Sea Monster Imperial Stout
Ballast Point Brewing Company


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Ballast Point Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Stout - American Imperial
Ranked #1,583 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #9,738 - Avg:
- 4.02 | pDev: 9.95%
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 19, 2021
- Added:
- Nov 28, 2008
- Wants:
- 177
- Gots:
- 435
SCORE
90
Outstanding
90
Outstanding


Notes:
Our Sea Monster Imperial Stout explores the darkest reaches of the traditional oatmeal stout. This bold, rich brew first lures you in with roasted coffee notes, then grabs hold with hints of bittersweet chocolate and currant. Backed with a perfect hop balance, you’ll soon discover this is one monster of mythic proportions.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
4.1 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota on Oct 19, 2021
4.25/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Sigmund from Norway
650 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is10.0%. Black colour, large tan head. Pleasant aroma of roast malts, oats, chocolate and mild coffee, hints of fruity hops. Roasty flavour, notes of roasted barley, strong coffee, dark bitter chocolate, liquorice, hints of fruity hops, moderate bittering hops.
Dec 14, 2020
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Sigmund from Norway
650 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is10.0%. Black colour, large tan head. Pleasant aroma of roast malts, oats, chocolate and mild coffee, hints of fruity hops. Roasty flavour, notes of roasted barley, strong coffee, dark bitter chocolate, liquorice, hints of fruity hops, moderate bittering hops.
Dec 14, 2020
4.25 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona on Feb 02, 2020
4.1 by Eyedoc27 from Illinois on Oct 02, 2019
3.75/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by GuyFawkes from Illinois
From old, undated notes. Poured from the bottle.
Black liquid.
Tan head; strong lace.
Black licorice & pepper nose; hint of booze.
Thick mouthfeel.
Black licorice & pepper flavor.
Creamy but not to my taste.
Sep 15, 2019
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by GuyFawkes from Illinois
From old, undated notes. Poured from the bottle.
Black liquid.
Tan head; strong lace.
Black licorice & pepper nose; hint of booze.
Thick mouthfeel.
Black licorice & pepper flavor.
Creamy but not to my taste.
Sep 15, 2019
3.64 by tjg584 from Tennessee on Aug 18, 2019
4.3 by Unclevince from West Virginia on May 20, 2019
3.86 by LXIXME from New Mexico on May 15, 2019
1.61/5 rDev -60%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.25
by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington
Drain pour. I think I even blocked out why it was so bad.
Apr 30, 2019
look: 3.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.25
by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington
Drain pour. I think I even blocked out why it was so bad.
Apr 30, 2019
3.76 by jimpyle48 from Virginia on Mar 05, 2019
4.35/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by iguanodon from Utah
Bomber. Pours opaque dark brown with a thin brown head. Aroma is molasses, roasted malt, chocolate. Taste is sweet caramel, malt, chocolate, coffee, a hint of booze. Excellent imperial stout.
Jan 21, 2019
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by iguanodon from Utah
Bomber. Pours opaque dark brown with a thin brown head. Aroma is molasses, roasted malt, chocolate. Taste is sweet caramel, malt, chocolate, coffee, a hint of booze. Excellent imperial stout.
Jan 21, 2019
4 by cuy50 from Virginia on Dec 22, 2018
5 by tp1962 from Illinois on Dec 13, 2018
3.79/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
by csmrx7 from Canada (AB)
This is a good Imperial Stout. Heavy on the bitterness and a real taste of.dark chocolate. Not.of the faint of heart and pretty one dimensional in flavor.compared to a lot of what is out there these days.
Oct 16, 2018
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
by csmrx7 from Canada (AB)
This is a good Imperial Stout. Heavy on the bitterness and a real taste of.dark chocolate. Not.of the faint of heart and pretty one dimensional in flavor.compared to a lot of what is out there these days.
Oct 16, 2018
3.25 by krome from Illinois on Aug 10, 2018
3 by jgunther71 from Illinois on Aug 03, 2018
4.06 by rsquared59 from Indiana on Jun 25, 2018
3.46 by jeschaefer from Texas on Jun 12, 2018
3.93/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by Franziskaner from Missouri
Black in color with a fingernail of brown around the rim and all but a smidgen of the top. No light seeps through this dark brew. The aroma is of oatmeal, dark malt, black licorice, and a hint of smoke. I'm tasting dark roasted barley with a light smokiness. There's also some piney hops and black licorice. The mouth is creamy and smooth.
May 29, 2018
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by Franziskaner from Missouri
Black in color with a fingernail of brown around the rim and all but a smidgen of the top. No light seeps through this dark brew. The aroma is of oatmeal, dark malt, black licorice, and a hint of smoke. I'm tasting dark roasted barley with a light smokiness. There's also some piney hops and black licorice. The mouth is creamy and smooth.
May 29, 2018
3.76 by atone315 from Wisconsin on Apr 16, 2018
3.92/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
by LampertLand from Canada (BC)
Ballast Point Brewing 'Sea Monster Imperial Stout' @ 10.0% , served from a 650 ml bottle purchased for $12.50
A-pour is a dark cola brown from the bottle to an almost black in the glass with a medium size light tan head leaving a spotty lace film along the snifter
S-potent
T-roasted coffee , bitter dark chocolate swallow
MF-decent carbonation , feels full bodied , easily consumed beer
Ov-this beer didn't last long , might half to revisit later
prost LampertLand
Mar 10, 2018
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
by LampertLand from Canada (BC)
Ballast Point Brewing 'Sea Monster Imperial Stout' @ 10.0% , served from a 650 ml bottle purchased for $12.50
A-pour is a dark cola brown from the bottle to an almost black in the glass with a medium size light tan head leaving a spotty lace film along the snifter
S-potent
T-roasted coffee , bitter dark chocolate swallow
MF-decent carbonation , feels full bodied , easily consumed beer
Ov-this beer didn't last long , might half to revisit later
prost LampertLand
Mar 10, 2018
4.12 by Mxsluis from Michigan on Feb 17, 2018
3.79 by Yeldarb92 from Ohio on Jan 14, 2018
4.75/5 rDev +18.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by Hackattack from Indiana
This is really good....as good as, or better than any, or all of the top shelf stouts you can find anywhere...... I wish I could get this on a regular basis. Like this, all of what I have had from this outfit has been consistently good.
Jan 03, 2018
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by Hackattack from Indiana
This is really good....as good as, or better than any, or all of the top shelf stouts you can find anywhere...... I wish I could get this on a regular basis. Like this, all of what I have had from this outfit has been consistently good.
Jan 03, 2018
3.5 by 1971bernat from Virginia on Dec 28, 2017
4.24 by hogrider from Florida on Dec 28, 2017
3.92 by durwood64 from Ohio on Dec 11, 2017
3.86 by DavidST from Texas on Nov 18, 2017
3.73 by jcoleMA66 from Massachusetts on Oct 29, 2017
4.12 by Jbalintjr from Pennsylvania on Oct 02, 2017
3.5 by soco89ziegler from California on Jul 18, 2017
4.25 by doowhat from Arkansas on Jul 16, 2017
3.64 by aurorabeerealis from California on Jul 15, 2017
4.1/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
This was poured into a tulip. The appearance was a nice looking black color with a slim finger’s worth of white to off white foamy head that quickly dissipated leaving some light clingy lacing. The smell had a sweet cocoa to sticky licorice, light roast of coffee and an ample amount of anise settling nicely underneath my nose. The taste was mainly sweet and roasty. A light vanilla did help to balance out. An even-ed out delicate delivery of balanced vanilla licorice boozy aftertaste lead to a semi - sweet and wet finish. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with a fairly decent sipping quality about it. Carbonation, what carbonation, is it there? Not really, but for the style and age, I’m not worried. It’s good stuff. Overall, I say this was a pretty good D/IS that I would have again.
Jun 16, 2017
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
This was poured into a tulip. The appearance was a nice looking black color with a slim finger’s worth of white to off white foamy head that quickly dissipated leaving some light clingy lacing. The smell had a sweet cocoa to sticky licorice, light roast of coffee and an ample amount of anise settling nicely underneath my nose. The taste was mainly sweet and roasty. A light vanilla did help to balance out. An even-ed out delicate delivery of balanced vanilla licorice boozy aftertaste lead to a semi - sweet and wet finish. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with a fairly decent sipping quality about it. Carbonation, what carbonation, is it there? Not really, but for the style and age, I’m not worried. It’s good stuff. Overall, I say this was a pretty good D/IS that I would have again.
Jun 16, 2017
4.45/5 rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by stlfatguy from Missouri
Black with thick brown/tan head. Smell is chocolate, black jelly beans, and taste is chocolate malty goodness. Feel is AWESOME. Smooth, milky, tHick, outstanDing. A little alcohol warming.
Jun 16, 2017
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by stlfatguy from Missouri
Black with thick brown/tan head. Smell is chocolate, black jelly beans, and taste is chocolate malty goodness. Feel is AWESOME. Smooth, milky, tHick, outstanDing. A little alcohol warming.
Jun 16, 2017
3.88 by JuiceMan818 from California on Jun 03, 2017
4.4 by Heavybeer from Iowa on Jun 03, 2017
3.96 by drahodo from Missouri on May 10, 2017
4.25 by BrewskiBrandon from Missouri on Apr 28, 2017
3.97/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by Suds from Missouri
From a large bottle, this brew is essentially black, with a tan head. The aroma is toasty, with a slightly burnt, almost charcoal aroma. Licorice. The taste is balanced, with intense bitterness....roasted grain, coffee, and peppery hops. Full flavor and creamy texture. Excellent.
Mar 10, 2017
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by Suds from Missouri
From a large bottle, this brew is essentially black, with a tan head. The aroma is toasty, with a slightly burnt, almost charcoal aroma. Licorice. The taste is balanced, with intense bitterness....roasted grain, coffee, and peppery hops. Full flavor and creamy texture. Excellent.
Mar 10, 2017
Sea Monster Imperial Stout from Ballast Point Brewing Company
Beer rating:
90 out of
100 with
1887 ratings