Terrapin Oaked Big Hoppy Monster - Terrapin Beer Company

garuda

Pennsylvania

2.63/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Murky deep amber with a one finger head that retains well with some lacing.

S/T - With a name like Big Hoppy Monster, there's minimal hop content in aroma and taste. Mostly dominated by dark fruits of plum and raisin, and a lot of sweetness. Oak comes in through the finish, with only a touch of earthy hops adding a small amount of bitterness.

M - Medium body, thick and creamy with a low carbonation. The oakiness helps dry it up a bit, but residual sugars are still left coating the mouth.

O - Totally not what I was expecting from the name. Almost no hop character, very sweet and malty, with the oak not really incorporated well into the beer. Kind of turns me off from trying the regular version.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2011 00:59:45 | More by garuda

maximum12

Minnesota

2.8/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Thanks again to AtlCarl as I work my way through all the beer that landed, with a resounding noise heard for blocks around, on my porch not long ago. 12 oz. bottle.

Pour is a clear light red that turns to mild murk as the last bit is poured from the bottle. Much like it's namesake sans oak, this is a beer dominated by malt (Big Malty Monster?) - my pharynx is filled to overflowing with sweet, sweet toffee. Neither hops nor oak appear on radar.

Oak Aged Big Hoppy Monster, once tasted, definitely needs a moniker change. Caramel malts flap in your face like a loose feather boa covered in sickly sweet honey. Oak is barely visible over the shoulder of the malts, & a tiny bite of vanilla appears. Hops? None. Heavy. After a few sips I feel like I've ingested three Krispy Kremes in less than a minute. Stomach, expanding.

Just like the original, this is a heavy, filing, brutal beast of a beer that gets points knocked off for false advertising.; I couldn't do more than six ounces, nor would I want to. This monster doesn't even frighten to mediocrity; sub-par.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 02:52:34 | More by maximum12

brockdidntslide

Pennsylvania

3.19/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Boozy and uber malty. I wouldn't consider this oaky-dokey barleywine a red ale in my book. Terrapin needs to start over on this one. Nothing special. Tastes garden-variety with an alcohol kick. I wanted to like it more, especially considering the price for a four pack, but after a few days off, it still came up mediocre in my view/taste. In the real red ale category, Nugget Nectar kicks this beer's ass down the street and past the lamp post.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 23:16:28 | More by brockdidntslide

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.41/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Draft at The Pour House in Westmont, NJ.

Pours a hazy dark copper color with amber/mahogany edges and a 1.5 finger off-white head that slowly settles into a lasting ring.  Splotches of lace left behind.

Aroma reminds me of an old ale.  Some toasted, earthy oak along with subtle vanilla followed by caramel malt and earthy floral hop notes.  Oak becomes more prominent as it warms giving off a slight toothpick character.  Caramel malt sweetness, toffee and rye overpower the hops.  Subtle resinous piney character but not what I was expecting for a hoppy beer.

Medium bodied with a nice oak barrel presence that's decently integrated into the base beer.  It's strong but doesn't completely overpower the other flavors.  Virgin oak/toothpick flavor with a little bit of spicy rye.  Again, the hops are there but are overpowered by the strong barrel and malt profile.  Hints of caramel, toffee, spicy rue and cocoa followed floral and slightly earthy hop bitterness.  A bit dry but the malts have sweetness for balance.  Abv well masked and decently drinkable but overpowering wood flavors hurt a bit.  Also, way too malty for the style in my opinion.  Not bad but the barrel character is too dominant and the hops are overpowered.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2013 01:44:04 | More by corby112

rapidsequence

Virginia

3.43/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle from a four pack bought at Ned's.

Appearance: Hazy iced tea with almost no head. Leaves some spots of lacing.

Smell: Smells oaked and big, but not all that hoppy. Some caramel malt and a bit of toast. There is some sweet citrus hops, but nowhere near the original BHM.

Taste: Upfront lots of malt sweetness, but the heavy oak flavor takes over. Lots of toasty oak and vanilla. Too much. Finishes dry, woody, bitter.

Mouthfeel: Big upfront, but undercarbonated, and way too dry in the finish.

Overall: This is a big step down from big hoppy monster. I thought it sounded good, but its just OK.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 02:06:11 | More by rapidsequence

rangerred

Tennessee

3.44/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a hazy very dark brown with a one finger tan head. Poor head retention and a just a small bit of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Lots of spicy, earthy hop aroma with a decent amount of oak thrown in. It is all kind of muddled, however, with a little bit of toffee and caramel spread around the edges. Nothing offensive but it is just a little messy.

Oak figures very prominent in the flavor with the hops taking somewhat of a back seat. Earthy hops prop up the oak but much like the aroma, there is really no strong definition or separation of flavors. Toffee and caramel are mild in the background along with just moderate bitterness. Mouthfeel is sticky sweet with drinkability being somewhat limited.

Overall, a nice attempt by Terrapin but I'm not so sure that it works. It is just a little bit of a mess. Glad I got to try it as I normally love oak aged beers but this one just doesn't really work for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 03:03:44 | More by rangerred

n2185

North Carolina

3.46/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a slightly hazy copper with half a finger of beige head that recedes into a thin ring with little lacing.

S: Loads of caramel malts with notes of vanilla and oak mixed in. There are some subtle citrusy hop notes in there as well.

T: Sweet caramel malts dominate here as well, again with vanilla and oak notes. There are some light earthy pine notes and slight bitterness towards the lightly alcoholic finish.

M: Medium-thick beer with lowish carbonation, this beer avoids being too sticky sweet, but could use either a creamier body or a bit more carbonation.

O: A decent beer overall, though a bit simplistic and lacking depth.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 05:39:22 | More by n2185

mscott1975

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Poured from a bottle into a Dogfish Head snifter. The beer pours a dark, muddy brown with some crimson hues and a 1 finger head. The head didn't last very long and settles into a thin cap around the edges. Nice looking beer.

Smell: Strong roasted malt smell, almost smells like a barley wine to me.

Taste: Very big, malty, sweet, syrupy beer that coats the tongue. Definitely some hops that tickle the tongue but definitely more malt than hop in my bottle. I get some very subtle hints of vanilla.

Mouthfeel: Thick, sweet and syrupy. More carbonation on the tongue than I would have expected but not a bad quality for this beer. I think the carbonation is what really separates it from a barley wine type beer.

Overall: This is a good beer but not great. I almost get the feeling this beer isn't quite sure what it wants to be. With a name like Big Hoppy Monster, I would have expected more hop and less sweet malt. I'm not sure what the date is on this brew, so my guess is that the hops have started to fade a bit and the malt is taking over. I'm glad I tried it but glad I only bought a single.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 01:56:27 | More by mscott1975

macrosmatic

Florida

3.49/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes. Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a CCB pint glass.

A: Hazy, dark reddish copper in color. Thin, off-white foamy head, medium visible carbonation.

S: Pine, citrus rind hops, with sweet and caramel bready malts and a sweet oaky vanilla.

T: Oak. Then some oak, and oak. Some faint pine hop bitterness, then some sweet malts. Then oaky vanilla dryness.

M: Medium body, sticky mouthfeel, alcohol noticeable but not to the point of distraction. Relatively low carbonation sensation.

O: This isn't truly a bad beer, but way too much oak and way too little hops. I'm not thrilled.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 21:59:40 | More by macrosmatic

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a nonic pint glass at cellar temperature.

L – Amber-brown color with a 2-finger frothy, rocky, tan head. Decent retention and some lacing. Slightly hazy and I can’t really see any bubbles.

S – There are definite oak-aged characteristics here with woody oak and vanilla aromas. There’s a good bit of caramel malt and citrus hops here and maybe some tropical fruit aromas, as well.

T – Oak and vanilla come in right up front and kind of slap you in the face. As those flavors settle down, some orange, grapefruit, and pine hop bitterness creeps in. As the bitterness mellows, caramel malt and brown sugar sweetness shows up. Some spicy phenols appear at the finish, as well.

F – Medium-to-full-bodied with pretty good carbonation, a sticky and somewhat viscous mouthfeel, and a spicy, slightly bitter, and slightly dry finish. Spicy medicinal phenols linger for a bit along with a mild throat-warming sensation from the alcohol.

O – This is a decent amber ale. As with some other oaked beers from Terrapin that I’ve had, the oak is a bit overdone. It doesn’t necessarily taste or smell bad, but all the good amber ale characteristics are muted behind all the oak and vanilla. I’m glad I tried it, but I won’t seek it out again.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 00:49:57 | More by BlackBelt5112203

Gavage

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: reddish in color with a short 1/2" head. Some moderate lace appears.

Smell: malt sweetness and some caramel is all that can be detected.

Taste: caramel, earthy tones, oak, some vanilla, a bit of fruitiness, and a hearty biting bitterness.

Mouthfeel: medium-heavy in body. Smooth from start to finish. Long lasting aftertaste.

Overall: definite slow sipping beer. Bold flavors too.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 11:09:06 | More by Gavage

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass. Bottle says 9.1%.

Appearance - Worrying lack of a pfft when I crack the cap. As I pour, there isn't much by way of bubbles. Not until the end do a few stray cream bubbles make an appearance. In the end, it has a collar on top of an opaque reddish brown body.

Smell - Oak, caramel malt, not a huge hop presence. Some of it's there, I guess, but it just smells like any other over-inflated red ale.

Taste - Better, for sure. More of a hop presence here. A little grapefruity. Lots of caramel and toasted malt. Maybe that's the oak, though. Gives it a little bit of a charred taste. Strong oak presence that becomes very dry in the back. Vanilla is all over in the finish. Oak lingers on the palate along with a hop bite.

Mouthfeel - The oak doesn't make it feel as big, but it's a slow drinker for an amber. The taste points to sweetness without really providing any.

Overall - Nothing terribly special. Too big for it's own good. I don't know why they had to make it even more alcohol than before. The oak is a nice foil to the malt, though.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 01:42:53 | More by Alieniloquium

C20Percent

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a nearly dark rusty red with an average bubbly tan-amber colored head on top. The color is nice and complex -- reminds me of Maine's amber ale. The head is dissipating rather quickly. Definitely like the color, though -- lacing isn't good, though.

S: First thing I smell is hops followed by some sweetness. Reminds me a bit of Nugget Nectar. Certainly get that oak smell too. There's some caramel in there some fruitiness. It's smells like a nice imperial red ale that's been oak-aged -- surprise.

T: Get a lot of the sweet malt followed by some oakiness with a nice bitter, slightly dry, finish. The hops are there, but trail behind the malts and oak. The fruitiness is there to, but way in the back for me. The beer warms the throat -- it's not boozy or anything. I'm just not quite sure I can give this beer a 4. Close but not quite.

M: Heavy medium feel. Light medium carbonation. A little bit of chewiness, which brings out the oak and booze. I really like the feel, and the warmness. But, it's just above average for me.

O: I want to like this beer more than I do, but than I do, but Nugget Nectar, Lagunitas IRA and Maine's Red Ale are all better than this. And, for me, those are the most comparable. I'm not quite sure the Oak adds much. It's a nice addition, but I just don't think the backbone is there. That said, it is a good beer, I'd drink it again, but I don't think I'd search it out. This would be a good extra in a trade.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 18:31:23 | More by C20Percent

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Murky-looking, brown body with some orangey-amber hints at the edges and topped by a thin, whitish head.

Smell: Rich caramel malts scented with vanilla and citrusy grapefruit rinds and, oh yes, there's plenty of pungent oak character to go around.

Taste: Earthy, toasty malts with a full caramel sweetness. Touch of vanilla. It's right about this time the oak starts rolling in, drying out the flavor and practically soaking up any remaining sweetness like a doggone sponge. This leaves the tongue wide open for the assault of citrusy hops and their full bitterness. Finishes bitter and exceptionally dry.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Some oak jobs I love and some, well... I found this top by a bit over-the-top. Personally, I would be much happier to have just the plain ole', regular BHM.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2009 19:05:58 | More by ChainGangGuy

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Shared this one at a tasting while Mississipping was in town! Served from growler into a Mikkeller taster flute. Poured a deep red-orange with a half finger off-white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, sweet alcohol, caramel, citrus, citrus hop, and oak. The flavor was of sweet malt, oak, caramel, citrus, citrus hop, caramel hop, and sweet alcohol. It had a light feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a pretty decent brew. If you would have not have told me this one was oak aged, I would have definitely been able to figure it out based on my first sip. The oak in this one was so strong on the flavor it wasn’t even funny. I’m sure it covered up some subtle flavors, but I do know this is what Terrapin was aiming for when they did this brew. The aroma was quite nice with the citrus going on and really kept it interesting. Glad I finally got the opportunity to try this and hope I get to try more of Terrapin’s specially treated brews out there.

Serving type: growler

12-31-2012 13:36:26 | More by thagr81us

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

2012 Vintage recently purchased but unfortunately less than fresh.

A - A huge amber colour with a golden orange glow along the bottom. A thin layer of tan coloured head formed on the pour and slowly receded to a ring around the edges of the glass.

S - Huge caramel and oak aromas with some lighter floral and toffee notes. Fairly sweet overall, as expected.

T - Oak/woody flavours are dominant with a huge sweet caramel, toffee and brown sugar presence. Some floral notes in the background with almost no bitterness present from the hops. Tannic with a somewhat noticeable alcohol presence.

M - Medium body with moderate carbonation. Slightly too much carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 14:23:41 | More by TheSevenDuffs

tut2528

Illinois

3.69/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: pours a dark brown with a touch of rustiness. it creates about 1 fingers worth of head formation that that has a slight yellowness to it. the bubbles are actually much larger than to be expected... almost bead-like bubbles.

S: decent earthy hop profile, burnt sugar, sweet molasses, berry fruitiness, and a subtle oak character.

T: quite an interestingly balance here. fruitiness, and sweet malt/toffee comes through at first and the after taste is composed of a grassy hop profile. really not getting much of an oak character here

M: medium bodied, leaves a bit of a caramel sweetness on the palate with touch of grassy hops.

O: meh... i will admit that the alcohol is very well hidden as it sits in at 9.10%. but not the biggest fan of the balance as I continue to drink this. the sweetness if almost candy-like and therefore I feel the palate is in constant battle between the hops and this sweetness. oak is also very subtle

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 00:13:20 | More by tut2528

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I picked this one up because I remember the original Hoppy Monster being pretty darn good.

This version is okay. Firm sweet tone dominates with some nice typical amber character showing through. But it all seems kind of a clogged mess in that the boundaries of things seem muddled and it strikes me as a bit of a one dimensional thing.

I have no idea why the original Hoppy Monster is now retired and this has taken its place. Seems silly to me.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 03:36:33 | More by RblWthACoz

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.74/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

A- pours a very murky dark amber color with a small creamy light tan head, that reduces to just a small layer skimming the top

S- sweet caramel malt with some piney and herbal hop, a bit woodsy from the oak, alcohol at the end, smells like a barleywine

T- very sweet on the front end with caramel/toffee malt notes, herbal hop, and medicinal notes. The oak is barely noticeable but adds a bit of woodsy flavor, finish is sweet and heavy with an unexpected red-berry sweetness

M- thick & viscous body with low carbonation, creamy mouthfeel and syrupy finish, alcohol is pretty noticeable

O- this is one heavy beer, drinks like a barleywine, a slow sipper for sure as the booze is noticeable, interesting

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 00:41:41 | More by Treyliff

shand

Florida

3.8/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Oak Aged Big Hoppy Monster pours a deep red color with a thick head that retains very well. The aroma is oaky and toasty, with some sharp hops. The taste is sweeter than anticipated from the nose, with the oak and a large amount of sweet malts really amping up the sweet factor. The candied hops only amplify this. The finish is very woody and a bit sticky from the hops. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and lightly carbonated, and the drinkability is solid. Overall, a good beer. I think I like the non-oak aged version better though.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 03:45:28 | More by shand

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.83/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Huge fan of Big Hoppy Monster, so I've been wanting to try this one for a while.

Served in a Port City snifter.

A: Poured an extremely dark, blood red color. Seriously, this was almost black. Not much head.... just a few bubbles.

S: Seriously, this was pretty faint. Just a bit of melted cherry lollipop and some oak.

T: The taste was actually pretty good. Pretty complex, with it's caramel component and it's rich, candy-coasted booze. The oak top the hops out of "Hoppy Monster" though.

M: Kinda boozy, but I didn't mind it. Splotchy lacing and tamped down sweetness.

O: Not bad, but I pretty the hops from it's little sister.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 02:09:13 | More by Chaney

Hoptopher

Tennessee

3.83/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a 21st Amendment pint glass.

The apperance is a nice deep amber color. lots of sedement floating in this one. Thin tan head that fads fast.
Not a lot on the smell, some roasted malts not to heavy on the hops.
Taste is good. Some dark fruit taste like plums. Not to boozy for the ABV. The taste definately out performs the smell. There is some hop presence that helps balance out the roasted malts.
There could be a little more in the carbination department, but I don't have a problem with it.

Overall a pretty good beer that I would have again, but not gonna go out of my way to find it.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 22:43:52 | More by Hoptopher

Immortale25

Florida

3.84/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a snifter. Label says Vintage 2012.

A- Pours a rubyish light brown color with a 1/4 inch tan head that retains a bit before becoming a thin ring around the edge of the glass and a mostly full sheet of surface foam, plus a small patch of bubbles in the middle. Semi-resilient lacing slowly cascades down the glass.

S- Big blast of oaky malt and earthy hops. Also some heavy booze characteristics but everything works together to make a decently pleasant, if not rough around the edges, bouquet. Notes of caramel, bourbon and some light vanilla.

T- Taste is similar to the regular BHM but with a solid smack of oak right off the bat that steadies into a comfortable malt sweetness mid-palate. Becomes semi-astringent upon multiple sips. Hops aren't as prevalent as one would expect, they're more of just an afterthought to all the other bold flavors, providing a semi-bitter aftertaste. Alcohol and hops are more noticeable as it warms.

M- Very sharp and dry with medium-low carbonation and a full-ish body.

O- I like the original a bit better, but fans of barrel aging will certainly get their kicks with this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 03:21:43 | More by Immortale25

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.84/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours into pint a lightly hazy dark crimson color. Short-lived head looks coarse and beige.

Oak, grapefruit hops, seared bread, earthy pine. Caramelly, too.

Dank hops yield resin and fermented citrus. Malt-strong, with a light roastiness. Grapefruit peel, minerality, oak spirals, tannic bitterness, and fusel. Not as fruity as I had hoped. Very mucky and oily, even in the feel. Bright carb stirs things up, but the body just wants to slither across the tongue. Quite the potent kick. Oakiness doesn't help, as the booziness just clings to the wood on the palate. Sweeter caramel and toffee notes push through and start to dominate, as the beer warms.

A beast of a beer. No secret in the name. Strong ale tendencies. Chunky and butch. Whole lotta beer in one glass. A bit showy.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 02:23:54 | More by thecheapies

buschbeer

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12 ounce bottle
Served in a conical pint glass
Thanks to sommersb for this one.

A - It is copper colored with amber highlights. Sediments create a cloudy appearance. On top sits one finger of tan head.

S - I smell some roasted caramel malt. I get alternating whiffs of chocolate and vanilla. Some alcohol comes through ever so slightly.

T - The smoothness is apparent in the taste. I get some mild caramel malt. The thing that seems to come through after a while is the alcohol. It provides a warming sensation and is perceptible to the taste. The oak flavors are present and accounted. The hops, while muted, try to make their presence known. The is a tea-like, orange, bitter thing going.

M - Medium to full with moderate carbonation. It is pretty smooth going down.

O - At first I liked it. It has a lot of complex flavors. As it warmed the alcohol and bitterness came through and were not necessarily great. The barrel aging create a mellow beer, but some flavors are a little off.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 22:07:59 | More by buschbeer