Hoppin’ Frog / De Molen Super-Charged Saison IPA - Hoppin' Frog Brewery

sourgrass

Ohio

3/5  rDev -15%

10-20-2012 02:19:45 | More by sourgrass

gpawned

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +20.4%

05-17-2013 05:21:28 | More by gpawned

BeerNotes

Ohio

2.35/5  rDev -33.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

A: Warm, ruby-brown hue, off-white head, little-to-no lacing.

S: Very sweet aroma, dark fruits, hints of yeast.

T: Really sugary-sweet. Too much. A tiny kick of hops at the end, but not enough.

M: Thick. Syrupy. Matches the nose, but not in the right way.

O: I had really high hopes for this beer. I read about it shortly before it was released. I even watched the video of Hoppin’ Frog in Europe making it. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. I was anticipating a really traditional saison dryness — almost puckering-ly so — with a huge hop kick at the end for more pucker. The name ‘super-charged’ fooled me. The candy sweetness of the beer is overpowering, and really hurts the drinkability. It’s more of a hearty, wintery saison mixed with an IPA, rather than a crisp, summery saison. Those two styles just don’t mix well. I have to imagine, though, if this beer were to age for 4-6 months, it would come out a little more balanced and closer to what I had in mind, but for now, it’s just too much sweetness for me to handle.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 18:15:50 | More by BeerNotes

t0rin0

California

2.75/5  rDev -22.1%

03-31-2013 01:57:10 | More by t0rin0

dmitalski

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

03-29-2013 22:29:51 | More by dmitalski

brycevolk

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

02-19-2013 20:17:51 | More by brycevolk

pathman

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -7.9%

02-10-2013 21:08:38 | More by pathman

Mattias

Sweden

3/5  rDev -15%

01-25-2013 18:47:05 | More by Mattias

IrishColonial

Virginia

2/5  rDev -43.3%

01-11-2013 00:10:40 | More by IrishColonial

Rhettroactive

Virginia

1.75/5  rDev -50.4%

01-03-2013 00:35:57 | More by Rhettroactive

Lukass

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +27.5%

12-29-2012 19:36:02 | More by Lukass

deuce9259

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +20.4%

12-27-2012 17:47:59 | More by deuce9259

bsuedekum

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -0.8%

12-19-2012 03:58:10 | More by bsuedekum

JaysusJr

1/5  rDev -71.7%

12-05-2012 02:14:15 | More by JaysusJr

mendvicdog

Maryland

4/5  rDev +13.3%

11-29-2012 14:56:31 | More by mendvicdog

marlinsfan4

Maryland

4/5  rDev +13.3%

11-29-2012 13:33:31 | More by marlinsfan4

duceswild

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +6.2%

11-29-2012 03:19:43 | More by duceswild

JVan

Illinois

4/5  rDev +13.3%

11-27-2012 14:51:25 | More by JVan

ONUMello

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into a pint glass
A: Amber color, lingering 1/2-finger head.
S: A bit sweet with citrus/pine hops up front, along with a hint of caramel and herbs.
T: Also sweet, herby, reminds me a bit of Cow-Tail candy with the caramel/sweetness, along with herbs and citrus/pine hops.
M: Smooth, first and foremost. I like the mouthfeel. Medium-bodied, with a long finish full of herbs.
O: Very herby. Not quite as intense/structured as I expected, a little one-sided with the herbs. I like the smoothness, and enjoyed it overall though probably would not search for another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 20:39:51 | More by ONUMello

xdefeatsy

Ohio

3/5  rDev -15%

11-18-2012 19:24:23 | More by xdefeatsy

nrbw23

Ohio

3/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Pours a really dark murky reddish brown color with pretty much no head. A few tannish colored bubbles pop up.

S- My first thought after smelling this one was oh no. Very sweet and yeasty. A tried a couple sips and decided to let it sit for a minute or so. Came back to this one thought this was a Beligan IPA. Still pretty sweet and yeast. A bit of tropical fruits.

T- Very different for sure. Very sweet and yeasty. Follows the nose well. It grew on me a bit as I sipped on it but still nothing I'd drink on a regular basis.

M- Medium in body and carbonaton.

O- Not as bad as I expected but nothing I'd seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 22:21:15 | More by nrbw23

emsoud726

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

As a word to the wise, let this one breathe.

When I first cracked this bottle, I almost immediately got an over-the-top sweet, candy sugar-meets-saison scent. Ok, nothing wrong with that, right?

The bottle poured out a hazy caramel color. Also ok for a collab Belgian, double IPA. Minor head, but nothing out of the ordinary for a high-alcohol beer.

The trouble was the taste fresh out of the fridge. It's just plain too sweet. The candy sugar flavor is too in your face and the fruity depth so familiar to strong Belgians literally exemplifies the word "cloying." The taste just sticks with you and you wonder, quarter of the bottle down, whether or not it's going to be worth it to finish the rest.

LET IT WARM UP A BIT. Just as with any good Belgian, the flavors mellow and open up after about a half hour of breathing. Once this beer lets itself relax, everything smooths out and becomes incredibly drinkable.

Once again, I don't know if I'd consider this either a DIPA or a Saison. There are hints of each, but I'm hardly going to swear off Fantome Saison/Saison d'Erpe Mere or Firestone Double Jack in favor of this. But as it opens up, this beer makes for a pretty solid Belgian strong. Not for the impatient, but still very tasty at the end of the day!

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 02:37:36 | More by emsoud726

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3.68/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark auburn colour, with a tan coloured head. Aroma is earthy hops, some citrus and pine resins. Also, some sweetness, spicy yeast notes. Most of the aroma is somewhat subtle, but nice. The taste is similar, with piny bitterness, and earthy, somewhat musky yeast notes and biscuits. It's got a heavy feel to it. Definitely full bodied. Definitely more so than a Saison, and an IPA as well. Slick. It's a pretty good brew, glad to have tried it. Thanks to JM03 for the bottle!

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 01:03:22 | More by EgadBananas

soroka24

Ohio

2/5  rDev -43.3%

10-28-2012 13:33:23 | More by soroka24

prototypic

Ohio

2.8/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Super-Charged Saison IPA is a copper color. There’s not any Saison haze in this one. Crystal clear. Backlighting gives it more of a scarlet look. It’s a nice color. The head is slightly off-white and stands just over a finger tall. Retention is pretty good. It holds steady on the surface for quite a while. Lacing was sticky and moderate in volume.

The nose is above average, but not by much. It’s not very aromatic. More strength would easily improve it. What is here is interesting. It definitely smells sweet and sugary. The malt base is a mix of caramel and biscuity scents. It’s just okay. It does have some fruity hop notes. Grapefruit and pineapple are noted. They smell rather subtle. Belgian yeast is there. It smells mostly spicy. There are some herbal, earthy, and grainy notes that linger throughout. Alcohol is definitely there, but it doesn’t smell 10%+ strong. It’s alright. Needs work.

The flavor is actually below average. I really want to like. I’m trying, but it’s just not happening. It starts out with an extremely sweet, sugary flavor. If you’re not into sweet beer, don’t even try this one. It does taste like a mix of caramel and biscuit-like flavors. Light hop flavors of grapefruit and pineapple are noted. They taste alright, but aren’t bitter at all. Belgian yeast is very pronounced. It’s spicy at its core. Earthy, grainy, and herbal notes round it out. Alcohol is definitely there, but isn’t warm or hot. The Saison and IPA elements simply seem at odds. Finishes sweet. Very sweet.

Super-Charged Saison IPA has a medium body. Carbonation is light and soft. It actually has a good feel. It’s easily its strongest feature. Not an easy drinker though. It’s big…and not all that tasty.

I had high hopes for this collaboration between and Hoppin’ Frog Brewery and Brouwerij De Molen. It’s disappointing. The Saison and IPA elements seem to clash, and the flavor never fully comes together. Its biggest problem is that it’s far too sweet. That needs to be toned down a lot if this is ever brewed again. Eh. Not good.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 02:33:37 | More by prototypic