Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner

Gotta love a lager as bold as this one. Here’s to bold lagers. I wish I could get my hands on a bottle of the 2005 version for my collection.

This one really delivers the hallertau hops which hit me in a perfume-like shield which makes other pilsners seem so small because they lack the potency and aroma that this one has. There is a realm of floral citrus bouquet and malty tones to restrain the hoppy blast which makes this a more balanced beer despite the exuberence. A clean crisp dry palate accompanies the flavors. I’m thinking favorite Sam Adams beer.

Pours hazy and with a solid depth of color. Gorgeous. Nose is hallertau to the max, so straightforward and endlessly delightful. Resinous. Phenolic. Also apricot. The overall intensity combined with quaffability makes this entirely enjoyable.

Bottle. Hazy orange, small white head. Flavor and aroma are both very similar to many IPAs with a lot of hoppy bitterness, citrus, grapefruit, and peppery spice. There’s an interesting, clean mouthfeel. Finishes remarkably smooth for a 9% alcohol lager.

RE-Rate/ 10/28/2008: Pours a very nice looking hazy deep gold with great thick off-white head that lays a thick layer of lacing. Very nice floral aroma with some berry or orange. Flavor hits pretty hard, very sweet malt then the strong hop flavor sneaks up on you, very piney, with a strong bitter.....Overall impression, hoppy, very hoppy.....this is a sipper. First Rating: ’’I am not a fan of this beer...Im not a hop head but had to give it a try. Pourd a great clear color with excellent head retention, laced the glass. Smell was pretty good as well. Now comes the taste....Yep, strong hop flavor, very strong...Only slight bitterness as well which I like. I didn’t finish the beer, it was just too much for me.’’

I had the first run of this back in 05 and loved it. I don’t know if it’s my tastes that have changed, or the beer, but I don’t like it as much. The smell is straight cat piss. The taste is surprisingly malty, with caramel sweet notes, and tons of citrus and piney hop flavors. Very full mouthfeel. While this is a decent brew, you’d be a fool to call it a (Imperial) Pilsner. Tastes more like a beefed up Steam beer that anything else. Whatever.

Yellow hue but extremely murky and cloudy - scary looking and not in a good exciting way. Medium white head, no carbonation in the murk. Aroma is very pleasing, butter and floral. For a "superhop" it is strangely not dominated with the smell of grass one would expect. Well, if I didn’t really smell the hops, I sure do taste ’em! Way in front of any other flavor and stays there throughout. The malt is not strong enough to survive the onslaught even water is hard to discern. A positive is the masking of the high alcohol, but that level of hops would mask about anything. If you like superhop style, you can have my share, its way over the top and to me not entirely enjoyable. At least I tried.

12 fl oz bottle, BBE March 31, 2008, Systembolaget. Cloudy, almost turbid. Thick head. Hoppy nose, not as big as I had expected, some pineapple. Palate bitter with an elegant subtle malt character in the background, with some alcohol sweetness. Ethanol hop extract with some malt. Rather interesting though. This was the first Imperial Pilsner I had, so I don’t know how it stands up to its style peers.