Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner 2005 Harvest
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner 2005 HarvestSamuel Adams Imperial Pilsner 2005 Harvest
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From:
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Imperial Pilsner
ABV:
8.8%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.12 | pDev: 9.71%
Reviews:
241
Ratings:
251
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 30, 2014
Added:
Mar 29, 2005
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  1
Brewed exclusively with an enormous, almost reckless, amount of first harvest noble hops - Hallertau Mittelfrueh from Germany. 110 IBUs. The "murkiness" is from hop particles, which are literally in suspension and create a permanent haze. It's part of the overall experience, and was intended.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Gritsak:
Photo of Gritsak
Reviewed by Gritsak from West Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A- a deep rich cloudy burnt orange color with a lingering offwhite head that laces very well.

S- sweet and malty with a noticable piney hop aroma.

T- malty with a huge hop bitterness that lingers on the tongue.

M- medium body with definite chewiness and is very smooth.

D- sure, i could pound through all 4 bottles i have, but who would want to.

overall- after searching for a couple weeks i finally find a place that had this beer. im glad i did because this is one helluva hop bomb. if you enjoy extremely hoppy beers, seek this out.
Dec 20, 2005
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by ThatguyJoefromBoston from Massachusetts

Jul 30, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by Hellpop65 from Kansas

Jun 22, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Hopheadjeffery from Illinois

Aug 05, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by jaxon53 from Connecticut

Jun 25, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by harpus from Alabama

Feb 21, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by matjack85 from Illinois

Feb 11, 2013
 
Rated: 5 by Wally1912 from Massachusetts

Jun 07, 2012
 
Rated: 4.5 by jfcaa193 from Canada (QC)

Jan 30, 2012
 
Rated: 5 by THECPJ from Delaware

Nov 29, 2011
 
Rated: 4.5 by rab53 from Washington

Nov 25, 2011
Photo of TMoney2591
Reviewed by TMoney2591 from Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Served in a Budweiser pokal.

connecticutpoet is quite the mensch for sending this my way!

Missed the failsafe for "brewery fresh taste" by four-and-a-half years. So it goes. It pours a boggy amber, leaning like a cholo to the orange side o' town, topped by over two fingers of stalwart, creamy, ecru foam. Honestly, I think those color swatches in paint departments look to this head for the purest example of the color ecru. The hops in the nose cry out from a locked basement, the prisoners of a gang of buttery biscuits. The ringleader is a rotund toffee bastard, lazy and seemingly overconfident. I don't think I've ever had a pils approach my 'strils in this manner before. Now my tomgue has no idea what to expect. Let's end his anxiety, eh? At first, the "reckless" amount of hops mentioned on the neck tag make their collective presence known, all piney and citrusy and whatnot. But, like the more sheepish rabbit from Watership down, they flee into their warren. Just as in the smell, a sweet and buttery toffee-led gang is the cause of the panic. This time, though, the hops grab for vengeance, stinging the tongue throughout the aftertaste. It all makes for quite the thrilling cinematic (and pleasant gustatory) experience. Everything sits in the mouth with a bit of weight, but not much; the carbonation is there, but meek, like the wallflower trying vainly to ask his crush to the prom; and a lovely creamy feel pervades. Copacetic, man. Even with the age, this is a fine bit o' brew, I tell you what. I can only imagine how it will be in a few more years...
Jul 12, 2010
Photo of Reagan1984
Reviewed by Reagan1984 from Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I could not believe when a buddy brought this beer over in late December. Let it sit in my cellar a few ore months. Today was the day...

2005 Harvest... "For Brewery Fresh Taste Enjoy Before January 2006"

Oh well, a little late...

From opening and pouring the beer you could not tell it was 4+ years old. Beautiful creamy eggshell colored head. Decent retention. Sheets of lacing. Crystal clear deep amber color with a touch of visible carbonation.

Aroma was stronger then I had imagined and really still reminded me of the more recent Imperial Pilsners from SA. Some hop, but a big ripe pineapple aroma. Smells like some aged DPA's I've had.

Smooth... That's the word. Initial burst of sharp hops, quickly followed by a moment of alcohol... (smooth) and then some nice smooth layers of malt and caramel.. Not sweet at all though.... Then into another moment of bold hop bitterness. This fades to a lingering hop effect that is nice. Afterwards, you get a moment of alcohol again... But still very nice.

Velvety mouth feel. Smooth as silk. Medium to bold body. Tiny tight carbonation.

Really a wonderful beer. Will take another 4+ years to age another.... Oh well, Very honored to have been able to enjoy this one.
Apr 03, 2009
Photo of aletales
Reviewed by aletales from Oklahoma

2.63/5  rDev -36.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2
It was with great anticipation that I tried this beer over the holidays. I should have believed the label about a reckless amount of hops, but my definition of reckless is far to conservative. When the brewers of this beer say reckless, they mean it.

In the glass the aroma was hoppy and it was hard for me to distinguish much else. When I sipped the beer the moutfeel was lively, but soon all of the maltiness disappeared into an overwhelming hop fest. I felt like there was no balance to this beer, but then again I am no hophead.
Jan 24, 2009
Photo of mltobin
Reviewed by mltobin from Connecticut

4.32/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Prior to this 2005 Imperial Pilsner, I had only had some of the classics from Sam Adams: Boston Lager, Summer, Winter. But I had read somewhere that this had a high ABV and tasted good.

Upon pouring, the beer was a nice dark color with quite a bit of head to it. It tasted very good with vanilla and other tastes hitting my palate. I enjoyed it very much so and it was the beginning of my trying a lot more of the smaller batches of beers that Sam Adam puts out over the course of the year. Overall, a very good beer.
Dec 28, 2007
Photo of plaid75
Reviewed by plaid75 from New York

3.43/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Poured a very murky deep copper hue with a one finger pillowy white head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured a robust caramel malt with a mellow but peppery noble hop.

The taste was upfront spicy hop with a grainy middle and definite doughy malt finish. There was an astringent hop aftertaste as well, and a mild warming alcohol.

The mouthfeel was chewy, with a dry finish.

Overall a very interesting beer. Although the hops have seemed to mellow over a year, I still don't believe there is enough of a grain bill to support the hop dosage.
Mar 22, 2007
Photo of auxiliary
Reviewed by auxiliary from Rhode Island

2.82/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Appearance - Cloudy light yellow color, nice head, but disaolved pretty quicj. Not mcuh lace either.

Smell - Bitter, grapefruit, flowery smell.

Taste - mailty, flowery, geapefruit taste, bitter.

Mouthfeel - Medium body, bittter.

Drinkability - Not much into bittern beers that taste like grapefruit. Seems others enjoyed it. You can get about 3 glass's out of this.
Feb 12, 2007
Photo of EStreet20
Reviewed by EStreet20 from New Jersey

3.31/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Yes, I know this beer was released over a year ago with a limited shelf life. Yes I know the best by date was over one year ago. Still I loved this beer so much last year that I had to snap up two bottles of it when I saw it in the store this year. I know this isn;t the way Jim Koch intended it to taste but I figure it'll be fun to review with the age on it.

24 ounce bottle poured into a 20 ounce "tulip" shaped pint glass.

A - This beer looks incredible. It glows with an opaque golden orange color and is topped by an excellent finger and a half of white head. The brew is hazy, due tot he hop particles in suspension according tot he bottle. Really just a beautiful looking beer.

S - A hop rush comes at me but more subdued than I remember. Grapefruit smell leades the way mainly.

T - Here you can tell that the brew's flavor has diminished. The hops have subsided to the point where the brew is a little too sweet and funky tasting. It has definitely fallen from what Mr Koch wanted flavorwise, the alcohol stands out too much and the hops don't stand up.

M - Full on the tongue but doesn;t have the pop it did a year ago.

D - Well this proves why Jim Koch is the expert and I'm not. the beer really has fallen on its face from a year of aging. Looks like the "best by Jan of '06" was correct.

Notes: Either way, a great beer, this tasting was mostly experimental. I can;t wait for the next batch of Sam Adams Imperial Pils.
Feb 04, 2007
Photo of yelterdow
Reviewed by yelterdow from New Jersey

3.66/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Best by January 2006. Served in a pilsner glass at just over fridge temperature.

Appearance- Aside from the much darker and richer gold color, the pour yields a two-finger bone white head.

Smell- Loads of Bavarian hops... grassy and spicy and full of character, even after two years. Behind the hops, there is a sweet, creamy malt nose that comes forth.

Taste- A surprising maltiness disperses across the tongue, leaving the primary hop notes to handle the finishing bitterness. Dense and full of flavor, the dry, lasting bitterness lasts for several minutes.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- Prickly at first, then foamy and round in the mouth. For an imperial pils, this is nice... but a bit thick and heavy to really sit back and enjoy fully.
Feb 03, 2007
Photo of aluskungs
Reviewed by aluskungs from Massachusetts

3.82/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Even though it says best before Jan 2006 here I am drinking it in Jan 2007. It has been in the basement fridge "lagering" for over a year and seems to have survived. Here goes!

Good foam head and stays awhile. Color is like diluted cider with bubbles.

Big hop nose surprised me! I mean pilsners should have a hop aroma but this was more like an IPA! But I guess that's why it's called an imperial pilsner. Oh yeah some malt sweetness present too.

Yes it's like a pilsner, but bigger, heavier, and more alcohol. I quickly find out that you can't chug this beer like a pilsner, it has to be almost sipped. Unfortunately becoming an "imperial" beer it seems to have forgotten what kind of beer it's suppose to be. Can you really have and imperial pilsner? Isn't that an oxymoron (or am I the moron?). To me it has become a strong ale, all of it's pilsner characteristics are almost gone.

But it's a tasty beer! Strong sweetness, like a storm, hits your tongue followed by a hop calmness eye of the storm, and then sweetness again. The hop taste is muddled, can't tell what kind of hops, just a generic hop taste, same with the sweetness.

But it's a tasty beer! Ale or lager, whatever this beer tries to be it is an interesting beer to sip away at and enjoy.
Jan 20, 2007
Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner 2005 Harvest from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 251 ratings