Terrapin Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout - Terrapin Beer Company

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2012 vintage, poured into a snifter.

A- pours thick and viscous dark black, nearly opaque. Just a very small dark tan head with no retention and a small ring around the edge.

S- mocha cappuccino in a glass! Dark roasted coffe with smoky and roasted notes. Dark chocolate and vanilla bean, even a bit of toffee, awesome.

T- dark chocolate with smoky roasted dark day-old coffee, notes of vanilla and dark fig, finishes dark and bitter, leaving coffee and chocolate on the palate

M- medium-thick body, slightly viscous mouthfeel with a smooth and creamy finish. Slightly warming alcohol on the end.

O- a chocolaty coffee bomb, it smells like mocha coffee and the flavor follows suit. Great roasted flavors and a fine example of the style

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 03:50:14 | More by Treyliff

beerbully

New Jersey

4.51/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip glass from bottle
A-dark black with brown inch head that fadesrather quickly. Thick lacing that coats the side of the glass

S-sweet mocha coffee, slight roastiness, picking up some toffee or hazelnut

T-Taste initially follows the nose followed by a rush of black licorice. rather sweet finish that lingers for a while followed by some burnt coffee

M-This one really coats the mouth. Its thick, frothy, chewy. Drinks like a shake.

O-Liking this one quite a bit. Full body, a lot of bold flavors, nice warm finish. Well done

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 20:08:11 | More by beerbully

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

4.11/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Many thanks to SammyJaxxxx for this extra.

I usually don't care for coffee beers. Most of them remind me of stale or underwhelming coffee. But not this one. There is a terrific balance in this beer. I found it to be remarkable drinkable and thoroughly enjoyable, even though I usually don't care for oatmeal stouts, either.

The coffee is the first thing you smell, but it is not dominant. It's mingling with a little chocolate, a little roastiness, and a some tropical fruits. The beer looks great in the glass, although the head is a little more pale than expected from a beer this dark. Alcohol is barely perceptible, and somehow, this manages to be light.

This one was gone before I knew it. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 01:48:51 | More by DaveAnderson

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

a dark black pour with a finger of tan head which quickly dissipated. no lacing, no retention. smells of coffee beans, chocolate, mocha latte, caramel. delicious stout from terrapin. lots of coffee, a bit of dark chocolate, lots of dark bitter notes from toasted grains. full body with medium carbonation, thick heavy slow sipper with a wonderful taste. i love this beer. it's like a souped up version of moo hoo.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 02:12:35 | More by facundoCNB

TheJollyHop

California

4.21/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

I heard many good things about this beer and I have to say I can concur with most of them. Pours the same as any other imperial stout, just on the thinner side. Fair amount of lace.

Nose is very expressive with hints of slightly soured coffee, vanilla, creme brulee, drinking chocolate, mocha.

Chocolate gives way to roasted coffee in the mid palate followed by baking chocolate, roasted malts, slick oily mouthfeel and finishes with hints lingering vanilla laced roasted coffee. Extremely drinkable and the medium body fits the style well for a coffee stout meant to drink and not sip for long periods of time.

Definitely worth the price of admission.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 00:01:55 | More by TheJollyHop

Mojo

Alabama

4.59/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle -> New Belgium Globe

This beer is amazing. It compares well to FBS and in my part of the world is much easier to get. It pours up an opaque black without much head and bits of lacing left. The smell is incredible. a wonderful pleasing aroma of roasted coffee, nuts, and chocolate just rise up out of the glass to treat the nose. Taste is sweet molasses up front followed by coffee, toffee, caramel, and chocolate. The finish is a little bit boozy, but not overwhelmingly so. This is a great beer!!!!

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 04:00:41 | More by Mojo

TheLostGringo

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a La Fin du Monde Snifter.

A: Pours a opaque black with a 3-4 inch bubbly mocha head from an aggressive pour. Head remains for some time before receding into the beer.

S: Dark Chocolates, Strong Coffee, Malt and perhaps some noticable booze.

T: Very Coffee forward at the beginning, lots of chocolate and Malt flavors, Boozey in the back end.

M: Nice Mouth feel, perhaps a touch thinner then expected but still very nice.

O: Very good and tasty perhaps a little more booze then I would like as I do not think I could drink more then 1 or 2 of these in a session.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 16:08:09 | More by TheLostGringo

StArnoldFan

Texas

4.56/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Thanks to Crabbicuss for sending me this in a trade. Poured from a bottle to a Dogfish snifter. Dark pour with a mocha head. Strong coffee scent. Nice lacing on the glass. Nice stout with a strong coffee presence. Wish this was something I could get on the reg here in Houston.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 03:56:51 | More by StArnoldFan

RoninTK3

Rhode Island

4.95/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into Newport Storm snifter. Thanks to BeerBuddy2122 for this one.

A - Black coffee dark with a finger of mocha head. Beautiful looking beer.

S - Coffee, chocolate, oats, and dark malt. Really, this one is mostly coffee. Smells like a french press.

T - Incredible. Lots of coffee in this one. It doesn't just taste coffee flavored, this tastes like freshly brewed coffee. After the coffee there are notes of chocolate and booziness, but this one is all about the coffee.

M - Thick and oily. Not as creamy or heavy as I was expecting but nothing to complain about.

Wow! This one is going to become a new favorite. This is one of the best stouts I've had and every bit as good as Breakfast Stout (though quite different). This one excels among a lot of strong competition.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 02:17:49 | More by RoninTK3

Beerandboards

New Mexico

4.6/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Got this in a trade from ThinkNStout, thanks again my friend.

Poured from a bottle into a cigar city snifter.

A - Pours pitch black, poured chilled, a two inch head of foam sits on top and dissipates super slowly, leaving a quarter inch ring on top.

S - Smells phenomenal. I know the turtle on the front is baking a batch of cookies, so maybe its the power of suggestion, but I really do get chocolate cookies and coffee. Definitely tons of chocolate and coffee, but there are some malty notes that kind of complete the idea. Really a great smelling beer.

T - This one hits the nail on the head for me. Coffee and chocolate share the forefront, Chocolate is kind of a blend between sweet and bitter chocolates and the coffee is not overbearing but is prominent. Just the right amount of hops bittering the edges of the palate. Aftertaste is sweet malty goodness. Fantastic.

M - Cant say a bad thing about it. Low carb, medium to thick. Great.

O - I just really love this beer. Find it, buy it, drink it. Thats all.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 23:12:17 | More by Beerandboards

MacDaddyJ

North Carolina

4.89/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

This is a great example of a breakfast stout, and only a few that you could compare it to. It pours a nice thick black with a nice tan head that leaves nice lacing down the side of my glass. The nose gives you a hefty amount of dark roasted coffee with a little hint of sweetness. It follows through with each sip and the added bonus of some bittersweet chocolate notes with a hint of warming alcohol. The coffee lingers nicely after you swallow this full bodied stout. Definitely worth trying if you like coffee, but I do miss the original name..

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 05:49:36 | More by MacDaddyJ

tectactoe

Michigan

4.24/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to nedvalton for this one! Pours a thick, dark black color with only an ever-so-slight, deep brown shearing on the very outer edges of the beer. A marginally darker-than-tan head forms slowly and encapsulates the beer about one inch deep under a bed of super-fine carbonation bubbles.

The aroma - what do you know - is very heavy on the coffee; black and deep with a nice roasted bean flavor. An almost equal part dark chocolate fudges battles for the foreground, adding an earthy sweetness to the strong, bitter coffee. Some more roasted overtones filled with ashy molasses and syrup round out the edges of a wonderfully crafted aromatic profile. Can't wait to taste this one.

This one his the palate with a medium-thick body, actually a little lighter than expected, especially from the almost sludgy looking pour; still, pretty creamy and silky overall. Sweet, alcohol-drenched chocolate comes out first and foremost, almost like a rum-covered devil's food cake. Silky and syrupy sweetness is abound, but matched formidably by a roasted espresso bean flavor that limps in around the halfway mark and marches strong through the ending.

That big, robust coffee flavor sits heavy on the palate and lacquers the inside of your mouth so that you're tasting it minutes after having swallowed a sip. The sweetness battles back however, and I'm almost even picking up some very faint dark fruits; figs and black licorice. Despite the colossal malt rampage, the hops are far from unnoticed and actually add quite the spike - leafy, herbal, and a touch dry, the bitterness they assert does a perfect balance job and keeps the heavy malt bill in check. Wonderful from start to finish.

Glad I finally got to try this one. A damn fine coffee stout, balanced well and executed masterfully. Nice battle of chocolate vs. coffee with a nearly perfect inclusion hops to offer the counterpoint. So - is this better than Founder's Breakfast Stout? It's hard to say. I never like comparing beers because it always seems like the non-winner misses out on the credit it deserves. Terrapin has crafted a fine coffee stout - tasty and drinkable, bottom line. I wish I could get my hands on this all the time.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 04:59:22 | More by tectactoe

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.48/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle to HFS sniffer

A:Dark dark brown the color of black coffee with a thin lacing of mocha foam around the glass but there was basically no head. The thing is completely opaque and is looking good.

S: This thing smells like freshly ground coffee it is super powerful and I love it, not much else there but I really don't care.

T:follows the nose tastes more like coffee then beer even has more of a coffee then hop bitterness but there are plenty of other flavors in there like sweet chocolate and oatmeal not much hops but doesn't bother me as coffee is what I want

M: Thick and very chewy definitely like toffee you can almost feel the coffee bitterness which is great. Pretty drinkable but could be a little heavier as it is somewhat oily regardless pretty good.

O:Wow I really loved this beer but I also love coffee if you don't this beer isn't for you but it is the purest coffee taste I have ever have in a beer and I am quite impressed to style all the way get this beer if you can.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 01:49:08 | More by Pinknuggets

buzzedup

Pennsylvania

4.84/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

I had to special order this from my local distributor about a month ago. I forgot i ordered and have not heard back from them. went in last week to grab a 1/6 barrel and seen the case sitting behind the counter. I asked if that was a special order and they said yes. I gave them my name and whooo hooo Wake n Bake time!.

A. overall this beer looks perfect. dark as can be and a nice mocha head that does stick around for a few.
S. Perfect! smells like it RIS with a bit more Joe added. again it does not get much better when you look outside and see snow comming down,
T. nothing better. well FBS and Old Rasputin are the first to come to mind, Wake n Bake just seems a bit smoother and perfectly carbinated. TO tell the truth this years batch of FBS was much better than last year. Last year FBS was way to carbinated (but that is a different review)..
M. again this is just perfect, coats and coats and coats. your tougue has a nice oily feel after ever sip.
O. like i first mentioned this is a beer i order every year and is one of my all time favs as it comes to stouts. IF you see a bottle of this you should get excited and grab as many as you can. I still have 2 bottles from last year and they stand up really nice to conditioning hide a few away fora summer evening treat.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 20:45:44 | More by buzzedup

beertunes

Washington

3.61/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A big Thank You to Dopplebockulus for this treat. Poured into 10oz goblet. Poured a solid black with under 1/4 inch of Carhartt colored head that had low retention and OK lacing.

As is generally typical with Java brews, the coffee overpowered the scent of beer. A little time did reveal some nice grains and a solid malt scent, but still the coffee dominated. On the tongue, the coffee and beer flavors were a better match. The flavors integrated well, which, as a non-coffee person, was a pleasant surprise for me. The vast majority of coffee beers, for me, are dominated by the coffee. The base beer here stood very well to the overpowering taste of Joe.

The body was very good, smooth, even, full without being heavy, and nicely rounded. The coffee flavors did linger a bit long for my tastes though. Drinkability was very good, the bottle was gone far quicker than I thought it would be. Overall, a very nice beer, certainly among the best coffee beers I've had. As a coffee hater, I rarely recommend coffee beers. I highly recommend this one. Worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:53:10 | More by beertunes

kbuzz

Pennsylvania

4.59/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a modified tulip. Vintage 2012. Case was stamped December somethingth, 2012.

A: Poured a deep dark almost opaque brown. Looks black from 12 inches...some brown around the borders when held close...one finger khaki heads fades to a thin swirl across the top rather quickly, some legs, nothing crazy...pretty beer.

S: Coffee...more like the coffee shop than coffee grounds...one of those coffee shops where the grounds have worked their way into every nook and cranny of the decades old downtown shop that now doubles as a tourist attraction as well as a business. Sweet, not bitter...roast, old-fashioned hard candy-like sweetness, vanilla, baker's chocolate...very sweet. As far as coffee beers go, I've never smelled a better one.

T/M: More chocolate and bitterness than in the nose, but still a good bit of sweetness. Dirt. Baker's chocolate. A solid dose of that sweet vanilla coffee house roastiness. Fluffy, medium mouthfeel. Low carbonation - appropriate for the style.

O: This beer lives up to the hype. One of few that does. I was expecting a good beer...but having had so many coffee beers, I don't know that I was expecting to be this impressed by one again. I'll repeat, in the category of coffee beers (not even just stouts), this is the best I've had, easily. The aroma here is especially note-worthy.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 04:47:47 | More by kbuzz

SeaOfShells

California

4.45/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. into Bruery globe glass thanks T.K.!

A: Pours as dark as the devils soul, with a finger of brown head that leaves stickiness on the glass. Typical I suppose, but nothing to sniff at.

S: As soon as the bottle was cracked open, I got an intense dark roasted coffee/espresso aroma. Putting my nose in the glass was like standing next to a coffee maker while it brews. Roasted malt and chocolate/toffee/breadiness rounds things out.

T: Yeah, this one will work. As smooth as silk going down, but up front there is a strong coffee bitterness and a coffee flavor that stays on the palate for quite some time. Cofee gives way to dark chocolate and roasted malts on the back end, and it finishes with an espresso-esque flavor. This is pretty excellent.

M: Creamy and delicious. Just like I like my coffee stouts. Slick and oily mouthfeel that coats the palate in glorious liquid satisfaction.

O: This was my first Terrapin beer, and it's given all other coffee stouts a run for their money. FBS has the slight edge, but this was damn fine. Glad I have two more.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 20:07:32 | More by SeaOfShells

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.06/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I couldn't find this beer in New Jersey, and I was happy to find this beer in Florida. I picked up a couple bottles to age a second bottle and drink one for this review.

I poured this bottle into a tulip glass to enjoy this world-class stout. This is a very dark-black beer with a thin tan scum on top.

The nose on top provides a very good dose of coffee. The richness from this beer is almost like espresso. This is a very clean smell.

The flavor provides a rich coffee character. I don't get much more than that. The flavor eases off nicely across pallatte.

This is an excellent sipper. I thought the WnB was very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 19:31:55 | More by ummswimmin

TWStandley

Massachusetts

4.26/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the bottle into my KTG snifter. 2012 vintage.

Poured a dark brown nearly black color with a one finger mocha colored head that disappeared after a few.

Smells of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and a slight milkiness.

Taste is nice. A bit roasty, nice coffee notes and some chocolate. A bit bitter.

Mouthfeel is smooth and velvety, thick but not syrupy.

Solid "breakfast stout." Not quite on the same level as FBS, but very, very close.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 01:30:42 | More by TWStandley

WSGosset

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Solid black. Not too much in the way of head. I'm a little surprised, I remember this having a much prettier pour.

S: COFFEE. As aroma goes, this isn't all that complex as imperial stouts go but, you know what, I really like coffee.

T: Not surprisingly, this is a coffee-forward beer. It really is a perfect mix between a pleasantly bitter coffee flavor and the dark roasted malt flavor you'd expect from a good stout.

M: Nice and creamy.

O: It could just be that I love coffee, but this is a really inviting beer. The smell draws you in and it holds up throughout. I look forward to having it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 01:14:28 | More by WSGosset

ThreeFishes

Florida

4.24/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. bottle vintage 2012.

A: Black with a thick tan head that dissipates quickly. Pours quite thick.

S: Holy coffee shop Batman! This smells just like a steamy cup of dark roast coffee with a slight background of roasted malt and dark chocolate. The aroma is the best part of this beer.

T: Very roasty, coffee, malty, bitter with a bit of char at the end. Taste is not as intense as I thought based on the smell. Very nice, though. This is an imperial stout I could drink more than one of at a sitting.

M: Thick and creamy. Coats the tongue and lingers after a swallow.

O: Very nice beer. On my days off I could start my day with a cup of this!

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 23:02:21 | More by ThreeFishes

CommanderOfAwesome

California

3.38/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

2012 bottle poured into a snifter thanks to a BA trade.

A: Pours motor oil black, with a thin 1 finger head. Great retention though.

S: Not overly aromatic. Decent coffee, got some oatmeal smell as it warmed up. Sweetness is prevalent.

T: Very sweet, Coffee that blends better as it warms. Some chocolate and roasty malts come in as well.

M: Medium bodied. Not a lot of carbonation, sweet on the palate. Smooth, but biggest complaint is this is thin for an Imperial stout. Very thin, I'd consider it on thinner side for a regular stout as well. Not as thin as drakonic, but doesn't burst flavor or fullness that is usually there on Imperial stouts.

O: Decent beer, didn't live up to the hype for me. Aroma wasn't very strong, fairly sweet and thin IMO. Even with those flaws, I still really enjoyed this beer and would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 16:36:50 | More by CommanderOfAwesome

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.01/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 Vintage poured in to snifter.

A - Black with a thin layer of medium brown head that immediately reduced to a ring around the edges of the glass.

S - Really big coffee aroma is dominant with a hint of sweet molasses and roast in the background.

T - Big bitter espresso flavour up front with a touch of brown sugar sweetness and molasses. The finish is bitter with a big lingering coffee presence.

M -Medium body. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 01:51:42 | More by TheSevenDuffs

SHerninko

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle - 2012, pulled out of an ice bucket, setout for 20 min to warm up a bit.

Appear: Dark, nice tan head, some lacing, not motor oil like many stouts, oatmeal/coffee browning it up a bit.

Smell: Coffee and dough, oaty as it warms up, but lots of coffee, very great smell overall.

Taste: Very solid, good blend of coffee, but a bit on the dark/intense coffee flavor, actually blends better and not as forward as it warms up. Very good taste overall, this oaked would be a whole 'notha level and move it up.

Mouthfeel: A little thin, not chewy, not creamy/silky, in the middle. Carbonation was low so nothing offensive overall.

Overall: Very good to great stout with coffee and the oatmeal backbone. For a non-aged/oaked beer this is very nice.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 16:44:55 | More by SHerninko

TheMarkE

California

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

Appearance: Jet black with a chocolate head.

Smell: A fresh cup of coffee, with a touch of chocolate.

Taste: Like many hoppy brews the first sip was a bit bitter but the aftertaste left a hint of chocolate and toffee behind. Working my way through the bottle my tongue identified vanilla, oatmeal, raisin, and molasses.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and thick.

Overall: Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 21:37:33 | More by TheMarkE