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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?  
 SoLan (1367), Orlando, Florida, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/515/20
Dec 6, 2006  
Black with a solid tan head. Roasty burnt dark chocolate, vinous dark fruit, subtle anise, subtle coffee beans, burnt cotton candy. Full, rich, balanced palate. Solid imperial.


 gputty (456), Virgina Beach, Virginia, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/58/104/517/20
Dec 5, 2006  
From bomber. Pours black with thick coffee head. Nose has a large grassy hop profile along with chocolate/coffee undertones. Flavor is similar with the chocolate in front this time and a great bitter citrus finish. Palate is creamy and smooth. Well done.


 Emil (6075), Copenhagen, Denmark
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/103/516/20
Dec 5, 2006    Updated: Feb 11, 2007
Black colour with a small brown head. Coffee, chocolate, roasted aroma and a sweet coffee, chocolate, taste. Medium body with a sweet finish. 8-4-7-3-16. Re-Rate. 8-4-9-4-18 Bottle. Black beer with a medium brown head. The aroma is roasted, coffee, chocolate, fruits and hops. The taste is sweet chocolate, coffee, fruits and hops. Medium to full body with a dry light alcoholic finish.


 PilsnerPeter (2585), Flushing, New York, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/105/516/20
Dec 4, 2006  
This stuff is big! Pours black with a short lived deep brown head. The aroma is roasted chocolate, with a surprisingly resiny, grapefruit hop kick. It has a great thick body, exactly what I want from an Imperial Stout. Huge resiny flavors which is a perfect balance to the thick chocolatey malts. Viscous mouthfeel, without being unpleasantly syrupy. Mocha roastyness, with a grapefruit hop middle and a long roasty dry hop and coffee finish. This is a rich, complex and satisfing brew, but it doesn’t have the drinkability of some other amazing Imperial Stouts (like Old Rasputin).


 joergen (8429), Frederiksberg, Denmark
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Dec 3, 2006  
Bottle. Black coloured with a beige head. Roasted aroma of coffee, dried fruits and hops. Roasted flavour of coffee, caramel and chocolate with notes of hops.


 Hildigöltur (5109), København, Denmark
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/105/517/20
Dec 1, 2006  
Bottled. Quite black coloured. Lots of hops, chocolate and coffee and some toffee and fruits in the aroma. The flavour is extremely well balanced with loads of bitter and juicy hop notes as well as darker coffee and chocolate notes. The roasty and the hoppy bitter and dry notes goes perfectly togheter with the soft and sweetish fruit notes. Full bodied. Slightly below medium carbonation level. Soft mouthfeel. Lingering aftertaste with the hops dominating. Excellent.


 cbkschubert (1945), Cochise Co., Arizona, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Nov 29, 2006  
2006 22 oz. bottle via trade with JCapriotti and jasonmech77 - Pours a deep dark brown color with a good size tan head. Light spotty lacing. Has a nice citrus hop and light roasted malt aroma. Don’t find too many IS’s using the 3 C’s hops. I like it. Has a smooth chocolate flavor with a good bit of bitterness to boot. Medium to full body. Bitterness seems to linger a tad. Gonna have to sit on my other bottle for awhile. I like this beer, alot. When I start brewing again, this is what I’m shooting for. Thanks Jason.


 tjthresh (1745), Greenfield, Indiana, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/57/104/516/20
Nov 23, 2006  
22 ounce bottle. Kick ass black with a reddish brown head. The head fades rather quickly, but that’s ok. She’s still a beaut. Lots of wonderful citrusy hop aroma. Hot cocoa and lattes. Lots of cocoa and dark roast coffee flavor. Hops are a major player as well. Big time bitter. Alcohol warmth. Maybe a bit on the thin side, but that just makes it quaffable. Really a top notch beer.



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