Hoppin' Frog Barrel Aged Naked Evil BBW

Hoppin' Frog Barrel Aged Naked Evil BBW

On a recent trip through Belgium visiting the monastery breweries, we discovered an excellent barrel aged ale that had an incredibly satisfying flavor combination. Aging in oak barrels added a memorable richness, that we seek to achieve with this barrel aged Belgian-style barley wine-style ale. Being the ideal celebration beer to release on our 5-year anniversary, Barrel Aged Naked Evil is fermented with both British and Belgian yeasts and aged in whiskey barrels for a lightly spicy twist on this old-world beer style. Sweet malt flavors will become smoother and rich dark fruit characters will build with time to add a wonderful complexity and depth of flavor.

3.9

293 reviews

Akron, United States

Community reviews

3.7 Bottle isn’t dated but probably a 2012 or 13. Brown. Lots of caramel and brown sugar. Candied sugar. Toffee. Barrel is there but very light.

4.2 Bottle from some shop in San Diego. Clear golden/copper beer with a small offwhite head. Woody toffee aroma, hazelnuts, vanilla, caramel, raisins, figs, chocolate. Raisin flavor, woody, caramel, figs, warming alcohol, licorice, vanilla, warming alcohol, hazelnuts, spicy notes, whisky, some, cream. Great beer with great balance.

4.1 Bottled, thx rlgk. Pours amber with a small light brown head. Smells vanilla, dark chocolate, candy malt amd a bit nutty. Tastes sweet candy malt, nutty, vanilla, chocolate with a similar finish.

3.5 Bottled thx rlgk. Copper brown body with a small head. Smells of nuts, caramel, hops. Tastes nuts, syrup, roasted hops. Sweet and bitter.

3.7 22 oz bottle. Pours a dark burnt Amber color and topped by a small head of beige colored foam that quickly settles to a thin film of bubbles. The aroma is very malt forward with notes of toasted caramel and toffee, burnt sugar, molasses, dark fruit, and raisins along with hints of oxidation and bourbon. The barrel effect is minimal, but adds just enough to bring more depth to the profile. The flavor is sweet overall showing ample amounts of burnt sugar, toasted caramel, toffee, along with dark fruit, raisins, and some minaml hop bitterness on the back end. Light notes of oak and bourbon round things out along with a touch of oxidation. Nearly full bodied with low carbonation that leads to a slightly warming and sweet caramel finish. As it warms it gets a touch too sweet, but still a really nice barley wine. Some more barrel notes would have been nice, but still a solid beer overall.

3.5 Pours a dark golden amber color with mahogany edges and a half finger off-white head that immediately settles into a thin, lasting ring. Sporadic spotty lacin left behind. Sweet, slightly boozy aroma with very subtle barrel notes, leathery malt, candy sugar and dark fruit esters. I was expecting more barrel in the nose but is very faint with minimal oak and spicy whiskey character. Smells more like a regular barleywine/Belgian strong dark ale hybrid with leather and caramel malt sweetness along with toffee, plum, raisin and fig. As it warms, the slickness starts to show but I’m still having trouble picking up the oak and whiskey. Medium bodied with a blast of sweet booze that lingers over the vinous fruits and sweet and leathery malt back bone into a dry, slightly spicy finish. The barrel presence is much stronger than the nose suggests with subtle toasted oak, vanilla, coconut and spicy whiskey booziness. For all of the alcohol flavor up front, it’s actually not all that hot with lots of sweetness and a complex malt backbone balancing things out. It could actually use some more whiskey flavor and heat to counter all of the sweetness. Slightly leathery but the caramel malt, toffee and vinous dark fruit notes overpower almost everything that would suggest barleywine. Slight bubblegum character with hints of grape, raisin, date and plum. Pretty tasty with a well masked ABV but it’s intensely sweet and lacking in balance. Also could use more of a spirit/barrel presence for my liking.

4.1 Sampled at GABF 2015. In the tasting glass a dark red amber and a beige head of foam. Nose is a medley of fruit aromas with chocolate and citrus. Whiskey as well. And finally some wood. Medium to full in body. Flavor is a lot of dark ripe fruit and there are plums, raisins, dates, along with chocolate and vanilla. The finish shows aging with whiskey and oak. Really really good.

4.2 22 oz bottle poured into a Spiegelau tulip. Trade from a friend, thanks Daniel! Black cap with the Hoppin’ Frog logo, most recent batch. Dark ruby/amber color with a finger of beige head. Tiny sediment floaters. Aromas of dark fruit, caramel, some bourbon. Tastes of dark fruit, caramel, a bit of chocolate, whiskey, light oak. Medium body with a dry and warm finish.

4.1 Dark Amber body with a thin head w/ floaties. Aroma of whiskey, oak, plum, raisin, vanilla. Sweet flavor. Palate is almost perfect. Could use some more hopping to balance out the sweetness. Very solid beer and enjoyable.

4.4 22oz bottle pours a reddy brown color with a bit of head. Sweet caramel and nice mild whiskey flavor. So smooth.

4.0 Bottle, shared at game night. Deep amber with a thick golden head. Lovely chewy sponge-toffee malts, sweet with nuances of dates and maple candy. Pleasantly warming, with a nice dose of whiskey. This bottle has been in my cellar for 2.5 years, and it is drinking so beautifully right now.

4.0 Bottle to glass. Wonderful toffee and vanilla in the aroma and flavor. Probably drank it a bit too cold, but delicious nonetheless.

3.9 ~2012 - not totally sure of the year. A barleywine at the end of a day of sours. The beer is a deep reddish mahogany. Small beige head. The aroma has a whole bunch of brown sugar and molasses. Deep sweetness. Some citrus. Light phenolic note. Vanilla, very light bourbon barrel note. Taste is fairly sweet, not overwhelmingly so. Aged toasted malt sugars. Some oxidation. Not much barrel flavor. Medium to thick feel. A bit sticky. Solid barleywine.

3.5 Poured from a bottle that is at least a few years old. Aroma is malt forward with a lot of caramel, toffee and burnt sugar. Moderate raisin notes with light toasted bread. Hints of plum and prune. Light oxidation and bourbon notes. Pours a murky, amber brown with a small, thin tan head that recedes quickly to the edges. Light lacing and moderately long legs. Flavor is moderately to fairly sweet with a lot of dark caramel, toffee and burnt sugar. Some treacle and lighter raisin and plum notes. Light oak and bourbon notes with moderate bitterness. A bit of Belgian yeast character, but it is pretty faint. Light oxidation. Mouthfeel is full bodied with medium low carbonation. Low astringency and medium low alcohol warmth. Overall, a better barleywine than I was expecting. Really sweet though and it gets sweeter as it warms. A little more bourbon character would be nice.

4.1 Draught @ Hoppin Frog, Akron, OH Pours hazy reddish brown with a off-white head. Aroma has notes of malt, caramel, dried fruits, vanilla, oak and alcohol. Taste is medium to heavy sweet and medium bitter with a long warm, caramel, dried fruity, vanilla and oak finish. Body is full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft.

4.0 Bomber poured a clear reddish amber with a lingering ring of amber foam. Aromas of bourbon, oak, toffee and frutiness. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of bourbon, toffee, oak and a hint of fruitines with a smooth lingering bourbon finish.

3.4 Bottle. Dark copper pour with a one finger creamy head that fades to a ring. Aromas are rich dark fruit, caramel, yeast, vanilla, light chocolate, and butterscotch. Taste very sweet. Brown sugar, caramel, and dark fruit mostly. Boozy whiskey and chocolate in the finish. A bit harsh to drink. The sweetness and the booze don’t blend that well. Decent but it really wears on you.

3.9 Sample, draught, during the Great American Beer Festival (Denver), savoured on October 4 2014; eye: coppery, clear, no effervescence, tiny ring of beige head, light lacing; nose: woody, caramel, light pepper, alcohol, rich; mouth: woody, caramel, light pepper, alcohol, rich, alcohol, alcohol warmth, hops, dry finale in toffee with presence of caramel, full body, below-average carbonation, mildly bitter, mildly sweet, alcoholic texture; overall: quite likable FRANÇAIS Échantillon, en fût, lors du Great American Beer Festival (Denver), savourée le 4 octobre 2014; œil : cuivrée, limpide, pas d’effervescence, petit anneau de mousse beige, légère dentelle; nez : boisé, caramel, léger poivre, alcool, riche; bouche : boisé, caramel, léger poivre, alcool, riche, alcool, chaleur d’alcool, houblon, finale sèche en toffee avec présence de caramel, corsée, carbonatation sous la moyenne, moyennement amère, moyennement sucrée, texture alcoolique; en résumé : bien aimé

4.0 Poured into a snifter at Dad’s house. 2012 bottle cellared. Pours a deep hazy brown with a nice thin head. Lacing and a ring lasted. The aroma is oak barrel, sweet dark fruits overly ripe, caramel, vanilla, sweet candies, flower. The taste is sweet fruits, slight syrup, caramel, vanilla, and candies. Booze finish and slight heat (booze heat.) Slight Belgium yeast. Thick oily mouth. Full body. Solid.

4.0 Bottle shared at east end. Pours a clear golden brown. No head. Aromas of vanilla caramel and booze with candies dark fruits. Taste is sweet with a boozy heat. Medium body.

3.3 bottle at Coles Barleywine Contest 2015, cola colored pour. Lots of nail polish remover. Acetone, fruity notes, touch of Pledge, woody finish.

3.9 bottle shared at a tasting by tom10101, thanks bro! pours almost clear red burgundy with a small reviving light beige cap, nice lacing. bourbon-soaked red fruits-galore, tasty red maltiness, golden and concord raisins, cotton-candy, fairly herbal and grassy, controlled level of sweetness - sweet grape purée/jam, peppery and earthy warming alcohol. light to low carbonation, medium to full body - oily and heavy; sweet but not cloying and fruity-oaky-spicy-grassy finish. tasty and good stuff.

3.3 Bottle shared at tasting. Lots of sugar, very sweet. Bourbon in the aroma, and it is there in the flavor as well along with oak and some vanilla. Too much bourbon.

3.8 Pours a clear caramel with a medium white rim on top that leaves some lacing. Nose is of some boozey caramel, not bad at all and somewhat expected by the style. Taste is of caramel and oak with whisky and other alcohols in trail. It is not hot at all, booze just supports all that luscious malt. Body was medium-full and carbonation light, sticky and syrupy. Overall a nice nightcap!

3.9 Tasted on 10/27/13 from a capped 22oz bomber bottle that I had obtained in a trade quite some time earlier. Pours clear light, orange tinted, brown with a thin beige head that leaves a very thin collar of lace. The nose is full of caramel, date, raisin, vanilla, cinnamon, toffee, and a touch of spicy yeast. The flavor is a bit hot with all of the sweet caramel, date, raisin, and vanilla up front, moving to some cinnamon and burnt toffee bitterness. The body is full with light carbonation and a long vanilla and lightly bitter finish.

3.7 Bottle (22 oz) @ De Garde++ tasting. A few years old already. From Luk_, thanks! Appearance: Clear bright amber with a small off-white head and little lacing. Aroma: Candi sugar, light fruitiness, well integrated boozy notes and vanilla. Taste: Moderate/medium sweetness, whiskey, light fruitiness, toffee and vanilla. Palate: Medium to full body (more on the "full" side). Moderate carbonation. A tad oily. Moderately warming finish. Overall: A bit sweet and boozy, but it aged pretty well. Interesting fruitiness and quite tasty.

3.7 Bottle 660ml. Pours very dark amber with low light-beige head. Aroma is of caramel, alcohol, sugar. Taste is of caramel, sugar, vanilla. Palate: Full bodied. Light carbonation. Overall: NIce stuff, but lots of sugar/alcohol.

3.5 Barley wine bottle share on 1/31. Pouredout an amber color with aromas of toffee, bourbon, caramel, and some light dark fruit. Flavors are the same, dark pitted fruit within some toffee, and caramel added with alight bourbon aftertaste.

3.9 Bottle from trade with StFun, cheers buddy! Not sure how old, but it was from a cellar cleaning so several years I guess. Dark red amber, small beige head. Aroma: berries, vanilla, toffee, floral. Taste: malty, toffee, berries like strawberries, candy, some marzipan, sweet licorice, honey. Quite full-bodied. Sweet and tasty.

3.9 Bottle to snifter. Nose is boozy with a woody note. Caramel with a sugary note. Taste is sugary with a light Belgian note. Booziness is well done.