Side Project #29. The pour offers a nice, two-finger head followed by a thin ring of foam on the outer extremities, a little lace, and a proverbial jet black body in the ATL Spring sun. Aroma is a dark chocolate one rather than a milk chocolate one, and when it comes to the tastes, the bitterness of that cocoa breaks over the tongue nicely. Less sweet than some milk stouts, it constantly feels like a bitter dark chocolate has been used. Advertised as a S'mores imperial milk stout, I get a more...
Notes on beers brewed by
Terrapin Beer Company
Terrapin TomFoolery
22 oz bottle, $7.99, #14 in the Side Project series. I'm immediately put on the defensive by the idea of a 'Black Saison'; as a traditionalist and a person that really loves a great Saison this doesn't really fill me with a lot of inspiration or hope. Jet black body with a small, creamy head. Some nice lemony, citrus notes in the nose, and a simple replication in the tastes. Some nice, sharp orange peel and a few light spices and white pepper in there too. Very, very minimal roastiness (which...
Terrapin Hoptaneous Combustion
$9.99 for the 22 oz, foiled and boxed bomber. Bottle #2002. Pour is a rather attractive golden color with some nice clarity. Head is tall, frothy and sticky. Retention is average, wish it was better to complete the visual package. Nose is a typical, fruity hop bomb with some alcohol and largely in line for the style. If this were a blind tasting I don't think I would pick up any smoke at all, but knowing that there is some present the beer does reveal a hint - no more, but enough to let me...
Terrapin Sound Czech
#3 in the Georgia Theater series (although apparently this and #4 were seemingly essentially, simultaneously released), and as a pair they complete an extraordinarily large number of beers released by Terrapin in the last twelve months. 22 oz bottle with the usual presentation of the gold foil and the fancy box. $10.99 for the privilege. Crystal clear, light golden clarity with an impressive, rocky, pillow-like head, great carbonation and some super lace. Very good looking indeed. A really...
Terrapin Big Daddy Vlady’s Russian Imperial Stout
22 oz bottle in the usual Side Project presentation, this is #13. $7.49 for the bottle. The latest in the deluge of beer that is coming out of Terrapin these days (with mixed results I might add). Standard jet black pour with a smallish head. There is a distinct lack of body. The beer really is quite thin. The beer pulls together an odd combination of attributes. It's quite sweet but it brings a terribly unrelenting solvent alcohol presence. The roasty sweetness that IS there and threatens to...
Terrapin Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout
12 oz bottle as part of a sixer from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Extraordinary hype has surrounded this beer in the last few weeks, and to be honest I even got a little caught up in it myself. I dislike it when that happens, but of course this is not one of those ultra-limited, one day only release affairs that I had to camp out overnight for (I'd never do that), so at least my dignity remained in tact. Anyway, on to the beer. Into the DFH signature glass it goes. Some slightly lighter hues at...
Terrapin So Fresh & So Green Green
22 oz bottle. Gold foil on the neck as per other Terrapin offerings. Perfect golden clarity on the pour with some nice carbonation. Head and lace are a touch disappointing for me. Nose and tastes are typical for the style, at least until the back end and the finish. The finish adds some fusel alcohol to the mix that I don't care for and sits especially badly in the style. Plenty of organic hop notes with serious sinus clearing capabilities, but the finish on the beer is quite boozy and beyond...
Terrapin Reunion Beer 2010
As per the SP series, a 22 oz bottle with gold foil. A dark copper body with a really disappointing lack of head a lace. Almost seems "flat" and this seriously detracts from the whole experience in terms of appearance and mouthfeel. Nose is a malty, alcohol infused aroma - fair enough, no complaints there. Carbonation seems a little low to me. Lacks spark, depth and life. Massive, and I mean massive, bubble-gum presence in the taste; OVERWHELMING in fact. There is almost nothing here other...
Terrapin Hopzilla
#12 in the Side Project series. Drunk twice; once on-tap at Leon's, Decatur, GA, USA on the night of the Terrapin takeover, and once from the bottle. This review is from the bottle version purchased at Green's, Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA, USA. Usual 22 oz presentation with the gold foil. Pour is a hazed, light orange affair with a big head that produces some excellent lace. Retention is OK. Looks nice. Nose and tastes replicate a west Coast style DIPA quite nicely with huge grapefruit, pine...
Terrapin Double Feature
22 oz boxed, foiled and capped bottle into the (appropriate) Chimay chalice. Typical Dubbel color with a burned orange appearance with a better than average head. Some creamy remnants form on the sides of the glass and on the surface of the beer. The beer exhibits quite a lot of fruit in the nose and the taste with an emphasis on alcoholic, dry pineapples or peaches. Some marzipan notes as well. The combination of obvious malts and slightly more subtle yeasts drive this beer to a good place...
Terrapin Substance Abuse
Sampled at Leon's Decatur for the "Terrapin Takeover" on 8/12/10. I went to this event specifically for this and Big Sloppy Monster, neither of which I had tried before. Rumor had it that this was a '06 version but at the time there was no way to confirm. Beer poured into a 10 oz glass looks much as expected. Jet black, but with a tan head that was a little smaller and less well-retained than other versions of this beer. The combination of age and liquor element provides a beer that is...
Terrapin Big Sloppy Monster
On tap at Leon's, Decatur, Atlanta, GA, USA on 08/12/10 as part of the "Terrapin Takeover". Attended the event particularly for this beer and Substance Abuse. 10 oz pour. The beer poured an alarmingly cloudy mid-brown with some serious yeastiness. The keg must have been terribly unsettled, and it wasn't until the second glass that I had (about an hour after the first), that I felt I had a handle on this. (It settled down in that time). The beer had lost it's hoppy edge in the barrel and it had...
Terrapin Boom Shakalager
22 oz bottle as part of the Side Project Series, this one is #11. The usual gold-foiled presentation. Pour is a surprisingly dark amber in color. The head is largely absent and the retention and lace are close to zero. Disappointing. Nose gives some phenols and a little fusel alcohol in the back end of the finish. It's a pretty viscous and heavy beer, but to be honest, given the style that's in line and OK, but it certainly does not add to the drinkability. There's a little marzipan in the...
Terrapin The Iron Tankard
Impressive presentation, but also an impressive price (between $13 and $16), but when you consider the beer is being sold as a vehicle to make money for what they consider a good cause, it makes it slightly more palatable. Slightly. Hand numbered bottle 4480/4884. 22 oz bottle, boxed with a gold foiled neck. Cloudy, hazed mid-amber pour that creates little or no head with poor retention. Just about zero lace. OK, I guess when you consider the ABV and the style. Nose gives a sugary, malty,...
Terrapin Capt’n Krunkles Black IPA
22 oz from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Gold foil on the neck as the remainder of the Side Project series, but reflects Depth Charge rather than the 1-9 side project label. Pour is great looking, Inky black with a resplendent head that is thick and big with great retention and lace. The look is by far the best part of this beer - by a mile! Nose is a hop based one but is light and reminds me of an anesthetic - think a visit to the dentist. The tastes are nasty bitterness upon nasty bitterness....
Terrapin Oak Aged Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout
I've had this three times in the last couple of weeks at the Taco Mac on the East West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Pour is the standard , lose to black affair with virtually no head other than a thin film of mocha foam. Mouthfeel seems a little slick but comes with the standard coffee and light alcohol notes. The oak-aging seems very light with perhaps an increased vanilla presence and some edges taken off. I really didn't find this to be much different to the regular version but perhaps it's...
Terrapin The Dark Side Belgian Style Imperial Stout
22 oz bottle. Had this a few times in the last few weeks, time for some formal thoughts. Pour is a good looking black with a few brownish highlights. Head is initially nice and creamy but the retention and lace are both very poor even when considering the ABV. Marked down for that. A nice rich nose with some light roastiness, some chocolate and a touch of alcohol. Considering the word "Belgian" is used in the name of the beer and the label, the beer lacks much of a Belgian yeast element. The...
Terrapin Hopsecutioner
In the Terrapin mixed 12 pack, will be out in sixers shortly I understand. 12 oz bottle. Pour gives a very nice, mid-golden body with good clarity. Head is white, well formed and provides some lace. Nose is that of a fresh, wet hopped beer which may be as much a function of its freshness as anything else. Tastes are very simple. Initially very clean and hoppy - good, but after that it gets pretty sweet and the hops build a little. In addition there is also a slight floral note and even a bit...
Terrapin Pumpkinfest
22 oz bottle, Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Side Project #8. Dark garnet pour with an minimal amount of lace and head. Very nice color and excellent depth. Nose is typical for the style with plenty of poorly defined spice but also lots of cinnamon and burned sugar notes. The beer is a touch bitter but that fits with the style and links the color to the nose to the taste. Mouthfeel seems a touch prickly on the carbonation. Plenty of malts in the taste withe ginger talkng a leading role, but the...
Terrapin Midnight Project Depth Charge Espresso Milk Stout
22 oz bottle, $7.49 from Total Wine, Perimeter, Atlanta, GA, USA. #2 in the Midnight Project, Terrapin/Left Hand collaboration. Deliberately avoided this at Brewgrass as I wanted to try it for the first time, properly. Gold foil on the neck. No surprise on the pour, a pure black with tan espresso like head. Some lace. There's actually EXTREMELY little to report here - this is in NO way a complex beer. That doesn't make it *bad*, it just means it is what it is. The nose and tastes are basically...
Terrapin Reunion Beer 2009
On tap at Taco Mac on the East-West Connector, Austell, GA, USA. Golden yellow pour with a nicely formed thickish head and some very nice lace and retention. Solid mouthfeel (an important feature for the style) and some moreish qualities that make you want to have another sip. Some simple banana notes with decent alcohol warmth and some spice notes. The beer is not over-stated despite the alcoholic content and it drinks and sits less agressively than one originally may have thought. Wasn't...
Terrapin Maggie’s Farmhouse Ale
22 oz bottle from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. The usual presentation for the Side Project Series. Pour is a hazy, orange/yellow that seems closer to a Wit rather than a Saison. Nose has light clove and bananas, again, replicating a Wit rather than the Saison style. Tastes are a sweet and sour combo with some lemon notes and some "bitterish" orange peel. As others have noted, there is a bitterness about the beer that one might associate with the rye. It has a dry, slightly hoppy note that I...
Terrapin 90 Shelling Scotch Ale
Finally a review of #6 in the Side Project Series. 22 oz bottle that I think came from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. The usual presentation for the SP series, gold foiled, generic label etc. Good looking, dark garnet pour that form a nice, tight, white head, some lace and a nice stream of carbonation. Looks solid in the glass. Nose reveals dark malts, sweetness and some alcohol, but again is fairly solid. Tastes are in style, BUT two things; The body lacks depth for me. In a SA/WH I'm looking...
Terrapin Oak Aged Big Hoppy Monster
How odd. VERY surprised to see this nonchalantly hanging out at the Duluth Taco Mac early on a Friday afternoon. Poured into an 11 oz wine glass, the beer sits exactly like the original BHM with a clouded, dubbel like brown color, a small head which ultimately reduces to a white collar and not much life. To me this doesn't really differ very much at all from the original. I would say there is a subtle touch of vanilla which smooths the beer out a little, but any adjustments that the oak has...
Terrapin Thirty Strong
Brewed especially for Taco Mac to celebrate 30 years of their existence, this beer is made with 30 ingredients! I understand that Spike calls this "kitchen sink" brewing! 16 oz pint sampled on the day of release at Taco Mac, Perimeter, Atlanta, GA, USA $6.96 for the pint! Hazed, amber appearance this has a Dubbel like murky brown apperance. Head is not large, but it does give some really nice, sticky lace. Nose is a fruity (pineapple), bubblegum and alcohol mix and this finds it's way into the...
Terrapin Monk’s Revenge
Ok, here we go with SP #5. Still looking for something subtle from Terrapin in the SP series, but ho hum...that could be a LONG wait! Presentation is the same as all of the other SP series with the text edited to reflect the new beer. Pour is a golden orange with very little head, no head and very little lace. The second pour (that includes some sediment) removes the clarity and adds a better head and more orange rather than golden character. LOTS of residual sugars in the taste, and it does...
Terrapin Dos Cocoas Chocolate Porter
#4 in the Side Project series from Spike. 22 oz bomber, gold foil on the top, same (edited) green and blue label as the remainder of the Side Project series. Apparently black, or at least very dark brown, pour with some nice rust colored highlights at the bottom of the glass. Some lucious, thick, tight-bubbled head, and lace which lends a smokey, yellowish tinge to the color of the suds. Nose reveals very little which is a touch surprising considering the "chocolate hype" surrounding the...
Terrapin SunRay Wheat Beer
Very pleased to pick this one up as a 12 oz single from Mac's Midtown, Atlanta, GA, USA. I did not want to buy the Terrapin mixed 12 pack just to try this (this is the only way this has been released so far) since the other beers in the pack are only OK and available all the time anyway. Mac's obviously split of few packs and put them on the singles shelf. Hazy, orange/golden pour as expected and a disappointing head and lack of lace. Rather weak looking. Nose and tastes have mild bananas but...
Terrapin Gamma Ray
Having been asked to re-consider my review, I took another look at my notes and came up with the following adjustments. Here we go with #3 in the Side Project series. Somewhat disappointed by the first two in the series so I hope that this is better. A viscous looking pour that likes like a golden, honey colored Hefe. Small head and not much lace. Smells like a Hefe too. Slick mouthfeel. Some cloves in the nose. On to the taste. Medicinal wheats and a warming finish. Dry, alcoholic...
Terrapin RoggenRauchBier
22oz bomber, $5.99 from Green's on Ponce, Atlanta, GA, USA. Good clarity on the pour with a chestnut colored hue, an initial large, off-white head then a thin film and very little lace. Nose has a hint of smoke but it is not substantial. Similarly in the taste there is a little smoke, not much rye and a rather lackluster feel to the whole thing. Slight bitterness in the finish, but it's not much at all. Has the feel of a rather weak, poor Brown Ale with a light body. I opened this purposely...
Terrapin Oak Aged Rye Squared
On tap, Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Happened to share the first pint of this with pghlee when it was tapped at the Brick Store for the first time. I *think* that this is similar (if not the same) to a version that was tasted at the Atlanta Cask tasting in Jan '08; I didn't care for it much then, nor do I care for it now. The pour is an orange brown, with a lot of chill haze and murkiness. Head is not relevant and the lace is scant. In a nutshell there is just WAY too much going on here. To...
Terrapin Hop Shortage Ale
My second 22 oz bottle of Terrapin's first special offering. Delighted to get this in the larger serving size. Excellent clarity on the pour reveals a super, light orange body with a nice light head, and some sticky lace. Looks clean and inviting. Big, citrus pine in the nose. No holds barred in the aroma, and it begins to make me wonder if this is going to be one of those hop bombs that rips the roof of your mouth off. Luckily it doesn't. The taste is much sweeter and less abrasive than the...
Terrapin All American Imperial Pilsner
2007 release on tap, Taco Mac, Marietta, GA, USA. Good grief! What happened to this beer? This release is a MESS. Huge alcohol and syrup, the beer is close to undrinkable for me. There seems to have been ramping up of the package that resulted in an offensive high gravity malt liquor. This beer has lost all its subtlety and is now drinking more like Special Brew or a high alcohol malt liquor from the gas station. Body is thick, alcohol is way too obvious and the slick mouthfeel combined with...
Terrapin Hop Karma IPA
=== Updated Review 11/09 === I've really come to the conclusion that I don't like this beer very much at all. The combination of what amounts to a wet, fresh hop presence against a malt-based, sweetish Brown Ale simply doesn't work at all well. It simply goes beynd the American tinkering with styles and is a very good example of why pushing the envelope often ends up producing crass beers in poor taste, that taste poor! I'm even going as far to say that this beer simply isn't very good. ===...
Terrapin Rye Squared
On-tap at the Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. 2007 release. $4.50. Same great dark orange pour and some nice carbonation leading to a large, off-white head. The aroma on this is really very strong witht he rye coming through HARD - almost herbal. Alcohol is quite strong and to be honest the beer still seems a little young. Aging should be an interesting experiment. Hops are big and the finish is really dry. This is the second year for this and I still can't make up my mind if I really like it...
Terrapin Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout
On tap at Twain's. 2007 version. $4.50 for 20 oz. As ever, this looks great. Black as night body with a large mocha head. Lacing is superb. As others have commented this years version seems more bitter than last year, but I didn't think there was any more coffeee notes, just more bite. The nose is bigger, but the body seems a wee bit lighter than 2006. Still has remarkable drinkability for such a large brew.
Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster
Reviewing this particular bottle of the 2005 vintage in July 2006, with the best part of year of aging behind it. OK, there's not doubt that we've lost a lot of the hops in that time, but my, what a great beer we've gained! The malts have obviously come to the fore as one would expect, but the sweetness and the sharpness have been maintained and raised. Pours with a HUGE frothy, red head that is so dense and sweet it reminds me of a beer milkshake. Underneath that, the beer has maintained its...
Terrapin Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout
=== Updated Review 11/10 === Bottle label has "Seasonal : 2010" in vertical text on the right hand side. Same ABV, same Jittery Joe's, same everything! Pour is just as inky black as usual, but the nose and tastes remain VERY "black coffee" rich. One of the bigger nose and tastes that give a strong sense of coffee grinds - no doubt. You've got to be in the mood for a coffee stout, but if you ARE, and you REALLY want coffee grinds, then this is for you. I wonder what this would be like with a...
Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster
Beautiful garnet color (including the red highlights), delicious frothy head and superb lacing complete the great look. Pure hops in the nose, but not overwhelming. Rich, dark and hoppy - that just about sums it up. It's reminiscent of a classic, (very strong) English Cask Ale that has been overhopped. Induces some lovely hop burps, this is truly a lovely, smooth drink, but at the same time punches above its weight. A truly nice package.
Terrapin Golden Ale
Standard looking beer with a small head and a strong, golden lager appearance. Distinct cream soda in the nose, a definite sweetness comes out of the glass - not huge, but noticeable. Light, easy drinking with that obvious sweetness for the style and a little hop bitterness (but not much) in the finish. Mouthfeel a little creamy and above average. Very drinkable and a decent example of the (relatively) unusual style.
Terrapin Rye Pale Ale
$2.75 on draught, Mellow Mushroom, Douglasville, GA, USA. I had heard an awful lot about this brew, most of it very good so I had high expectations. As is often the case, the hype was somewhat misplaced. Nice looking pint, with a real golden color, decent head, with good retention and some lacing. This beer was much lighter than I was expecting. I found the aroma, taste and mouthfeel reallly, really light - quite refreshing, but somewhat lacking in complexity and depth. Now, don't get me...