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Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner

Percentile
96
overall

bottled
common

on tap
unknown

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
9573.73/5.03.72/5.0Special8.8%99.2Lager glass
Commercial Description:
2005 info:This lager is made with fresh Bavarian hops, straight off the vines from the 2005 harvest in Germany, and packs an 8.8 percent alcohol content that's twice as strong as most popular beers.
Boston Beer Co. is brewing only 60,000 24-oz. bottles, which are due to begin arriving in stores in November.

2007 release info:
Yes, we're a little obsessed with hops. Every autumn for over twenty years, Jim Koch has traveled to one of the oldest hop-growing regions in the world, the Hallertau region of Bavaria in Germany, to hand-select Noble Bavarian hops, including the Hallertau Mittelfrueh variety. This special variety is considered to be one of the best in the world, prized for its unique taste and aroma. Samuel Adams® Hallertau Imperial Pilsner is a celebration of these extraordinary hops. This beer is one of the hoppiest in the world, without being overly bitter. With the first sip, you will experience an explosion of some of the world's finest hops. And we mean “explosion” in a good way. Brewed as a showcase for the hops, this bold brew highlights the spicy, citrus flavors and aromas of the Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops that are abundant in the recipe. The intense hops flavor is balanced with the slight sweetness from the malt. The brew remains pleasantly well-balanced from beginning to end, due to the quality of the hops, and continues to always be, well, "hoppy," providing hop lovers with an amazing beer drinking experience.
Available in 12oz. bottles.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Cruzan59 (197), Lititz, Pennsylvania, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/104/518/20
Dec 29, 2007  
4-pack (2007) from Total Wine, River Edge, NJ...label is totally different from what is shown here...bottle pours cloudy orange with a white head...great floral aroma with scents of ripe orange...taste is of sweet citrus and bitter HOPS...smooth mouthfeel with good lacing on my Simon Pearce Beaker (gift from the in-laws...thanks!)...great hoppy brew, right up my alley.


 OldMrCrow (1184), Seattle, Washington, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/56/103/513/20
Dec 29, 2007  
2007 bottle.

I usually laugh at Sam Adams; I passed up the 2005 version of this beer as a stupid marketing gimmick the one time that I saw it, and after reading the ratings on here, I’ve been kicking myself in the ass for doing so for the last two years. I was glad to see the 2007 release, and picked up the bottle that I’m drinking now.

It pours a hazy orange amber with a big white head that fades, leaving behind a bubbly lacing. Despite pouring it at refrigerator temperatures, the aroma is lively and all hop-bomb, lots of citrus and not as grassy as I had expected. Flavor is intense hop oils and not all that much else. A little bit of cookie dough malt, a little bit of spice from the yeast, some alcohol, but it’s really all about the lemon and grapefruit-pith hops. In the mouth it’s both sticky and quite abundantly carbonated, falling just short of prickly, with a bit of alcohol heat coming through even when cold. The problem is that as this one warms, all of the flaws come to the fore. Approaching room temperature, the hops are still there of course, but I keep getting caught up in the fact that it’s sticky, unbalanced, chemical, grainy.

When I’m in the mood for a hop bomb, I think I’d rather drink a good IPA; when I’m not in the mood for a hop bomb, this beer is out of the question. But this really ain’t bad.


 TheSponge (276), Lynnwood, Washington, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/104/518/20
Dec 27, 2007  
VERY hoppy (which is a major plus in my book). Some citrus notes, and I can still tasted some of the yeast. /An excellent beer, IMHO.


 RCL (1456), Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/55/104/512/20
Dec 24, 2007  
Pine and lemon explosion in the aroma. Lasting hop bitterness for minutes on the aftertaste. I like a little more malt sweetness to balance out my hop bombs.


 DMRz (218), Durham, North Carolina, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/515/20
Dec 24, 2007  
Very distinctive green hops aroma with nice fruit and a touch of yeast. Flavor is as expected, with intense bitterness and pleasant fruitiness. An interesting find...


 CamdenD (606), Madrid, Spain
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/58/105/517/20
Dec 24, 2007  
I didn’t realize I’d be giving this beer such high praise, but it’s worth it. I know that wimpy yellowish (non-IIPA) beers should not get 4+s, but this is one incredible beer. Wonderful hoppy yet slightly spiced aroma comes cruising out the glass, followed by some alcohol. Color is a shady gold. I see this much different from the 24oz version I had earlier this year -- this one being much fuller and a truly world-class beer. Buy and drink this one, and do it quickly. No, do it now.


 beerking99 (199), USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/103/514/20
Dec 24, 2007  
Pours an intense orange-amber, but very cloudy, with a big head that lasts very long. Aroma is all hops, and lots of them. So much hops it is very hard to tell they are hallertauer. Flavor is intensely hoppy, as promised, almost too much so. Alcohol is very apparent, and there are faint hints of malt. Mouthfeel is very dry, hoppy, and slightly oily. Truly a beer only for hopheads, it seems a little out of balance to me.


 franksnbeans (265), Columbus, Maryland, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Dec 23, 2007  
Pours out a cloudy golden with an orange hue. Big rocky white head that laces globs as it dies. Smell is very earthy, piney, big hops and a little sweet. Taste is big on hops, bittering, again earthy and piney. Sweet malt provides a nice balance. Full but crisp in the mouth and an outstanding drinkability. ABV is not obvious. A big bitter, hoppy delight. Try it!



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