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Smuttynose Imperial Stout

Percentile
99
overall

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
6103.96/5.03.94/5.0Winter10.1%84.1Snifter
Commercial Description:
After a one year hiatus the Imperial Stout is back in action. We figured that after catching a bit of flack for its absence we’d have it return with a bang. We bumped up the starting gravity from 20° P to 24° P. This allowed the beer to finish just over 10% ABV. Like this year’s Barleywine, we’ve decided to play with the hop character, specifically the dry hop presence. Trying to avoid the fiasco of my previous attempt at adding pellets to the fermentor, I did what any good manager would do: I made Charlie add them. He had the advantage of being able to add the hops directly through a top manway and so his besting me in this challenge is not necessarily a sign of his superior brewing skills but more a reflection of my adventurous, try anything spirit (or at least that’s the story I’m stickin’ to). The Charles added 44 lbs of Cascade, split evenly between two batches, or about half a pound per barrel. We then transferred the beer onto seventy-eight pounds of an even mixture of Centennial and Columbus whole flowers, about one pound per barrel. The beer is a little top heavy in terms of the hopping but it seems to be smoothing out a bit as it’s aging. I’d give it six months or so, if you can wait that long. If not, hey, enjoy it anyway.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Imperial-John (155), Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/104/517/20
May 2, 2009  
2007. Black with espresso head. Nice strong malt, alcohol and coffee aroma. Creamy floral choco, warming alcohol taste. Very clean aftertaste, no bitterness.


 ksurkin (366), Norfolk, Virginia, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
May 1, 2009  
bomber from grape & gourmet. pours a slightly oily, jet black with a thin, light brown head and sheet lacing. aroma is, well, half imperial IPA/half imperial stout with big, floral hops, mild citrus, and licorice on a background of creamy coffee, chocolate, vinous fruits, roasty malts, and booze. flavor is delicious and unique as it gets. big, bitter, citrus hop notes up front with roast coffee, malted milk balls, vanilla extract, and smoke coming through after the swallow. finish is smokey chocolate with a hint of sambuca. mouthfeel is smooth, rich, and full bodied. overall, the hoppiest imperial stout i’ve tasted and would love to have this one aged about a year.


 Tmoney99 (4702), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
May 1, 2009  
Bottle shared at local BA gathering. Poured dark brown color with a moderate frothy brown head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate roasted malt, chocolate and small alcohol aroma. Medium to full body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. Medium to heavy roasted sweet flavor with a medium to heavy bittersweet finish of moderate to long duration. Another standout brew.


 jjuf1853 (471), Land O Lakes, Florida, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/516/20
Apr 22, 2009  
Draft at Brass Tap (Wesley Chapel, FL). Pours a dark brown, near black color with a tan head. Rich chocolate, licorice, and tobacco aromas and flavors. Nice kick from the hops. The high alcohol stands out somewhat.


 maugus4ever (121), Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/516/20
Apr 22, 2009  
Pours black with a large dark tan head. Aroma is of roasted malts, alcohol, and molasses. Very hoppy for an Imperial Stout, but it is to be expected from Smuttynose. Great sweet flavor up front with a dry hop kick and alcohol at the finish. This is different from most Imperials I have had, but I think they are on to something. Definitely worth trying.


 darn1207 (547), Tallahassee, Florida, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/56/103/514/20
Apr 20, 2009  
bomber. black pour with thick foamy tan head and heavy lacing. woah - aroma is like rubbing alcohol or vodka. there’ s more to it than that (pine hops, soy, light citrus) - but it’s overpowering. taste is a mint hop bitterness that drowns out the typical chocolate and coffee stout tastes. finishes warm. thin to medium texture. hard to rate - original, but doesn’t have stout qualities I typically like. might improve with age.


 jvmiller (532), Bel Air, Maryland, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/104/518/20
Apr 18, 2009  
Hoppy, alcoholic nose. Dark fruits, molasses, and more alcohol. Viscosity, darkness is a little low, it looks more like a very dark caramel. Head is frothy, deep brown color. This is a pretty standout beer, in that it stands out from the usual imperial stouts. Flavor is bitey-sweet malts, roasted chocolate coffee, and a good bout of hops as well. What struck me was a mocha character, and sort of a vinuous bitey character from the alcohol, although I wouldn’t have guessed 10%. I really like this because the flavor is powerfull, but the body is fairly thin and not syrupy, making it deliciously drinkable. It is also not terribly sweet, and lies along the bitter/dry side, although it is definitely still an imperial. I would definitely recommend!


 redlight (1458), Winter Park, Florida, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/517/20
Apr 17, 2009  
draft @ redlight redlight. Tar and tobacco strong on the nose, with sweet dark malts with strong hop presence. Pours black with a thin tan head. Super hoppy imperial stout, the columbus and centennial come through right away with tar and intense molasses flavors, roasted malts, with vanilla and coffee with strong bitter chocolate overtones. This is an intense imperial stout!



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