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

superspak

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, Fall 2012 bottling. Pours fairly hazy orange amber color with a small foamy off white head with decent retention, that reduces to a thin lace. Minimal lacing on the glass. Aromas of pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, oak, light bourbon, gingerbread, and light vanilla. Very nice aromas with good balance, strength, and complexity of pumpkin and spices, with light-moderate barrel notes; doesn’t smell too sweet either. Taste of pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, light bourbon, gingerbread, oak, and light vanilla. Lingering notes of pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, gingerbread, oak, light bourbon, and light vanilla on the finish for a bit. Very nice balance and complexity of malt and spice flavors; with moderate barrel presence and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a lightly creamy and slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very nice barrel aged pumpkin ale. Good balance and complexity of malt/spice flavors with light-moderate barrel notes; and very smooth to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 05:24:26 | More by superspak

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- transparent copper with 1 finger off-white head. Some trails of lacing on the glass.

S- nice pumpkins and spice aromas. No barrel is apparent.

T- sweet malts, pumpkin, spices, slight vanilla and again no barrel notes.

M- medium body and carbonation. Slight alcohol burn near end.

O- good pumpkin beer but the barrel aging is unnoticeable and a waste of barrels.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 03:05:25 | More by kawilliams81

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Received as an extra in a trade and poured in to my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a nice hazy light copper hue with a fizzy half finger head that faded almost immediately to leave no lacing and an almost nonexistant halo. Meh.

S - Aroma is nice with good roasted pumpkin notes, faint spices (nutmeg, cloves, etc.), and some soft whiskey/oak notes. Not nearly as strong as I was expecting.

T - Taste isnt bad. Fairly standard pumpkin ale flavours. Not fake tasting but nice pumpkin and spices. The whiskey is not nearly as boozy, but, its definitely there. Lingering vanilla/oak aftertaste is pleasant.

M - Mouthfeel is pretty food. Lighter carbonation but still quite noticeable. Keeps it from feeling slick/syrupy.

O - Overall, this isnt a bad beer. Its just..ehhh. I havent really found a Hoppin' Frog beer that I really liked yet. Something that made me want to seek this brewery out. Its not a bad beer, its just, there are other breweries I would spend my money on. Many others.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 02:50:39 | More by rudzud

brewtus

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- light clear copper that pours with a tiny head that quickly disappears
S- lots of sugary cinnamon, I get some apple too. There's a good amount of pumpkin aroma, no surprise there huh? This smells really festive.
T- sweet pumpkin up front. a little bit of hoppy bite. The flavor warms up to a vanilla and bourbon finish. The alcohol is pretty predominant, maybe too much. The bourbon is pretty subdued but its definitely there.
M- not too thin, not too thick, great texture for fall day.
O- this was hoppier than I imagined it would be, since I've never had the unbarrelled version. The bourbon isn't too heavy but balanced well with the pumpkin flavor. I'd say its good, not great. Worth pickin up a bomber if you see one, its a nice change of pace from your run-of-the-mill pumpkin ales. As it warms a little out of the fridge it gets smoother. I agree that's its a bit too pricey

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 00:11:48 | More by brewtus

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours golden amber color with minimal off-white head. No lacing.

Smell is nutmeg, clove, cinnamon and pumpkin. Essentially a pumpkin pie in a bottle.

Taste follows smell well. Lots of sweet malts, pumpkin, spice, clove, and cinnamon. Very good. Even my mother liked it.

Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied. Mild carbonation.

Overall very good. All of my non-beer drinking family members liked this one. Will definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 20:43:03 | More by TrappistJohnMD

CommanderOfAwesome

California

4.58/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a golden orange color that is muddied and hard see my hand through. No carbonation to speak of, lacing or alcohol legs. Not surprising considering the whiskey barrel aging.

S: Strong woody aroma, some boozy notes, and slight pumpkin. Wood dominates, with some spice characteristics coming in as well, subtle as they are. Very interesting smell, not the "air freshener" that Pumking is.

T: This is where the beer shines. Wow, its great. Wish I had the non barrel aged version to try next to it. Big pumpkin taste, despite the slight aroma. Woody flavors, really mellow and smooth the beer. Not boozy on the taste, with great cinnamon and spice flavors coming in. Some slight pie crust bready flavor as well. Just overall fantastic tasting beer.

M: Smooth, flat, medium bodied. Hits all the best parts of the tongue.

O: Overall a fantastic beer, and probably the second best Imperial (Pumking being #1) on the market. Love the barrel aging and would be curious to see others in the style give this a shot. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 05:01:47 | More by CommanderOfAwesome

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle courtesy of radio2525 in the Barrel Aged BIF. It was poured into my Dogfish Head signature glass.

Barrel Aged Frog's Hollow pours a nearly opaque orange, it's really the perfect hue for a pumpkin ale. There's just shy of two fingers in white head, and it sticks around for a quick minute before fading. Not much lacing is left in its wake. I get more straight oak than whiskey from the barrels in the nose, and it blends nicely with the pumpkin pie spices almost present. The resulting spicy, woodsy aroma is very evocative of the fall. The flavor profile, while complex, just isn't quite as enjoyable. The barrels yield more whiskey than wood here, and the cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices are just a bit more muted. The finish is caramel, but it borders on being buttery/diacetyl. The body is nice, not as heavy as a barleywine or imperial stout, but certainly not dry either. The carbonation could stand to sparkle just a touch more though. BA Frog's Hollow is a decent beer, but it's a bit overshadowed both by the other barrel aged Hoppin Frog offerings and the oak aged Uinta pumpkin beer I received.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 02:27:40 | More by axeman9182

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle, 8.4% abv. Cloudy orange color. White head disappears almost immediately, leaving no lace at all.

Pumpkin pie spices, cinnamon, nutmeg up front. Hints of bourbon, oak and vanilla. A few other earthy notes.

A bit of sweetness first before the spices are noticed. Again, cinnamon, nutmeg and other earthy flavors. Barrel flavor is a bit muted, except for some drying tannins and a flash of vanilla.

Medium body, carbonation is light making it seem a bit thin. A bit of warmth felt after a few minutes. Not bad, but not as much character as I expected.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 19:11:35 | More by Bierguy5

nrbw23

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a golden amber color with pretty much no head at all. Fairly clear brew. A few bubbles and that's about it. The bubbles that are left leave a bit of spotty lacing.

S- Smells like just about every other pumpkin ale, except that the spices aren't so over the top and pretty mellow. A bit of wood, vanilla and the whiskey adds a nice element to this one.

T- Follows the nose really well. A pumpkin ale that is tamed down. The whiskey is really nice to this one and checks the spices.

M- Medium in body and lighter side of medium in carbonation.

O- One of the few pumpkins ale that is not over the top. The barrel helps this brew out a lot. Fairly easy to drink, but not something I'd seek out.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 21:53:57 | More by nrbw23

sweemzander

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

(A)- Pours an orange amber color. Some good white froth and lace.

(S)- A really nice deep pumpkin pie-like aroma. The graham cracker crust, pumpkin, and nutmeg and cinnamon-like spice. Really nice.

(T)- Very similar to the smell. All the same great pumpkin pie spice, but a nice subtle dry oaky finish.

(M)- A really nice carbonation level. Superb pumpkin profile. A nice smooth oaky sweetness to it.

(O)- One of the better pumpkin beers I have had in quite awhile. The subtle barrel aging just blends so well with the pumpkin and spice profile of the beer. My only issue is how expensive a bottle is.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 19:26:06 | More by sweemzander

AgentZero

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Golden orange beer with no head. Some bubbling from the bottom. Decent looking, about what you would expect.

S - Smells of pumpkin beer with traditional pumpkin spices. The smell is a bit muted by the whiskey. The whiskey itself smells a little sour and sweet, but not bad. Bit of barrel.

T - Taste is a lot like the smell. A bit of a muted spice and pumpkin compared to your Pumpkings and others. Whiskey smooths out and some of the barrel becomes more evident as it warms.

M - Smooth, moderate carbonation. Medium bodied.

O - Not a bad beer, actually became a really easy drinker as it warmed. Didn't care for the price tag, and it's nothing spectacular, but I enjoyed this one decently enough and didn't have any trouble getting through the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 04:18:18 | More by AgentZero

kneeland

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

The color is a golden pumpkin, with no head at all. Barely any head at first, and completely dissipated within seconds.

I can taste pumpkin, but the extra spices don't stand out. It has more of a citrus and floral taste than nutmeg, allspice, etc.

I had higher hopes for this because it was expensive, and the name. Why is it called Double Pumpkin? Because it does not have twice the pumpkin flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 02:48:36 | More by kneeland

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.2/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a New Belgium globe glass.

The beer pours a quite pure copper orange. A cream colored head recedes to a film with a thicker mass of bubbles in the center. No visible lacing.

The aroma of this brew is delicious. Immediately I'm reminded of bubblegum, as I inhale this. Maybe it's the culmination of everything that follows it -- cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, you know the routine. But yes, bubblegum right up front.

The taste is much like the aroma, which is never a bad thing. Less bubblegum but a good deal of cinnamon spice. The nutmeg, ginger, and cloves roll over the palate like a force soon after, leaving little else to ponder.It's good, because there's nothing wrong that takes away from what it's aiming for.

Mouthfeel is quite silky, creamy, and smooth. Also, a notable hot cinnamon bite touches the throat in the finish.

Overall, the best pumpkin ale I've had so far. Just pure and true, exactly what you expect and want. Also, the 8.4% is fairly undetectable. Well done Hoppin' Frog.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 01:37:16 | More by JuicesFlowing

beerhan

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-very rich golden amber pour with a thick one finger white head. Lots of body on this one.

S-nutmeg, allspice, a dash of pumpkin and a hint of whiskey.

T-there is a strong caramel apple taste to this one that is quite dominating. Compared to the normal version there is much less clove coming through but there is also less pumpkin. A little oak shines through but not much else.

M-thick and chewy with a slight burn, medium carbonation.

O-nothing speciali from hoppin frog nor really worth seeking out for the price. I am still yet to find a barrel aged pumpkin beer that can really accentuate the flavors without losing the pumpkin.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 15:20:54 | More by beerhan

ehammond1

California

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle (2012)

Thanks for the gift, MarkIntihar!

Barely hazed burnt orange with a fairly large off-white, persisent head, leaving irregular ribbons and spots of stick down the glass. Very pretty pumpkin beer.

Wonderful aroma for a spiced pumpkin beer, though I do wish there was more bourbon/barrel character--it's very minimal. Good amounts of pumpkin, all-spice, nutmeg, and some cinnamon. This is a great Fall aroma, though more bourbon character would really help improve it even more.

The flavor is similarly good as the aroma, though again, I was hoping for more barrel character. Good amounts of pumpkin pie filling and crust, all-spice, nutmeg, and some cinnamon, burnt sugars, and toffee. Unfortunately, I really can't detect much barrel at all.

Medium bodied with high carbonation. This perhaps would be even better with less carbonation?

Great pumpkin beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 17:04:51 | More by ehammond1

TMoney2591

Illinois

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

Served in a tumbler.

What better to follow a glass of Rum Chata than a barrel-aged pumpkin beer? Especially when the original version is so damn good? Let's dance: It pours a clear dark orange-brown topped by a finger of tan foam. The nose comprises the usual pumpkin pie spice array (you know: cinnamon, brown sugar, mace, clove, etc), some light maple syrup, some light oak, and a peck-on-the-cheek-from-your-friend-who-you-may-or-may-not-have-feelings-for-and-right-now-she's-just-thanking-you-in-her-own-affectionate-way-which-is-just-making-things-all-the-worse-in-your-head-now of whiskey. The barrel seems to keep the spices in check, ensuring that they don't go all batty and whatnot, but they're still pretty friggin' strong, as is to be expected. The taste mirrors things, with the barrel doing an even better job of balancing things out. A stronger vein of maple syrup climbs through as well, and the barrel comes across as a touch charred. The body is a straight medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a generally smooth feel. Overall, a damn tasty pumpkin beer, though, despite the balance and complexity added by the barrel, I think I still prefer the power of the naked version, personally.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 16:01:43 | More by TMoney2591

GregSVT

Texas

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

22oz bottle into a tulip

A: Pours hazy orange with a white head that fades to a ring leaving some lacing on the glass.

S: The nose is full of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, vanilla, and some barrel aromas.

T: The taste is not much different from the regular version. There's more pumpkin than spice and a small hint of vanilla in the background that I assume is the barrel.

M: The feel is creamy but on the lighter side of medium.

O: This isn't different enough to be rated above the regular version. Probably needs more time in the barrel.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 01:46:37 | More by GregSVT

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to AndresR for sharing this one at jmgrub's tasting.

Pours a clear orange with a foamy tan head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, pumpkin pie spices, wood, and whisky. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick and a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer and one of the better pumpkin beers I have had so far.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 03:48:34 | More by UCLABrewN84

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 ounce bottle. Served in a nonic pint glass, the beer pours a slightly hazy golden/orange color with about an inch off-white head that didn't stay around for very long. There's a good amount of lacing. Aroma is nice and spicy, it smells like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin, and a little bit of whiskey. The taste is pretty much just like the aroma, but the flavor doesn't seem quite as strong in comparison. The whiskey isn't strong in either the aroma or flavor, I would be surprised if this was barrel aged for very long. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit coating with moderate carbonation. I think it's a solid pumpkin ale, but it's nowhere near worth the price at all. $14.99 a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 23:14:53 | More by bluejacket74

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.3/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a translucent orange gold with about a half finger of pure white head. The foam settles in a decent amount of time and there is some solid lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin, and barrel aged goodness. The heat from the barrel is there, but it doesn't impart much other sensory difference. It's mainly just heat.

T: This beer starts out sweet, but has quite a bit of boozy alcohol mixed in. I get pumpkin pie right away, but then the alcohol takes over. The finish is hot and astringent. The booze lightens up a bit as it warms, and the sweetness returns to the finish a bit, but it's still super boozy.

M: Medium bodied beer. It's sweet to start but finishes with massive alcohol.

O: I don't know what to think of this beer. It's so hot right now. This beer could use a good 6-12 months before being opened again. I don't know whether the brewers just decided to shove the Frog's Hollow into a barrel and straight bottle it, or whether they really think this beer is worth drinking right now. Sit on this beer if you have a bottle. That is my recommendation.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 20:34:30 | More by trxxpaxxs