Goliat - To Øl

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A coffee based based stout, and a really good one at that. Good roast aroma. Very brown coloured body with wisp of a head. Some chocolate sweetening it. Understated carbonation. Very drinkable and tasty.Brought back from Lakeview Liquors, and thanks for sharing Liam.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 20:16:45 | More by northyorksammy

UCLABrewN84

California

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

On tap at Congregation Ale House in Long Beach, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, roasted coffee beans, coffee grounds, and some slight cocoa aromas. Taste is much the same along with some chocolate syrup flavors. There is a medium amount of roasty coffee bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp, smooth, and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is an extremely good beer that is very tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2012 02:21:45 | More by UCLABrewN84

metter98

New York

4.35/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Beer Street, Brooklyn, NY

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a thin mocha-colored head that died down and left some lacing on the surface and a thick collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are strong aromas of roasted malts in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste has complex flavors of roasted malts and coffee beans along with a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels full-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation with some warming from the alcohol in the finish.
O: This beer is very well balanced. Although the alcohol isn't that noticeable in the taste, the beer definitely tastes strong and is one that needs to be slowly sipped.

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2012 00:22:53 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from West Lakeview Liquors. Served in a Hill Farmstead tulip.

A - Mocha-tinged foam settles to a partial cap, thick collar, and splotchy lacework. Very dark brown body.

S - Coffee, dark chocolate, dark breads, roasted malts, char, and a hint of anise. Alcohol is pretty well hidden here, as I would have guessed this was closer to 8%.

T - The taste is sweeter than I expected from the aroma, with a nice milk chocolate and coffee with sugar vibe going on. Lactose sugar? Definitely a double-double coffee in any case.

M - Creamy, medium-full body, with lower carbonation, and minimal alcohol presence.

D - Nothing mind-blowing, but well-crafted and easy to drink for 10.1%. Probably not worth the import price with all the great coffee beers available locally, but would be a solid choice if I lived in Europe. Chris and I finished this one easily.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 18:13:12 | More by MasterSki

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.43/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a two finger khaki head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Midnight black color, no highlights, some yeast left in bottle. Light-medium carbonation and medium-heavy bodied. Roasted coffee nose and flavor is the same, slightly sweet roasted coffee, no burnt coffee finish. Higher ABV is hidden. Pricey at $8.99 for a 375ml bottle from Beverage Warehouse Winooski, VT.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 21:51:42 | More by jdhilt

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tap at Armsby Abbey stoutfest

Big creamy 1+ finger darker mocha colored head, fades slowly nice lacing, pitch black beer.

Nose fresh ground coffee, espresso, some dark chocolate, hint of dark fruit like raisin covered in cocoa powder.

Taste starts with chalky cocoa, slight mocha, bit of soy sauce, light briny taste, chewy malts, light caramel, some coffee and espresso but not the fresh grinds, bit of burnt roasted coffee, then lots of spicy chewy hop pellets, bitter bite. Finish is sticky semi sweet but drier, more burnt coffee, light mocha, spicy chewy hops.

Mouth is bigger bodied, bit syrupy, light boozy, decent carb.

Overall not bad, bit to roasty briny taste, decent hops though, malts are ok, semi drinkable, nose has great coffee but wish out came through more on the taste.

Serving type: on-tap

04-15-2012 22:57:58 | More by jlindros

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pitch black and completely opaque with a one finger mocha colored head that slowly settles into a lasting ring. Streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Slightly smokey, roasted dark malt aroma with lots of robust coffee bean and sweet lactic sugars. Some burnt sugars along with dark chocolate, toffee, fudge, oatmeal and gourmet coffee bean. Strong lactic cream presence makes this smell more like a dessert than an espresso drink.

On the fuller end of medium bodied with a robust, deeply roasted dark malt flavor that tastes more like a coffee drink than the aroma suggests. Slight bitterness but not overly dry or acrid at all. There's a delicious roasted coffee flavor but it's countered by the lactic sugars and a sweet fudge-y chocolate cake character. Hints of coffee bean, toffee, oatmeal and burnt toast followed by sweet lactic cream, cocoa, caramel and toffee. Still dessert like but tastes more like a coffee beer than I anticipated. The high ABV is almost invisible making it dangerously drinkable. I would have never guessed that this beer was 10%.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 07:54:07 | More by corby112

Brad007

Vermont

4.48/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Purchased out of curiosity.

Pours a pitch black with a brown one-finger head into my glass. Great looks! To the style.

Roasted coffee, cream and dark fruit make up the notes that greet my nose. I love the roastiness already.

The first drop on the lips yields a mild coffee bite with a good amount of cream and even cocoa as well.

Carbonation is tightly controlled, which allows the taste buds to better process the after-feel. Again, lingering roasted coffee and cream notes.

A great way to start the day! Perks my eyes up too!

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 11:39:10 | More by Brad007

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

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.95/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Rich, smoky aroma has a dominate note of quality coffee and hints of unsweet chocolate and licorice, plus a touch of - anchovy? It pours a deep, rich sable with a thick tan head that leaves generous lacing. Superb flavor has a core of quality roast coffee and notes of chocolate and brown sugar plus hints of licorice and burnt hops. Smooth texture has plenty of body, but lacks fizz. This is a must for Stouties - danged near perfect.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 23:12:51 | More by Cyberkedi

avalon07

South Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a pitch black color and a thick consistency. There was an inch of foamy, tan-colored, long-lasting head. Excellent lacing.

S: As you'd expect, coffee was the main attraction in the aroma, along with some malt as well.

T: Tasted of coffee, coffee, and more coffee, but there was also malt, a hint of chocolate, light hops, and possibly some dark fruit. A big, vibrant, complex flavor.

M: A fair amount of carbonation with a slick finish. Full-bodied.

O: A wholly enjoyable, well-made, focused, drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 12:05:42 | More by avalon07

gford217

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

375ml bottle.

Pours pitch black with an oversized mocha head that leaves some crazy lacing on the sides.

Aroma is heavily roasted espresso beans with a big bitter chocolate component. It smells a bit like an iced mocha with an extra shot of espresso. Definitely more roasty and bitter than sweet.

The first thing I notice upon tasting is the crazy smooth mouthfeel, but then the flavors start to come out. Initial taste has more sweetness than the aroma with some milk chocolate and sweet malts, but the finish gets roastier and roastier with each passing sip - bitter coffee especially.

Mouthfeel is smooth with soft carbonation and an alcohol burn that I wasn't expecting.

As a big fan of coffee stouts, I enjoyed this, but I wouldn't put it up there with Brunch Weasel or Wake N Bake. Very enjoyable though.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 03:17:36 | More by gford217

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.88/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Geez, I'm hittin on all cylinders tonight; another understated powerhouse. Poured at cellar temperature with a mammoth, tan, fluffy, frothy, thick, creamy, tan head that slowly settled, & with almost total lacing. Color is an opaque brown black. Aroma is malt, coffee, roast, cocoa, weed. Flavor's like nose, sweet is only slightly more dominant in the sweet/bitter/carbonic tang mix. Also is a little fuit. Body is soft, but cut by perfect carbonation. Finish is like flavor, fairly long and boozy. Yummmm

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 02:23:01 | More by drpimento

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Beer Street Brooklyn in New York, NY

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with some light hints of visible carbonation at the edges of the surface of the beer. The beer has a finger tall dark mocha head that slowly reduces to a very thick film and thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Strong aromas of dark roasted malts, coffee, cocoa powder, and some lighter amounts of vanilla.

T: Like the smell, the taste of this beer is very enticing... Strong flavors of dark roasted malts along with some moderate notes of cocoa, anise, and vanilla. There is a moderate amount of coffee bitterness that lingers for quite a while.

M: Full bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: I really enjoyed this beer and could easily sip on a beer like this one all evening long - I really enjoy the style and feel like this is a good example. There is a good complexity to the flavor and the alcohol is well hidden.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2012 01:14:00 | More by dbrauneis

ngeunit1

California

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

A - Dark brown-black with a finger of frothy chocolate colored head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Roasted dark chocolate and caramel malts, roasted coffee, black licorice, molasses, cocoa, touch of dark fruit, vanilla, and booze.

T - Roasted dark chocolate and caramel malts, roasted coffee, cocoa, molasses, black licorice, earthy hops, bit of dark fruits, vanilla, and booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a roasted, sweet, warming finish.

D - Nice coffee imperial stout. Good balance.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 03:55:33 | More by ngeunit1

ehammond1

California

4.48/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Dark black, thick body, with a small dark brown head that leaves the glass just absolutely messed with stick: sheets, webs, and lines. A simply, gorgeous, perfectly attractive imperial stout.

Very nice, expressive, bold aroma of roasted coffee, cream, and bittersweet chocolate. Simple but bold and very nice. Complete.

The flavor is just as good as the aroma, with bittersweet chocolates, roasted coffee, mild dark fruit, and a moderate level of bitterness combining for one deliciously, decadent, coffee imperial stout.

Full in body with low to moderate carbonation. Only a mild alchohol hint. Easy drinking, but rich and decadent, all at once.

Flawless.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 19:31:31 | More by ehammond1

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from West Lakeview Liquors, 375ml into a tulip.

Really viscous black body, brown head with good retention but not a lot of lacing. Substantial coffee notes in the nose, a bit of sweetness (like adding a bit of creme to your coffee), a bit of smoke, caramel and mocha. Coffee continues on the palate, espresso, caramel, dark chocolate. Quite bitter but there's a good balancing malt sweetness in there too. Dense body, alcohol is hidden and this is fantastically smooth. A really tasty coffee beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 01:33:55 | More by liamt07

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

wagenvolks

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

350ml bottle into a Brooklyn tulip.

A gorgeous pour unleashes a thick, pitch black body into the glass. The head is tall and well-retained--dusty tan in color--and leaves some sticky lacing behind on the glass. Aroma is rife with roasted espresso beans, caramel, and dark chocolate. A bit of earthy hops and dark fruit add balance.

The alcohol comes through on the flavor, but doesn't overwhelm the senses, adding a vinous sweetness to the layers of rich chocolate and coffee roast. Fig and plum with a bit of chalky earth in the finish. Mouthfeel is thick and chewy, smooth and nicely carbonated. Overall, a delicious imperial stout and one of the better coffee stout's out there. Goliat is the real deal...

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 02:40:42 | More by wagenvolks

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review taken from notes courtesy of Stout Fest at the Armsby Abbey.

A - Poured a nice oily black with a almost one finger rich mocha head that leaves some very good lacing as it slumps away.

S - Nice roasty malts, faint vanilla, good cocoa powder, and light dark fruits.

T - More of the roasted malts with some light dark fruits and nuts. Nice coffee flavours, more on the end of burnt/roasted beans though.

M - Mouthfeel is decent enough, almost too heavy/syrupy for my tastes though. Fair carbonation.

O - Overall this wasnt a bad stout but on a whole there were better offerings. Wish the coffee came out a bit more in the flavour other than bitter, but still I'm glad I got to try this offering.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2012 13:56:02 | More by rudzud

aasher

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer arrived in Indianapolis a couple weeks ago. The beer comes in a 12.7oz bottle and states that it is an Imperial Stout brewed with coffee. It pours a medium bodied dark, dark brown that turns to black as it pools. It quickly gained a one finger dark khaki head that took a couple minutes to subside. The nose consists of freshly soaked coffee beans, bitter dark chocolates, roasted malt, with a touch of cream. The alcohol is nowhere to be found and everything is really smooth and works together nicely. The flavors are big and malty with plenty of dark and milk chocolates. The coffee hits mid palate and last into the after taste. It also has a light spiciness. It drinks a little light in body for the style but it works well for this beer, and makes it more approachable. I'm a fan. It has better flavor than I imagined. I would describe it as a poor man's Founders Breakfast Stout, with less coffee but more sweet chocolate and with a thinner mouthfeel. It's a nice beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 02:47:17 | More by aasher

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

brystmar

New York

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to blatantdream for sharing!

An absolutely gorgeous stout: tons of tan head, stubborn lace, and more oily than your neighborhood seagull.

Huge coffee aroma; more sweet than bitter. Caramel, roasty, toffee. Reminds me of Beer Greek Brunch, and it's really good.

Plenty of coffee to support the roasty backbone. Coffee is more bitter here than in the nose. Balance of flavors is excellent. Bitter coffee lingers as the booze warms my throat.

Body is oily but lacks creaminess. I want my imperial stouts viscous, and this comes up short.

This makes the short list of Scandinavian beers I really enjoy. Goliat is quite good.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 07:23:20 | More by brystmar

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

beergoot

Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

An opaque black body comes with a thick, creamy light brown head. Nice lacing on the glass.Rich, roasted grains dominate the smell. Coffee and mocha with hints of bitter chocolate in the nose. Mouthfeel is heavy with a sugary overtone. Rich and wet.
Taste comes across complex and heavy in possibilities. Malt sweetness collides with coffee notes and then mashes together with a slightly hidden bitterness. Alcohol warmth rides below the surface.

Wow! This is a wonderful, monstrous imperial stout. There is no hiding from the exquisite complexities that bob and weave throughout this beer. Excellent stuff!!

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 19:52:24 | More by beergoot