Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner

Brewed by Boston Beer Company
Style: European Strong Lager
Boston, Massachusetts USA

Bottle picked up in NC w/ kleyland and KieferUGA. Sampled on the same day as DFH’s Golden Era. Poured a hazy dark gold with an average white head. Aroma was nice; lemon/orange/citrus, caramel, yeast and a light hint of alchol. Found it more subtle and better tasting than the Golden Era. Bitter end, but not too much; bitterness was pine, citrus and a slight hint of grass. Flavor up front is citrus and bread. Palate is medium to big, dry finish. Alcohol hidden, but still noticable. A good take on the style without being too far of field.

Rating #338 for this beer.
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2007 Harvest

9/20/2007: Samuel Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner pours a deep hazy gold color with a dense, long-lasting ivory head. It smells hoppy at first and then the hops are overcomed by a sweet, sugary maltiness. The flavor has soft caramel malt with a moderate bitterness. At first it seems hoppy like an IPA, but then the soft, noble nature of the German Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops become noticeable. This beer has a thick (medium-full) and sticky body that is soft on the palate. This beer is wonderfully balanced and an interesting spin on the traditional Pils style. It packs a bunch of great malt and hop flavor and really showcases the aromas and flavors of the Hallertau Mittlefrueh hop.

12 fl. oz. bottle (8.8% Alc. by Vol.) shared by Rob. Score: 7/3/8/4/16=3.8
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2005 Harvest

9/20/2007: Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner 2005 Harvest... Aroma: Still very hoppy; quite floral, but not quite as bright or fresh as newer bottles; lots of smooth caramel maltiness. Appearance: Cloudy deep golden color (orange, really), small ivory-colored foamy head, moderate level of slow carbonation. Flavor: Moderate bitterness that grows; spicy and floral hop flavors; bitterness is more earthy and bitey and lasts; honeycomb sweetness and toffee maltiness; some dried apricot flavor as well. Palate: Medium bull body; smooth and creamy. Overall: Balanced flavors and still VERY good; Probably more hoppy and bitter than the new version!

1 pt. 8 fl. oz. bottle (8.8% Alc. by Vol.; Bottle code: 28351048; Enjoy before January 2006) from iowaherkeye via trade in May 2007. Thanks Joey! Score: 8/3/8/4/16=3.9

Bottle. A deep hazed orange-grapefruit color with a creamy off-white head. Thick and oily on the palate with a hop filled and slightly sweet flavor. A citrus, banana, grapefruit, and hoppy aroma that had a strong bitter finish. Rating from notes.

Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner, 2005 Harvest, says the front, plus, "brewed with Noble Bavarian Hops from the 2005 Harvest." Backside, it refers to itself as a malt liquor. Stupid label laws. Ferociously cloudy appearance, a deep, hazed orange hue...imprentrable apricot...with staying, though slim, dotted, lace-leaving head...good enough... Aroma: WOW! This is what we expect from a Fresh Hop Ale, or a Double IPA, but not from anything that calls itself a pilsner, and though the hops are all Bavarian, this screams as loud as the big boys from the West Coast. Caramel-y, appley, fruity, fresh, and so alive and up-in-your-face, herbaceous, piney, very lively. I like it! Taste: thick, muddy, as hoppy as all hell. Again, I wonder, is this really a pilsner? A malt liquor? Didn’t look like it, doesn’t taste like it, so full of flavor, yet still containing the hoppy snap and smoothness of a great pils. Yet not thin in body, and too clean in mouthfeel. Mouthfeel is immense. Unfiltered? You think? Dry-hopped? You betcha! Dangittidangittily delicious, let me tell you, partner! This Imperial Pilsner designation is so early in it’s usage, but may I say that Samuel Adams has upped the ante, for none approaches this approach. A tasty mess that I must recommend to one and all. Wondered if the $5 for my 24 oz. bottle was too much, but now know that’s silly, as other craftbrews has charged more for less. This hophead throws up huge props on Sammy for this one...so insistently full in flavor, so intense in taste, so huge in delivering the goods...got to love it! $5 well spent. Get hop-loving friends around you and enjoy!

Cloudy orange amber, hint of gold, luxurious head. Heady aroma of pineapple, citrus, and pine oriented hops. Flavor is surprisingly different, a honey sweet malt backbone with a soul crushing onslaught of pure hops, floral, a bit of pineapple, and very, very spicy. Magnificent, and by far the best thing I’ve ever tried from Boston Beer. See, they really can do somehting special. NOTE: 2007 edition also great, perhaps less pineapple and some earthiness mixed in, but still a spicy hop fest overall.

Blends of slightly spiced, orange-citrus hop notes in the nose with also some wet hay aromas wafting across cranial nerve #1. A bit vinous, grainy, and a touch sweet. Moderate-mostly hazy copper color with an amber twinge. Smallish off-white head. Starts a bit sweet and a touch sugary without much maltiness in the middle before the harsh, bitter hops pulverize your palate. Lots of dry, grapefruity tannin notes to finish. Very long and dry and bitter finish. One dimensional hop monster. Not too far off from Stone Ruination when it comes to balance...this just uses German hops as opposed to Stone’s West Coast stuff. Good if you’re a hop head who just likes a really hoppy bitter beer with no balance. Not for me.

Attractive, clear deep golden body with medium carbonation and a lush, cottony white head. Aroma of buttery nuts (distinct, but not overpowering diacetyl) and notes of flowers, stonefruits, and cut grass. I expected a more assertive hop aroma. Flavor is alcoholic with some decent, medium sweet malt character suggesting honey and baked biscuits but this beer is unmistakably hop-centered, drying and mega-bitter. Has aspirin and plastic characters that linger. I wish they would have saved some of those bittering hops for the dry-hop addition. Definitely a beer for folks with an affinity for hops and alcohol. I appreciate the effort from Sam Adams coupled with a reasonable price tag and hope they do more along these lines.

Very good for a pils. Light grainy nose. Some citrus hops in an otherwise grainy body. Alcohol doesn’t stand out as much as I’d expect.