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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?  
 RagallachMC (631), Cleveland, Ohio, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/514/20
Nov 12, 2007  
12oz bottle. 2007. Aroma: Sweet maltiness with a touch of caramel. Juicy hops with strong citrus and floral notes. A slight medicinal note as it warms. Appearance: Deep amber/orange in color and very hazy. Off-white head was full and frothy with good retention. Nice lacing. Flavor: Light grainy maltiness with some sweet caramel. Citrus, floral, pine, and herbal hop notes with a dank earthiness into the finish. Surprising bitterness lingers for quite a while. Palate: Medium-full body but slightly watery. Moderate carbonation. Light alcohol warming in back of mouth. Overall: Pretty nice. Lots of hops. Bitterness was a bit harsh.


 brigg (216), Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/516/20
Nov 12, 2007  
(bottle) Slightly cloudy orange body with thick orange head. The aroma is sweet malt, hops, and some fruit - simple, but good. The commercial description is accurate - very hoppy without being overly bitter. The hops are the showcase but also some interesting spiciness going on, and some sweet maltiness as well. Medium to full bodied; different for a pilsner, but I like it.


 rlgk (3377), Vårgårda, Sweden
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Nov 12, 2007  
Bottle. Hazy yellow color, offwhite head. Hoppy, grassy, fruity aroma, apples, pine apples, some sweetish notes. Hoppy bitter flavor, grassy, dryish, some fruits, some pepper. Quite a bitter finish. Som much more than most lagers...


 FlagstoneHill (211), Erie, Colorado, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/103/517/20
Nov 11, 2007  
12 oz bottle - 2007 release (hallertau)
Ap: 4 Hazy, Dark gold/Lt orange, nice white head.
Ar: 8 Herby, grassy hop aromas predominate, some hints of malt, but not much
Fl: 7 Sweet start with a quick transition to a long bitter finish. decent balance, however.
Pa: 3 Med body, lt carb.
OA: 17 Tasty, yet very hoppy beer. Think of the regular sam adams x2


 Quake1028 (633), Tampa, Florida, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/103/514/20
Nov 11, 2007  
Courtesy of Degarth, as many of my beers are. Sweet blood red cap on this one. Nice classy packaging overall. Golden orange colored body with a medium sized, lasting white head. Minimal lacing, but there is some. Huge nose of juicy citrus hops, I’m going to guess Hallertau Mittelfrueh, but I could be way off on that. Also get some oranges, grapefruit, lemon grass, hay and caramel malt. Mostly a hop bomb on the nose though. Fore is citrus hops, citrus fruits, some malts, and a soapy note that I get from most every hop bomb. Medium bodied, very true to style for an IPA/IIPA, which is what this is to my untrained palate. Oily, slick mouthfeel, light astringency. Finish is lengthy, bitter and full of citrus fruits, and also an odd metallic twang that drags down the score some.


 Strykzone (1473), Wood River, Illinois, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/57/104/513/20
Nov 11, 2007  
What a hop bite to this beer! First taste has hops jumping out of the glass. Body is the color of weak tea and is unfiltered. Only a bit of soapy foam that leaves stringy lace on the glass. Only a bit of balancing malt comes through the hop wall. The flavor is grapefruit and grass. Bitterness is significant and dry. Alcohol provides no warming. Malt shows up more as the glass warms. but this is still a hop monster.Just wish I liked hoppy beers. My loss.


 ford9719 (369), Vilseck, Germany
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/104/518/20
Nov 11, 2007  
Bottle. Poured a golden color with a white frothy head. Aroma is hoppy and malty all at the same time. Taste is nice and hoopy with a malt finish vice nice.


 larsniclas (3384), Gothenburg, Sweden
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/514/20
Nov 11, 2007  
Bottled. Hazy golden. Small white head. Grassy, citric, hoppy aroma. ver bitter end, but still sweet and malty with flowery notes. More lika an ale, and bottle actually says "ale"...



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