texas

4/5  rDev -3.8%

04-24-2013 23:56:18 | More by kjkinsey

Texasfan549

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

04-24-2013 23:51:01 | More by Texasfan549

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

4.14/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown to almost black with tan head in tulip.

Lots of toasted malt and chocolate in nose. Nice pine hoppiness also.

Taste follows smell well with lots of chocolate and pine. Sweet with mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with nice carbonation.

Overall this was really great.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 00:09:03 | More by TrappistJohnMD

Pac-N-West_SNOB

3.5/5  rDev -15.9%

04-20-2013 20:23:09 | More by Pac-N-West_SNOB

Ciocanelu

Romania

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

04-14-2013 19:23:10 | More by Ciocanelu

djtomain

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

04-14-2013 01:36:56 | More by djtomain

mjw1200

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +14.2%

04-05-2013 22:45:37 | More by mjw1200

mcrago

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

03-23-2013 00:55:03 | More by mcrago

RoryOMoore

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

03-22-2013 01:00:57 | More by RoryOMoore

spycow

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

03-09-2013 22:19:31 | More by spycow

djrn2

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

03-09-2013 22:04:55 | More by djrn2

Ego

New Jersey

3.46/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3

eyes...
not quite a twix bar of height on the head (which fades at a decent pace), sticky lacing for sure, black but not impenetrable, not much else to say, it is a black ale after all

nose...
roasty and toasty with hints of hops, burnt birch bark smell mmm, some chocolate notes, the hops are bright pine and northwest ocean breeze, on the pour this smacks more of hops but let this puppy chill for a few minutes and enjoy a really nice roast aroma, this smells awesome ladies and gents

taste etc...
full mouthfeel without being heavy, the carbonation is prickly but fades nicely and properly, this drinks hoppier than the smell, unfortunately it mostly drowns out the roasty flavors, if this followed the nose I probably would have to move to vermont and marry this beer, but sadly.. this love story does not have a happy 16 candles ending, it arcs more like molly ringwald's career... the aftertaste is really nice but you pretty much just get hops up front.

verdict?
this one misses the mark, it has some damn big hop power and ABV punch but it is a bit messy in the execution. the hops over power the roasty notes way too much. is this a bad beer? heck F no, worth checking out but for me this is a bit off balance to be a really good beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 05:25:13 | More by Ego

ShemRahBoo

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

02-28-2013 21:33:35 | More by ShemRahBoo

Durge

Connecticut

4.29/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

An opaque black-brown color with a healthy light brown head and thick, serious lacing. The aroma brings an impressive deep coffee/licorice malt with herbal hop nuances. Uniquely outstanding. The flavor is no disappointment with lots more heavy licorice malt and floral/herbal complements. The hop quotient is not obvious but I believe it is working to create the unusual tastiness of this black ale. I do get some alcohol edges but it is not very distracting. It's medium-full bodied with a bit of a dry and ultimately satiny feel. Carbonation is modest but adequate. This is a big, beautiful creation, yet another triumph from the Hoppin' Frog.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 05:44:21 | More by Durge

mmsimmons

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -15.9%

02-19-2013 02:20:24 | More by mmsimmons

ChrisMon02

Ohio

4/5  rDev -3.8%

02-17-2013 01:07:25 | More by ChrisMon02

grover37

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

02-16-2013 23:37:53 | More by grover37

BobCobb

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.8%

02-14-2013 03:17:23 | More by BobCobb

Noelito76

New York

2.25/5  rDev -45.9%

02-02-2013 15:04:44 | More by Noelito76

DmanGTR

New York

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

01-29-2013 14:45:48 | More by DmanGTR

KillaB

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

01-29-2013 05:05:24 | More by KillaB

TastyIsBeer

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

01-15-2013 00:53:46 | More by TastyIsBeer

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black as night, a very roasty version of the style. The taste is a range of roast, nutty, hop presence but not so IPA. A well balanced good range of roast malt, chocolate. Freshly ordered from Lueken. A different spin on this style that is normally more hop-centric.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 05:32:11 | More by northyorksammy