Narwhal Imperial Stout - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

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BA SCORE
93
exceptional
-
1,535 Ratings

rAvg: 4.15
pDev: 9.88%
Reviews: 422
Hads: 1113

Ratings Help

Brewed by:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

California, United States

Style | ABV
Russian Imperial Stout | 10.20% ABV

Availability: Rotating. bottle (399), on-tap (21), growler (2).

Notes:
No notes at this time.

View: Beers (116) | Reviews (49) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by Kendo:

Kendo

New York

4.18/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Poured from the bottle into a Piraat tulip/snifter-type glass. Body looks thick; it's black with a half-finger light-brown head that settles quickly. Some splotches of lace cling to the side of the glass after each sip.

S: Very roasty - roasted barley malt and dark chocolate. As it warms up a bit, the roastiness takes a back seat to the chocolate.

T: Big RIS-type flavors up front: roasted barley malt, roasted coffee beans, charcoal and chocolate - both cocoa/milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Finishes with chocolatey flavors followed by a bitter taste of char/charcoal. Alcohol heat is noted, though more in the feel, as heat going down the chute, than in the taste. Lingering minerally taste of burnt charcoal provides bitter balance to offset the malty flavors up front. As it warms and the palate adjusts to that bitterness, the chocolate becomes more pronounced at the finish, which I like.

M: Definitely full-bodied. Carbonation is modest.

O: Good stuff, as per usual from SN. More roasty than I prefer in my stouts, especially when cold - it's almost Imperial Porter-like in that regard - but not off-putting in any way. Sure, I've had better stouts, but for the price ($10.49 for a 4-pack), I'm not unhappy with this new release.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 02:27:25 | More by Kendo

More User Reviews:

ygolordned

Michigan

5/5 rDev +20.5%

05-25-2013 01:28:50 | More by ygolordned

Spaz7

California

4.5/5 rDev +8.4%

05-24-2013 21:00:00 | More by Spaz7

MWilt

Michigan

2.75/5 rDev -33.7%

05-23-2013 23:11:21 | More by MWilt

ipas-for-life

Virginia

4.25/5 rDev +2.4%

05-23-2013 13:05:43 | More by ipas-for-life

kingmaker

Louisiana

3.75/5 rDev -9.6%

05-23-2013 03:27:57 | More by kingmaker

MadScientist

New York

4.5/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Jet black with a creamy, express colored head that has a good long retention period.

S: A solid roast with some licorice, moderate coffee and light citrus hop aroma. There is a low caramel malt sweetness and a light alcohol sweetness as well.

T: A huge malty flavor with rich dark flavors of roast, coffee and caramel along with a moderate sweetness. There are some underling burnt sugar and slight charcoal in there as well. The citrus hops flavors and bitterness are at a medium level. The balance is about equal between the bitterness and sweetness and almost out to a medium finish. The hops bitterness lingers a bit an edges out the dark roast flavors.

M: A full bodied beer with a moderately-strong level of carbonation.

O: Rich and full with equally strong malt and hops character; simply an excellent beer. I'm hoping this will be easy to find than Night Stalker where I live because Narwhal is running neck and neck with it as my favorite Imperial Stout. There will have to be a side by side tasting to for me to call a winner though.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 00:58:29 | More by MadScientist

Busker

Connecticut

4.25/5 rDev +2.4%

05-22-2013 12:27:22 | More by Busker

Jamison85

Indiana

4.75/5 rDev +14.5%

05-21-2013 18:18:23 | More by Jamison85

Mikecap

Rhode Island

4.5/5 rDev +8.4%

05-21-2013 16:02:00 | More by Mikecap

TravisR

New Jersey

4.75/5 rDev +14.5%

05-21-2013 03:38:54 | More by TravisR

Kreko7

California

4.5/5 rDev +8.4%

05-20-2013 21:23:25 | More by Kreko7

beeragent

Texas

4.38/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from a 2012 bottle. Poured into a glass.

A - Pours a deep brown with ruby highlights. Appears black as motor oil once in the glass. Thin mocha head with no lace.

S - Strong roasted malts, chocolate, and espresso.

T - Roasted malt and bitter chocolate coat the palate. A slight hop bitterness in the finish. The alcohol is very well hidden.

M - Heavy bodied, thick and very smooth. Low carbonation.

O - Just like most of what Sierra Nevada does, they have set a standard for the style. When I think of an RIS, this is exactly what I expect it to look, smell, and taste like. Just a perfect example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 21:01:13 | More by beeragent