Assassin
Toppling Goliath Brewing Company

 

Appearance - The beer was an inky black color with a dark head clinging to the sides of the glass.

Smell - Dark malts and barrel were the primary parts of the nose.

Taste - Initially, the profile was thick boozy dark chocolate. The profile with sweet, but nowhere close to being cloying. Notes of raisin, tobacco, and a hint of vanilla followed. The chocolate goodness lingered in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - The feel was thick and sticky, clinging to the sides and top of the tongue.

Overall - This beer was definitely hype worthy.

 

 

A: A carbon black discharge to the carafe with a tap shoe hue, while the decanter rests on a woodsmoke tone, before the radiance pins a coloration near Kurotobi. The transfer(s) occur across natural nucleated sites, which avoids the unwanted lipids/impurities on the cross-reactions, for solidifications. Accordingly, a collar formation to the inch, as latticework – marginally – pushes through a rushed retreat. The brim comes in towards the .25in, which clings to the periods that reach 1cm, while the hours further the detachments per the foam-negative materials. With this in mind, the palette to the neck has a dark beige peak, as the rushed retreat has a mars brown rim. In turn, a viscosity factor that plays to the annulling properties aforesaid, which support the nuanced droplets that attune the advanced (teary) arches

S: Malts frame the dexterities above a soft hop bill, while the oak casks work to build a complicated mass around the aged aldehydes. An ignition that politely connotes La Bête Noire with a Cajeta glaze, as figgy duff pairs alongside prunes + flame raisins. There is an oak stave to plank presence in exercise, which adds a dynamic balance to the sweet midsections. Supplementary to this, a calm hop effect that reinforces the barrel toned landscapes, when symbolizing forested alder to shagbark hickory. All the while, a ventilated deduction on the vintage, beyond the bettering cask aspects. This comes at a trained interval, which nears ≥68°F, for softening & blooming the – hourly – abstractions. Correspondingly, an enlightened (smart) complication that comes without additives, where the stability is maintained & rooted through coordination. The progression optimizes the breathing periods, by characterizing Palo Cortado through rawhide over clay pipes, outside the dried fruit subtexts over Atomic Fireballs. Moreover, a structure that continuously engages in complex polymers, when denoting lignins across tannins, in the act of rolling dry constitutions

T: Soft barrel entitlements to the conversions set by diastatic enzymes, where hemicelluloses contribute to the cultured caramelization(s). Namely, maltol developments to the plot, for signifying doughy accounts on Nussbrezels under a Crème brûlée guise, as bourbon coats Chelan cherries + Moyer plums. The notations have a light implication on the makings that analog MalvaBons, while lightly addressing the oak lactones thru coconut. The age offers a refined sense on the phenolic aldehydes, as they lend vanilla by vanillin, which comes with a molasses – charred – nature. Howbeit, cautious to not exceedingly burn amid the oxidized transfers, across the carafe, where Fahrenheit gets incrementally pushed. There is a leathery standing behind the hydrolysable workings, which offer a steadying composure to the sweet malt passages. This is furthered by a low toned bitterness, when detailing the dark rosin inflections. Sequentially, a blooming allowance that recapitulates the sensed perceptions on sherry, where an oxidized nuttiness supplants English toffee. The sequences have dry – tannin derived – cessations, while carefully regulating spiced eugenols & smoked guaiacols, against the softly spoken (developed) acetaldehydes

M: An intensity behind C₂H₆O that’s courteous to not suffocate, when attenuating sweetness. Thus, a treacly to thick mitigation with an alleviating bite, while the smooth ebullitions amalgamate over the tempered – carbonated – tiers. A feel that’s accompanied by age, besides the aeriated drafts, for paving a weathered maturity

O: The degradations on hemicelluloses are rich in their pursuit on furfurals above ethyl acetates, which is fittingly appropriate, for perceiving malt. Oak compounds are continuous in the upsurge, of clocked intervals, as they are paired alongside the relaxed wooded hops. Correspondingly, a construction that offers more harmony, when providing the time with an uncapped patience

 

Very good. Too much hype though

 

 

2022 version sample from a snifter at Toppling Goliath during Stout Stock. Deep black color with a solid tan head. Slightly sweet. Seems to have smoothed out over the last few months. Very thick, has a fantastic barrel touch, but perfectly balanced.

On tap at Whiskey Road, Cedar Falls, IA. Served in a proper snifter. Opaque deep blackish brown in color, with a wisp of tan head. Big aromas and flavors of molasses, dark roasted malt, bourbon, and barrel char. Quite sweet, with some tannic astringency. This was the 2022 vintage, which was still a little hot. I can imagine it smoothing out a bit with age, but who has time to wait? Overall, just another world-class imperial stout from TG.

Look - black thick fantastic rimming
Smell - chocolate bourbon woody and booze
Taste - whiskey chocolate slight roasted malt and booze
Feel - nice thick fuzzy creamy light carb
Overall - pretty fantastic

 

 

 

2022 version sample from a snifter at Toppling Goliath during Assassin release on 9/12/2022. After first trying the Vanilla bean version, the standard Assassin falls a little short but is still a tremendous beer.

 

 

 

4oz pour at the brewery
A: Pitch black, no head
S: Bourbon, cocoa, touch of heat
T: Delicious & complex; bourbon/cocoa/vanilla/hints of maple & coconut
M: Full-bodied, super smooth, none of the heat of the nose
O: Very well made, very enjoyable beer

 

 

 

 

On tap at Ansari's in Eagan MN the other day (the 2021version). Was very excited to see this beer on tap, even at the price point ($14.99 for a 4 ounce pour).

The beer poured the expected blackish brown color, with minimal lacing and not much in the way of head retention. Still, I didn't think this was particularly unusual for a ba impy stout. On the nose, I'm picking up dark chocolate, light licorice, some vanilla and a hint of cherry. Not really getting much of any bourbon. The flavor profile replicates the nose pretty closely in this moderately sweet stout, but with a slight roasty component as well. Mouthfeel is fairly full, and the finish is pretty long. As others have noted, there's some sort of odd flavor in the finish. It's not bad, just unusual (a slight wet cardboard flavor). Alcohol is very well integrated into the flavor profile, which I appreciate.

This is a nice beer no doubt, but the accolades this beer garners is a bit of a head scratcher. Likewise, the price tag for this beer is a puzzler as well. I ordered 3 ba impy stouts at Ansari's, and the Assassin was clearly low man on the totem pole (a ba coconut stout from 608 brewing from Wisconsin was vastly superior to the Assassin). Whatever. Each to their own. This is still a pretty good impy stout, but given the "value quotient" for this beer, I'm pretty sure this isn't something I'll ever need to order again.

 

 

 

 

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color sottu with a large dark brown foamy head with good retention and some alcing. Aroma of woody bourbon notes with some light vanilla and residual sugar notes with some black chocolate notes and roasted malt notes also quite dominant. Taste is dominated by woody bourbon notes with some dark roasted malt and black chocolate notes with some vanilla and a rather dry finish. Body is full with a nice oily texture and good carbonation with some warming alcohol notes. Nice late night sipper.

 

Very thick, has a beautiful bourbon warmth and ends with the rich and thick decadence that's expected here. This would be my favorite stout on this date but we always seem to find something we like better.

 

 

 

 

2021. Excellent