Double Barrel-Aged B.O.R.I.S. Frog-hattan
Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Double Barrel-Aged B.O.R.I.S. Frog-Hattan from Hoppin’ Frog. 16 fl oz can. Rare Beer Club (RBC) selection from Hoppin’ Frog, Akron, OH, 10/12/24. Reviewed 16/12/24 (Review 3420). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can stamped “?????? ???? 20??.” (I think, badly smudged and overlapping) Stored at 39 degrees F at home. Served at 55.7 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 60.4 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Ruby Brown (SRM 24), nearly opaque.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, ruby at the edges.
Head: Average (Maximum 1.3 cm, aggressive center pour), sepia. High density. Rapidly drops to a 0.3 cm crown spottily fed by carbonation and a thin, partial cap.
Lacing – None, as expected.
Aroma – 4 – Chocolate with a hint of peanut. No hops, initially no bitters, no barrels. No ethanol (11.5 % ABV, as marked on label). No disulfide or diacetyl. As it warms/breathes, some cherry and weak citrus appear.
Flavor – 4.5 – Basic B.O.R.I.S., roasty and chocolatey with some peanuts in the background. No hops, no ethanol. Very weak cherry/citrus on the aftertaste. Still no barrels. No disulfides, no diacetyl. Instant gastric warming.
Palate – 4 – Full; creamy; soft carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 4 (After deducting 0.25 points from the final score; the last several cans of different beers I’ve had from the Frog have had partially legible dating – seems to be an on-going problem that needs correcting.) This is basic B.O.R.I.S. with some citrus/stone fruit added – obviously too sophisticated for my plebian tastes – the only mixed drinks I drink are rye/scotch whiskey/whisky mixed with soda/water. Since this was a recent RBC handout, I must assume it’s relatively fresh. Would I drink it again – yes, probably.

Some may be surprised by the pour if they missed the description, or are unfamiliar with BORIS, but it's as black as night, with a dark tan foam head of moderate height.

Holy shit, the bitters perfume the nose with tons of saturated spice, kind of like luxardo cherry even, but for a zesty orange spritz. There's a little nutty oak there.

The palate unveils the big BORIS roast, but its boldness is surprisingly countered by not just the Angostura barrel, but also the bourbon and wine. The orange and cherry spice meet a chocolatey malt and a dark caramelly char before a hint of tannin cleans it up. The exhale resurfaces that peanutty BORIS, but accented by an herbal character.

Uniquely complex.