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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.
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 5,303 | Reviews: 1,016
4.5/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2.58/5 rDev -38%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
11/15/17 batch poured into a snifter.
Pours a dark brown/black with a medium brown head.
Smells of dark rich malts
Taste a sweeter than expected. Charcoal aftertaste and can taste the harshness of the alcohol.
Overall decent. Nothing to write home about.
259 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
11/15/17 batch poured into a snifter.
Pours a dark brown/black with a medium brown head.
Smells of dark rich malts
Taste a sweeter than expected. Charcoal aftertaste and can taste the harshness of the alcohol.
Overall decent. Nothing to write home about.
259 characters
4.01/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.65/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
A great tasting stout
21 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
A great tasting stout
21 characters
3.5/5 rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.79/5 rDev +15.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
For the price, this makes you not want to bother buying expensive imperial stouts like those from Evil Twin, Modern Times, and Prairie. A very drinkable imperial stout without any bourbon / alcohol too forward. The "right" amount of chocolate for somebody with a sweet tooth who also loves beer.
297 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
For the price, this makes you not want to bother buying expensive imperial stouts like those from Evil Twin, Modern Times, and Prairie. A very drinkable imperial stout without any bourbon / alcohol too forward. The "right" amount of chocolate for somebody with a sweet tooth who also loves beer.
297 characters
4.83/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Pours deep dark with khaki foamy head. Notes of toasted maple bread and chocolate. Deep, rich and smooth stout, simply great!!
128 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Pours deep dark with khaki foamy head. Notes of toasted maple bread and chocolate. Deep, rich and smooth stout, simply great!!
128 characters
3.88/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very dark. Not much of a smell. Heavy coffee and chocolate. Very smooth. Like silk. Bitter finish. A little syrupy but pretty good.
131 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very dark. Not much of a smell. Heavy coffee and chocolate. Very smooth. Like silk. Bitter finish. A little syrupy but pretty good.
131 characters
4.11/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
4.7/5 rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Not the best stout out there, but at the price range it absolutely has a price worth the heavenly buzz. One problem is the unicorn on the label has no feet. Other than that, it is just an affordable, rich stout that has to be picked up when in rotation.
253 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Not the best stout out there, but at the price range it absolutely has a price worth the heavenly buzz. One problem is the unicorn on the label has no feet. Other than that, it is just an affordable, rich stout that has to be picked up when in rotation.
253 characters
4.23/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Solid stout, great body,smell, don’t drink the whole 6 pack at once!
70 characters
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Solid stout, great body,smell, don’t drink the whole 6 pack at once!
70 characters
3.69/5 rDev -11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Bought a 6-pack bottles $12.69 Tamuras
Smel of cocoa, alcohol
Dark black color
Heavy mouthfeel
Medium carbonation
Cocoa, creamy, alcohol tastes
Overall not impressed with this. I think beers with high alcohol that hides them are better made and this one I can easily taste the alcohol. Tastes are not as complex as expected. Bottle date is just 6 weeks old so I'll see if aging this will alow it to improve.
UPDATE:
I let it age a year and the alcohol taste has gone down to make it smoother tasting. The tastes have developed to have a caramel sweetness, smokey flavor. Changing taste rating from 3.25 to 4.0.
615 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Bought a 6-pack bottles $12.69 Tamuras
Smel of cocoa, alcohol
Dark black color
Heavy mouthfeel
Medium carbonation
Cocoa, creamy, alcohol tastes
Overall not impressed with this. I think beers with high alcohol that hides them are better made and this one I can easily taste the alcohol. Tastes are not as complex as expected. Bottle date is just 6 weeks old so I'll see if aging this will alow it to improve.
UPDATE:
I let it age a year and the alcohol taste has gone down to make it smoother tasting. The tastes have developed to have a caramel sweetness, smokey flavor. Changing taste rating from 3.25 to 4.0.
615 characters
4.49/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.28/5 rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
12oz bottle dated 9/20/18. Served in a tulip glass.
Pour: dark brown. Decent head, little lacing. Some clouds.
Nose: really didn’t get much besides some sweet malt.
Taste: chocolate upfront, some coffee, dark roast malts, a little bitter on backend. Some battery acid like taste to me. Didn’t really enjoy it.
Mouthfeel: pretty thick. Moderate carbonation.
Overall: the chocolate and coffee are there but there’s a strange bitterness/acid taste that turned me off. Won’t buy again.
499 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
12oz bottle dated 9/20/18. Served in a tulip glass.
Pour: dark brown. Decent head, little lacing. Some clouds.
Nose: really didn’t get much besides some sweet malt.
Taste: chocolate upfront, some coffee, dark roast malts, a little bitter on backend. Some battery acid like taste to me. Didn’t really enjoy it.
Mouthfeel: pretty thick. Moderate carbonation.
Overall: the chocolate and coffee are there but there’s a strange bitterness/acid taste that turned me off. Won’t buy again.
499 characters
4.27/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.15/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
mad that i only found one of these around, would have loved to have one to sit on for a while. dumped out a thick dark brown oil with a fizzy, bubbly tan head that slipped to nothing at all quickly. nose is burning with booze, with roasted malts and bitter chocolate, earthiness that comes in more as it warms. expected it to drink pretty hot, but this is smooth and tasty. earthy, roasted and bitter with a lot of dark chocolate, toast and a light coating of sweetness. full bodied and warming. quite comfy to drink.
517 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
mad that i only found one of these around, would have loved to have one to sit on for a while. dumped out a thick dark brown oil with a fizzy, bubbly tan head that slipped to nothing at all quickly. nose is burning with booze, with roasted malts and bitter chocolate, earthiness that comes in more as it warms. expected it to drink pretty hot, but this is smooth and tasty. earthy, roasted and bitter with a lot of dark chocolate, toast and a light coating of sweetness. full bodied and warming. quite comfy to drink.
517 characters
Narwhal Imperial Stout from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
4.16 out of
5 with
5,303 ratings
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