Kings Jewel
Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Super dark like crude oil. No head to speak of (maybe due to ABV?).
Nose is whiskey and bit chocolate. Taste is same, whiskey and chocolate, but only light. Interesting the higher ABV is not super evident, at first. Then the warmth builds in the stomach and down the esophagus.

Kings Jewel – from Hoppin’ Frog. Two 16 fl oz cans. Rare Beer Club selection picked up at their brewery, Akron, OH, 18/10/24. Reviewed 22/10/24 (Review 3375). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can stamped “BEST BY AUG 14 2034”. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 54.5 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 59.0 degrees F.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Medium Amber (SRM 12), hazy.
Body – Brown (SRM 20), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, light only penetrates around the edges, icteric.
Head: Small (Maximum 0.6 cm, aggressive center pour), wheat, low density and fizzy. Reduces to a 0.2 cm crown and no cap.
Lacing – None; no surprise there.
Aroma – 4.5 – Strong aroma of sweet dark fruit, specifically prunes and dates. Light bourbon and I think I’m imagining some oak. No yeast, no hops. No ethanol (17.3 % ABV according to the label).
Flavor – 4.5 – Follows the nose. Instant heat but not intolerable – decent burn on the palate, with a pleasing gastric heat, both of which quickly fade. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. No ethanol.
Palate – 4 – Full; slightly syrupy; soft but lively carbonation.
Style: Follows the (extremely loose) style guidelines, as condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 Leaves my lips sticky – sweet and (dark) fruity. Basically, an alcohol delivery system designed to befuddle.

Very dark brown, a sort of burnt charcoal black, with a thin light tan head that retains fairly well considering the strength.

An impressively bold experiment by HoFro standards, the nose translates as assertively American barleywine with woody, piney qualities and a little Werther's.

Taste is decidedly far more dark fruit forward of prunes and dates with bruleed oatmeal. Toffee and black peppery whiskey come in after, even with a little buttery pecan pie crust. A little char surfaces with time, but so too does some fruitiness, kind of like plum.

Pentuple takes center stage from start to finish, while TORIS hangs back in a way I never thought possible for such a big stout. It almost seems like it only contributes its darkening color. Still, it's not nearly as hot as you'd imagine, and is quite drinkable.