Ipswich 21st Anniversary Imperial Dark Ale
Ipswich Ale Brewery

Ipswich 21st Anniversary Imperial Dark AleIpswich 21st Anniversary Imperial Dark Ale
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From:
Ipswich Ale Brewery
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
American Strong Ale
ABV:
8%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.79 | pDev: 16.62%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
29
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 08, 2015
Added:
Apr 22, 2012
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.75 by chefhatt from Pennsylvania

Dec 08, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by fossage78 from Massachusetts

Oct 01, 2014
Photo of dabarton
Reviewed by dabarton from Virginia

1.59/5  rDev -58%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1
Extremely bitter. This is my least favorite beer. All of my friends who have tried it agree that it is terrible. Not even worth the dollar a bottle I paid for it. Seriously considering pouring it out. Why do reviews have to be so long? It seems silly.
May 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by JLT from Massachusetts

Jan 20, 2014
Photo of HattedClassic
Reviewed by HattedClassic from Virginia

3.92/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Appearance:
The beer pours a nice off white head that lasts a while and leaves some nice lacing. The beer itself is an obscure and dark purple grape color with hints of dark red.

Smell:
The beer has a strong caramel malt smell that dominates the hops. Apparently, hints of alcohol also makes an appearance. One might pick up a little bit of chocolate but very rare including slight hints of dark fruits.

Taste:
The taste is a bit more complex than the smell. While a strong malt presence exists, the malt taste mixes with an even stronger and bitter hops taste. The malts vary from caramel to roasted and toasty that dominate the taste. The beer has a nice toasty aftertaste.

Mouthfeel:
Very little carbonation. Heavy bodied with a thick feel to the beer with a dry finish.

Overall:
A pretty good ale that I hope that they bring back again.
Oct 09, 2013
Photo of buschbeer
Reviewed by buschbeer from Ohio

3.84/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
1 pint, 6 fl. oz. bottle
Served in a Detroit Tigers mug circa 1985 in honor of the start of the ALDS
The label says the ABV is 8.2%

A - It is a murky brown with about a foot of tan head. I think a lot of that has to due with the shape of the mug. It is narrower at the top than at the base.

S - The smell is malt with some tea aroma. It has a molasses and brown sugar smell.

T - It has a tea-like quality to it. The finish has some mild hop bitterness. It is just enough to know that there is hops in it.

M - Moderate

O - It is a pretty good beer. They pretty much nailed an "imperial dark ale." It was pretty much what I expected. The 8.2% ABV makes it hit the spot.
Oct 05, 2013
Photo of angrybabboon
Reviewed by angrybabboon from Massachusetts

3.46/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Consumed 6/8/13

Split with Goblinmunkey7

Appearance: Yes, this is dark - dark brown, with dark reddish highlights - some clarity around the edges - pours with a decent size, light beige head, retains a wispy cap

Smell: Dark malts and some dark fruits - toasted, cooked malts - some caramelized malts - lightly caramelized malts - some dark fruits, like raisins - some grassy, herbal hops

Taste: Lightly roasty, dark malts - plenty of malt sweetness, with a lot of dark fruits - mostly raisins and plums - cooked, caramelized grains - herbal and grassy hops - more bitter than expected - very earthy, some chocolate

Mouthfeel: Medium body, nice carbonation, pretty smooth

Overall: Good, not particularly great

Maybe I sat a little too long? The dark malts, fruits, and chocolate flavors are interesting, but the whole thing doesn't quite come together for me. It's a little too sweet and earthy. Probably worth a try, if you can still find a bottle.
Jun 09, 2013
Photo of Goblinmunkey7
Reviewed by Goblinmunkey7 from Massachusetts

2.57/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
Thanks to angrybabboon for sharing the bottle.

Appearance: Dark brown. Slight haze. Rocky and cream light tan head. Drops to a small clumpy cap and collar. No lacing.

Smell: Toasty and roasty. Sharp smack of booze in the back. Sweet caramelized malts. Slightly phenolic. Nutty. Some chocolate malt. Sweet bready booze. Raisins.

Taste: Boozy roasted nutty grass. Some cocoa and dark chocolate. Caramel malt sweetness. A bit burnt. Phenols run across the back. Dark brown bread. Aspirin bitterness. Roasty bordering on burnt. Overcooked popcorn. Vodka raisins. Earthy, seriously.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a slightly above average carbonation. A slight lingering dryness on the finish.

Overall: Stick with the original.

Imperializing Dark Ale was not a success. Too boozy and earthy. Missing women of the charm I expect from Ipswich.
Jun 09, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by mikeincharleston from North Carolina

May 23, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by e30todamax from Virginia

Mar 19, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by neil2me from Connecticut

Feb 17, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by Rekrule from Massachusetts

Feb 07, 2013
Photo of ShogoKawada
Reviewed by ShogoKawada from Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
22oz from Haxtons. 5 bucks or so.

A
Dark brown into the glass. Big huge rocky head. Sandy tan. Mountainous crags peaks and valleys.

Smell is malty, mildly toasty. Grassy too. Pleasant. Smells like there's a good amount of hops in this one.

Hops are not as prominent as I expected. Slightly toasty malt. Not really strong. Like an arrogant bastard with a restrained hop profile. Very nutty too

Smooth for the ABV. REALLY TASTY. ACCIDENTAL CAPS LOCK. Quaffable. Me gusta.

I am not a normal Ipswich buyer, but last years and this years anniversary beers have been outstanding, both in price and in quality. A no-brainer buy.

Great got-damn beer.
Jan 13, 2013
Photo of lehawes
Reviewed by lehawes from Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A: Poured from a bomber into a pint glass. Cloudy, medium-dark colored with a quarter-inch tan head. Good retention and lacing. Appearance makes me want to taste now, but first...

S: Strong presence of pine and citrus hops; almost metallic in effect. Also sensed delicious, somewhat sweet mix of malt and fruit. Latter reminded of raisins or even prunes.

T: Very similar to smell. Metallic, earthy hops first, but quickly replaced by sweet, fruity, malty flavors. Wish that had lingered a bit longer before the drier hop finish took over. Nicely balanced on whole.

M: Fairly thick and creamy with little carbonation. What I want when drinking a darker beer such as this.

O: I live in Ipswich, but am not a huge fan of the local brew, as most varieties are too hoppy for my taste. The regular Ipswich Dark Ale has always been my favorite of the lot. This Imperial edition is head and shoulders above that. They did a very good job upgrading the standard Dark into a complex, enjoyable anniversary brew. Yay for the home team!
Dec 06, 2012
Photo of WanderingFool
Reviewed by WanderingFool from Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Ipswich 21st Anniversary Imperial Dark Ale pours a cloudy dark amber with a big, rocky light tan head on top. The foam dissolves very slowly leaving behind a coating of lace on the glass.

The aroma is has nice notes of orange citrus, caramel malt and some dark fruit (raisin).

Each sip of this medium bodied beer is soft and smooth on the palate. Carbonation is light. The flavor is a nice balance of caramel malt, toast, dark fruit (raisin, plum?), and orange citrus. It finishes mildly bitter with lingering malt sweetness when gone.

This is a tasty, easy drinking beer. The aroma tends to fade shortly after being poured and the flavor leans towards the malty side. Overall a great beer to go with a hearty dinner.
Oct 21, 2012
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Moderate head, but it lasts. Leaves some blanket and some web lace. The brew is solid brown with a bit of opaque light shining through.

Wonderful caramel malt smell start. There's a very pleasant hop flower nose in the background.

Starts off with a Scotch Ale warmth with plenty of sweeter, toasted malt. Definitive alcohol warmth. The finish has a dash of bitterness--great balance. Not as rich as a typical strong ale.
Sep 22, 2012
 
Rated: 4.75 by PJKSR02 from Connecticut

Sep 01, 2012
Photo of Gatch
Reviewed by Gatch from Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Brown-amber in color with a big off-white, fluffy, bubbly head. Nice lacing and a bit of head retention.

S: Plenty of sweet, roasted malt. Molasses. Caramelized sugar. Brown sugar.

T: Tons of great, complex flavors from the roasted malt with a hint of hops in the finish. Sweet, earthy, malty, and enough hops in the finish to make you smile and make this one balanced brew.

M: Smooth, sweet, delicious. An easy drinker for the style, ABV, and heavy malt bill.

O: A damn good beer and very enjoyable drinking experience.
Jul 23, 2012
 
Rated: 3.25 by trevorpost from Pennsylvania

Jul 13, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by Ivanhoes_Backpack from Canada (NB)

Jul 03, 2012
Ipswich 21st Anniversary Imperial Dark Ale from Ipswich Ale Brewery
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 29 ratings