Big Hoppy Monster - Oaked
Terrapin Beer Company

Big Hoppy Monster - OakedBig Hoppy Monster - Oaked
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Terrapin Beer Company
 
Georgia, United States
Style:
Imperial Red Ale
ABV:
10.3%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.85 | pDev: 12.47%
Reviews:
112
Ratings:
565
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 12, 2019
Added:
Nov 07, 2008
Wants:
  20
Gots:
  46
Terrapin's Big Hoppy Monster aged aged on oak or oak barrel. Cask offering.

75 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bradfordjohnson:
Photo of bradfordjohnson
Rated by bradfordjohnson from Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

Oct 30, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

Apr 12, 2019
 
Rated: 4.2 by wisegreensoul from Idaho

Mar 01, 2017
 
Rated: 2.25 by JMFP from Delaware

Jun 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by StoutAtTheDevil from Alabama

Apr 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.66 by carlso_aw from Indiana

Feb 06, 2016
 
Rated: 3.68 by smi69 from New York

Jan 27, 2016
Photo of krs0123
Reviewed by krs0123 from New Jersey

4.73/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This beer ages perfectly. 2013 pours a pretty red color with foamy head. The oak is available immediately and throughout the taste. The hops are gone, which works just fine in this case. I can't think of any examples of straight oak aging that i prefer over this.
Jan 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.99 by Joshua1973

Oct 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.23 by polopaul20 from Maryland

Sep 21, 2015
Photo of squonk45
Reviewed by squonk45 from Louisiana

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Mine was sort of flat .. gets a 5 for look mainly for the cool label nice effort has piney resin taste just killed by the lack o carbonation.. if I see a double ipa from them I will give it a try
Aug 11, 2015
 
Rated: 4.12 by ThomasAWilson2 from Georgia

Aug 04, 2015
 
Rated: 3.85 by BPMeyer27 from Ohio

May 30, 2015
 
Rated: 4.26 by Geech from Pennsylvania

May 21, 2015
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

3.77/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
"This Monster Beer leads with a tantalizing hop aroma that is complemented by an enormous, malty backbone and finishes with a multitude of hoppy goodness." Brewed in the style of an American Amber/Red Ale. For 2012-2013, this Oak-Aged variant replaced the standard Big Hoppy Monster for packaged releases, originally an on-draft rarity. Discontinued following the fall 2013 release. Compared 2013 alongside 2012 to note differences.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a pint glass. Served north of 54º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a foamy cream head of a toasted cinnamon cream complexion over a densely hazy dark amber-red body. Retention is below average and lacing is light and spotty. 3.5

(Smell) Toasted caramel grain, biscuity and tangy rye malts, earthy and light citrusy hop notes, big oak aged aromas of drying wood with little toasting or barrel characteristics, simply oak, little to no bourbon characteristics either. Moderate fruitiness underneath of dark fruit syrups and molasses sweetness. Potency is moderate. 4

(Taste) Leathery, strong oak flavor up front with a drying character followed by moderate notes of caramel grain, biscuit malt and peppery, piney hop resins. Potent dark fruit characters and sweet fermented fruit syrups, nearly barleywine-ish minus an underdeveloped malt body and sweetness. It's a very nice display of oak character as the remaining malt and hop flavors are tame enough to merge with it very well, and the oak plays a considerable, but not dominating role in the finished product. Finishes dry with a lingering oak chip dryness. 3.75

(Mouthfeel) Texture is silky, softly chewy, moderately dry. Carbonation is moderate, generating a mild frothiness and a medium crisp finish. Body is medium+ for the style, medium+ overall. Balance is oak dry over bitter and sweet. Alcohol presence is mild and there are no off characters. 3.5

(Overall) After the 2012 vintage that did a sloppy job at showcasing oak character as well as balance in general, I was pleased to see that 2013 is a considerably better vintage and one I recommend, even nearly 2 years following its packaging, it holds together well. Despite its "hoppy" name, there is big potential that this beer would age nearly as gracefully as a barleywine due to its well structured malt profile under the right circumstances. I would love to see Terrapin continue to brew this beer again, if even in a small batch draft-only format as it had been for years prior to its first bottling in 2012. 3.75

Vertical Notes:

2012 (2 Years, 6 Months Aged):
Yields a shorter-lived head of a similar appearance over an equally murky dark red-brown body. The aroma doesn't hold to that of the 2013 batch, with peppery herbal and musty hop notes, grain caramel malts and less oak aged character. The flavor has slightly more developed malt flavors, fairly more viscous and potent, although the graininess and alcohol heat is stronger and there is not nearly as much oak flavor in this beer as there is in the 2013 version. More creaminess and chewiness to the texture, carbonation is flatter and more delicate. Not terrible but not nearly as enjoyable as the fresher vintage, ages decent as a beer but seems to have a dropoff point after 2 years, meaning any bottles of this beer newer or old should be consumed soon.

Terrapin Beer Company's
[Oaked] Big Hoppy Monster (2012 & 2013)
3.77/5.00
Apr 06, 2015
 
Rated: 4.01 by TBCE from Florida

Mar 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by LAND_MINE from Virginia

Mar 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.98 by Brewstradamus from West Virginia

Feb 10, 2015
 
Rated: 4.03 by Rizzy17 from Pennsylvania

Jan 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.26 by misternebbie from Pennsylvania

Jan 26, 2015
Big Hoppy Monster - Oaked from Terrapin Beer Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 565 ratings