Fresh Batch Series - S’mores
Toppling Goliath Brewing Company

 

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: American Pastry Stout
Glass: Pure Project 16-oz. snifter glass
Price: $7.49
From: Windmill Farms in Del Cerro (San Diego), Calif.
Purchased: Oct. 13, 2021
Consumed: Dec. 6. 2021
Misc.: Canned on Sept. 22, 2021; Best by March 21, 2022

Grabbed a can of this on a recent trip to Windmill Farms without even looking it up on Untappd. I mean not only was it Toppling Goliath, but a Toppling Goliath Pastry Stout. Toppling Goliath’s website called it “The dream of the 90’s is alive in Decorah. Time to pre-heat your oven for bagel-sized pizzas and pull out your jazziest cups, the 90’s are back and fresher than ever. Our S’mores version of Fresh Batch stokes the fire with notes of toasted marshmallow and melted milk chocolate squished between graham crackers. TGIFB.”

Poured a very dark (almost pitch black) color with 2-to-3 fingers of khaki tan frothy head. Just a few bubbles coming up toward the top of the glass. Very good spotty lacing. Good retention. (Sight - 4.00)

Smelled marshmallow, vanilla, caramel, milk chocolate, S’mores, butterscotch, toffee, hazelnut and chocolate milk. A big step down from the can. (Smell - 4.25)

Tasted lightly-toasted marshmallow, vanilla, milk chocolate, S’mores, caramel, butterscotch, chocolate milk, hazelnut, toffee, cinnamon, graham cracker and honey. (Taste - 4.25)

Full body. Sticky texture. Soft carbonation. Long, sticky, warming finish. (Feel - 4.25)

Just a lovely pastry stout. Outstanding overall. (Overall - 4.00)

4.24 | 94 | A-

02/22/23 can @ home

 

Pours like black heavyweight motor oil, black with a thick dark tan head. Looks to have some level of particulates that stick to the glass.

Incredibly strong smell of Graham crackers, chocolate, marshmallows, roast malt, alcohol.

The taste is equally strong and it is extremely sweet to boot. The Graham cracker eventually gets lost, supplanted by marshmallow and very heavy chocolate. And for something so heavily flavored, the ABV is quite apparent even at 10%.

It's beyond heavy - thick and syrupy which makes the flavors linger. Can feel and taste the alcohol, but not really warming.

Overall, I did not enjoy this beer. I don't like the syrupy feel, the building sweetness, the imbalance of the flavors, the ABV being so noticeable in a sea of super strong flavors. That said, I can't say it isn't well made and on target for what it is, so my rating based on the objective aspects, tryint to not let "liking" factor too much.

Canned 9/6/22; drank 10/28/22 @ the Yarchives.

Black/brown appearance.

A violent pour yielded a HUGE dark tan head (careful pouring!); nice, tree-rung lace.

Graham cracker, milk chocolate & vanilla notes in the nose.

Creamy, medium thick mouthfeel.

Yeah, this tastes like a liquid s'more. Way over the top, but also pretty damn good.

poured from a 16oz can into a CW snifter. pours dark brown but gathers in the glass black with a thin mocha brown foam cap that quickly recedes into nothing as if it were never there. big marshmallow and graham cracker on the nose. taste follows with a big rush of chocolate in the finish. it’s sweet for sure but very tasty. big, thick mouthfeel. that makes this beer drink even bigger than it’s 10% abv. take that as a compliment or a knock, but this beer does kind of drink like a 12-13%’er. still, easy enough to take down a pint to myself, albeit over about 45-50 minutes. this was excellent and even if it was a little pricey i really enjoyed it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pour was gorgeous, thick, black and slow, great big fluffy light brown head that lasted all of a minute or two. Great aromas brought back memories of backyard campouts 60 years ago, marshmallows, graham crackers, Hershey's chocolate. Ya know what, the beer tastes exactly like it smells. It's sickly sweet. If this beer hadn't been a gift, it would have been a drain pour. Mouthfeel, fine, smooth, creamy and not a bubble of carbonation after the original flurry of activity. As much as I love Imperial Stouts, I hated this one.
Edit: This eventually got dumped, as in drain pour, about 4oz.....

I got a can of this beer off the single shelf from my local beer store located just around the corner. It poured an opaque dark with tan head to start which disappeared quickly leaving no head which is leaving no lace. The scent had sweet milk chocolate and marshmallow with Graham cracker highlights. The taste was sweeter leaning and easy to sip. There was an unbelievable s'more presence.....milk chocolate, marshmallow (vanilla), and Graham cracker....no idea how they perfected the Graham cracker! The mouthfeel was fuller, motor oil, in body with very subtle carbonation. Overall it is my favorite sweet stout I've ever had....amazeballs!

 

Back and forth on this. At times really good, at times too sweet

 

Fresh Batch pours black, with a nice large tan head. Aroma is sweet, rich, Graham notes. Flavor is sweet, Lacoste and marshmallow, Graham and hints of smoke. Good body and feel. Overall, very rich, sweet lots going on.