T.O.R.I.S. The Tyrant - Barrel-Aged
Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Jet‑black in the glass with a medium, slightly bubbly beige head. The aroma features layers of dark chocolate, roasted malt, vanilla, and a subtle hint of bourbon. The flavor is malty, rich, and gently warming, finishing with a firm roasted bitterness that ties everything together. Well‑crafted.

 

Best By Date: 1-12-25

A - Pitch black pour with thin toffee colored creamy lacing.

S - Dark chocolate char, oak, a little bit of dark fruit, and Bourbon with moderate alcohol presence.

T - Dark chocolate, dark chocolate char, a slight bit of sweet chocolate and cocoa, Bourbon, chocolate fudge, alcohol, and some traces of dark fruit underneath the wall of alcohol. Finishes with lingering chocolate cocoa char sweetness / bitterness and alot of alcohol presence.

M - Light syrupy body with some prominent warming in the back of the throat.

O - Very Bourbon forward which could make this beer a little polarizing for some depending on what you're looking for in a barrel aged beer.

Poured from the can into a teku glass. Best by Jan 12th 2025.

Crazy dark body, with a nearly midnight black body and an even more impressive dark head. Deep dark burnt red like bubbles, just making barely a finger off the pour. There's a quick snapping though on the pour, and it dissolves and fizzes quick too. Still a manageable pencil thin ring is presented and there's quite a bit of fine carbonation.

Excellent barrel aging character and aroma. Nose is filled more with a sense of nuts and nougat, along with classic dark chocolate notes. Sweetness and boozy character is well controlled and surprisingly feels dialed down. Good oaky/woody like notes coming out here as well, which is a very nice touch.

Woah, what happened here. The mid palate is a hot rush of what I can best describe as like nail polish. Mid palate is awash in heat and not the good kind. This has an overwhelming punch of burnt licorice, and a chemical aftertaste that burns and nearly tastes like paint varnish. Repeated sips are a little better but not by much. Stings with hooch like booze, and all the nice qualities sensed on the nose are nowhere to be found. After some time there's more of a touch of seriously burnt and bitter wood that just does not go well.

This is pretty lousy.

 

Poured from a pint can bought at the brewery. The body pours an oil with almost no head. No lacing throughout.

Nose and taste feature a heavy bourbon with notes of bourbon, chocolate, bourbon, and more bourbon. A malty char is there, available as the pour warms.

Mouthfeel is heavy with a bourbon sweetness that approaches cloying but does not get there for me. YMMV. Carbonation is present but minimal.

Overall a spectacular beer for fans of bourbon barrel aged stout.

 

 

BBA Toris the Tyrant from Hoppin’ Frog. Picked up at the brewery on 08/04/22, $ 11.73 (Including tax)/16 oz can ($ 0.733/oz). Stored at 40 degrees after receiving. Reviewed 28/05/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can stamped “BEST BY JAN 12 2025”. Served at 61.7 degrees in a hand washed and dried imperial pint. Final temperature 65.3 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Black (SRM 40), opaque.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque.
Head – Average (Maximum 3.3 cm, aggressive center pour), initially chocolate but quickly fading to brown sugar, high density, average retention, rapidly diminishing to a 0.2 cm crown and a thin, partial cap.
Lacing – None – as expected at 13.8 ABV
Aroma – 4.25 – Baker’s chocolate and a bit of char. No yeast, no hops.
Flavor – 4.25 – Begins with bitter chocolate followed by bourbon. No yeast, no hops. No ethanol (13.8 % ABV as marked on label) taste or aroma. Immediate gastric warming occurs. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Ends less bitter with distinct bourbon on the exhale.
Palate – 4.25– Full, creamy, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 WOW!

Somehow I’ve managed to avoid the base beer so we’ll go straight to dunking it in the barrel like a malty Oreo. 16 oz. can on my favorite weekday, Wednesday.

Black & inky. Only a hard pour gives it any ‘fro at all & it lasts about as long as Top Chef when I turn the TV on. Smells like mash day with a glass of bourbon at the nose & chocolate on your fingers. Like.

T.O.R.I.S. The Tyrant successfully cleared all the phlegm I didn’t know I had clear down into my belly. Holy heat, Uhtred, this tastes like it has twice the alcohol the label boasts. Once I’ve hidden my keys I return to find hard whiskey, booze-soaked cocoa, & enough malts to make the brewer of Black Tuesday blush in embarrassment. Secondarily is roast & something thick & mucousy which I’d guess is the oatmeal. I could drink plenty of this. Wouldn’t remember it, but hey, memories are overrated.

I might feel like hell tomorrow but I’ll sleep like a (drugged) baby tonight. A very good beer that would jump a notch if not for having a literal shot of whiskey in the can…never thought there could be too much.

 

Poured at 57°. Fizzy reddish tan head that vanished immediately leaving no cap retention, ring nor lace; body is black as coal with a thin ruby edge when held up to the light; thick legs sheet the glass on swirl. Bourbon and chocolate nose; boozy exhale. Taste follows - lots of hot chocolate laced with generous bourbon shots; bittersweet baker’s chocolate; dark fruit - cherry, plum, fig; bitter roast/ toasted/burnt pumpernickel bread; sweet bourbon finish. Thick heavy minus body; almost chewy smooth feel; alcohol burn on tongue; face warming heat from 13.8% abv; light carbonation. Overall, a World Class BBA RIS!; boozy chocolate bourbon balls with bitter roast counterpunches; great feel/great taste; can’t wait to drink again.

 

 

 

 

10/19/20 bottle @ home

 

Bomber from Tavour. Near black pour, tiny ring of beige head. Big boozy aroma, sweet, roasty. Taste begins with booze, chocolate, brown sugar, roadt malts. Burn continues all the way through to the finish. Lingering dark chocolate flavors.

Tavour purchase. 22 oz bottle, poured June 19th, 2020. Shared with my wife. :)
A nice, dark, "thick" pour. Bourbon stands out in aroma has I hold it to my nose, as does oaky, chocolaty, malt notes.
The taste is wonderful: bourbon stands out but doesn't overpower the other flavors. Oaky, chocolaty, vanilla, molasses (?) stand out as well. Medium carbonation, leaves a pleasant taste on the palate afterwards. Glad I have a second to enjoy, because this is definitely an outstanding stout.