Rocky Mountain D.O.R.I.S.
Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Best by 11/2/25

I still haven’t had the base D.O.R.I.S. but here’s yet another barrel aged variant. It’s also my first of the Rocky Mountain series which I have lined up for the triple and quadruple as well. Let’s crack this one open and see what it has to offer

Pours completely pitch black with a finger of dark tan head that fades to a ring and leaves minimal lacing

The nose is pretty much what you expect from a Hoppin’ Frog RIS. I’m picking up on aromas of black cherry, burnt toast, charred oak, earthy whiskey, molasses, raisin, cacao nib, dark roast coffee, brown sugar, and leafy hops

The bitterness is amped up even further in taste but is still balanced. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting cacao nib, burnt toast, brown sugar, leafy hops, toasted oak, black cherry, vanilla bean, earthy whiskey, and medium roast coffee. The swallow brings notes of leafy hops, cacao nib, black cherry, raisin, molasses, burnt sugar, charred oak, and light caramel

A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes neutral with a firm bitterness

This is a damn good RIS across the board

Deep, dark, opaque brown body; thick light brown head, dense and creamy; spidery figers and partial sheets of foam inside the glass. Roasted grain and grain char scent; cocoa and whiskey. Milk and bitter chocolate taste; grain char bitterness; vanilla. Heavy body; dense and rich; a bit of residual sugar stickiness; moderate sense of whiskey heat.

Big and complex in character.

Pouring temperature: 42 °F; canning info: BEST BY NOV 23 2025 #577
Source: Tavour

 

Chocolate and whiskey forward. Strong sweet and boozy scents. Chocolate is the most prevalent flavor, the whiskey presenting itself strongly as well. Medium bodied with a medium booze buzz. Sweet, tasty, nice chocolate and whiskey combination.

25cl can from Tavour. Black pour, relatively flat, a few stray bubbles. Aroma is dark chocolate, roast malts. Taste is sweet chocolate, smooth, sweet, not overlay strong.

 

Poured from a little can at fridge temp. Pours motor oil black with a small amount of light brown head. Looks thick and awesome!

The nose is chocolate, roasted malts, marmalade, molasses, black licorice, charred wood, tobacco, and coffee grounds.

The taste is really roasty. Super bitter roasted malts, charred wood from a campfire, super dark roast coffee beans, chalk, burnt toffee, black licorice, and some rye. Wow - this is one of the more bitter and roasty stouts that I have had in a while.

Mouthfeel is thick and dry. Bitter malts on the aftertaste.

 

22oz bottle poured into a tulip

A- pours black in color with a one-finger foamy khaki head that reduces to a ring around the glass

S- dark roasted malts on the nose give aromas of brownie batter, dark chocolate, black licorice, figs, raisins and molasses. Plenty of barrel on the nose adds oaky whiskey to close it out

T- huge barrel presence up front with a wave of barrel juice that gives strong whiskey notes, as well as wet oak. Mid-palate brings out notes of raisins and prunes, as well as charred malt, dark chocolate and some nutty malts. The finish gives more bold barrel that continues into a whiskey filled linger

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a slightly foamy mouthfeel that continues into the finish

O- definitely more barrel than the regular BA DORIS

Poured from a tiny can, 2021 batch. I have 4 different '_oris', grabbed this one at random. My first of the lot.

Very dry overall. Up front this is cocoa with a hint of bitter cherry. That cocoa intensifies into bakers chocolate and is joined by whiskey and a strong oak note. There is fairly potent lingering ash flavor. This is pretty good but I was hoping for more. I think I'll sit on my other can this for a year or two. Curious to find out about the other three from the set.

22oz bottle. No bottling date information found.
Black colored body, with a tiny bottom edge of back lit garnet. One finger of dark tan head, which settles back quickly, but leaves an active bubbly cap. Leaves behind some scattered spots of lacing.
Big dark chocolate nose in the aroma, with a solid base of dark roasted malts. There are definite whiskey barrel vapors that contribute to the smell.
The taste is not complex, but has dark chocolate and some coffee. Has a nutty cola note. Kind of dry at the end.
Medium plus mouth feel, with a very smooth texture. Decent carbonation.
Moderately easy drinking higher ABV% stout that mixes in the whiskey barrel with the dense dark roasted malts. Suggests some peat and char but this is brief in the taste profile. Rising bubbles create active surface action.

 

 

$ 19.00 (Including tax)/bomber ($ 0.864/oz) from Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA. Reviewed 12/19/18.
Undated bottle on shelf at distributor. Stored at 42 degrees and served at 57 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 4.
Body – Dark brown/black, opaque. When held to the light, NO penetration occurs at the rim.
Head – Average (Maximum 2.4 cm, aggressive center pour), brown, high density, short duration, diminishing to a one mm ring and a thin partial layer.
Lacing – Poor – a few thin archipelagoes of tiny bubbles
First pour – Dark brown, translucent.
Aroma – 4.5 – Very strong dark chocolate and licorice. Weakens with time.
Flavor – 4.5 – Begins with the whiskey flavor mixed with dark chocolate. I can’t find the licorice from the nose. Ends with roasted malt, a touch of bitterness, a hint of char, and a very slight gastric warming. No alcohol (10.5%), no diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3.5 – Full, more creamy than watery but still more watery than creamy, lively carbonation.
Impression and interpretation – 4.5 - Considering the barrel-aging and the ABV, the lacing is actually better than expected and the carbonation is livelier than expected, somewhat atypical for the style. The absence of ethanol flavor is a good thing, as is the aroma which, initially, can be inhaled from a couple of feet away. The flavor seems rather one-dimensional, being mostly dark chocolate. Still, a very good RIS if a bit pricey.

 

Taste: complex, darkest black and chocolate malts, oats, molasses, dark fruit, woody barrel notes, warming boozy finish with sticky mouth-feel. Rich toffee, bittersweet bakers chocolate, oak woody nose. Black, opaque, tan head, very delicate film around glass. Full body. Intense bite at first but smooth out as it warms. 70 IBUs

Pours black with a finger of caramel foam. Head retention is fair. Aroma is roasted, toasted, and caramel malts. A little whiskey with a touch of heat follow it up. Caramel is present as well. Flavor profile is roasted and toasted malts with a background of oats, caramel, and toffee. Whiskey is present, but kept in check, just adding a little extra complexity to the flavor profile. Mouth feel is medium-thick with a velvety, fuzzy texture. Overall, a good stout with a kiss of whiskey. Nice depth and complexity. Dropped overall score 0.25 for lack of bottling date.

Served in a 12oz snifter from a 22oz bottle.