Mornin' Latte
Toppling Goliath Brewing Company

 

 

16 oz can acclimated to 54°F and poured into a nonic.

Pours a very near impenetrable, super dark brown, with a 1.5 finger dark caramel head, leaving moderate lacing.

Initial aroma is strongly that of packet soy sauce, an intense and dry bitter smell, this must be coffee and toasted malt disguising themselves, also notable is a presence of alcohol. Smelling further there's a chocolate malt to be found. After agitating the alcohol amplifies, dominating the foreground and becoming somewhat sterile or medical in smell, also quite loud is a roast coffee aroma with red fruit notes. The soy sauce smell lingers.

Alcohol fumes on the inhale. Initial taste before swallowing is sweet, raspberry, cream, more sweet, honey, maple, more cream, and finally fresh and bright raspberry, with a moderate alcohol burn culminating in the tip and middle top of the tongue. After swallowing, coffee immediately makes itself known, followed by raspberry and red fruity dark chocolate terroir notes. I feel the alcohol gives off some fruity esters which blend very nicely with the chocolate terroir. There's a chocolatiness to it, it's not upfront as far as I taste, but it builds, feeling like a flavored wind in the second half of the tasting process, persisting when the other tastes fade. If I had to choose a word, fudgy? The sweetness hits me somewhere in the middle of the can, and I realize it works very nicely with the medley we're already working with. Letting the aftertaste sit really feels like I've eaten a raspberry brownie while drinking coffee, and it's superb. In the aftertaste sits everything noticeable in the primary tasting, sweetness, light alcohol fumes, raspberry, some coffee, and chocolate (fudge?). Also noteworthy is that while I can taste the alcohol at specific points it's extremely welcome, not at all unpleasant. Bitterness overall is low to my taste, coming seemingly almost entirely from the coffee. The usual roasted malts can be found but I'm not sure how much I'm really picking up.

Feel is smooth, I would say slick, somewhat syrupy, thick, and again, smooth. Unfortunately the carbonation dissipates very quickly.

Overall this is mighty. Extremely well rounded flavors, tasting not colossally like a stout to my palate due to my tasting so much raspberry, but unfailingly a stout nevertheless. I don't know if my tastebuds are weird for picking up such heavy raspberry, but I did throughout the whole thing, and that stuck out as memorable and enjoyable, not something I would have purchased if advertised but a welcome surprise and fine taste when found naturally. Interesting beer.

Will surely buy again and recommend at some point, interested to see if I notice anything new, or if it tastes different after the first time.

 

 

16oz can poured into a tulip

A- pours black in color with a one-finger creamy khaki head that has great retention

S- initial aroma of mocha cream, with notes of fresh espresso, vanilla, chocolate syrup, caramel & milk sugars

T- rich herbal and peppery espresso immediately followed by bold mocha swirl and heavy vanilla cream. Mid-palate gives sweet notes of caramel, dark chocolate and light roast. The finish gives more bold coffee and mocha, with vanilla milk sugars to compliment. Lingers of espresso and mocha

M- heavy body with moderate carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that continues into an almost chewy, velvety finish

O- bold espresso with sweet mocha and vanilla cream throughout and a thick and viscous mouthfeel, well done

 

 

 

Poured from 16-ounce can into a tulip glass. Nearly black in color, with a thick tan head that stuck around for a while before settling to a thick ring. This one is delicious, as I have come to expect from TG. Slightly sweet going in, then opens up with big flavors of roasted malt, coffee, and cocoa. Full bodied, with the signature notes of mocha latte lingering on the palate long after the finish. Don't pass this one up - it's worth seeking out!

At Jungle Jim's tasting bar

Canned on 1/23/23. Pours a very attractive near pitch black with a 2 plus finger mocha head that leaves a few streaks of lace, with nice retention. 4.5

Aroma is metallic, coffee, cocoa, vanilla, and alcohol. 3.25

Taste follows metallic alcohol, coffee, cocoa, vanilla, and dark chocolate. 3.25

Mouthfeel is a little bigger than medium, gentle carbonation, not dry, and at 8.9% it drinks bigger because of the noticeable alcohol, but still easy enough drinking. 3.25

Overall this one is obviously a disappointment for me, just really scattered and strange flavors. Surprised because they are better than this stout. 3.5

 

There’s a Newport Beach mom in a Land Rover; and in her body is still some of last nights La Crema, Paxil, and some nasty Starbucks concoction with way too many pumps. Then there’s this horned rim, jet black haired hipster on a fixie; and in his body is Mountain Valley water, Adderall, and a pour over that costs $8 a cup. This beer is neither. Mornin’ Latte is like that ok cup of coffee that you made at home when you decided not to go too hip on the beans, but also definitely not Trader Joe’s bargain basement. It’s in the middle. And it’s here (as is Raul).

Can we celebrate “being” my children? I don’t know.

 

Appearance: Pours a completely dark, jet black color with a massive dark tan head that is thick and lingers for days. SRM of 24. (4.50)

Aroma: Strong aromas of coffee, some mocha and thin dark chocolate. Coffee roast off the end. (4.00)

Flavor: Strong and sweet flavors of coffee upfront. This then turns into a thick and sweet chocolate flavor that turns extremely sweet with caramel, chocolate, vanilla, syrup. Some dark chocolate and coffee roast dance in the middle for a second before the sweetness overpowers and it finishes thick and sweet. (4.00)

Feel: Heavier-bodied. Carbonation is there, but not quite matching up to the sweetness. Finishes soft, smooth, rich, and thick. (3.75)

Overall: Other than the surprisingly beautiful pour, this one pretty much drinks as I expected based on the ratings so far. Thank you Beer Advocate. Coffee on the nose and upfront on the flavor, but after that it quickly fades into a thick, heavy, and sweet stout. The bitterness and roast is no match for the sweet malt here. This one is like the Frappuccino at Starbucks that pretends to be a coffee drinks but is really just syrup and sweetness in disguise. In the right setting, it could drink nicely. (Rating: 4.01)

Toppling Goliath is my favorite brewery, but this is by far their worst I've had. My criticism is surely affected by my strong dislike of the taste, but I also find the beer's general quality underwhelming, especially in light of its apparent popularity. It has a nicely nuanced texture and color, but for its offensively discordant flavors I will never drink it again. Better in concept than in execution.