Rogue Morimoto Imperial Pilsner

Had a bomber of this last night while my boys, dad, and I feasted on steak and watched Carolina put away the Oilers in game seven to hoist Lord Stanley’s cup. Nose of spice, yeast, dough, wheat, cereal, flowers and a hint of medicine. Cascades like a stout upon the pour. The brew is pale golden honey with melon highlights. The generous thick off-white head is creamy, mostly lasting, and leaves good lace. The brew has a large malt profile that presents itself right from the get go. Some alcohol warmth and sweetness is detectable near the middle. The slightly bitter finish is floral. Absolutely no acidity to speak of. The full body is soft and syrupy.

On tap.
Pours a slightly cloudy light amber that’s pretty dark for a pilsner. Big PNW hop aroma much like a West-Coast-style IPA; grapefruit, pine, herbal and spicy. Flavor is similar, with great big bitter hops dominating, their floral and fruity notes playing bit parts only. About the only thing that makes this remotely like a pilsner is that the hop bitterness overwhelms the malt support (appropriate for a pilsner) and the fruity notes are more background noise than prominant features (also appropriate for a pilsner). Unusually thick palate for a pilsner with long bitter finish. Not at all what I expected based on the description as a pilsner (imperial or otherwise), this beer actually tastes more like an American IPA than many beers purporting themselves to be American IPAs.

Pale gold- cereal, floral, hops, and alcohol nose- sweet, grapefruit, malt, grain, taste – medium to heavy body- sour aftertaste but a good bitterness as well

Pretty decent drink, pouring a golden, effervescent body with a billowing, bubbly head. The aroma consists of sweet, bready malt topped with a serious grassy/herbal hopping and hints of alcohol. Pretty smooth to drink, the alcohol takes more of a prominent role in the flavor. Nice sweet malts with a drop of honey are well balanced by the hoppy bitterness. Pretty good stuff. Rogue Ales could probably sell a lot of this if it was fairly priced.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=18>Sam’s Wine & Spirits, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>

Poured a murky dark yellow color with a very nice head that lasted quite a long time. The lacing was nice. The aroma was typical for a pilsner with alcohol and some grassy hops. The flavor was sweet, rich, full of honey and some grassy hops and citrus aspects. The alcohol was at just the right level, relative to the rich malts. Mouthfeel was somewhat syrupy and carbonated.

Hazy yellow color, white head, goes quick. Taste is sweet and hoppy. The 8.8 creeps up on you and you dont notice the buzz is there until the beer is gone. Not something I would drink again for 12.50 a bottle. Its good, and worth trying, but not worth the money. Think I will seek it out on tap if I want to have it again.

Golden body with a white head. Lemony and floral aroma. Flavour is full, bready, lemon and a little alcohol in the finish.

Pours a nice yellow color with a nice white head. Aroma is very floral and grassy. Flavor is nice and a bit bitter. Finish is fairly dry. Alcohol is well hidden and this is an over all nice brew.