Terrapin Big Sloppy Monster

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

Had this on tap at the Brick Store. This beer was the 2006 version aged in Jack Daniels barrels for 9 months (This is what the description said). The whiskey flavor was HEAVY. I liked this actually. Very nice dark caramel brown with a slight red hue. Has a nice off-white head that leaves amazing lacing. The whiskey aroma is very apparent. I wished I would not have had the barrel aged version. The whiskey aroma was heavy. There was a slight sweet aroma that came through with the whiskey. The flavor was whiskey with a sweet malt flavor. Nice creamy palate. I was hoping for more hops, but what can I say the wood/whiskey flavor just took over. I actually like whiskey flavor(s) in my beer so this thing was awesome. Get it at Brickstore while you can, and thanks unclemattie for the post. I wouldn’t have known without you. For an imperial/double IPA I think it lacks hops, I would say it is an american strong ale, but who cares what I say.

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.

Draft at Terrapin Brewau 2008. Pours a nice cola color. Medium sized, tan head. Aroma of whisky, vanilla. Lightly sweet flavor at the start. Caramel malt really blends well with the vanilla flavors. The hop bittterness is there, but just barely. Long bitter finish with warming alcohol to take it home. Great beer and a great event.

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.

Appearance: Opaque, brown body with an inch of lasting, off-white foam. Smell: Caramel-scented maltiness with full bourbony accents smelling of vanilla, toasted coconut shavings, and wood. That wood note grows a bit upon warming. Taste: Caramel maltiness with a rich, heavy sweetness. More coconut, vanilla, and oak. As with the aroma, the oakiness intensifies as it warms. Slight underlying bitterness, but the hop flavors are long gone, traded in for Jack Daniels, it would seem. Warming, bourbony taste lingers beyond the finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-low carbonation. Drinkability: Quite good! Certainly won’t be pleasing any hop heads, but fans of bourbon barrel aging should enjoy it.

On tap at Terrapin brewau. Poured a dark copper brown, with a small off white head. Plenty of lacing. Aroma of bourbon, malt, vanilla, oak, caramel, hops. Taste is also of vanilla, oak, hops, malt, and caramel. Some alcohol also comes through. Finishes with some alcohol/bourbon and light hop bitterness. Mouth is relatively thick, especially when compared to the Hoppy Monster. Overall, an excellent brew that benefits from a few months on oak.

[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.

Pours a hazy deep brown color with a brown head. Aroma is bourbon, oak, vanilla, brown sugar, molasses, caramel, and some citrus hop notes. Flavor is bourbon, oak, vanilla, caramel, molasses, alcohol, and a sweet sugary bourbon finish.