Terrapin Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout - Terrapin Beer Company

wedge

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

@ Busy Bee

Black with a damn near nitro looking head...thick, tight, brown foam with some patchy lace. Thick, clean coffee smell. Some subtle dark fruity esters and a dark, cocoa quality. Tasty coffee and chocolate roast flavor...not too heavy, just good, quality coffee stout goodness. Very light licorice. Some thickness...floaty and smooth in the mouth. A nice surprise cask treat. Good stuff...

Serving type: cask

12-02-2011 03:02:04 | More by wedge

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On cask at Piper's Pub

A: Pours a midnight black color with a small one finger dark brown foam head. There is plenty of lacing down the sides of the goblet.

S: Decent amount of milk chocolate malt along with some roasted espresso, caramel and vanilla. Not much oatmeal present to the nose.

T: Starts off with a bitter espresso flavor. This flavor is quite prevalent throughout the tasting. In the middle, the rich milk chocolate give the beer a little more balance. On the back end, the milk chocolate, vanilla and yes some oatmeal really blend nicely with the bitter coffee and even the beer out more.

M: A full bodied beer that leaves a thick slightly bitter taste on the palate.

O: I enjoyed this beer but was hoping for a little less coffee and a little more richness from the oatmeal. Still, for the style it is a really tasty brew.

Serving type: cask

11-06-2011 11:33:34 | More by IronCitySteve

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on cask at Al's of Hampden into a nonic pint during the Mad Murren event.

A - Pours jet black with a small film of khaki colored head leaving light, tan, lacing down the glass.

S - Huge, rich, coffee punch is ever present. Tons of dark roasted aromas from the coffee and chocolate malts. The oatmeal and some sweet lactic flavor help balance this one a bit but it is still all coffee, all day.

T - Lots of rich roast up front from the coffee that remains throughout the experience. Middle has some lactic sweetness thanks to the oatmeal which helps keep things balanced as much as possible. Finish is quite strong with plenty of roast from all the dark flavors hiding inside this one. I had this once before on-tap and it was ok, this is a whole new ball game. Such a great stout for the cask serving format. One of the best I have had in a while.

M - Heavy body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Fairly heavy feel with lots of roast in the finish. Awesome beer to have on cask.

D - Pretty high. A bit one dimensional but still a very enjoyable coffee stout for a cold day. I might need to get another one...

Serving type: cask

12-26-2010 22:30:37 | More by orangesol

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes taken on 12/18/10. On the hand pump at Al's of Hampden during one of the "murren" events.

Served in a nonic, this brew appears black with a finger of dark tan creamy head that holds strong inside the glass and produces some spotty lace as it slowly fades and sips are taken.

The aroma of this brew is coffee and citrus hops with a dark grainy, roasty and almost smoky accent. A chocolate flavor imparts a sweetness that is almost milky.

The taste of this brew is bitter dark roasted grains with citrus hops and a pungent fruity alcohol character. Bitter roasted grains fill out most of the profile along with coffee that lasts inside the mouth.

This is a medium bodied brew with a light level of carbonation. It is super smooth and very enjoyable. I have enjoyed this brew many times before from a bottle and on tap and have to tip my hat to the cask delivery for this one. The cask version of this beer absolutely is amazing and on a whole new level than bottle.

Serving type: cask

12-24-2010 17:16:48 | More by stakem

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On cask, via hand pump, @ Al's of Hampden (Enola, PA) on 12/18/10. Served in a pint glass.

Pours a pitch black in the glass, with a finger of frothy dark mocha head. This retains creamy foaminess that skims the surface and drenches the sides of the glass with heavy and rich looking lacing. The aroma is just coffee in its purest form. Sharp, roasty, bitter, green, and earthy, this is what you look for in a beer like this. Chocolate and oats give this some sweetness in the back but man, the coffee flavor is just eye-opening here.

The coffee character matches the aroma and is intensified by the cask, being burnt, acrid, roasty, dry, and just overall flavorful here with a green and earthy edge to it. A sticky mix of chocolate and caramel drench the back of the palate, as does some creamy sweetness from the oatmeal. This finishes unbelievably burnt and dry, with a satisfying parching nature it. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with some sharpness on top but there is a bubbly and creamy feel to this underneath that keeps this extremely easy. There is some light warmth that comes out of the body but the oats and cask do wonders smoothing this out.

Wow, I was gob smacked to find this on cask at Al's, as I believe that Wake-N-Bake is hard to find served that way even in the South. The coffee character was just off the chain from the beer engine and it's hard to think of another beer that has such unadulterated and unleashed java flavors as this does. This smoothness and easy drinking of nature of this on cask was just the icing on the cake. This was fantastic.

Serving type: cask

12-20-2010 16:10:00 | More by Kegatron

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A handpull at Al's during Mad Murren day.

A: The coffee stout is pitch black, supported by a finger of tan head. A fine looking stout.

S: The nose is heavy on the coffee, a java oasis amidst the burnt malts. Oatmeal lends creaminess, a sweet lactic flavor that goes well with the coffee.

T: More coffee goodness from the first sip. The rich java flavor is sweet and nicely melds with the malt body. A lactic sweetness, thanks in part to the oatmeal, provides an au lait aspect to the beer. The coffee, though, seems to be amped out in this cask. The warming bitterness is mildly acrid with a sweet chocolatey taste. Every time I have tis beer, I'm reminded of badly I wanted to try it and how excited I was when it arrived.

M: The mouthfeel is lush with chocolate, coffee and oatmeal all popping up. The oatmeal calms, soothing the fuller dark flavors. On cask, the ale is wonderful.

D: The stout is big, a warming brew that requires some patience. But oh man it goes down nicely.

Serving type: cask

12-18-2010 20:24:29 | More by akorsak

AltBock

Ohio

4.09/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle with the Terrapin turtle in a chef outfit with a spatula and a frosty glass of beer in his hands. In front of him is a pan of fresh baked cookies and a steaming pot of coffee. To the far left is a description of the beer and to the right is the Government warning and a vintage year. This bottle is from 2012. This Georgia beer was poured into a Peg's Cantina snifter.

This coffee beer poured a straight up roasted coffee black color. It was one of those solid black colors where light had problems shining through it. I held it up to the light and all I saw was a reflection of myself. You can even hold a flashlight to this beer and the light will bounce back into the bulb. Impressive color! This would have been a top notch appearance if the head of foam was better. Up rose from this black brew a skim of mocha colored foam. It was around the 1/4 of an inch mark. When the beer realized that coffee doesn't have a head of foam, it disappeared in a blink of an eye. It only managed to leave behind a almost invisible string of tiny rings.

Saying this beer smells like coffee would be an understatement. It didn't smell like roasted coffee beans. It smelled like roasted coffee grounds. Behind the thick coffee ground wall was a touch of dark chocolate, a decent amount of roasted malt, a drop of molasses, and a subtle whiff of vanilla at the finish line. I certainly got the coffee portion of this coffee oatmeal Imperial Stout. I didn't get so much oatmeal in the aroma, but it was still a very good coffee based aroma. My nose had no problems with this beer.

Not only did it look like coffee, smell like coffee, but it also tasted like coffee. This beer sure loved the coffee grounds. Fresh coffee grounds. At least it didn't taste like coffee grounds that have been sitting in the coffee machine for a week. Stuck inside the coffee grounds was the roasted malt, dark chocolate, a dash of oats, a drop of molasses, and even a pinch of vanilla at the end. There's no denying this beer's love for the fresh coffee grounds.

This was a medium to full bodied coffee imperial stout with a nice level of carbonation and an aftertaste that was coffee ground based. That's not shocking considering the smell and taste. This coffee ground aftertaste also contained dark chocolate, roasted malt, and a little drop of molasses. This coffee based aftertaste didn't stick around. It left in a hurry like the head of foam.

Looked like coffee, smelled like coffee, tasted like coffee, but guess what? It's not a coffee! I've had coffee beers that tasted like coffee beans instead of this beer's love for the coffee grounds. There's nothing wrong with that if it does it well. The coffee grounds work well with this beer. Would I drink this again? I have and I will do it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 00:26:59 | More by AltBock

hopsputin

California

4.24/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

a: dark black, lets just the smallest amount of light through. dark tan 2 finger head that fades quick

s: its 2013, i'm drinking the 2012 vintage. pungent coffee beans punch you in the face...almost like spicy. dark chocolate, roasted malt, and a milky sweetness

t: i think the age may have mellowed out the coffee a bit (i've never had a fresh one). still...wow thats smooth! roasted coffee beans mixed with dark chocolate and oat. sweet dark berries, and a nice creaminess, probably due to the oats. there is a slight bitterness, but i can't tell if it comes from the roasted bean flavor or any kind of hop presence. there is a slight bit of coconut on the backend. you don't taste any alcohol, but you feel a slight tingle in the mouth

m: on the lighter side of full. it coats your mouth and hangs around for a while

o: keep in mind that this is a year old bottle. still a nice coffee stout (i do love coffee stouts). i want to get my hands on a fresher bottle, because i want to see if it makes a difference in the intensity of coffee flavor. its still really smooth, but i'd take FBS over this if it was between the two

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 05:37:46 | More by hopsputin

Uncle_Jimmy

California

3.91/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance- beautiful dark pour with a half a finger of dark brown foam on top. completely opaque.

Smell- lots of coffee olives some vino mixed in. maybe a bit of dark chocolate.

Taste- velvety smooth rich coffee and a slight malt sweetness. slight resiny hop at the back end , but this drinks like a coffee more than it drinks like a beer.

Mouthfeel- like a mouthful of hot coffee and oats. soft silky texture a touch of alcohol warmth. Its done in a pleasing way.

Overall- a tasty coffee oatmeal imperial stout. It has done the best so far in combining coffee oatmeal and imperialness that I have ever tasted. I think a lot of beers/ breweries would get hung up on one aspect of that combo but all these flavors play very nice together.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 19:08:18 | More by Uncle_Jimmy

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.35/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle
Vintage 2012

A - Black body with a thin espresso head. Looks very viscous like motor oil.

S - Sweet rich aroma (borderline artificial) dark chocolate, roasted espresso, vanilla, roasted black malts, freezer burn.

T - Sweet but bitter espresso, rich dark chocolate, vanilla, hints of raspberry tartness mixed in. Espresso comes back in and just dominates adding a nice bitterness on the back of the tongue.

M - Full bodied, nice silky feel, low carbonation.

Love the bold espresso character. Rich dark chocolate works very well with it. This beer is not messing around.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 23:27:42 | More by StaveHooks

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours like thin, black motor oil with coffee brown tints. The beer pours with a small dark khaki head that quickly fades into a ring of tight small bubbles around the glass. In body, the beer is impenetrable to the eye. It sits in the glass as a dark and brooding enigma. The beer leaves a splotchy and light lacing, leaving slick dots of bubbles on the glass. On the nose, the beer smells of big meaty coffee beans with dry cocoa and some slight charred malts poking through. In many ways it smells like a very coffee forward mocha, with great nuances to the coffee smell. The smell is coffee heaven for sure. Comparable to Founder’s Breakfast Stout, only more coffee forward. On the tongue, the beer tastes sweet and then roasty bitter with slight savory hints of chocolate and meaty coffee. In flavors, the beer begins as sweet chocolate, almost moving into light dark fruit characters before it blossoms into roasted coffee and cocoa powder with light notes of charred malts. The flavors are superbly mellow and balanced, especially in comparison to the big nose, though still plenty large enough to please the palate. The finish is bitter black coffee with touches of light fruit and chocolate, which moves slowly into rich cocoa powder. The aftertaste is of light, generic dark fruit flavors with slight bitter coffee and a ghost of savory salt lingering on the tongue. In the mouth, the beer feels thick in body with a light velvety carbonation that helps the beer to slither across the palate. The mouth is left slightly wet with coffee’s bitter lingering feel. Overall, this is a phenomenal imperial stout with coffee and oatmeal. There are beautiful nuances in this beer and some beautiful balance between rather dominant flavors. This beer is in many ways comparable to Founder’s Breakfast Stout, and, in my current memory, it seems to have more balance and coffee richness than FBS. That being said, my bottle is a couple months old and might have mellowed from its original flavors. This beer is great, though, try it.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 01:44:26 | More by Maxwell

Justin_Neff

Ohio

4.41/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Reviewed from notes on 3/26/13

A: Motor oil black body. Dark, tan colored head. Moderate lacing. Retention is ok - settles into a thin frothy head.

S: Nose is strong vanilla latte coffee. Lots of chocolate in the waft. Some nuttiness. This smells fantastic.

T: Chocolate, almost like a mocha latte. The vanilla is faint, but there are hints of hazelnut, almond in there as well.

M: Super creamy, medium-full body. Booze is basically invisible. Low-moderate carbonation.

O: Another very well done coffee brew. I would love to do a blind taste test between this and FBS, as they are very similar. By far my favorite Terrapin brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 14:36:52 | More by Justin_Neff

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.31/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance –The brew pours a pitch black color with a two finger brown colored head. The head fades rapidly at first leaving a small persistent brown head that fades slowly over time to leave a lighter level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell- The aroma is heaviest of chocolate, coffee and molassas. Mixed with these smells are some aromas of vanilla as well as smells of some oatmeal.

Taste – The taste begins with a sweet flavor of chocolate and oatmeal and dark fruits A strong coffee flavor, much stronger then the nose depicted, came to the tongue and was mixed with a light vanilla taste that grows stronger as the flavor advances. During this time the oatmeal like flavors grow in intensity from the beginning to the middle of the taste, only to dwindle some as the flavor moves on to the end. In the end, while the brew still maintains a high level of sweetness, it bitters slightly with a more burnt coffee like flavor coming to the tongue to leave a sweet and more roasted coffee flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the creamier side, but has a high level of smoothness with a carbonation level that is on the slightly lower than average side. It is pretty nice for the style with it coasting the mouth in its robust flavors. The only thing that may have accentuated the oat flavors slightly more would have been a slightly chewier body, but even so, it was nice overall.

Overall – A rather enjoyable, sweet and coffee accentuating stout. A rather god drinker and one to try.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 01:30:15 | More by Darkmagus82

rboinski

California

4.26/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

6 oz pour out of a 12 oz bottle into a FW Barrelworks Teku

Aroma: A bit one note, but a note I enjoy. Smells like high quality Kyoto iced coffee, rather than mass produced coffee brewed warm and allowed to stale and cool. Small amount of malty sweetness, as well as some chocolate and even a touch of vanilla.

Appearance: Opaque, black body with a fairly dark tan head. Almost no head, requires a vigorous swirl in the teku to develop a 1/2 inch head which dissipates within 15 seconds down to a thin ribbon which sticks to the glass.

Flavor: Strong coffee presence, malty chocolate sweetness comes in for a few seconds but is quickly masked with an espresso like bitterness that lingers on the palate. A tiny bit of dark chocolate character, sort of a dark fruitiness reminiscent of high quality dark chocolate melting in your mouth. 15 minutes after my last sip, some chocolate sweetness is still present in my mouth with less of the bitter espresso, which is actually quite pleasant.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is almost too high, maybe should have let this sit in the glass a bit longer but I pulled the bottle out of the fridge early and it was at the right temperature to taste. Next time I might open it as I pull it out and let it warm in the glass to reduce the carbonation experienced. Moderate mouthfeel, to be honest I was expecting a bit more but it was sufficient.

Overall: Taking my cue from the name, and enjoyable beer to start the morning (that will be spent brainstorming for some writing). It has alcohol to help the ideas flow, and it has coffee to get those ideas quickly on the page before I forget them! Would be very enjoyable with a rich meal (this would be perfect with the hawaiian glazed Rib-Eye from Houston's) or possibly an espresso chocolate flourless cake.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 16:04:19 | More by rboinski

drrone

Arizona

4.53/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A - pours a nice jet black. 1 inch of light brown head that faded to leave a nice crown of lace.

S - Great coffee presence. Malty, with chocolate and slight touch of hops(?). Coffee definitely take the center stage here, but the nose is very nice.

T - Follows suit with the nose. Coffee, coffee and more coffee. Very good. A little boozy, but I like that.

M - Very nice medium to full body. Pretty easy to drink considering it is an imperial stout. Quite pleasant.

O - Very nice beer. I was looking for a good coffee stout and this delivered perfectly. It has a strong coffee foundation, but yet a few touches of other goodies to keep it intriguing. This was from a trade, but I will buy this beer again, when I see it.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 18:28:39 | More by drrone

SSSBR1509

Florida

4.71/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- dark motor oil black with a dark tan head
Nose- huge coffee notes with a bit of alcohol heat too it a bit of dark bakers chocolate or a chocolate with a high caco %
Mouthfeel- big body but a bit too much carbonation for the style but it faded away as it warmed
Taste- on the forefront a dark espresso with dark chocolate followed by a slight dark fruit note and alcohol warmth
Overall- very complex and nice brew. i would defiantly recommend this too anyone whos is wanting a nice beer too sip on

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 23:50:23 | More by SSSBR1509

Powderhornphil

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to ThickNStout for this long-time want. Pretty excited to finally try this one. Pours fairly thick with about 1 finger of deep brown head.

Smells like a pot of cooled coffee followed by chocolate. Some subtle alcohol notes are in there as well.

The taste starts with a big coffee bitterness followed by some chocolate sweetness. Then finishes bitter again.

Full mouthfeel, light carbonation. Pretty much spot on for an 8% coffee stout.

I would be glad to wake up to this beer any time.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 01:04:29 | More by Powderhornphil

CloudStrife

New York

4.1/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into a glass. Vintage 2012

A: Pours a very dark brownish black with a half finger dark tan head. Some visible carbonation visible. Not really any lacing.

S: Coffee, roasted malt, almost a peppery spice to this as well.

T: Quite a balanced beer. Coffee isn't as strong as anticipated. More of a roastiness and dark fruitiness. Oatmeal in there as well as chocolate. Alcohol is well hidden. Decent bitterness from the hops.

M: Very smooth full body with a creamy mouthfeel. On the low end of carbonation. Clean finish. Very easy drinking.

Overall a real tasty brew that I think may be better a little closer to its season. I know coffee is a flavor that tends to fade with time and I think that has happened with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 19:04:42 | More by CloudStrife

donmonkey1

Tennessee

3.25/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Dark brown/black with a nice dark tan head. The head dissipates a little too quickly.

Smell: Mainly molasses, burnt toast, sweet toasted nuts.

Taste: Coffee with a shot of blended molasses, raisins, & PGA.

Mouthfeel: Perfect for a stout. Thick, rich, chewy, foamy.

The beer is too rich and alcoholic to my system to enjoy. A lot of people will love this beer but I'd have to water it down to have a chance to enjoy it more.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 22:48:21 | More by donmonkey1

Jacurdy60

Alabama

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

A-Pitch black like all stouts. Coffee colored, carbonated head with poor retention.

S-Freshly ground coffee is overwhelming albeit in a good way. Malted barley and hops make a small presence. Astringent alcohol becomes profound as the brew warms. Delicious smelling brew.

T-Follows the nose. Strong, bitter coffee and a sweet malty background and an alcoholic bite. Absolutely fantastic.

MF-Crisp and refreshing for a stout. Not as rich as I'd like it.

O-Absolutely fantastic. The bitter coffee balances perfect with the malty sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 21:23:50 | More by Jacurdy60

macrosmatic

Florida

4.39/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Reviewed from notes. Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a Russian River pint glass.

A: Dark brown, opaque, with a 1/2 finger tan head. Low visible carbonation.

S: Coffee, mocha, lactose sweetness, with vanilla, leather, and big sweet malts.

T: Huge roasty coffee flavors, some chocolate malts, and a fair amount of bitterness (roasted or hops? Can't decide) to balance the lactose sweetness. Finishes dry with more burnt coffee bitterness in the hang.

M: Thick body as is standard for oatmeal stout, creamy mouthfeel, mild alcohol presence, good carbonation sensation.

O: Quite tasty, and exactly what you'd expect going into it. Recommended, and glad I have a few more.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 18:30:10 | More by macrosmatic

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to TheSevenDuffs for the bottle

Deep brown colour, near black with a ring of tan head, touch of lace as well. Smell is a nice mix of coffee and milk chocolate, nice roasted malt, dark chocolate and bitter coffee grinds, really a very nice nose here. Taste has lots of coffee, chocolate and roasted malt, medium coffee like bitterness, a mild sweetness, a lot like a cold coffee with chocolate added. Light medium carbonation, full bodied but very smooth, lightly chewy as well. This was very nice, such an easy drinking full flavoured beer, nice mix of coffee and chocolate here, would gladly drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 19:46:22 | More by peensteen

05Harley

New Hampshire

4.74/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Vintage 2012
Estimated calories - 225/12oz

Purchased through Letspour

Price - $6.50/bottle

When it comes to an exceptional stout, this one comes to mind front and center. Loaded to the teeth in all categories and fitting for an end of winter review.

Pours jet black with a two finger creamy brown head. Wow, thick and chewy with a 10w-30 appearance draped across my Stone snifter. This son of a bitch looks amazing, a five in my book...

The nose is strong with fresh ground coffee leading the way followed by oatmeal, un-sweetened chocolate and raisins. The wood aroma from the oak chips adds a nice touch.

The flavor is semi-sweet with my tastebuds overwhelmed at first with a massive coffee infusion but notes of vanilla, burnt chocolate and black licorice peak through.

The body is full, oily and velvety smooth. Carbonation is soft, however the hops add a slight bitter feel and the oak chips pleasently dry my tongue. In the end, its more on the sweet side than bitter.

Espresso anyone, to say this beer smells and tastes of coffee wouldn't do it justice. Fresh ground coffee anyone?!

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 18:29:41 | More by 05Harley

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

4.46/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Terrapin Night at the Flying Saucer in Nashville. Wish it was on-tap, but won't complain about getting in it a bottle.

Totally black, opaque that no light passes through, topped by a dense, tan head. Good retention and lace stings.
Smell of freshly brewed coffee is big and bold. Basically the coffee is all you can smell.
After that you know what the taste is going to be. Rich, full bodied, a great coffee stout.
A great roasted maltbase, this would be a solid stout without the coffee.
Mouthfeel is medium pushing towards full, creamy and smooth. Long lasting finish, slightly oily texture. Alcohol warms going down.
Despite being thick and rich, it is not overly heavy, and still quite drinkable.
One dimensional, sure, but this was a very enjoyable beer. It has become my personal base line for all future coffee stouts

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 12:26:44 | More by BigBry

KevinMc

Illinois

4.39/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

A friend of mine got a few of these from a friend and sent one my way. I'd never heard of Terrapin, and was shocked to learn they were not from Maryland.

The color was a deep, dark brown, with a decently dark head that rose just enough to indicate its stoutiness (yes, I made that word up).

It smells wonderful; heavy on coffee with a faint hint of chocolate.

Awesome taste, very coffee forward with little notes of oatmeal, but subtle enough to not overwhelm the palate.

I was disappointed by the mouthfeel. It didn't feel like an Imperial Stout. It wasn't bad, but unexpected. Seemed almost like a porter it was so light. It doesn't linger too much and doesn't coat your mouth like a typical Imperial Stout. I can see some non-stout fans liking this because of that, but it personally bummed me out a bit.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 00:21:46 | More by KevinMc