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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?  
 mike mcneil (660), St Augustine, Florida, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/104/517/20
Jul 31, 2006  
Another superb offering from Smuttynose’s Big Beer Series. BTW- picked these up at Somerville Supersaver, NJ for $3.99/22 oz.’er which is a great deal. Pours thick, jet-black and opaque. Produces a thin, wispy tan head. Unique aroma combination of the dark, roasted malts and the Centennial and Cascade hops. A mixture of espresso, dark chocolate, pine and citrus fill the nose. Big thick chewy mouthfeel which is accentuated by the minimal carbonation level. Delicious flavors of bittersweet chocolate, espresso bean and burnt malt successfully married with the piney/citrusy hop flavors. All of this is nicely amped up by the alcohol level. Finish is a pleasant bitter-sweet send-off. Great stuff here!!


 WISEGUY572 (1244), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/59/104/516/20
Jul 31, 2006  
This was surprisingly good. I don’t love Smutty, but their big bottle series ranges from good to great, and this one is maybe the best I’ve had so far. Pours a flat opaque black with no head, just a little discoloration on the top of the glass, and leaves no real lacing. Flat in the mouth, but full and round ... like a stout. Nose is never my favorite part of a beer, but this one is sweet malts and hops. I really enjoy the flavor ... intense and complex ... coffee, espresso, bitter hops, sweet toffee, and burnt malt, with a long, long bitter finish.


Slinger (91), Toms River, New Jersey, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/103/516/20
Jul 29, 2006  
22 oz- Obviously pours very dark with a light brown head. Strong scents of hops. Coffee and dark dried fruits overwhelm.


px2grafx (14), Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
4.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/104/510/104/519/20
Jul 24, 2006  
intensely hoppy and bitter ris. heavy grass and pine aromas from the dry hopping. sweet chocolate, coffee, plums and oak cask with light alcohol in the finish. will cellar well.


dwh50 (46), Clay, New York, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/105/59/105/518/20
Jul 20, 2006    Updated: Jul 14, 2007
I’m new to rating beer but I share the bias of most subscribers to this site. I prefer stouts and porters, strong beers in general. I’m not yet up on the lingo and my sense of smell is not real good. The only thing I did not like is the "piney" taste of I suppose for the other reviews is the hops. I would buy this beer again.


 ryan (1774), Beltsville, Maryland, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/514/20
Jul 12, 2006  
Pours black with a small tan head. The aroma is roast, smoke, prunes, molases. The flavor is chocolate, molases, roast, light smoke, burnt, plums. The mouthfeel is soft and creamy.


 Sregnar35 (729), Rotterdam, New York, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/104/517/20
Jul 8, 2006  
Nice brew. Aroma is strong burnt coffe and sugar. Pours a great dark black mud with a subdued head. Flavor is very dry, a bit hoppy and greatly dry because of the copious amounts of roasted malt, yummy.


 tbookman (618), Ephrata, Pennsylvania, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/103/515/20
Jun 29, 2006  
Deep brown color - medium beige head. Aroma is very hoppy with notes of roasted malt. Flavor is rich with a strong hop presence, with notes of chocolate, burnt coffee and alcohol. Finish is dry and slightly oily. Good stuff.



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