Gavel Slammer - Barrel Aged
Hoppin' Frog Brewery in Akron, Ohio, United States 🇺🇸
Strong Ale - American Regular|
Score
7.73
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Barrel-aged over-the-top ale like no other, with a truly magnificent character from aging in select whiskey barrels. Rich, aromatic, lively and dark, with layer after layer of roasted, toasted, and caramelized malts, beautifully balanced from the oak barrel. We've done our part, slamming the hammer down for freedom from alcohol limits.
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8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can shared with L&M. It pours opaque jet black with a tiny deep tan cap. The aroma is rich, oily, dark roasted malt, umami, savoury, salty liquorice, liquorice all sorts, dark and dried fruits, plum, prune, fig, toasted fruit cake, charred currants, fruity whiskey character, whiskey soaked oak and a touch of jamminess. The taste is slick, oily, thick, chewy, toothy, dark roasted malts, toasty, savoury roast, super dark chocolate, cacao nibs, charred oak, spicy, burnt toast, big slap of a booze, so much umami, liquorice, ash, toasted sesame, dark fruits, plum, fig jam, fruity whiskey and stewed coffee with a dark roasted, tarry finale. Full body, fine prickly carbonation and slick oily mouth feel. Clings to your ribs. The polar opposite to today's adjunct impy stouts. Big and savoury, slick and unctuous. Far from an easy beverage, commands you attention.
Tried
from Can
on 21 Sep 2024
at 19:51
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
21st September 2024
Can. Not quite an opaque dark brown beer, small bubbly tan head. Smooth and slightly viscous palate, good fine minerally carbonation. Rich dark malts, crisp dark chocolate, slightly bitter, touch of brown burned sugar. Big rich bourbon soaked ripe fruits. Whisper of coconut. Spicy alcohol on the finish, no real alcohol heat. Pretty rich and boozy and savoury.
Can. Not quite an opaque dark brown beer, small bubbly tan head. Smooth and slightly viscous palate, good fine minerally carbonation. Rich dark malts, crisp dark chocolate, slightly bitter, touch of brown burned sugar. Big rich bourbon soaked ripe fruits. Whisper of coconut. Spicy alcohol on the finish, no real alcohol heat. Pretty rich and boozy and savoury.
Tried
from Can
on 21 Sep 2024
at 19:09
8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
Boozy, malt & bourbon aroma. Chocolate, coffee, berry, raisin & port tastes with a big boozy finish. Top Drawer
Tried
on 15 Sep 2024
at 14:28
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
Can from Tavour. Pours very dark brown with a transient, slight dark tan head. Aroma of dark burnt malt with heat and whiskey. Full bodied. Flavor of whiskey, heat, dark burnt malt and a Kraft chocolate caramel note. Not dry, but not sticky. Heat stands in for bitter. Wood astringency requires some concentration, but it's there. Nice brew.
Tried
from Can
on 07 Dec 2023
at 01:48
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Tasting at Ryan's, can; 16.5% ABV
Apparently it's best before sept 2025, but it's difficult to read. Black colour. Aroma of dark malts, cacao, alcohol. Full bodied, sweet, but too strong to be syrupy; strong cacao flavour, roasted malts, vanilla; hot alcohol. Extreme, but good. In small amounts.
Apparently it's best before sept 2025, but it's difficult to read. Black colour. Aroma of dark malts, cacao, alcohol. Full bodied, sweet, but too strong to be syrupy; strong cacao flavour, roasted malts, vanilla; hot alcohol. Extreme, but good. In small amounts.
Tried
from Can
on 27 Nov 2023
at 20:23
7.1/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
16oz shared with Phill (thx for the beer!) and Alex @ Ryan's. 16.4% ABV. Appearance: dark brown with a beige head. Aroma: American oak, light sweetness, molasses. Taste: along the same lines, but it's harsh, abrasive, and boozy. Overall: there is no balance here, so surprised they even decided to release this product considering their overall level of BBA stouts.
Tried
from Can
on 26 Nov 2023
at 08:26
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Poured from 473mL can (bb Sept 15, 2025; 16.5% abv). Near black with minimal beige head. Whiskey forward, quite boozy, some molasses and roast malt with a hint of oak, but a bit too boozy.
Tried
from Can
on 26 Nov 2023
at 08:23
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Can. Pours a dark brown hue with some reddish hints, a small beige head. A big nose, sugary, boozy. Hot, yeah at the edges, but the overall beer is actually really drinkable. Smooth caramel, whiskey, some roast, dark caramel. Lovely.
Tried
from Can
on 20 Nov 2023
at 05:14
8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Black with a small foamy brown head. Dough, cocoa, caramel, whiskey, and coconut. Quite boozy. Very long finish. Full bodied.
Tried
on 15 Nov 2023
at 20:55
8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Canned, 473 ml, shared with Miro B and Max. Black with beige head. Chocolate, roasty, cocoa, barel, moderate sweetness, nice bitter finish. Medium to full bodied.
Tried
from Can
on 31 May 2023
at 17:59