Why we picked it: This was a recommended beer as well.
About Terrapin's Wake n Bake: Black as night, this coffee stout is thick, rich and full of real coffee flavor. Brewed with a special blend of beans from all over the world developed and roasted specifically for Terrapin by our friends at Jittery Joe’s Coffee right here in Athens, Ga. This unique blend of coffee produces a robust and flavorful beer that will leave you asking “Why not Beer?” for breakfast! The high alcohol content of this beer makes it perfect for cellaring… hide a few away and pull one out for a special event 2-3 years later!
The Jittery Joe’s Wake-n-Bake coffee blend is available for sale in our gift shop online and at the brewery!
Beer Advocate Score: 96
Coffee: Premium blend of Costa Rican, Guatemalan, & Zimbabwe : Premium blend of Costa Rican, Guatemalan, & Zimbabwe
Availablity: Winter
ABV: 9.4%
Case Cost: $70
*website: http://terrapinbeer.com/brew/monster-beer-tour/wake-n-bake-coffee-oatmeal-imperial-stout/
Tastes like Starbucks.
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming no one has commented yet since you're all drunk. This was quite the experience. A little back story. I've never been a coffee drinker. But mainly that is due to my dislike of hot beverages so I'm a pretty big fan of coffee flavoring and I don't mind the bitterness. I remember the first time I had the wonderful combination of coffee and stout in the form of a Red Hook Espresso Stout at the Big Hunt circa 1996. I think one of the reasons I like stout is due to the bitter coffee flavor.
ReplyDeleteAnd then there is this beer. I first noticed that it poured with the approximate viscosity of motor oil. Used motor oil. After about 7000 hard miles. Overpowering smell of bitter, bitter coffee. Took my first sip and felt like I had fallen into a trash can of Starbucks coffee grounds. And had a bunch of booze poured over me. Unlike the last two nights, this tasted like every bit of the 9.4% ABV. I would never order this or hunt it down but definitely a unique caffeinated experience. The wild ride that can only be expected from the 24 days of beer.
"I'm assuming no one has commented yet since you're all drunk." = awesome.
DeleteSince I missed this beer a few days ago, I'm jumping in here because Bill wrote an excellent entry that hit all the main points I would have made - but came to the opposite conclusion.
DeleteI loved the marriage of Starbucks and Churchkey that this beer represents. Combining these flavors and aromas is no easy task, and it's done badly more often than not. Terrapin (which seems to me an average brewery at best) did a fine job here, making a complex and intense beer best sipped slowly. You know it's going to be big and slightly overpowering when you read the label - so you're prepared for what they offer. And they deliver a big dose of booze and buzz.
Great beer and strong coffee are two of my favorite things in the world, so I'm happy to enjoy them in one well made offering. Sipping this beer while watching a great football game would make three of my favorite things. If my wife served me this beer as I watched an awesome football game, I would pretty much have most of my favorite things in the world all in one place. Since that's not likely to happen on a school night, I'll just have a bottle of this and watch SportsCenter. That ain't bad.
Note, "with coffee added"
ReplyDeleteYes there is! And it's not overdone, but if you don't like coffee, you probably won't like this, otherwise, nicely balanced, "coffee" forward, smooth with pleasant aftertaste.
"I'll have another"
Ive seen beers that tout coffee flavors but this is the first time i've seen a seen a coffee advertised as a beer. Im actually surprised Starbucks has not swooped in and tried to capitalize on this target audience, alcohol ice coffee. Ive tried substituting Bailey's instead of my morning creamer before, but it never had the desired taste. This was really thick and was more coffee than beer. I didn't mind this but not sure i could drink too many of these. The wife doest appear to enjoy hers so I might get my wish and get another to sample. B-
ReplyDeleteBlew me away. Can only hope I get to sleep tonite. Really liked this but couldn't see having more than one. Or two spaced pretty far apart. As enjoyable as it is it almost seems like a novelty - something you try and enjoy but hard-pressed to make it part of the regular rotation. Would love to serve this to my Coors Light swilling buddies, just to watch their faces but at $70 a case I'll just watch them drink their light beer in disgust.
ReplyDeleteMy sleeping probkem has been getting in the way if my drinking lately... but tonight I'm back on the blog.
ReplyDeleteI have really been liking stouts for the last few months. However, I am a little disappointed with this one. Ut us much too think with an overpowering coffee taste. I will nit be trying this one again. C-
Dark beer coffee – will this affect my sleep? I’m counting on the 9.4% to even things out.
ReplyDeleteThis was gross, only slightly redeemable by the high ABV. I'm not a huge terrapin fan in general despite my best attempt. I'd prefer to do a real wake and bake vs drinking this thing, alas my employer frowns upon that sort of stuff. I couldn't get past the thickness......that's what she said.
ReplyDeleteLove stouts, love higher alcohol content so this was a good match for me. Super thick and coffee heavy. The only other Terrapin I have had is the Pale Ale which I am a big fan of. Will keep this WNB in mind next time I see Terrapin.
ReplyDeleteExcellent. Just excellent. The Oatmeal balances out the coffee very nicely and I get a hint of vanilla. I'll give this a notch above the Flying Dog and Left Hand. Not that either of those were bad beers its just the flavors just mesh better with this here Terrapin. Definitely not for Stout or coffee haters. This right here gets a well deserved A.
ReplyDeleteSo I just woke up and still trying to figure out who she was?? All I remember is she had me on the couch, had wicked coffee breath, was very dark and smooth as glass. After a couple of rounds, I woke up to Chicago getting hammered by NO. WOW she packed a punch. I can't have more than 2 of these and don't know if I wanna try it again.
ReplyDeleteWOW...Tony and Katie are gonna hate this one. I'm not a coffee drinker but can appreciate the allure of the bitter and rich drink. This beer is so boozy...so bold...that I just have to appreciate the effort. I'll prolly never have another one, but I sure am glad that I got to drink it. Fairly certain that I will not not sleep tonight. Just hopin that the ABV offsets the stimulative effect. I see myself keeping the lady up for a few hours of naughty time after this one...
ReplyDeleteExcept for the coffee part, this beer was excellent. I just don't like beers brewed with coffee, at least to the degree that this one was. I liked the viscosity and the other stout attributes. I'll go with a B-. But if you like stouts and coffee, this is one to try I guess.
ReplyDeleteToo, too much coffee
ReplyDeleteI like beer and I like coffee, so combining the two only makes sense. I enjoyed this beer but must admit it is not my all-time favorite stout or even coffee stout. Still this beer was what I needed.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to give it a go, but this beer is doomed from the start. Was that beer I just poured in my glass or motor oil?!? I get a big chocolate smell from this one. I'm getting a little coffee on the nose too. dreeding this right now, except for 9.4% ABV. That should take care of me. First sip...pretty bad. A lot of coffee. Second sip...this beer seems thick, I hate the after taste, why would anyone pay $70 a case for this? It's not going down the drain, this will be the first and last one of these I have. Grade 5 of 10, D-
ReplyDeleteSmells like straight coffee. I don't drink coffee, don't like the taste. Any guesses on whether I like it or not? Free beer in our fridge whoever guesses correctly.
ReplyDeleteI'll take it off your hands...I gotta stop by to drop off some treats anyway
DeleteI love coffee. I'm a fan of Evolution Rise Up and Flying Dog Kujo. Are they interesting? Yes. Are they balanced? Not so much, but because I love coffee they get a pass on that criterion. This Wake and Bake? Holy crap - this thing is way over the top. If you love coffee, you may like this. If you are all about balance in your beers, there's no chance. I love coffee and beer enough to say that I'm happy to have had the pleasure to cross paths with this one, but wow, I'll be talking about it for years before I feel like trying another one. I did imagine that it would be the perfect pre-noon tail gate starter beer (one only) on a freezing gameday...
ReplyDeleteI love my morning coffee. Black and caffeinated, every morning. And this beer should probably be consumed in the morning. Indeed, it might be a great hangover cure. However, as a good ol' coffee stout, this is too much for me. It just overwhelms. Grade: 5.5/10
ReplyDeleteOk, I love strong coffee and I love beer, but this one was just too much for me. After one sip I decided to share some with my 20-something son and nephew and they both left a good bit sitting in the glass. This is a clear case of more is definitely not always good.
ReplyDeleteGreat coffee scent. Great execution on blending and balancing. B+
ReplyDelete