Goliat - To Øl

suspect

New York

4.4/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 375ml bottle into a Dogfish Head Snifter.

A: As black a beer as I've seen. Zero light peeks through even on the edges. Aggressive pour leads to a thick, 2 finger espresso foam head that fades ever so slowly coating almost every inch of the glass in thick lacing. Beautiful beer.

S: Esspresso-like coffee nose with roasted barley malts being the foremost aromas. Some dark cocoa nib smells as well as a touch of licorice or star anise.

T: Malts lead the way in the flavor with some char and some smokiness to it but neither of those two are overpowering and blend nicely together. Coffee flavor is blended in nicely...tastes much like a dark roast - a nice dark roast. Slight bitterness but the sweet malt helps smooth that out.

M: Well carbonated, if anything it's a touch undercarbonated but it doesn't affect it - I'm really just being nitpicky. Certainly thick and smooth. ABV seems to be a complete afterthought.

O: A top tier Imperial Stout. Danish stouts are quickly climbing high up on my list to not turn down ever.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 00:58:31 | More by suspect

Dope

Massachusetts

4.09/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Black as night with a big, tall dark brown head. Head drops away slowly, with heavy heavy walls of lacing left behind.

S: Roasted coffee with lots of char. Kind of a sweeter, more earthy coffee and not just coffee beans. Quite smoky too with some acrid bitterness.

T: Whoa. Strong and very sweet chocolate. Loads of acrid smoke and bitter coffee mixes in in the middle. Sweetness fades, leaving a bitter chocolate, coffee and acrid smoke flavor. Lingering smoke and char in the aftertaste.

M: Heavy, thick and viscous.

O: Interesting. Coffee isn't as strong as you'd think for this "imperial stout brewed with coffee". It is however, very ashy and borderline smoky. Char flavors everywhere. It would be too much but there is a big sweet chocolate bomb in there balancing everything out. Coffee is sorta just in the middle. Big, sweet and heavy. Lots of roasted malt flavors. Tasty overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 03:15:43 | More by Dope

strongaf

Washington

4/5  rDev -5%

05-11-2013 07:30:25 | More by strongaf

drewone

California

4/5  rDev -5%

05-11-2013 03:58:47 | More by drewone

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.39/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A very nice Imperial Stout, and I don't know if it's just me or if it characterizes the style, but I've often picked up heavier than usual licorice notes in Scandinavian Imperial Stouts. This one is no exception- very nice deep licorice notes in both the nose, and especially the taste. When I say licorice, I don't mean the overly sweet whips or jelly beans of this country, but the much dryer, almost chalky variety with a zingy. spicy note found in Scandinavia, Spain, and Australia. That's what this evokes. Pours inky black, but without much head. Aside from the licorice, the nose has notes of treacle, tar, and bitter chocolate, as well as a touch of molasses. The taste is deep and quite integrated with lovely licorice notes, including a touch of spice, a nice roasty coffee note from that addition, quite dark, and a touch of cream and dark chocolate. Very Smooth, but deep and with a bit of bite- from the flavors, not the alcohol, which is well hidden. A very pleasant beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 23:36:18 | More by Georgiabeer

Liquoric3

Germany

4.33/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Goliats appearance is black, black, black no light coming through with an nice creamy, mocca brown two finger head, which lasts quite a long time for such a big stout.
Nice lacing on the glass

Smell is big time coffee, chocolate, roasted malt and a little bit of hops.
I also get some earthiness.

Sweet start when the beer hits your tongue, closely followed by the bitter creamy coffee and it finishes with just the right amount of hop bitterness to balance the beer. So smooth to drink, almost no trace of alcohol. You also get the earthiness in the taste. Mouthfeel is definetly full.
I haven't had such a good imperial coffee stout in a while. Buy it if you can get it!

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 21:18:26 | More by Liquoric3

DarthKostrizer

California

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

04-20-2013 05:44:10 | More by DarthKostrizer

HopBrain

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

04-16-2013 20:11:37 | More by HopBrain

PatGreer

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

04-14-2013 21:56:29 | More by PatGreer

unclejazz

New York

4/5  rDev -5%

04-06-2013 23:54:48 | More by unclejazz

Strix

Wisconsin

4.49/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pitch black, frothy tan head with nice thick lacing.

Big coffee cocoa aroma.

Coffee, cocoa, toffee, chocolate, vanilla, malt, toasted malt, and a burnt note. No trace of alcohol.

Very smooth mouthfeel, good coating, light carbonation.

Really impressed with this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 02:01:40 | More by Strix

eawolff99

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%

04-03-2013 02:29:52 | More by eawolff99

ShemRahBoo

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1%

04-03-2013 00:52:14 | More by ShemRahBoo

ldhughes3

Louisiana

4/5  rDev -5%

03-26-2013 05:05:50 | More by ldhughes3

kaelingirl

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

03-22-2013 02:16:53 | More by kaelingirl

mcsauter82

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1%

03-18-2013 01:47:52 | More by mcsauter82

pixieskid

France

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%

03-12-2013 06:40:34 | More by pixieskid

atone315

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -5%

02-21-2013 03:12:07 | More by atone315

sweemzander

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a snifter. Another thank you to Kevan for sharing!

(A)- Pours near pitch black color. Minimal froth and lace.

(S)- Huge aromas of crushed coffee beans. Easily one of the biggest coffee aromas in memory. Its not acrid or overly bitter, but just a fantastic aroma if you like coffee.

(T)- Again, a huge showing of massive coffee grounds with ever so subtle bits of raisin and coca, but otherwise the perfect coffee forward beer.

(M)- A good carbonation level and balance. Such a superb showing of what coffee can do in a beer. Like the smell, this is not acrid or overly bitter like some strong coffees can be like, but has an underlying richness that makes this very easily drinkable too. The bitterness does slightly increase as it warms, but still an afterthought.

(O)- Perhaps one of the best coffee forward beers I have ever had. Rich and ever so inviting. Coffee lovers out there, this is your beer to seek!

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 17:53:30 | More by sweemzander

emaciated

California

4/5  rDev -5%

02-15-2013 05:48:10 | More by emaciated

Alucard4

California

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

02-11-2013 19:22:40 | More by Alucard4

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.25/5  rDev +1%

01-27-2013 19:42:39 | More by EgadBananas

karatebartender

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

01-21-2013 01:24:36 | More by karatebartender

ChicagoNick

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%

01-16-2013 23:05:29 | More by ChicagoNick

spycow

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%

01-12-2013 20:05:07 | More by spycow