Big Blimp!
Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Big Blimp Barleywine from Hoppin’ Frog. Two-pack of 16 fl oz cans picked up at the brewery, 16/10/25 - $14.93 (Including tax and tip)/$ 0.467/fl oz. Reviewed 28/10/25, review 3619. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can stamped “BEST BY AUG 6 2028.” Stored at home at 40 degrees F. Served at 54.5 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature is 60.2 degrees F.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Medium Amber (SRM 12), clear.
Body – Deep Amber (SRM 15), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, light passes through easily, red-amber.
Head – Average (Maximum 2.2 cm, aggressive center pour). Ivory, high density, average retention, leaving a 0.4 cm crown and a thin partial cap.
Lacing – None. At this ABV, none was expected.
Aroma – 4 – Some slightly sweet caramel malt. No hops, no alcohol.
Flavor – 4.25 – Begins sweet with caramel malt and dried fruit. Hops flavor is present, but doesn’t seem to add any bitterness. No alcohol (11.7 % ABV, according to the label). No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Mild gastric warming. Ends with a little dry taste, not a dry mouthfeel.
Palate – 4 – Full: Edging into syrupy: Soft carbonation.
Style: Follows the BA style description, sans presence of alcohols.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 Uncredited art work. Alcohol is hidden. Fruit Fly ignored.

Clear dark red, nearing a blackish-brown, but quite polished, under a tall tan head of pockmarked foam.

Having just tried the Missing Mountain version an hour or so earlier, it's crazy to say this, but Hoppin' Frog's version is not as bitter, but also not as sweet. MM's had a sticky sweetness to it, but also a crazy fiery bitterness. Here there's a more deft balance, as toasty melba and dark caramel meet orange lozenge contrasted by mild pinewood.

Really this is quite refined. I might actually like this more over time than I do at first blush. We have another can to reconsider, but this is really well made. Although, no surprise, with HoFro's strong ale/barleywine pedigree.