Lagunitas Imperial PILS
Lagunitas Brewing Company

Lagunitas Imperial PILSLagunitas Imperial PILS
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From:
Lagunitas Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Imperial Pilsner
Ranked #9
ABV:
8.6%
Score:
88
Ranked #14,031
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 9.16%
Reviews:
106
Ratings:
345
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 20, 2023
Added:
Jul 19, 2015
Wants:
  17
Gots:
  89
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by whatthehull:
Photo of whatthehull
Reviewed by whatthehull from California

4.09/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a snifter/tulip/wine glass from a 22oz bottle

A - A gorgeous almost translucent gold, with a two finger very effervescent white head and some sugar legs

S - Very sweet, pils yeast really stands out but in a lovely way, very sweet hops, sweet floral, sweet citrus, a nice pine, pineapple, slight peach, even the grains and malt are sweet.

T - the taste is surprisingly less sweet than the smell, still sweet, but the nose just screams sweet. Pine, pils yeast, very dry grains, semi sweet malts, pineapple and peach come out, huge bitter citrus backbone and a slight lager note toward the end

M - Medium body, nice complexity, nice balance, medium plus acidity, medium carbonation and a very sweet to huge bitter hop backbone.

D/O - This one is very pleasing. It meets all the requirements of a great beer. Easy to drink, refreshing, perks up the senses, go very nice with rich foods, fits in each and every season and a bottle or two will do you right. As far as Pilsners go this one is tops. Lagunitas never ceases to amaze and for the hop head, this one you may enjoy as well. This beer also pairs very nicely with spaghetti, light sauce and heavy on the sausage and meatballs.

Final thoughts - At $4 a pop, why the heck not? A nearly 9% ABV is perfect for a night cap. Get this seasonal release while you can. I wouldn't recommend storing this one for long however.
Sep 24, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
from the standpoint of technical execution, this is really solid, but something about it just isnt all that great, like the things that make the regular pils so compelling do not really translate through here, and it does sort of seem like this is trying to be a bigger version of the same thing, clean and crisp on the ferment, hoppier than the imports, basic but bold. i like the clean malt complexion, golden yellow, crackery and biscuity without being toasted at all and definitely staying dry, some minerals to it, the water chemistry is good and it flatters the mash, the base seems right for this, if a little bigger than it needs to be, perhaps just a single malt here, rather european. the hops are all late, more than just noble but definitely not without being spicy and grassy and bitter too, maybe a little pine in the mix here, but not oily or resinous in feel, herbal too, intense but not distinct, relatively fast finishing for what it is. the alcohol is definitely is exposed, there isnt enough here to cover it up, and this drinks a little hot. the style has always been a little weird to me in that way, like a lot of the appeal of pils generally speaking is the drinkability, and when we take that away, what we are left with is kind of odd, and thats not just this beer, but at almost 9% abv, it certainly is a victim to that phenomenon. good carbonation helps, a little woodsy thing as it warms, just a touch of that imported oxidation, good but not one i am in a hurry to have again...
Jan 20, 2023
 
Rated: 3.78 by AWA from California

Aug 02, 2019
 
Rated: 3.57 by grahamgillespie from Tennessee

May 20, 2019
Photo of GarrettB
Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
July 28th, 2015 - When I think of Lagunitas, I think of dank weedy smokers and dank weedy beers. But their Imperial Pils is phenomenal, even if it isn't toking away on hop cones. Purchased at the brewery and enjoyed at Big Sur, it has a light baked biscuit aroma, and offers the thinnest touch of grapefruit and orange zest. And although I didn't cool it down all the way to an optimal temperature, the flavor comes through quite clearly. The alcohol brings a lovely scone sweetness, and blends nicely with the slight orange and grapefruit flavors. But the base is still that clear, pilsener with a tasty grain flavor and dryness. Balanced and assertive, it is one of my new favorite Lagunitas brews.
Apr 16, 2019
 
Rated: 3.85 by DKGreen from California

Feb 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by JohnDon from Texas

Oct 12, 2018
 
Rated: 3.92 by h4ger from Connecticut

Jun 15, 2018
 
Rated: 3.99 by DemoniChris from Nebraska

Aug 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.1 by BSW from California

Jun 30, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
This was poured into a pilsener glass. The appearance was a burnt yellow color. Light carbonation could be seen rising to fill a rapidly dissipating one fingered head. Lacing was messy with a semi-thick appeal to it. The smell starts off with a sweet grassiness rolling into some light delicate malt (slightly like corn). The taste was moderately sweet and taking the sweet grassiness to blend in a slight grainy sort of fashion. There’s a semi-smooth sweet grassy edge to the aftertaste and riding into the aftertaste. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium in body with a nice sessionability about it. Carbonation feels good for the style and for me. Its sticky, but not cloying. Overall, this is a pretty nice Double/Imperial Pilsener. I’d have it again.
Jun 27, 2017
Photo of TerryMills
Reviewed by TerryMills from Tennessee

3.89/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pretty good imperial pils. Pours a hazy golden straw color with 1 finger white head..

Smell is mostly malt with very little hops or yeast coming thru..

Taste pretty much matches the smell, not much going on here in the complexity department..

Good drinkable beer that is a little sweeter and less hoppy than I was expecting from lagunitas .

Would drink again but wouldn't go out of my way to find it..
Jan 10, 2017
Photo of gatornation
Reviewed by gatornation from Arizona

3.85/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On tap at Sunstreet. Pours a clear dark yellow color with a very white head. Smell is crisp pungent noble hops with biscuit aromas. Taste of crisp floral noble hops flowery hoppy notes mixed with biscuit and cracker malt a sweet caramel intervention on the finish. mouth feel is crisp and dry with floral light bitterness in the hops, some boozy aftertaste. I like my pils turned down this was to boozy for a drinkable refreshing lager it was however worth a try.
Jan 02, 2017
 
Rated: 3.59 by GlendonTT from Canada (AB)

Dec 24, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by Rice_Nate_25 from Ohio

Dec 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.92 by draegerjosh from California

Nov 05, 2016
 
Rated: 4.1 by Hoagie1973 from New York

Sep 07, 2016
 
Rated: 3.83 by jw4free from Kansas

Aug 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.91 by drunkenmess from Michigan

Aug 05, 2016
 
Rated: 4.18 by MoGuitarNthemonitor from Alabama

Jul 27, 2016
Lagunitas Imperial PILS from Lagunitas Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 345 ratings