Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster

Brewed by Terrapin Beer Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Athens, Georgia USA

2nd Houston Tasting. Thanks to KAggie97 for this 2007 bottle. Deep red amber pour with mocha colored head. Nose of sweet malts, candied sugars, raisins. Flavor is rich malt with a rye type flavor. It is full bodied, but I’m missing the hoppy monster.

In short: IIPA with focus on the rich sweet malted body. Very good but far from the hop bomb the name suggests
How: Bottle (2007 batch) from Beerlando. Thanks a lot buddy!
The look: Clear burgundy body with a medium tan head
In long: A rather sweet beer with red apple skin, dried fruits and plums swimming in lots of caramel and toffee. Some red liquorice candy. Heavy malt profile to say the least. Short bitterness of medium intensity that mixes fruity and foresty flavours. 8.3% is apparent. Body is a bit fluffy and carbonation is comfortably average. This is a very good moderately hopped beer with the focus on the very nice rich and sweet malted body. Some might be disappointed by this very good beer but only because the name leads you to believe that you’re getting this over-the-top ultra-hoppy bitter IIPA but that’s not the case here. I’d even say the balance is towards the sweet malts. You can make an excellent romantic comedy but if you call it Terror at Death Creak you will get some disappointed customers.

[Bottle, thanks Tytoanderso] Pours reddish with no head. Surprisingly, for something called Big Hoppy Monster, the aroma and taste are not too hoppy with the malt actually more dominant. Medium mouthfeel. Decent finish. Not bad, but could use a lot more hops.

Shared at the MN Winter Gathering. Deep dark rich red in color with an off white head. Citrus and floral hop aromas. Sugary sweetness in flavor with not as much hop flavor as the aroma displayed. A hint of alcohol and hops in the finish.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle. Mandarin oranges, a hit of stale crystal, and more juicy citrus. Honey and a very firm biscuity malt flavor; hints of green spices and pungent yerba mate around edges. Fairly loose and medium bodied in the mouth; pleasant caramel smoothness. Tinge of mineral metallics in a swift finish. Laid back, and without flaws. Thanks for sharing, Tyler!

2007 bottle courtesy of ucusty...pours a shade of mahogany with a rich tight beige head that leaves a lot of lacing on the glass. the smell is super sweet with caramel/brown sugar, malt, orange/citrus and floral hops. the flavor is also sweet (less than expected though, given the aroma. but not by much).... it’s balanced by a bit ol’ bite of hoppy dryness. finishes dry and a little acidic with more tingly piney hops showing up followed by a slight alcohol burn. medium body with prickly carbonation...the heavy use of aromatic hops makes this more like a hoppy BW than a dipa. but, i’ve never been a fan of sweet ipas anyway....

2007 edition. Dark red in colour with huge toffe coloured head. Big floral hop aroma. Sweet rasin/port flavour. Big bold hop bitter finish. Thanks John

Pours a clean red/brown color body with a small tan froth. Sweet malty aroma with some piney hops and sweet bread present. Flavor starts with sweet carmel malts, bubble gum, and a sugary yeast taste with a milder than expected piney hoppiness that mellows out the finish. Thanks to Jimbowood for the bottle.