Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner

	Percentile
	96
	overall

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

bottled
common

on tap
unknown

Broad Distribution
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Ratings	Average	Score	Seasonal	ABV	Style Pctl	Serve in
957	3.73/5.0	3.72/5.0	Special	8.8%	99.2	Lager 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.

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Grovlam (3810), Copenhagen, Denmark

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	8/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	15/20

Jun 17, 2007

Bottle. Average creamy like white head that mostly diminished. Fair lacing. Clear flat body with an amber color. Aroma of caramel, grain, rye bread, floral, citrus and grapefruit notes as well. Light notes of peach and liquorish. Medium bodied with a soft carbonation and an oily and light alcoholic texture. Light sweet flavor with moderated bitter floral and a hint of salt. Somewhat cough syrup like finish.

Theis (3756), Denmark

3.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.1	6/10	2/5	6/10	3/5	14/20

Apr 25, 2008

Bottle at Bishops Arms, Malmø - as Hallertau Imperial Pilsner. Cloudy yellow - white head. High hoppy, cirtus, grassy, grape, cactus, resin, light malty ,light white sugar, sweetness. OK.

sayravai (3733), Helsinki, Finland

3.8	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.8	7/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	15/20

Oct 26, 2007

(Bottled) Very hazy amber with a smallish, firm and lacy head. Smooth, aromatic-flowery-hoppy aroma with some alcohol presence. Dry, pine-grassy-hoppy flavor with the grassy bitterness staying in the mouth for a long time. Medium to full-bodied, very smooth and soft-carbonated palate. A quite nice mix of Liberty Ale and Urquell. Got the yeasty half, so might be different with less yeast.

Rciesla (3686), Exit 15W, New Jersey, USA

3.9	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.9	8/10	5/5	7/10	4/5	15/20

May 29, 2009

Bottle. Pours an amber body with an off white head. Very hoppy body with lots of grapefruit, citrus, and spicy hop pine accents. Moderate etoh warming but well masked in this hop haven. V.Nice.

egajdzis (3626), Spring Mount, Pennsylvania, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Dec 15, 2005 Updated: May 1, 2007

Poured a hazy, orange brown color with a small, white head that left sparse lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrus, pine, toasted dough, and floral hops. Taste was very spicy, mint leaf, grass, citrus fruits, some malts, and a long bitter finish.

badgerben (3600), Blaine, Minnesota, USA

3.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.2	6/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	13/20

Nov 30, 2005

Copper color with no head. Dry hop aroma. The taste is just dry and bitter with no real distinction of malt, hops, or anything else. Pureed hops.

ClarkVV (3578), Allston, Massachusetts, USA

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	7/10	5/5	7/10	3/5	14/20

Nov 21, 2005

Bottle at Sunset Grill on 11/17/05 with OldGrowth. Abundant and dense light beige-cream colored head is large and retained until I finish the beer. Ample lacing makes its way down the sides, and the drab, rusty-olive-brass colored body is noticeably hazy (though not so much that it detracts from the appearance). Aroma of earth, bark, nuts, roots, lemons, cream, vanilla, herbs, sweatiness. Not sure how people are getting pine and citrus out of this. Certainly the hops are in such force that some citrus notes are inevitable, and it is highly bitter, but I can’t see the pine at all. Much more a floral hoppiness, mixed with the earthy/nutty/musty type. Very strong aroma. Flavor does not let up either. Huge hop bitterness at first, but followed by plenty of pils malt balance and then a wave of hop flavor. Light yellow fruits, plenty of herbs, floral notes and soily/nutty/damp leaves. The body is full and leaves no lapse of flavor at any point. Carbonation is fairly tight, with some moderate expansiveness on the end. Juicy, succulent texture, drying on the end, with some fruitiness as well. Alcohol is well-concealed. A noble hops Double IPA would not be too far off from the truth. Not very similar to Rogue’s Imperial Pilsner at all. Not really sure how to assign numbers based on any real style so I’ll guess I’ll just do it based on my enjoyment, which, although I much prefer noble hops, this is still over-the-top. Should be very interesting to try in 6 months to a year.

gnoff (3570), Göteborg, Sweden

3.7	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.7	8/10	4/5	6/10	4/5	15/20

Nov 18, 2007 Updated: Jun 4, 2008

First rating
(12 FL oz bottle at The Rover, Göteborg)
Shady golden color, big white head. Hoppy fresh and sweet scent. Hoppy bitter taste. Sweet and bitter hoppy long aftertaste. Thick smooth mouthfeel. Huge bitterness. In a blind tasting I would have guessed this to be a top fermented beer, nothing in it is lager/pils for me.
8/4/8/4/17=4.1

Second rating
(12 fl oz bottle from Systembolaget)
BB 2008-03-31
On May 30, 2008
Shady orange color, big lasting orange head. Fruity, sweet and hoppy scent. Bitter and hoppy a bit harsh taste. Smooth nice mouthfeel, high bitterness.
8/4/6/4/15=3.7

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