Hi guys. For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying D.O.R.I.S. The Destroyer Double Imperial Stout brewed by the Hoppin’ Frog Brewery located in Akron, Ohio.
I’ve yet to ever try this brew, but I’ve heard a lot of very nice things about it. Let’s just say that I’m pretty dang eager to sample it.
The website, hoppinfrog.com, gave us this bit of information about D.O.R.I.S. The Destroyer.
This extreme Double Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout will overwhelm, satisfy, and destroy your taste buds like no other!! D.O.R.I.S. is even darker, hoppier, and stronger than our gold medal winning B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Stout. Dry-hopped and first wort hopped with the finest American hops for a great Imperial Stout experience! Enjoy the darkness!
Nice. Let’s pour.
This beer has an ABV of 10.5% and it comes in a 22 oz. bottle.
It poured black as night with absolutely no highlights. A small, tight, compact, dark tan head was formed from a very easy pour. It was really smooth and creamy with an “ok” retention time. The lacing was sticky and clingy and quite good. A skim of alcohol was left on the sides of the snifter when I tilted the liquid from side to side.
The nose had a ton of roasted malt, chocolate malt and oatmeal. Likewise, a hint of coffee and charred/burnt grain came through. It also smelled of earthy hops followed by a light whiff of alcohol. Overall, significantly strong, rich and rather nice.
The flavor let loose of those burnt grains. They really stood out. A lot of roasted coffee and espresso savors came to the forefront and some bittersweet chocolate and oatmeal added a touch of sweetness as well. A very light licorice note was found buried deep and some earthiness added a bit more complexity. An insignificant, but noticeable relish of alcohol was discovered too.
The mouthfeel was full bodied. Very thick, sticky, chewy, oily and smooth. Without a doubt the carbonation was on the lower side A light feeling of warmth was felt from the alcohol and a very sturdy dose of flavor was left covering the palate after each sip.
Yeah, this was a very good beer. One of the better Hoppin’ Frog brews that I’ve tried. It was full of flavor and the bouquet was completely enduring. The drinkability was somewhat low for me because of the strength of flavor and high alcohol, but it would make for a great Winter time brew. One to work through if you were not in any rush. The heavy roast and char did become, to a degree, slightly overbearing to me. That’s not saying that I couldn’t take this in smaller samples, however the “big” bottle might have been too much for me to track to tackle. Either way, the Hoppin’ Frog D.O.R.I.S. The Destroyer is worth a try if you can obtain it and if you like big, burly Imperial Stouts. Be sure to tell me of your opinion when you do so.
Thanks for reading and commenting everyone. I really appreciate it.
Until next time. Cheers.
Score: 4.1 out of 5
Grade: A-
Beer Apprentice - Craft Beer News, Reviews, Interviews and Info. 