It’s a bit of a lazy Sunday afternoon here at home, and after I had the Bell’s Oarsman Ale, I realized it had been quite some time since I dug into the beer fridge. So, I reached in and blindly grabbed one. This beer was given to me by my friend @jkaiseresq several months ago, and he said it was a pretty good beer.
The bottle says, “Two Athens, GA companies, Terrapin and Jittery Joe’s, have teamed up to create a unique blend of coffee used to produce this robust and flavorful beer. So when it comes to a morning beverage… why not beer!”
Location: Enjoyed in a snifter glass at my home in Bloomington, Illinois.
Numbers: 8.6% ABV, 50 IBUs, 20.8 OG, ~ 286 Calories
Ingredients: Malt: 2- Row Pale Malt, Flaked Oats, Flaked Barley, Chocolate Malt, Black Malt & Roasted Barley; Hops: Chinook, Northern Brewer; Coffee: Premium blend of Costa Rican, Guatemalan, & Zimbabwe.
Appearance & Aroma: It’s extremely black, and I couldn’t see through it, even when held up to the sunlight. It’s got a very thin creamy dark tan head, and seems like it’s got a decent amount of carbonation and it, leaving a good amount of lacing on the glass. The aroma is like a very dark roasted coffee with hints of brown sugar and licorice.
Taste & Feel: The body is medium to full and the mouthfeel is very creamy, with a bit of a carbonation tingle. Sweet dark, molasses-like and black licorice flavors up front, quickly followed by a coffee like flavor with chocolatey undertones. The coffee flavor grows in the finish to an almost heavy roasted coffee bitterness, which lasts through the aftertaste and lingers for a little bit.
Food Pairing: With plenty of coffee flavors, I’d pair this with something you’d usually pair coffee with. I think it would go nicely with a cinnamon crumb cake or coffee cake, as well as donuts. The big flavors in this beer could easily overpower almost any meal, so if you’re going to pair it, I’d recommend going with a light cake or a rich chocolaty dessert.
Overall Impression: I really enjoyed the complex aroma and flavors in this beer. On top of a smooth and velvety mouthfeel, it’s flavors reminded me a bit of Founders Breakfast Stout. I only wish it had slightly more body, but overall, it was a very good beer that I’d recommend picking up if you can get your hands on it.
My Rating: 
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