Evolutions of B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher - Caramel Macchiato Stout
Hoppin' Frog Brewery

 

Dark purplish- brown pour, clear yet appears a dark brow, near-black opaque in the glass; thick, frothy, sticky tan head initially and then settling into a thin yet long-lasting presence; spotty, spidery webs of foam adhere to the glass. Warm and inviting nose; dark roasted malts and coffee beans; milk chocolate and cocoa powder; vanilla and toffee. Rich, robust flavors; dark chocolate sweetness with caramel and toffee notes; coffee-like bitterness; whiskey-like booziness; vague hints of raisins. Heavy body; smooth, velvety, sticky; alcohol warmth permeates it all.

This is a rich mutha for ya! Powerful presence of deep, rich, dark malts with a dense, luxurious oatmeal smoothness to the body. One can imagine this being barrel aged, but I suspect its merely the interaction with the inherent high ABV and espresso-like coffee element used for this beer. Bold yet very, very enjoyable.

ABV: 9.4%; pouring temperature: 46.4°F; canning info: BEST BY JAN 16 2029 #875
Source: local purchase (Coaltrain Fine Wine, Craft Beer & Spirits)

Pick this up as a birthday beer but drank it tonight $7 for the pounder into my East end. Pint. Color is deepest darkest blackness as expected for Boris with a rocking two-finger deep mocha head. The smell is exactly what I want in a pastry Stout hardcore sugar creme brulee coffee shot of foam the works. Thankfully The taste is more balanced. More creme brulee burnt sugars, touch of bittering coffee and sweet caramel macchiato finish covering over any alcohol burn it might have. The body is still thick viscous. I think I should have started the night with this. It's a bit heavy to be consuming as a nightcap, especially for a 16 oz can. Love the hopping frog Boris line and this one is another excellent edition to my samplings. Definitely try it if you're a huge fan of creme brulee!

 

Big sips and I imagined to finish, draft at the source. Sweet dessert and a play on the base beer. Was worth a try. Dark, some extra ice cream mouthfeel.

Got in a BIF from Ozzylizard. 16 ounce can into BA rastal glass, best before 01/24/2025. Pours dense pitch black color with a 2 finger fairly dense and rocky tan head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a ring of lace eventually, great spotty soapy lacing, some streaming carbonation. Aromas of huge caramel, toffee, fudge, vanilla, cream, chocolate, coffee, sugar, cookies, light char. Lovely dessert heavy aromas. Taste follows with dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, toffee, vanilla, cream, dark bread, toast, pepper, pine, herbal, wood; light licorice, tobacco, molasses, smoke, char, yeast earthiness. Light-medium pine, woody, charred bitter finish. Medium carbonation and full body; balanced creamy/silky malt, sticky hop, and chalky char/roasted mouthfeel. Slight slick/syrupyness after the finish. Lingering hop/roasted dryness, with no cloying/acrid flavors. Nose is a lot more of the dessert expectation, taste was more of the base russian imperial stout with quite a rich sweetness with the added flavorings.

 

 

 

Can: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a large dark brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of chocolate notes with some macchiato syrupy notes with some dry and slightly bitter notes Taste is a mix of chocolate/fudge with some macchiato sirupy notes and a dry bitter finish. Body is a bit light for style with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol notes. I’m not a fan of fake adjunct in beer and this beer ends up being a bit too cloying.

Pitch black, thin amount of foam. Smells almost sickly sweet, but you must know what you’re getting into. It is very sweet, bitter finish, exactly to its namesake. In that sense it’s very successful. Could maybe have one (half) of these a year, as a dessert beer. Buy it, try it, no regret.

Pitch black pour with a caramel brown head that wasn't much. Thick oily lace on the glass.
Smell and Taste of More macchiato than caramel. Quite sweet and a little boozy.
Feels about as oily as it looks.
Overall a nice Imperial Russian Stout.

Solid black appearance with a very thin tan head. Has a slick,solid ,creamy feel.
Aroma is a strong hit of caramel, behind that is roasted malt and some coffee.
Tqste is definitely caramel upfront, boozy,somewhat sweet, coffee and chocolate.
Overall this was an excellent top notch beer

Evolutions of B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher Caramel Macchiato from Hoppin’ Frog Brewing. Purchased at Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA, 14/09/22. $ 42.00 (Including tax)/4-pack of 16 oz cans ($ 0.657/oz). On room temperature shelf at store, stored at 37 degrees at home. Reviewed 15/09/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can Stamped “BEST BY JAN 24 2025”. Served at 55.9 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King Snifter. Final temperature 61.1 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Deep Brown (SRM 30), opaque.
Body – Black (SRM 40), translucent. Under direct light, black, opaque. When rear-lite, ruby at the edges.
Head – Average (Four cm, aggressive center pour), a rich russet which fades to lion, high density with a few capping rocks, diminishing to a three mm crown and complete cap.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 4.5 – Strong caramel. No hops, no malt, no yeast, no ethanol.
Flavor – 4.5 – Follows the nose. Initially sweet (but not cloying) caramel which is quickly balanced by expresso bitterness while retaining the caramel flavor. The coffee is distinctly present. No malt, no yeast, no hops. No ethanol (9.4 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. There seems to be a slight flavor of lactose as well. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4 – Full, creamy, soft, and moderate carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 Very nice iteration of B.O.R.I.S., better than most

 

 

 

 

16 oz can, born on 12/29/21, poured into a snifter at 55 degrees F:
L - dark and silky with a charcoal head that quickly dissipated
S - macchiato and caramel
T - follows the nose, macchiato with a dose of caramel
F - thick with little to no carbonation
O - pretty good, a bit sweet for my taste