Bullfrog Unique Singel

Brewed by Bullfrog Brewery
Style: Belgian Ale
Williamsport, Pennsylvania USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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A careful pour into my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip still produces a fluffy, five-finger thick, pale tan colored head that slowly rises an additional two, wait make that three fingers in height above the rim of my glass without any overflow. As the head slowly recedes it leaves lots of lacing on the sides of my glass and forms odd, variegated mesas and quite the rocky surface. The beer itself starts out with a fare amount of haze and an orange tinged, light amber color. The aroma is quite expressive with a nice mix of ripe fruit, light spice and a soft, underlying funkiness. Aromas of ripe pear, aromatic-varietal apples, sour plums, light fruit vinegar notes, musty blankets, ginger, white pepper, yeasty-dough like malt, crushed cracker grain, freshly crushed pale malt, grains of paradise notes, lemon zest, orange zest and a light herbal note. What a fantastically complex nose, I really like what the light tartness and soft funkiness brings to this beer, even without these notes though it is still quite complex and interesting.

Dry tasting and lightly tart; it almost has a vinegar like edge to it, though it is quite soft. The tartness up front slowly melds and is almost subsumed by a herbal, sharp hop bitterness in the finish that at times can seem at odds with the tartness. The light tartness, is substantial enough to tingle my dry lips a bit, and it also boosts a nice fruitiness that can almost have a bit of sweetness to it at times (though I think this is purely a phantom perception on my part). Citrusy hop notes of bergamot, Meyer lemon, grapefruit and some lychee are all accentuated by the sour notes. Spicy, fermentation character provides a subtle note compared to the hops, but certainly contributes here; woody black pepper, young ginger and a spicy yeast note are noticeable. As the beer warms a bit fruit flavors of pear, tart-ripe plum, green apple and, as it warms a apple pie like note that almost has a cinnamon-like accent to it. Wow, as this warms up it can really start to get herbal and quite bitter in the finish, I think the up front tartness can overly accentuate the harsher side of the hop character in the finish at times. I really like how light and quaffable this is, but it certainly is not watery textured, there is just enough heft to move things along.

As it really warms up it actually starts to pick up a touch of soft, malty sweetness to it. The second pour of this beer also adds a hint more raw dough (mix of grain and yeast flavors) character to the flavor. The herbal / astringent / bitter hop character in the finish almost reminds me of a peppery / green arugula like note. In some ways the herbal hop notes in the finish start to mimic the spicy, astringent character that can be picked up from an oak barrel. This is probably the most hoppy & sour beer that I have had. It serves as an example that proves the old brewing rule that sourness and hops should not be mixed, but it does it quite well and ultimately is quite tasty and drinkable.

750ml botle pours a clear, bright gold with some creamy white head. Nose is sweet, light candy, a little noble hop. Flavor is straight forward but solid, malty, swet, lightly bitter, light sourness. Well balanced and very drinkable.

Thanks Mr Chopin. Hazy orange pour with a thin white head. Grassy sulfer, vegetative hints, and dough with an ever present chemical note. Funky nectar, doughnuts, honey, and graham cracker follow. Thin palate with good carbonation.

Thanks to MrChopin! Really tough cork to pull out. Nose holds big vegetal cooked spinach, wheaty grain, and belgian spice. The flavor is much of the same; too much vegetal flaw for me. Some decent yeast presence, but really ruined by that green quality. Bleh.

Bottle shared by MrChopin. Pours hazy orange with a medium, frothy white head, medium-long retention with good lacing. Aroma is hay and straw malt, pear and apple esters with earthy and barnyard notes and light spices. Flavor is spices, cedar, fruity esters, light sugar, malt body, and a sweet finish. Light body, low warmth, high carbonation.

hazy gold, wispy white head, thin white ring. Nose is tripel like, brown sugar and melon with light grain and green apple, very doughy. Flavor is doughy, light apple skin, pepper, yeast, biscuity finish which carbonation detracts from, could use a bit more sweetness, bit of nail polish, paper. Drinks as much like a berliner now than anything else, probably best compared to Petrus aged pale.

750mL thanks to MrChopin. Pours a very hazy peach- murky. Large, off-white head with webby lacing. Dried pear nose, big golden raisins, mild yellow apples, vanilla. Mild candi sugar and tripel esters. Palate is fresh, bright, effervescent. Taste brings sharp yellow apples, small cidery off character. Still, not bad and a great style that is sadly hard to come by. Sour/Wild is probably not the right category for an Abbey Singel.

Very thick and hazy, slightly pink tinted orange pour. Grassy cereal aroma with some hops. Flavor is sweet with light tartness. Some apple and maple notes.

Golden fruit nose with lots of citrus and sugar. Lightly sweet and hoppy, lots of peach and pepper.

Bottle courtesy of MrChopin, thanks! Difficult cork. Finally, pours bright clear pale yellow, massive fluffy white head. Aroma of sweet lemonade and feet. Taste is sour dusty lemons and dry grass not bad.

Bottle @ Dan’s house. Thanks Armin! Hazy pane appearance with a cream colored head. Lightly tangy, lemon, yeasty, bready, bretty aroma. Yeasty, somewhat sour, very funky, citrusy flavor. Pretty interesting beer.