Narwhal Imperial Stout | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Brewed by:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
California, United States
sierranevada.com
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.20%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
A malt-forward monster, highlighting the depths of malt flavor.
Narwhal Imperial Stout is inspired by the mysterious creature that thrives in the deepest fathoms of the frigid Arctic Ocean. Featuring incredible depth of malt flavor, rich with notes of espresso, baker’s cocoa, roasted grain and a light hint of smoke, Narwhal is a massive malt-forward monster. Aggressive but refined with a velvety smooth body and decadent finish, Narwhal will age in the bottle for years to come.
Added by JohnGalt1 on 10-14-2012
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 5,207 | Reviews: 982
5/5 rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Aged one year, served at cellar temp and poured into snifter:
L: dark, chocolatey coffee mocha with creamy bubbly head
A: roasted malts and chocolate
F: creamy and thick
T: bourbon although bourbon not present but I can taste it along with chocolate, vanilla, marshmallow, roasted malts, and slight hint of green pepper coffee.
o: wasn't much a fan of this fresh but aged 1 year this was fantastic
408 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Aged one year, served at cellar temp and poured into snifter:
L: dark, chocolatey coffee mocha with creamy bubbly head
A: roasted malts and chocolate
F: creamy and thick
T: bourbon although bourbon not present but I can taste it along with chocolate, vanilla, marshmallow, roasted malts, and slight hint of green pepper coffee.
o: wasn't much a fan of this fresh but aged 1 year this was fantastic
408 characters
4.35/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2016 version, so a couple years old. Pours deep black with thin tan head that dissipates quickly. Aroma of roasted caramel malt, chocolate. Tastes of smooth sweetened coffee, chocolate, perhaps a hint of licorice. Creamy smooth mouthfeel with just a touch of boozy bitterness at the finish. Great stuff.
304 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2016 version, so a couple years old. Pours deep black with thin tan head that dissipates quickly. Aroma of roasted caramel malt, chocolate. Tastes of smooth sweetened coffee, chocolate, perhaps a hint of licorice. Creamy smooth mouthfeel with just a touch of boozy bitterness at the finish. Great stuff.
304 characters
4/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours pitch black with a tan head, Smell was roasted malts and chocolate. Taste had cocoa and hops with some musty leather a nutty finish. mouth feel had some roasted bitterness in the finish.
192 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours pitch black with a tan head, Smell was roasted malts and chocolate. Taste had cocoa and hops with some musty leather a nutty finish. mouth feel had some roasted bitterness in the finish.
192 characters
4.17/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.42/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3.84/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Heavy espresso taste. Strong. A bit too bitter maybe. Look is almost black. Smooth but I prefer Old Rasputin
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Heavy espresso taste. Strong. A bit too bitter maybe. Look is almost black. Smooth but I prefer Old Rasputin
108 characters
4.3/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Wow, what a kick this beers got! High abv and it gives you a little pleasant kick going down. Great stout!
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Wow, what a kick this beers got! High abv and it gives you a little pleasant kick going down. Great stout!
106 characters
4.13/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Licorice, leather stand out but chocolate reveals itself as it warms. Aromas dominate the flavour slightly but the flavours roll around the mouth and develop nicely with each sip
178 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Licorice, leather stand out but chocolate reveals itself as it warms. Aromas dominate the flavour slightly but the flavours roll around the mouth and develop nicely with each sip
178 characters
4.19/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.54/5 rDev +9.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.07/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12oz draft at the Brass Tap
27 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12oz draft at the Brass Tap
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4.59/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.17/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Black and opaque. Creamy tan head. Diminishing to a small crown. Very good lacing.
Moderate aroma of dark fruits and roasted notes. Bit of a chocolate.
High sweetness and high bitterness flavor. High roasted flavor.
Full body. Oily. Soft carbonation. Dry roasted finish. Some grittiness. Roasted and dry aftertaste. Some warm alcohol.
Delicious.
350 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Black and opaque. Creamy tan head. Diminishing to a small crown. Very good lacing.
Moderate aroma of dark fruits and roasted notes. Bit of a chocolate.
High sweetness and high bitterness flavor. High roasted flavor.
Full body. Oily. Soft carbonation. Dry roasted finish. Some grittiness. Roasted and dry aftertaste. Some warm alcohol.
Delicious.
350 characters
4.19/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.44/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.15/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Surprised I never rated this one. Drinking a year and a half old bottle from August 2016. Roasty malt and chocolate notes on the nose, taste is almost bitter for a stout. Not really roasty, but definitely some chocolate and coffee notes. I see smoky in the below description, and that's a pretty good word for it. Smooth, not oily at all. Pretty good, but not as great as I've been led to believe. Maybe I should review of fresh.
430 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Surprised I never rated this one. Drinking a year and a half old bottle from August 2016. Roasty malt and chocolate notes on the nose, taste is almost bitter for a stout. Not really roasty, but definitely some chocolate and coffee notes. I see smoky in the below description, and that's a pretty good word for it. Smooth, not oily at all. Pretty good, but not as great as I've been led to believe. Maybe I should review of fresh.
430 characters
Narwhal Imperial Stout from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
4.16 out of
5 with
5,207 ratings
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