Terrapin Beer Company Big Hoppy Monster

Big Hoppy Monster

 

Terrapin Beer Company in Athens, Georgia, United States 🇺🇸

  Amber / Red Ale - Imperial Regular Out of Production
Score
7.44
ABV: 8.3% IBU: - Ticks: 50
This mammoth imperial red ale leads with a tantalizing hop aroma that is quickly complemented by an enormous malt backbone. Finishing with a multitude of hoppy goodness, this “Monster Beer” is truly not for the faint at heart.
 

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8.2
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

From Jan 2008

I got this bottle in a trade wit...err...this is the one bottle that I moved around and I'm not certain who I got it from. I (think* it was RustyDiamond but if I'm wrong, let me know and I'll give proper credit.

This pours from 12oz bottle a clear deep amber with about a 1 finger head of foam that does shrink some but by the end of session, there's still a good 1/2" layer there. Nice.

The smell is nice and hoppy(citrus) fruity, and there's a good touch of caramel malt there as well.

The taste has a nice hoppy flavour of citrus that isn't overly bitter along with a more than ample caramel malt and some toasted grain tastes. Very nice, particularly with the hops; the ones they are using bring something different to the table as I say, again, there's a very fruity flavour to them and they aren't what I'm used to. Well done indeed.

It has a nice thickish mouthfeel to it and the carbonation is on the low side; it finishes bittersweet and lingers on some time after the swallow.Yikes! This is 8.3%abv?? You could have fooled me as there's almost no trace of it during my session. Very drinkable and a brew I'd love to visit again.

Tried from Bottle on 01 Nov 2017 at 12:38


6.1
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Reviewed from notes. Rcvd from my sister.
This was poured into a snifter.
The appearance was a nice looking bronzed orange color with a decent one and a half finger white foamy head that dissipated within about a minute. There was some light lacing that slid into the beer.
The aroma had some grapefruity/citrusy notes that lent a decent amount of pine entering in as it warmed.
The taste had a nice sweet citrusy aspect running over my taste buds.
On the palate, this one sat at/about a nice light to medium in body. It proved itself to be somewhat sessionable. The carbonation was somewhat sharp but not overbearing.
Overall, I say this was a decent DIPA, its nothing to go bonkers about but worthy of having again.

Tried on 21 Jun 2014 at 23:41


7.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 5

Poured from a bottle clear amber with a slight head. The aroma is caramel and the taste is of toffee and malt. Rather than hoppy. So why is it hop monster?

Tried from Bottle on 06 Oct 2013 at 18:14


7.1
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5

From a 12 oz bottle shared at home. Pours a clear amber with a thick off white head that recedes leaving lots of lacing. Citrus hop nose. Flavors of grass and caramel. Moderate to sweet flavors. Slightly bitter finish

Tried from Bottle on 06 Oct 2013 at 17:52


6.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Bottle shared with iphonephan and others. Pours hazy amber with a cream head. Aroma of malt, caramel, toffee and citrus. Flavour is over moderate sweet and bitter. Medium bodied with soft carbonation.

Tried from Bottle on 06 Oct 2013 at 17:02


7.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

16th May 2010
Cloudy dark brown beer. Nice creamy tan head. Nose of old chocolate malt. Palate is soft and a little dry. Soft chocolatey malt, tasting a lot less aged than it smells. The malty goodness turns quite creamy. Some hop comes through and provides a semblance of balance. Finishes soft and semi dry with minerals and hop bitterness and sting. Another easy drinking beer from Terrapin.

Tried on 17 Jun 2012 at 09:26


7
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Hazy amber coloured body with a deep copper and ruby tint and a thin tan head. Aroma of pungent cascade and herbal hops, a lot of malt, some cherries, oak and a bit of alcohol noticeable. Medium to Full-bodied; Strong rich malt and toffee notes with a pungent hop kick and a dense earth and almost nutty finish. Aftertaste shows a lot of alcohol, serious body, a little fruit and a healthy dose of hops. Overall, a pungent and potent hoppy red (just as the label says), packed in a nice twelve ounce bottle perfectly. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased from Total Wine in Alexandria, Virginia for US$2.99 on 09-October-2011 sampled at home in Washington on 03-November-2011.

Tried from Bottle on 03 Nov 2011 at 22:30


7.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

12 ounce bottle into tulip, 2011 vintage, but no bottle date. Pours hazy red orange color with a fairly dense 1 finger light tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lacing cap. A bit of nice lacing sticks to the glass as well. Aromas of big orange, grapefruit, caramel, and tropical fruit; with a bit of pine, spices, and alcohol. Fairly sweet aromas here with good strength. Taste of big orange, grapefruit, caramel, pine, toasted malt, and spiciness. Nice amount of bitterness present on the finish, with lingering notes of caramel, pine, citrus, and a bit of spice. Pretty large amount of sweetness in comparison to bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied, with a fairly creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel. Alcohol is well hidden, with only a warming on the finish noticed. Decent drinkability for the level of alcohol, but it was still somewhat of a sipper. Overall a decent imperial red ale, but maybe it is better when it is fresh. This may have bit a bit too old.

Tried from Bottle on 24 Sep 2011 at 20:13


8.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

12 oz. bottle, pours a murky dark red / mahogany with a beige / tan head, one-finger in width. Very aromatic nose, with heaps of caramel malt providing a strong backbone, grapefruit, dark fruits and truckloads of resinous hops. Flavour is both sweet and hoppy, in superb balance, with truckloads of both resinous hops and grapefruity / caramel malt. Finishes sticky sweet and mildly bitter. Most excellent.

Tried from Bottle on 19 Sep 2011 at 16:28


7.9
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5

12 oz. bottle. Pours dark brown with amber notes and a light tan head. The aroma is apples, citrus hops, and some light roasted malts. THe flavor is very bitter, but very well balanced. The palate is heavy, sticky, and a little acidic. Overall, a very delicious and amazingly balanced and drinkable beer. Great flavor and aroma.

Tried from Bottle on 01 Aug 2011 at 17:23