Terrapin Big Sloppy Monster

Brewed by Terrapin Beer Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Athens, Georgia USA

[2006 Draft @ UJ’s Manatawny] Hazy dark amber color with a small, off white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of vanilla, bourbon, citrus, floral hops, grass, pine, toffee, and caramel malts. Taste of vanilla, caramel malts, resiny pine, tobacco, grapefruit, citrus fruits, wood, and bourbon in the finish.

Tap at Union Jacks. Pours a hazy deep red amber with a medium creamy off white head. Aroma of caramel malt, toffee, oak, and vanilla. Flavor of toffee, vanilla, oak, raisin, dark fruits and malty sweet. Hops are gone in this 2006 brew.

Pours a deep ruby with red orange highlights and a very well formed and well retained head. Two finger creamy light tan head. The aroma starts off with mild notes of oxidation which quickly dissipate with warmth, nice whiskey/oak character, caramelly sweetness, vanilla for sure, and some sweet bread character. Flavor has a very well integrated barrel character, mellow, caramelly notes, nice development of vanillins, woody, no alcohol heat, background piney hop character. Palate shows no heat or bitterness, very full and smooth with some tannic feel. Very very enjoyable.

Draught at Tylers. The beer this has become is certainly not a double ipa. Its more of a barley wine now. Nose is sweet and heavily barreled with notes of caramel, vanilla, whiskey. Flavor is similar with some light hoppy bitterness. Very nice integration of the barrel and like Duck Rabbit Milk Stout, I think this is better than its base beer (even though i may have rated the other one higher in 2005).

(Sample Date: 8/18/2009 Source:Capital Ale House - Downtown) Hmmmmm…but where to sort you…not IIPA? Citrusy American hop nose with big oak and whiskey behind. Mostly clear very dark amber brown. Oak and whiskey upfront in flavor with citrusy resiny American hops behind. Lots of warming. Medium body well carbonated. Nice warm finish.

Draft: Aroma of cigars and bourbon. Brown pour with a medium yellow head. The flavor is dominated by Jack Daniels, alcohol is very evident. For those who enjoy both beer and bourbon, this is certain to delight. I’m strictly a beer guy so the Jack Daniels aging didn’t add anything for me. In fact, I prefer the Big Hoppy Monster. Points for creativity, though.

Sampled on draft at Capital Ale House Terrapin Release Party with maniac and Maltdawg. Big wisky presence on this one. In the nose and flavor. The hops are either masked or completely faded out. I’d say this is more of an american strong oaked aged. Massive caramel maltiness. Way higher abv than 8.3%. Still, extremely enjoyable. Nice medium creamy body. I’d like to try this again once it cools down for a year or two.

Brick Store - Being a whiskey aficionado this was right up my alley, even though JD is not even close to being a favorite of mine, the flavor that it imparts on this beer is fantastic. The aroma is strongly reminiscent of that blow off you get from a new bottle, very heavy alcohol smell that sticks around throughout the pour. Creamy maltiness that just melts in your mouth. This is the kind of beer that you taste and you never want to drink anything else. But than again I am a sucker for anything barrel aged.