Big Hoppy Monster
Terrapin Beer Company

Big Hoppy MonsterBig Hoppy Monster
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From:
Terrapin Beer Company
 
Georgia, United States
Style:
Imperial Red Ale
ABV:
8.3%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.05 | pDev: 10.86%
Reviews:
592
Ratings:
867
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 08, 2019
Added:
Oct 09, 2004
Wants:
  161
Gots:
  50
Imperial Red Ale.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by sponberg:
Photo of sponberg
Reviewed by sponberg from New York

4.13/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Monster Beer Tour 2005 on the label. Appropriate that the label shows an Ed "Big Daddy" Roth style drawing of a hot rod, as this stuff pours like Valvoline. Cloudy with a pillowy, solid offwhite head. Aroma of toasted caramel maltiness with some hop spice - subdued for what I was expecting.

Imperial red? OK - I'll call it an 8% American barleywine and be happy. Whatever it's category, this is a seriously tasty beer - starts with a caramel Munichy maltiness and a Cascade/Ahtanum (brewpub next door to work used this hop to good effect) tasting hoppiness, then a mild but balanced bitterness emerges along with darker fruit maltiness, before the citrusy hops really come out to play. Since it's a 2005 I wasn't expecting a huge hop bite - they've mellowed - but the hops present are citrusy, classic US hops which just balance the maltiness. I don't think a tastebud was left untouched by this - must be insane when fresh and on tap. Flows over the tongue and protects it for 15,000 miles. I'd grab another in a heartbeat, the third if I could find it, and the fourth... nah, save it for another night. Need to seek this out this fall when I head south -

This brewery's (OK, beer marketing company, but whoever came up with the recipes knows things) offerings impress the hell out of me.
Jun 02, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.17 by mothmanscott from Georgia

Oct 08, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by animal69 from Louisiana

Oct 27, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.44/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was poured into a snifter. The appearance was a nice looking bronzed orange color with a decent one and a half finger white foamy head that dissipated within about a minute. There was some light lacing that slid into the beer. The aroma had some grapefruity/citrusy notes that lent a decent amount of pine entering in as it warmed. The taste had a nice sweet citrusy aspect running over my taste buds. On the palate, this one sat at/about a nice light to medium in body. It proved itself to be somewhat sessionable. The carbonation was somewhat sharp but not overbearing. Overall, I say this was a decent DIPA.
Jun 24, 2017
 
Rated: 3.9 by Timtac from New Jersey

Jan 09, 2017
Photo of whitetale
Reviewed by whitetale from West Virginia

4.54/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
As others have said, this is a very good beer. The malt flavor and sugar flavor and mild hops really mix into a very complex and multi-layered beer. Mouthfeel is wonderful. I would definitely buy this again. Worth a try. Overall: a great job.
Sep 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.98 by iRun2Beer from Minnesota

Sep 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.27 by Jmikepow from Georgia

Aug 04, 2015
 
Rated: 4.3 by chuckcurrin from Georgia

Mar 08, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by dfhhead25 from Pennsylvania

Mar 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3.92 by slipperysoup from Illinois

Mar 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3.84 by wethorseblanket from California

Feb 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.92 by halo3one from Georgia

Jan 24, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by DrMindbender from South Carolina

Jan 08, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by jimpyle48 from Virginia

Dec 27, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by JReites from Florida

Dec 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4.2 by njtmayhem from New Jersey

Dec 19, 2014
 
Rated: 2.08 by hippiekyle

Dec 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by JdoubleA from North Carolina

Dec 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by KarlZ from Massachusetts

Nov 26, 2014
Big Hoppy Monster from Terrapin Beer Company
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 867 ratings