Toppling Goliath Assassin

Tasting Notes

Assassin opens with a dense, layered aroma of dark chocolate, roasted espresso, bourbon vanilla, and a hint of dark dried fruit — the hallmark of an extended barrel program. On the palate it's full-bodied and almost syrupy, delivering waves of bittersweet cocoa, caramel, and a faint woody oakiness before settling into a long, warming finish with low but present bitterness. The high alcohol is integrated rather than hot, which speaks to careful aging and recipe discipline. It's a contemplative beer built for slow drinking.

About the Brewery

Toppling Goliath is based in Decorah, Iowa, a small town that became something of a craft beer pilgrimage site largely because of this brewery's outsized reputation. Founded in 2009, they built their name on hop-forward IPAs — most famously Pseudo Sue and King Sue — but their barrel-aged stout program, anchored by Assassin and Dorothy's New World Lager, earned them consistent top rankings on platforms like BeerAdvocate and Untappd. They operate with limited distribution, which has kept demand for their rarer releases genuinely high.

Food Pairings

Assassin pairs well with a dark chocolate brownie or flourless chocolate torte because the beer's cocoa depth mirrors and amplifies the dessert's bitterness without overwhelming it. A cheese plate anchored by aged gouda or a sharp clothbound cheddar works because the fat and salt cut through the beer's sweetness and bring out its caramel notes. Braised short ribs or smoked brisket hold up to the beer's body and complement its roasty character. If you want something simple, vanilla bean ice cream used as a float base softens the alcohol and leans into the beer's natural sweetness.

Style Guide

American Double or Imperial Stouts are defined by their high gravity construction — typically landing between 8% and 13% ABV — and a flavor profile built on roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee, and often caramel or toffee. The style evolved from English and Russian Imperial Stouts but took on its own identity in the American craft era, where brewers began aging versions in bourbon or wine barrels to add layers of vanilla, oak, and spirit character. Unlike a standard stout, which aims for drinkability and moderate body, an Imperial Stout prioritizes intensity and complexity, often at the cost of easy sessionability. Barrel aging is common but not required for the designation.