Hoppin Frog Hop Heathen Imperial Black Ale

Brewed by Hoppin Frog Brewery
Style: Black IPA
Akron, Ohio USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Pours cola brown with a cream-colored creamy head. Aroma of hops, pine,roasted malt, and chocolate. Creamy mouthfeel with chocolate, roasted malt, pine, and a slight hop bite. Might be the best Black IPA I’ve tried.

Dark brown and clear with a light brown foam. Good mix aroma of smoke, chocolate, pine, and lemongrass. Medium body with a tasty spiciness, Dark malts leave a smoky wood flavor on the palate.Very well put together.

Bomber. A clear dark brown to black beer, topped by an average sized, frothy, lacing. almost fulluy lasting, light brown head. The aroma is moderately to heavily malty (roasted grain, toasted/roasted nuts, chocolate, caramel hint of coffee), moderately hoppy (resin, pine needles, grapefruit), with notes of wood, smoke. The flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Medium to full body, creamy texture, soft/lively carbonation, very long finish with moderate bitterness, lightly to moderately alcoholic. A very solid, even balanced beer. with lots of dark malts and a good amount of green hops. Less bitterness than expected, with well hidden alcohol and excellent, smooth mouthfeel, all but abrasive and almost refined. Solid brewery.

Bottle on Easter. Pours black with off white head. Nose and taste of cocoa, pine, resin, the white part of a grapefruit, dark roasted malts and baker’s chocolate. Finishes baker’s chocolate with slight resin. Medium body.

Pours black with a tall tan head. Rich aroma of chocolate, roast malt and coffee liqueur. The flavor has some roast malt bitterness balanced by the coffee sweetness. I think this beer will be a love it or hate it. Don’t bother if you don’t like any bitterness, but for those who like ’em big and bold - go for it. Better than many barrel aged brews.

Smell of hops and herbs. Dark brown colour, brown head. First taste is porter. This is seriously more porter than IPA. Roasted Malts. No real tastes initially, but ends up sweet.

Pours dark brown with a beige head of foam that quickly gives way to a ring leaving spotty lacing behind. Aroma is rich dark malt, pinecone hops, and light roasted chocolate. Taste is piney hops, roasted malt, and a tad of black coffee on the end of the short juicy finish.

Bottle:   Pours black, deep brown highlights, moderate to large foamy pale brown head, nice lacing.   Soft hop and roasted malts on the nose, slight touch of bakers or dark chocolate.   Neither a big roasty example or a bitter IPA, at least from the nose.   Seems a bit more robust and lively on the tongue, more roasty and hoppy than the nose suggested.   Good balance between the two.   The dark chocolate aspect is there, not as big as the nose suggested.   Body and mouthfeel are moderate.   Finishes with a good balance, hoppy with a nice soft dark chocolate roasted malt background.   Solid example!

Sampled at Fort Wayne rating party - Pours near black and smells of dark roast malt, chocolate, and some hops in the background. It has a vinous flavor with dark roast malts joined by ample hops bitterness. Medium to full bodied, it’s a superb brew.

Location: 22 oz bottle from State Line, 3/12/13

Aroma: The nose has some grapefruit hops, roasted malts, and a bit of pine as well
Appearance: It pours a dark brown-black color with a small brown head and fairly coating lace
Flavor: The flavor is mid-heavy bitter/hoppy, with some nice balancing from the roasted malts
Palate: The body is medium-full, it feels slightly chewy, a little thick, and with a dry finish
Overall Impression: This is a nice Black IPA. It does a really good job of mixing a strong hop feel with a good amount of roasted malt flavor. Good stuff.