Hoppin Frog Gulden Fraug

Pour a murky brown/orange, with a big thick beige head. Aroma is very fruity, lots of plums, and figs, and lots of apples, with a tinge of metal that i detect often in belgian strong ales. The body is very thick and syrupy. FLavour is.....whoa.......this is sweet, cloyingly sweet. Wow, i can;t kick the sweetness it’s just sticking in the back of my throat, the big malty sweetness just overpowers everything, and it’s all i’m tasting now. The finish is slightly bitter with a touch of dark fruit. Hmmm.....can’t say i loved it, but i can’t say i hated it. But i wouldnt have it again.

Thanks to Crizay for this beer. Pours clear orange/auburn with a small off-white head, dissipating to nothing over some time. Oddly clear looking (upon first glass) considering all the haze I saw in the bottle weeks ago. Guess the yeast settled. Aroma is sweet with honey, cinnemon, marmalade, orange-cake, and liquer. Tastes sweet as well with a lot of honey, brown sugar, slight sweet potato flavor, cinnemon, gingerbread, and orange-cake. Finishes sweet and warming, flavor doesn’t really evolve into anything on the finish, it’s just a weaker version of what you just tasted. Viscous on the palate, medium-full bodied, but this glass is lacking a creamy body that a style like this needs. Perhaps the second, more yeasty glass will add some of what this lacks. Still, this beer is in dire need of a substatial finish to help counter the sweet flavors. Reminds me of The Reverend. Could be really good....

Orange/copper color with a modest somewhat fizzy type head. Heavy esters in the aromas. Lots of ripe fruit, with melons, apricots, plums and white currants. A light herb and spicy scent in the background. Hints of alcohol as well. The nose certainly ooze strong and sweet. The flavors, while still sweet, do not have all the ripe fruit gooiness. Light citric fruit, caramel and some white grape juice start. Middle with some light exotic spices. Finish is slightly hot with some cloves and cinnamon. Stomach is starting to get warm after about 3/4 of a glass and half the bottle to go. I don’t find this refreshing, but I think it would go much better on a fall of winter evening.

22 oz bomber poured into a trappist glass. Pours reddish amber with quickly dissapating beige head. Lively carbonation and big bubbles. Aroma is Ripe fruit, bannana, and caramel yeast. Flavor is pronounced and powerful. Sweet fruit and caramel malt meld together with a nice rich yeast presence. Hint of alcohol in the finish. Palate is thick, rich, smooth, and unbelievable refreshing and crisp. Light and refreshing for the style- believe it or not this makes for a great summer sipper.

Bottle from the Beer Geek. Amber color with a minimal beige head. Roasted, but no way toasted, malt - very subtle - not raw like American reds. A little candi. Yeast spice. Smells warm when it’s cold. What a great aroma. Medium plus body with creamy carbonation. Flavor is mildly sweet malt, with candi notes, yeast and spice. Finishes a bit sweet, but it truly fits the style.