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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?  
 haddon90 (1036), Alexandria, Virginia, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/515/20
Dec 26, 2005  
Thanks Jeremy for letting me try this! Pours a hazy orange color with a thick, frothy head. Hops just springs out of the glass, with a sense of tnaginess and grapefruits. Very sweet. Some dryness at the end, as well as some floral hops and grapefruit notes. A good beer by Sam Adams for sure. Very warm beer.


 Beardface (1036), Eugene, Oregon, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/514/20
Oct 29, 2008  
Surprisingly huge hop presence for the style, they promise intensity on the label and they certainly deliver. Pours a nice golden amber with a large but quick evaporating head and good lacing. Smells exactly like the walkway to the Rogue brewpub, hops, hops and yeast. Bitter but tasty flavor and a lager aftertaste. Good effort, let’s get more of these different Sam Adams out west.


 alobar (1032), Harleysville, Pennsylvania, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/515/20
Aug 12, 2008  
Thick cloudy amber color with a tall soapy head. Powerful aroma of hops with excellent lacing. Lots of hops in the taste. Bitter but with a nice sweet balance. Best Sam Adams I’ve ever had.


 roder60 (1030), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/105/57/103/513/20
Dec 2, 2005  
Pours a nice hazy orange-amber-yellow color with a nice layer of foamy white head. Looks absolutely delicious. Aroma is so potent, I could smell it from 4 feet away. Scents are dominated by citrus and hops with some floral, alcohol, and yeast undertones. Flavor is very hoppy and bitter which totally dominates the beer. Overall, I found it to be a pretty decent beer. I suspect aging would mellow it significantly and make it much more enjoyable.


 ChillCoat (1029), Concord, California, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/56/103/512/20
Dec 10, 2005    Updated: Dec 13, 2005
Bottled. Pours a murky copper color with a big ivory colored head. Sweet, malty aroma with some hoppy floralness. Malty, sweet and bitter... extremely bitter. The hops actually taste aged in this beer. I wish their was a better hop aroma to go with the bitterness. Mouth feel feels thin for the sweetness level. It tastes very similar to a hopped up barley wine or even an IIPA.


 Lowe1983 (1029), Fairborn, Ohio, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/516/20
Oct 4, 2007  
2007 Pours a golden/amber color with an off-white head. Aroma is of citrus and floral hops, caramel malts, spices, and some grassiness. Flavor is strong of citrus and floral hops with some caramel malts, spice, and grass underneath. Bitter finish that lingers. Overall this is pretty good.


 estoppel (1028), Buffalo, New York, USA
2.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/56/102/510/20
Sep 13, 2007  
Bottle. Hazy golden body, BIG rocky white head, sort of sour, slightly floral nose. Soapy, moderately dry body with strong finishing bitterness. Alcohol not particularly well-hidden. Some fleeting bready notes.
Earlier Rating: 12/12/2005 Total Score: 3
Somewhat sweet malty nose with some hops, cloudy golden body, small white head. Medium body, some biscuity malts, hops add bitterness but little flavor. Not worth the money.


 trokini (1027), San Diego, California, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/517/20
Nov 7, 2005    Updated: Dec 11, 2007
Its been a long time since I’ve had a pilsner this good. Pours a light, hazy amber with a massive head. Can really smell the Bavarian hops with hay-like undertones. Taste is very clean up front, with the hops behing mellowed by the malt. The hops keep it bitter, but without turning into a weak IPA. A taste of bread is also there throughout, giving it a thick mouthfeel.



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