Barrel-Aged Chocolate Covered Raisin
Hoppin' Frog Brewery
- From:
- Hoppin' Frog Brewery
- Ohio, United States
- Style:
- Imperial Porter
- ABV:
- 11.6%
- Score:
- +7 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.9 | pDev: 9.23%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 3
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jun 12, 2022
- Added:
- Mar 20, 2022
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania
3.41/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.41/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Barrel Aged Chocolate Covered Raisin from Hoppin’ Frog Brewing. Rare Beer Club selection. Picked up at the brewery, Akron, OH, 08/04/22. Stored at 37 degrees at home. Reviewed 12/06/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Stamped on bottom of can “BEST BY MAR 15 2025”. Served at 45.2 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King Snifter. Final temperature 52.1 degrees.
Appearance – 3.
First pour – Deep Amber (SRM 15), clear.
Body – Brown (SRM 20), opaque. When rear-lite, same, but amber at the edges and a ton of beige precipitate lies on the inside curvature.
Head – NONE. No head, no cap, just a thin, single tiny bubble wide ring remains after the pour, slowly renewed by slow effervescence.
Lacing – None – not unexpected at 11.6% ABV.
Aroma – 3.25 – Generic whiskey aroma, not particularly strong, and a ghostly chocolate presence. No malt, no yeast, no hops, no raisins.
Flavor – 3.5 – Predominant taste is whiskey, although not at all hot for the ABV. Some very weak chocolate and no dark fruit, especially no raisins. No malt, no yeast, no hops. Slightly bitter. No ethanol (11.6 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. Mild gastric warming occurs. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 3.5 – Medium, short of creamy, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3.5 I had a couple of these about two months ago when I picked them up, and the chocolate and raisins both were very obvious, much more than now. But then the whiskey made it hot; it’s mellowed considerably.
Jun 12, 2022Stamped on bottom of can “BEST BY MAR 15 2025”. Served at 45.2 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King Snifter. Final temperature 52.1 degrees.
Appearance – 3.
First pour – Deep Amber (SRM 15), clear.
Body – Brown (SRM 20), opaque. When rear-lite, same, but amber at the edges and a ton of beige precipitate lies on the inside curvature.
Head – NONE. No head, no cap, just a thin, single tiny bubble wide ring remains after the pour, slowly renewed by slow effervescence.
Lacing – None – not unexpected at 11.6% ABV.
Aroma – 3.25 – Generic whiskey aroma, not particularly strong, and a ghostly chocolate presence. No malt, no yeast, no hops, no raisins.
Flavor – 3.5 – Predominant taste is whiskey, although not at all hot for the ABV. Some very weak chocolate and no dark fruit, especially no raisins. No malt, no yeast, no hops. Slightly bitter. No ethanol (11.6 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. Mild gastric warming occurs. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 3.5 – Medium, short of creamy, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3.5 I had a couple of these about two months ago when I picked them up, and the chocolate and raisins both were very obvious, much more than now. But then the whiskey made it hot; it’s mellowed considerably.
Reviewed by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut
4.05/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.05/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pour is a light and fairly clear root beer / cola color that settles into a deep, opaque brown once in the glass. Head was fizzy and very short-lived. I wasn't sure if this label was more gimmick than anything, but sure enough the aroma is wonderfully rich with clear raisin and chocolate notes. Maybe it's all in my head, but the more I smell this, the more I'm reminded of Raisinets.
Taste is more complex than the nose. While I still get the raisin and a bit of chocolate, the whiskey barrel really takes the lead here. It's hot, but not overly so, with plenty of warming from the alcohol. Nicely balanced with just enough depth to keep things interesting.
Overall, a very good Saturday evening sipper.
Apr 17, 2022Taste is more complex than the nose. While I still get the raisin and a bit of chocolate, the whiskey barrel really takes the lead here. It's hot, but not overly so, with plenty of warming from the alcohol. Nicely balanced with just enough depth to keep things interesting.
Overall, a very good Saturday evening sipper.
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio
4.24/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Mahogany to muddy dark brown with a short and soft khaki blanket settling to a thin ring and spotty film.
Smell is straight chocolate bourbon while taste is surprisingly boozy for Hoppin' Frog. It's got a slight chocolatey sweetness, but I wouldn't necessarily label the overall expression as Raisinets, as there's a distinct absence of dark fruit in any of their stuff, just as there is here. Still, taking the name out of the equation, this is a super solid BA STOUT porter.
The medium body has a soft froth that comes to a semi-dry, tingly warmth exhaling mild roast and more cacao nib that's mildly bittering.
What's funny, though, is how we're all aware of the myriad barrel aged stouts that do give the impression of Raisinets with hefty punches of chocolate and dark fruits simply developed from their dark malt and barrel interplay, but also that not everyone enjoys those elements when they come out. To outright mimic the classic packaging here--a first for HoFro in a world now bulging full of slight riffs on pop culture brands--while also avoiding a hefty bomb of raisin, prune or date is ironic in more ways than one. Maybe a couple months in the can will bring these characteristics out more.
All that aside, I love seeing them lean more confidently into this realm, and again, at least what's here is enjoyable regardless, and that's what's most important.
---
As planned, I opened another can a couple months later, which revealed exactly what I expected, to my pleasant satisfaction. It's seemingly more woody of semi-bitter oak, but also now exhibits notes of mocha and salted caramel. As usual, Frog should have packaged this and sat on it for a little longer, but it's absolutely wonderful now.
---
A year later and this has become absolutely stellar. If it was like this fresh out the gate it'd have been a 4.5 easy. It exhibits richer, well-integrated barrel components without any lingering harshness of booze anymore, and chocolatey dark fruits to the gills.
Mar 21, 2022Smell is straight chocolate bourbon while taste is surprisingly boozy for Hoppin' Frog. It's got a slight chocolatey sweetness, but I wouldn't necessarily label the overall expression as Raisinets, as there's a distinct absence of dark fruit in any of their stuff, just as there is here. Still, taking the name out of the equation, this is a super solid BA STOUT porter.
The medium body has a soft froth that comes to a semi-dry, tingly warmth exhaling mild roast and more cacao nib that's mildly bittering.
What's funny, though, is how we're all aware of the myriad barrel aged stouts that do give the impression of Raisinets with hefty punches of chocolate and dark fruits simply developed from their dark malt and barrel interplay, but also that not everyone enjoys those elements when they come out. To outright mimic the classic packaging here--a first for HoFro in a world now bulging full of slight riffs on pop culture brands--while also avoiding a hefty bomb of raisin, prune or date is ironic in more ways than one. Maybe a couple months in the can will bring these characteristics out more.
All that aside, I love seeing them lean more confidently into this realm, and again, at least what's here is enjoyable regardless, and that's what's most important.
---
As planned, I opened another can a couple months later, which revealed exactly what I expected, to my pleasant satisfaction. It's seemingly more woody of semi-bitter oak, but also now exhibits notes of mocha and salted caramel. As usual, Frog should have packaged this and sat on it for a little longer, but it's absolutely wonderful now.
---
A year later and this has become absolutely stellar. If it was like this fresh out the gate it'd have been a 4.5 easy. It exhibits richer, well-integrated barrel components without any lingering harshness of booze anymore, and chocolatey dark fruits to the gills.
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