Jan 19, 2010

Terrapin Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout

Terrapin Brewing is a company that I have been seeing more and more often on the shelves at a couple of the shops I frequent. And, while their products (packaged in 4 packs) tend to lean toward the more expensive side of the price spectrum, I have yet to be disappointed by them. Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout is another that’s lived up to expectations.

This 8.2% ABV imperial stout is part of the brewery’s “Monster” series of big beers and is brewed with Jittery Joe’s coffee. I’ve had bigger imperial stouts before, but this is the first that had me sold on the first sip. It’s a rich brew that delighted to the end.

Appearance

This brew poured syrupy and thick resulting in a massive dark tan head that faded slowly into the dark, murky depths.

Aroma

Even before bringing the glass to my nose, I can smell the oatmeal and coffee from a good distance. On closer inspection, there is a great roast on this one along with a subtle chocolate. For as thick as it looks, it has a “dry” aroma.

Taste

I don’t know where to start with this beer without sounding like an over excited imperial stout fanboy. Terrapin’s version of this brew is wonderful. It’s got a great roast from the malt and coffee that’s rich and robust. The full bodied beer drinks just as thick as it poured and looks. The oatmeal plays a bit of a lesser role to the coffee, but is in there nonetheless, offering a nice balance to the coffee bean. The finish lingers for a good while with a slight bitterness from the coffee that’s tempered by the oatmeal. With the higher ABV, the brew is warming, but far from hot.

Overall

I almost gave this one a perfect score. In fact, I probably would have had I opened another bottle of it. This is without a doubt one of the best (if not, the best) coffee stout I’ve ever had. It’s rich, robust and full bodied just the way I like it. I have two bottles of the four I purchased, and I’m not sure I can let them sit for much longer.

Rating: 4.5/5

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