Rocky Mountain Barrel-Aged Q.O.R.I.S. the Quasher
Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Canned 11/2/22. Poured at 50°. Black with thin ruby edges; fast fizzy reddish brown head vanishes immediately leaving a small island of micro dots, and a thin ring at best; spots of lace and thick legs on swirl. Nose is whiskey and burnt sugar; boozy exhale. Entry is whiskey, bitter roast malt, burnt brown sugar; oak, black licorice; more char as beer warms; little to no base flavors other than roast; some residual sweetness but mostly bitter. Alcohol burn on tip of tongue (15.7%); warmth in mouth; medium body; smooth silky feel; not adjuncty; dry wooden finish. I like the boozy heat, but overall the beer is out of balance; the bitterness overwhelms the whole, making drinking more of a chore than an enjoyable experience; would not turn down if offered, but would not seek out.

Black color. Thin, beige head. Roasted malt, dark chocolate, and whiskey in the aroma, Taste follows. Roasted bitterness and warming alcohol in the end,

Rocky Mountain Barrel Aged Q.O.R.I.S the Quasher – from Hoppin Frog. One 8.45 fl oz can, $ 6.62 (Including tax), $ 0.78/fl oz. Reviewed 27/10/24 (Review 3378). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom stamped (poorly) “BEST BY NOV 1 20?5. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 56.4 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 60.4 degrees F.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Black (SRM 40), opaque.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, same.
Head: Average (Maximum one cm, aggressive center pour), bronze, high density. Not fizzy but instantly collapses to a 0.1 cm ring and a few small, thin islands.
Lacing – None.
Aroma –3– Weak, slightly charred malt, a bit smoky. No yeast, no hops. No ethanol (15.7 % ABV according to the label).
Flavor – 3 – Follows the nose with a hint of coffee. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. No barrels, brandy or otherwise. No initial ethanol. Distinct ethanol burn while allowing it to warm in my mouth; medium gastric warming occurs and slowly damps down.
Palate – 4 – Full; borders on creamy; soft, barely noticeable, carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines, as loosely condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 3.5 Looks amazingly like used motor oil, minus the slight greenish sheen and the aroma. Really, not much to say – just another R.I.S. of dubious distinction.

"Best by 11/2/25"; drank 10/9/24 @ the Yarchives.

Midnight black appearance.

A violent pour yielded a nice, noisy dark tan head; nice lacing remained.

Marshmallow, fresh earth & cream notes in the nose.

Thick, creamy mouthfeel.

Dark chocolate, cream & fresh earth flavors up front; dry wood & faint red berry notes on the finish. Booze heat emerged as this warmed.

Big, boozy & not as artificial tasting as the lower ABV Rocky Mountain variants. I'm not sure it's better than the D.O.R.I.S, but it sure ain't worse. Worthy.

8.45 ounce can, best by NOV 2 2025 stamped on the bottom of the can. Served in a Hoppin' Frog snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with almost an inch tan head that stuck around for a while. Small amount of lacing. I like the aroma, the brew smells like dark chocolate, oak, vanilla, dark bread, molasses, coffee and some roasted malt. I think the taste is similar to the aroma, but with the addition of some burnt/charred malt, whiskey, caramel, licorice and tobacco flavors. Lots going on here, with no one flavor overpowering the others. Mouthfeel/body is full, it's slick and a bit syrupy with a moderate amount of carbonation. I thought this was a good overall brew, definitely worth picking up if you get the chance!

Best by 11/2/25

This is now my third beer in the Rocky Mountain BA series. After having the T.O.R.I.S. version last week I can safely say it’s one of my favorites from the brewery, so I have to imagine this one will be incredible too. Let’s crack it open and find out

Pours completely pitch black with a finger of creamy dark brown head that slowly fades to a thin ring and leaves minimal lacing

The nose is big and bold, but is balanced by a full sweetness. I’m picking up on aromas of burnt caramel, rye toast, cacao nib, leafy hops, molasses, vanilla bean, charred oak, tobacco, spicy whiskey, medium roast coffee, and black cherry

Woah, in taste it’s even more aggressive. I dig it but I think that takes away from it just a bit. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting cocoa powder, black cherry, molasses, vanilla bean, charred oak, sweet whiskey, raisin, and burnt caramel. The swallow brings notes of rye toast, charred oak, leafy hops, cacao nib, spicy whiskey, raisin, spent coffee beans, molasses, and a touch of smoke

A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a sharp beer. Finishes mostly dry with a quick but aggressive punch of booze

While this one is damn good, it’s a bit more abrasive than I was expecting but that’s on me

 

Poured from a can at fridge temp. Pours motor oil black with a light layer of brown head. The nose is roasted malts, dark chocolate, toffee, some vanilla, and some burnt wood. The taste is interesting. Lots of molasses, soy sauce, roasted malts, burnt toffee, and lots of campfire notes. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and there is definitely a burn on the back end.

25cl can from Tavour. Black pour, beige head dissipates quickly, tiny brown bring. Aroma is boozy, sweet, strong. Taste is syrupy, sweet, chocolate, booze, warmth at the finish

 

 

Purchased straight from the brewery just before the big storm hit. But I kept it until after the storm cleared to drink it. One of my favorite beers by Hoppin Frog is TORIS the Tyrant, which is a Triple Oatmeal Stout. This one is a Quad so let's see if this can take me to another level. Poured out a straight dark brown, with an absolutely beautiful multicolored brown, tan, and beige head that bubbled up at least an inch before receding into some lively swirls around the glass. The smell takes a strong bite out of my nostrils, it's a harsh sting when collected by my snifter, yet appetizing all the same due to notes of coffee, chocolate, and maple. The taste is outstanding. It's huge on roasted beans, roasted chocolate, roasted malts, it's a big bold beautiful beer. Leather and tobacco come into play as well. But this is like biting into a chocolate covered espresso bean, then granted a wish of warm wooden kisses from the bourbon barrels it sat in. Mouthfeel is tingly and medium bodied, and overall this is a delightful beer that wakes up my senses and gives me further faith that hoppin frog is truly awesome.

Lots of chocolate throughout this one. Rich and semi-sweet upfront, gradually drying out and getting more bitter towards the finish. At the end I also found ash, coffee, and nutty oak. There was a gentle blanket of bourbon and vanilla over everything. Masks it's ABV well.

The obsidian black liquid is somehow made darker by it's densely creamy yet stark mocha head that retains fairly well considering the aging and the ABV.

We did a side by side by side by side with all 8 ounce cans of each Rocky Mountain stout, and despite my love of regular DORIS, this version of the Rocky Mountain lineup was ultimately my favorite. It's silkily viscous in a way the others aren't, while intense of an espresso-like acidity with a mildly woody, nutty heat.

The medium-full body has a finely soft froth that comes to a lightly tangy sting in the semi-dry, lightly sticky finish.

I just wish there was more barrel character. It's hardly present at all, and seems like a wasted effort to be honest. All the base stouts are so good, but this one in particular seems suited for a 20+ month treatment in a well charred bourbon barrel.