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Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner

Percentile
96
overall

bottled
common

on tap
unknown

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
9573.73/5.03.72/5.0Special8.8%99.2Lager glass
Commercial Description:
2005 info:This lager is made with fresh Bavarian hops, straight off the vines from the 2005 harvest in Germany, and packs an 8.8 percent alcohol content that's twice as strong as most popular beers.
Boston Beer Co. is brewing only 60,000 24-oz. bottles, which are due to begin arriving in stores in November.

2007 release info:
Yes, we're a little obsessed with hops. Every autumn for over twenty years, Jim Koch has traveled to one of the oldest hop-growing regions in the world, the Hallertau region of Bavaria in Germany, to hand-select Noble Bavarian hops, including the Hallertau Mittelfrueh variety. This special variety is considered to be one of the best in the world, prized for its unique taste and aroma. Samuel Adams® Hallertau Imperial Pilsner is a celebration of these extraordinary hops. This beer is one of the hoppiest in the world, without being overly bitter. With the first sip, you will experience an explosion of some of the world's finest hops. And we mean “explosion” in a good way. Brewed as a showcase for the hops, this bold brew highlights the spicy, citrus flavors and aromas of the Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops that are abundant in the recipe. The intense hops flavor is balanced with the slight sweetness from the malt. The brew remains pleasantly well-balanced from beginning to end, due to the quality of the hops, and continues to always be, well, "hoppy," providing hop lovers with an amazing beer drinking experience.
Available in 12oz. bottles.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 themadmumis (344), Westminster, Maryland, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/58/103/513/20
Jan 6, 2008  
Clearly this brew is focused on the hops, however, it is more offensive than expected. Super bitter and not well-rounded this one is more like an IPA. Color is very interesting with darker wisps inside the brew and decent head. Catch this one if you can; I’ve never had anything quite like it.


 ekstedt (2420), Göteborg, Sweden
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Jan 6, 2008    Updated: Aug 11, 2008
Bottle (33 cl) at the Rover, Göteborg, Sweden. Hazy deep golden to amber, stable medium white head. Strong herbal hop aroma around a stable bready and slightly caramelly base. Medium bodied with soft mouthfeel. Long bitter finish. Alcohol very well integrated.


 bbbrew (179), Washington DC, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/518/20
Jan 5, 2008  
12 oz bottle. definate hoppy nose adn taste, but relatively light texture. great.


 FistFullOfCats (162), Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
2.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/54/103/510/20
Jan 4, 2008  
Bottle. Opaque honey gold, with no head. Malt and grapefruit aroma. Flavor is citrus hoppy bitter (lemon / orange zest) with no floral character I usually expect from beers like this. Finishes bitter but flavorless, if that makes any sense. I gotta echo the other reviewers, this is like a standard (though solid) micro IPA. It does a very good job of hiding its alcohol content though. Its not terrible (especially if you like IPAs), it just isn’t all that striking.


 jezmez68 (332), Chesterton, Indiana, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/58/105/518/20
Jan 3, 2008  
Nice. Sam Adams has pretty much cloned the Alpha King here. Only difference is there’s not as many hops in this beer. It’s definitely missing the pungent cat box aroma of the Alpha King. Still, it’s good. The bad news? I can get a sixer of the Alpha King every day for $7.99. It’s $8.99 for the Sammy Pilsner, and you only get 4. Ouch! Pours an orangish yellow with a big, beige fluffy head. Sort of a bummer, I was hoping for a really hoppy pilsner but got an almost-IPA. What’s up with labeling this "An European Strong Lager?" I think they got the wrong article. Anywho, smells wicked great with all those Hallertau hops. Nice mouthfeel, leaves a nice beer-sheen on your palate. I’d recommend splitting a four-pack with a friend.


LongShotRX (15), Barronett, Wisconsin, USA
2.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/58/103/510/20
Jan 3, 2008  
If I wanted an IPA, I would have bought one. Why call this a pilsner when it is such a long way from the truth. If I were drinking this and was told it was told that I was drinking an IPA, I would have rated it high. Better than the micros here in Wisconsin as far as IPA’s go. Overall very disappointing when I was expecting a true Pilsner.


 bigrond (1044), factoryville, Pennsylvania, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/105/59/104/519/20
Jan 2, 2008  
This beer is great. It looks like an IPA. It’ called a Pilsner. It’s rated as an european strong lager...??? This screams IPA to me. An excellent beer brewed by an average brewery. If you like a dry hop filled IPA, this is your beer.


 jehoey (766), Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/517/20
Jan 2, 2008  
aroma: packed full of pure hops, not just hoppy smelling, but it felt like I put my nose in a bag of hops. very floral, with elements of earth. The brew is unfiltered and has a slight cloudiness to it. The beer poured with 2 fingers of head that stayed throughout, and laced beautifully down the entire glass. The flavor starts as amazing punch of hops, spicy, earthy, and just plain full of hops. The beer rounds out as it finishes bringing a dryness combined with alcohol, and a slightly maltiness. medium bodied. This is an amazing beer. intense and bracing.



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