Imperial Spruce India Pilsner
Short's Brewing Company

Imperial Spruce India PilsnerImperial Spruce India Pilsner
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Short's Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Imperial Pilsner
Ranked #8
ABV:
7.15%
Score:
88
Ranked #14,005
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 18.07%
Reviews:
169
Ratings:
449
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 15, 2023
Added:
Jun 30, 2007
Wants:
  133
Gots:
  67
Original batch (from Imperial Series--750 ml bottles) was 10% abv. New, 2010, 12 oz. bottles are 7.15% abv.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by odement:
Photo of odement
Rated by odement from Michigan

4.56/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Oct 27, 2016
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.25 by BigIronH from Michigan

Oct 15, 2023
 
Rated: 3.9 by RalphStanley34 from French Polynesia

Jan 04, 2023
 
Rated: 3.61 by Giggy from Michigan

Dec 16, 2022
 
Rated: 4.24 by Meddwol from Michigan

Dec 04, 2021
Photo of Dr_Bahmbay13
Reviewed by Dr_Bahmbay13 from Michigan

5/5  rDev +27.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
I first had this in 2011, still to this day as I drink one think to myself. This is its own animal. Its very good. Ive had many spruce type beers because of this beer. None stand up to it. This could be easily a world class rated beer!!!!!!
Nov 18, 2021
Photo of bret27
Rated by bret27 from California

4.09/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottle courtesy of JohnnyHops.
Dec 20, 2020
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

4.02/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottled 10/7/19 (2 months ago) poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass at fridge temp, no ABV listed on label. The beer pours bright golden amber in color with abundant off white head. The head recedes slowly leaving a big cap and full lacing. The aroma is mild with earthy spruce and evergreen sap. The taste is semisweet caramel malt punctuated with earthy, sappy spruce and old school C hops. Moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very good. I'm a fan of imperial pils and spruce beer. This is a good example of both. Not cloying or heavy on alcohol presence.
Dec 18, 2019
 
Rated: 4.01 by chrismattlin from Ohio

Dec 06, 2019
 
Rated: 3.73 by Hoptometrist from Ohio

Nov 26, 2019
 
Rated: 4.06 by Valdez_Mescalito from Michigan

Nov 18, 2019
 
Rated: 2.6 by crash8per from Michigan

Mar 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.99 by DruC4 from Michigan

Dec 30, 2018
 
Rated: 4.11 by Tjb14 from Michigan

Dec 28, 2017
Photo of BB1313
Reviewed by BB1313 from Ohio

4.32/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bottled on 7/28/17. 12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours a burnt golden with a subtle haze; creamy off-white head that falls leaving great retention and sticky lacing. The aromas are full of spruce. Some tropical berries in the mix. Subtle hints of caramel. A nice amount of malts. The flavors follow the nose perfectly. Lots of fresh spruce. Strong malt backbone. Hints of cocoa and mint. Some pine resin. Some sticky syrupy characteristics are there. Mild spiciness. It finishes with a subtle warmth, but the alcohol is ultimately well hidden. Mouthfeel is nice. It's full-bodied with with moderate to low carbonation. Dangerously drinkable.

This is an awesome brew. It's probably my favorite "spruce beer" that I've had to date. It's also the best beer that I've had from Short's, to date. It doesn't really come off as a pilsener or an Imperial pilsener, but it doesn't even matter to me. It actually drinks more like an Imperial IPA. This beer is a winner!
Sep 15, 2017
 
Rated: 3.71 by oriolesfan4 from Maryland

Feb 06, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by warrendietrich2001 from Nevada

Feb 05, 2017
 
Rated: 4.15 by Truck67 from Tennessee

Dec 30, 2016
Photo of HopDagger
Reviewed by HopDagger from Michigan

4.12/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25
I really enjoyed this beer. Poured into a pilsner glass from the tap, it's the yellow of a late summer's sunrise. If you've hiked a trail through stands of pine and spruce of course you know the smell, and in Northern Michigan where it's brewed you'd catch the faint hint of sand and dune grasses. All of this is present but when you sip but it cuts like a chain through pine, very bold, but if you love spruce tips and pine flavor you will absolutely love this. Overall a shocking start and a pleasing and unique finish, a great late summer entry into fall's heavier sipping.
Sep 19, 2016
Photo of stortore
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois

4.16/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12 ounce bottle into a Pilsner glass.

Pours a bright golden yellow, clear, with a good amount of streaming bubbles, a one inch head with foamy lacing. Smell is yeast, spruce- more as it warms throughout the bottle, malt, some apples. The taste- wooo, there's lots of spruce here, and it is good. Real good. Like sucking on a tree branch. Malt, some yeast, a medium hop bitterness throughout. Very smooth, well carbonated, creamy, light bodied, but feels more full bodied.

This is really good. The spruce is excellent, great body and feel. Wish I bought a six pack instead of one bottle. Won't make that mistake next year. Well worth a purchase.
Aug 17, 2016
Imperial Spruce India Pilsner from Short's Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 449 ratings