Smuttynose Imperial Stout from Smuttynose Brewing Company

	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
607 3.96/5.0 3.94/5.0 Winter 10.1% 84.2 Snifter
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.

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ChristianScheffel (4431), Odense, Denmark

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	8/10	4/5	7/10	3/5	14/20

Jun 15, 2009

Black with a lasting tan head. Aroma of licorice, with strong citrus hop notes. Sweet and roasted flavour with warming alcohol, and a hoppy and bitter finish.

VTHopHead (895), Barre, Vermont, USA

3.9	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.9	8/10	3/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Jun 13, 2009

Bomber - Pours a dark black/brown in color with a thick dark tan head that really hung in there... producing some really nice lacing on the glass. Aroma is mostly of pine hopiness and some dark roasted malts. Flavor has dark roasted malts, some chocolate, coffee and (of course) the unusual amount of piney hops. Palate is thick and oily. Alcohol is really not that apparent, but it does warm the belly after a bit. The lingering finish has plenty of hop bitterness and the astringency of the black patent malts. The hop/malt equation is flipped in comparison to most Imperial Stouts, but that does not mean it is not very good beer. I like this one...

dkachur (2316), Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	7/10	3/5	8/10	4/5	14/20

Jun 13, 2009

2008 22 ounce bottle shared by cdumler. Thanks! Pours a slightly murky dark brown color (I got the end of the bottle) with a thin head. Decent head retention and lacing. Aroma is roasted malts with light chocolate notes. Taste is roasted malts, chocolate, coffee and a bit of alcohol still noticeable. Medium bodied.

NDbeerdrinker (164), Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA

3.8	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.8	8/10	3/5	8/10	4/5	15/20

Jun 11, 2009

Pours a thick black with a slight tan head. Aroma is, surprisingly, big piney hops. Taste is roasted malts up front followed up by hops. By far the hoppiest Impy Stout I have had. Very interesting beer. Leaves a little to be desired in malt character, but the hops add a different dimension.

Dedollewaitor (3622), Odense, Denmark

4.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.1	8/10	4/5	9/10	4/5	16/20

Jun 6, 2009

To celebrate my 100th Imperial Stout. 22oz bottle. Thanks goes out to Maxxdaddy. Pours pitch black with a creamy beige head and lacings. Aroma and taste is filled with piney hops and bitter coffee roast. Sticky, oily and smooth. Coffee and chocolate with the hops underneath. I really liked this one:-)

bigrond (1043), factoryville, Pennsylvania, USA

4.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.1	8/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	18/20

Jun 3, 2009

dark chocolate brown almost black. deep caramel head that hangs around for quite some time. Aroma is deep roasted coffee, chocolate - very promising. Smooth thick mouthfeel, very drinkable. Delicous. Heavy roasted roasted malt/coffee aftertaste. Over 10% abv! Great brew.

vtafro (452), , New Jersey, USA

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

Jun 2, 2009

On tap. Did not really enjoy this beer until it warmed up. Chocolate, and roasted coffee flavors decent aroma. Hoppy finish does not take over.

jmm635 (249), Havertown, Pennsylvania, USA

4.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.3	9/10	5/5	8/10	4/5	17/20

Jun 1, 2009

Pours nearly black, oily, with a creamy brown head. Aroma is loaded with hops! Underneath there is a little roasted malts, chocolate and coffee. Flavor is, again, strong on the hops. More hops than I’ve ever experienced in a stout. Little bit of bitter chocolate in there as well. Nice dry, hoppy finish. Extremely enjoyable for a hop lover!

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