Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster

Brewed by Terrapin Beer Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Athens, Georgia USA

Bottle. Pours an auburn-red with a thin, off-white head. Smells just like those handfuls of hops they give you at brewery tours. That natural influence continues into the flavor. Tastes of fresh hops and muted malts, all accented by the grainy aftertaste. Not the best of most impressive flavor for the style, but remarkably clean and easy drinking. Not a must have beer for me, but one I’m sure to try again. Solid beer.

355 ml, vintage 07FX. Chestnut and ruby color with a small-medium sized head that lasts well. Aroma is big citrus and pine resin hops with an undercurrent of molasses and honey-like malt. Flavor is initially big spicy molasses, turns to a nice granola mix with orange and resin. Finish roughs you up a bit with some bitter herb and orange-aspirin flavored hops, and a touch of alcohol. Palate is medium-heavy bodied, and has an appealing one-two punch of a smooth malty front coupled to a hop and alcohol dryness on the finish. Could probably be classified as an American Barleywine and garner better ratings with those who must rate by style guidelines.

12oz Bottle, 2007 Vintage. Pours a deep ruby red that almost borders on being brown, minimal head that has no retention and no lacing. Aroma is a big bunch of crystal malts, almost no hop character whatsoever. Flavor again really big on malts and just a slight bit of piney hops somewhere under the malt. Alright, I’m tossing aside the notion that this is supposed to be an IPA of some sort and hereby judging it as an American Red ale, taking it from a 2.3 to a 3. Very nice mouthfeel for something pushing 8.5%abv, feel like I could drink it all night long. That may also be it’s biggest fault, if you’re gonna call it big hoppy monster, perhaps you should not bury all the hops beneath mounds of malt. Just my $0.02.

Sampled at Badgerben’s Cellar Reduction Night. Pours a semi-hazy brownish amber brew with a fast dissolving off-white head. Aroma of citrusy malt, some brown sugar, caramel and some dried pine. Taste is semi-sweet caramel, medium bodied, very little carbonation with a hint of burnt toast and a slight metalic texture. Finish has a mild bitterness that lingers around after the finish.

2007 vintage. 12 oz. bottle. Pours a clear, deep, dark red. Smallish white head. Aroma of caramel, piney hops, and warm alcohol. Big mouthfeel of sweet malt with a grassy, hoppy, bitter finish that clings to the back of the tongue. Lovely fall beer when there is a slight chill in the air.

2007 Bottle thanks to Uncle Jedi. Pour is a dark copper, almost brown. Small white head. Aroma of sweet malt and nice amouny of sticky hops. Pretty bitter and balanced. I get some "off" notes...metallic. I have a slight cold, so that may be throwing me off a bit. Medium mouthfeel and quite carbonated. Solid.

Poured a dark red with a very thin head. Has an amazing smooth simcoe hop aroma and taste. Hints of caramel, and hops. Finishes sweet and smooth.

Hugely sweet malt aroma. Wow, this smells big. Aroma is hoppy, malty in an ASA kind of way more than a DIPA way. Taste is big malty and sweet, but the piney, leafy hops definitely cut the sweetness. Very nice, but not what I was wanting or expecting.