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Smuttynose Imperial Stout

Smuttynose Imperial Stout - Imperial Stout

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 Percentile 
99
overall
Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout

Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
6073.96/5.03.94/5.0Winter10.1%84.2Snifter
View Statistics  P 

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?  
 RagallachMC (631), Cleveland, Ohio, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Mar 12, 2007  
22oz bottle via trade with MrBendo. Aroma: Rich chocolate, roasted malt, anise, coffee, cream, and dark fruits. Definitely some hops in here, too. Pine and citrus come through loud and clear. Appearance: Black with no highlights. Dark tan head was full and creamy with decent retention. Good lacing. Flavor: Chocolate, coffee, dark fruits, cream, light smoke and anise. Again, the hops come through fairly strong with pine and citrus. Grains and hops meld together well. Medium high bitterness. Some lingering sweetness and grain after the finish. Palate: Full bodied and creamy. Moderate carbonation. Alcohol warming all over tongue. Overall: Solid imperial stout. Good play between malt flavors and hops. Really enjoyed it.


 bobaidan (358), Farmington, Connecticut, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/58/104/516/20
Mar 10, 2007  
Pours black as night with a small brown head that lasts a long time. Aroma is chocolate, malt and a tartness. Flavor is very rich and consists of mostly chocolate and coffee with some hop bitterness. Alcohol is well hidden for such a potent brew. Very good example of the style.


 kevin62 (267), New Jersey, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/59/104/517/20
Mar 4, 2007  
Tasted this recently on tap.Poured jet black with a thin tan head.The aromas were of coffee,chocolate,malt,which were also reflected in the taste.The body was medium and the finish was slightly bitter,yet amazing.A truely remarkable brew indeed!


 thornecb (1735), Marblehead, Massachusetts, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/518/20
Mar 1, 2007  
Aged 6 months. Pours jet black into a snifter. Tan head quickly recedes to skim surface and rim. Tart chocolate aromas. Smooth and creamy with upfront slightly sour dark chocolate and hops with a lasting espresso finish.


 joss (3630), Garching b. München, Germany
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/103/515/20
Feb 25, 2007  
Bottle. Hoppy (pine) coffee aroma. Very dark, low head. Chocolaty roast base, piney and grassy counterpoint Very subtle and well made.


 lordeche (397), Quincy, Massachusetts, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/517/20
Feb 22, 2007  
Pours a gorgeous black with thick milk-chocolate head. Aroma of dark chocolate, raisin, plum, earthy hops and slight alcohol. Flavor is strongly dark chocolate and coffee dominated. A slight flavor of dry hopping is also present. Medium thick palate with very little carbonation.


 Beerdedone (1873), Croydon, Pennsylvania, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/514/20
Feb 22, 2007  
Bottle sampled with stegosaurus. Pours a thick robust black with a light brown head. Aroma of berry, chocolate, coffee and hops. Flavor was that of mild coffee,malt and chicory. A very smooth and mellow imperial stout.


 zach8270 (2051), Henrietta, New York, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/515/20
Feb 21, 2007    Updated: Jan 1, 2009
(bottle - 22 oz: 2006 edition) Dark black with a thick and creamy tan head. Aroma is dark and roasty with hints of chocolate, caramel, coffee, burnt malts, and a light hop touch. Flavor is very deep and rich as well. Lots of roasted chocolate malts with a roasty and warm middle and a very smooth and roasted dark malt finish. Very warming and chocolaty at the finish.



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