Hoppin’ Frog BORIS The Crusher

UPDATED: JUL 20, 2017 Wow. Everything about this beer is just perfect. Very smooth and full bodied.

December 28th, 2014 - Winner of the GABF Gold 2008 and 2011 (as they proudly proclaim on the label) and recent recipient in my Christmas stocking, I’ve been looking forward to this beer for awhile, if only to see how the addition of oatmeal impacts a deep, unctuous imperial stout. The pour is like watching inky concrete spooling out of the bottle in the glass, and then kicking up a crimson, cinnamon brown-red head. The first whiff brings mashed apples (like apple sauce) but also a light note of soy sauce and tsuyu. A second olfactory glance takes in raspberry jam and jam filled chocolates, pairing the dark bitterness of cocoa with dark sweetness, and a touch of rose. The flavor is very smooth and balanced, but definitely not mild. Pronounced and clear as day is the alcohol note, though it is kept at bay by the heavy malt tastes. The aftertaste is a long, low chocolate heavy aftertaste, which suggests letting the beer warm. I barely have any choice in the matter, as each sip feels like it needs to be chewed at least 40 times. The B.O.R.I.S. lets the dark chocolate shine the warmer the temperature, as if ribbons of ghirardelli were effortlessly layered into the recipe, a blushing of dark chocolate, fudge, and brownie, but not too sweet. Not sweet at all in fact, but mature, rich and luxurious.

Rich, deep chocolate nose with a boozy backbone. Pours a thick, deep black with a modest brown head and minor lacing. Taste hits all the RIS sweet spots: unsweetened cocoa, dark chocolate, anise, espresso, dried black cherries, rich smoky undertones. Yet the real star is the texture, silky smooth and light despite the formidable 9.4% ABV. Drinks like a dream, even if it grows a tad sweet and boozy as it warms. and the semisweet finish grows clingy and bitter as it fades, a nice balance to the growing chocolate indulgence.

Shared bottle. Pitch black beer with small beige head. Aroma: dark chocolate, cocoa, roasty, some dark fruits, coffee. Taste is medium+ sweet and medium bitter, chocolate, coffee, cocoa, a bit of dried fruits, dark bread, roasty. Medium to full body, soft carbonation, oily texture. Classic, smooth and balanced imperial stout.

Delicious full bodied creamy black beer. Caramel, licorice, coffee, chocolate, roast, red fruits, sweet fruits. Nice balance between bitterness from the roast and hops and sweetness from the malts. Not a very subtle beer, more in-your-face but very good in that sense. Brilliant!

Poured opaque motor oil black with thick frothy head. Beautiful robust coffee notes with slight hints of oats and dark chocolate.

Bottle; pours black with a brown head; aroma of chocolate, roasted malt, vanilla, and hints of coffee and oatmeal; taste is a little sweet with chocolate, vanilla, and malt; dry, slightly bitter coffee finish

Tap at CYO. Pours a pitch black with a fluffy beige head that dissipates quickly. Roasted coffee, cocoa powder and blueberry-like cacao nib notes dominate the nose. Creamy on the palate like a thick godiva dark cacao milkshake would be. Lingering cocoa powder bitterness with light coffee. Really creamy and coating. Great stuff.

UPDATED: MAR 4, 2017 Bouteille datée d’au moins 8 mois. Robe noire opaque et surmontée d’un léger col de mousse brunâtre et rocailleuse qui s’estompe rapidement. Arômes de cappuccino, baies confites, vanille, malt légèrement grillé, figue, datte et mélasse. En bouche, baies confites, malt grillé/caramélisé et chocolat noir. Quelque saveurs de caramel, vanille et anis. Longue finale de chocolat au lait, café et crème de noisettes avec de minces relents d?alcool. Texture huileuse et corps moyen à rond.

Draught at Bootleggers Craft Beer Bar, Copenhagen. Pitch black with a thin, tanned head. Sweet, roasted aroma with coffee, chocolate, caramel malts, toasted notes, liquorice and dark malts. Taste is sweet roasted. Full body with an oily texture and a soft carbonation. Finishes lasting dry and roasted bitter with dark malts, chocolate, coffee, roasted notes. Excellent Stout.