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Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner 3.72 959

Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner

Percentile
96
overall

bottled
common

on tap
unknown

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
9593.73/5.03.72/5.0Special8.8%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?  
 Dorwart (1829), Robbinsville, New Jersey, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/515/20
Jan 4, 2006  
Strong head. Very dense and light orange in color. Reduces very slowly to a rocky top. Light carbonation. Hazy orange copper in color. Slight initial skunky aroma but disipates to a malty aroma with a bit of hops, honey and spices. Big hops and bitterness in the flavor. Actually pretty tasty. Thick palate for a "pilsner". Chewy with plenty of sweet malts. Bitterness is a little harsh but not too over the top. Nice alcohol warming and noticable alcohol presence. Finish is coating and a little bitter. I like this one more than I though I would. Good job Uncle Sam.


 Schroppfy (1813), Ohio, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/56/104/515/20
Dec 24, 2005  
Why?! Why did this have to turn sweet? More fruitiness than expected with these hops - yes they are herbal and bitter and grassy and pencil shavings-like and flowery, but there is a peachy grapefruit too, and I don’t want that. Gets too sweet too at the tail, warm end. Still, an unfiltered gem with Hallertau at center stage, and with this killer aroma. MMM the aroma is really great.


 thornecb (1810), Marblehead, Massachusetts, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Jan 5, 2006    Updated: Oct 30, 2008
2005: Golden, hazy pour with 1/4 inch of well-distributed head that slowly wanes. Smells a little fruity. Slightly sweet first taste that quickly turns to a bitter hop finish that stays. Micro carbonation with a little softness. I guess this is the only thing I’ve enjoyed from Sam Adams - nice and hoppy once you get over initial sweetness.


 Lumpy (1802), Carrollton, Texas, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/515/20
Dec 4, 2005  
Bottle courtesy of jjpm74. Nose-spicy/black pepper. Taste-caramel, malty sweetness, sweet caramel sugar, medium hops. Great use of a big malt presence with a good amount of hops. Lots of alcohol in the finish. Nice!


 lithy (1800), Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/103/516/20
Dec 10, 2008  
Bottle thanks to daknole. Dark hazy honey orange with a finger of creamy smooth white head. Big grassy hop aroma, pale malt sweetness. Taste is lots of malt backbone, almost caramel like, hay and grass zest, then a big hop bitter finish, spicy and grassy hops meld with a light alcohol heat.


 YourDarkLord (1800), Urbana, Illinois, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/104/514/20
Sep 20, 2007  
I’m impressed. Few pilsners have accomplished that. This one pours out a slightly hazy gold with a moderate frothy white head. The aroma was robust hops, rich and earthy, laced with caramel malts, cracked black pepper, biscuits, and citrus peel. The flavor starts slightly sweet with the caramel and then shifts to the hops bitterness. This is a beer Sam Adams can be proud of.


 illinismitty (1800), Nashville, Tennessee, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/515/20
Dec 19, 2007  
Bottle from the gay santa Ross. Pours a very beautiful orange amber with an huge off white head. Complex aroma of floral hops, herbs, fruit, and pale malts. Intial flavor of biscuit, pils, and bready malts that is quickly overpowered by a bitterness, that gives off notes of sweet grapefruit. Finish sort of loses some momentum with a very sharp and spicy bitterness that lingers. This is still a very well done beer, and perhaps the hoppiest European Strong lager I have had. Hoppy enought to make a west coaster proud.


 JCB (1792), Durham, North Carolina, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/57/104/515/20
Oct 22, 2007  
Nice looking cloudy orange beer, almost a cross between a Hefe and an IPA. Very different than I remember it in past years, and I kind of dig the intensely bitter, almost acidic quality of the hops. It’s over the top, heedless of malts to some extent, and derives its character from just this single-mindedness. Pretty tasty.



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