Term Oil Intelligentsia
Toppling Goliath Brewing Company

 

On tap, pours an inky black with a thin tan head of foam. Aroma and taste feature classic imperial stout notes with subtle coffee and barrel. Feel is quite full but not overly thick, especially for the ABV,.

Pure, simple and immensely powerful, Toppling Goliath teams up with Intelligentsia coffee roasters for a barrel aged imperial coffee stout that lives up to its oily namesake.

Term Oil Intelligentsia comes with an onyx black pour and with that true oily, inky visual texture. As the robust perfume of fresh brewed coffee, caramel, honey, cocoa and barrel nuances of vanilla, nutty oak and whisky all flood the nose. Even the smallest sip reveals an initial taste of candied espresso beans with dense creamy textures. Blackstrap molasses, sorghum and caramel all provide a sweeter, maltier first impression.

As the palate acclimates to the beer's strength, the sweetness parts ways to allow the strong espresso flavors to soak the tastebuds, bringing with it a light and smoky char, roasted nuttiness, toasted oak and a smooth earthiness of sweet soil and burnt toast. As the barrel's savory nuances spike in finish, the flavors of coconut, port wine, vanilla, caramel and peppery bourbon all resonate strongly as the session fades.

Lavishly full and just shy of cloying, the strong, savory and sipping stout finishes malty-sweet and with plump malt flavor and feel. A simmering afterglow of bourbon keeps the session warm and rewarding, deep into a long, sweet and roasty aftertaste.

Look - black thick with lots of tan head and lacing
Smell - great barrel and coffee wtih sone chcoolate in the rear
Taste - same as the smell but dialed back slightly and a little sweeter than needed
Feel - full body lighter carb
Overall - still a fantastic coffee ba stout

4oz draft pour into snifter. pitch black. no bubbles or foam to speak. chocolate, caramel-forward coffee and bourbon on the nose. taste follows the nose and i really dig the coffee notes in this one. been a good number of years since i’ve had intelligentsia coffee but i always remember it being equal parts smooth, complex and flavorful. this follows that. the coffee gives off aromas of dried cherries, chocolate and a nuttiness that works so well with the base imperial stout and the bourbon barrels. thick mouthfeel. this rocks.