Sea Monster Imperial Stout - Ballast Point Brewing Company

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BA SCORE
90
outstanding
-
789 Ratings

rAvg: 4.03
pDev: 10.17%
Reviews: 388
Hads: 401

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Brewed by:
Ballast Point Brewing Company

California, United States

Style | ABV
American Double / Imperial Stout | 10.00% ABV

Availability: Rotating. bottle (347), on-tap (30), cask (6), growler (3), nitro-tap (2).

Notes:
No notes at this time.

View: Beers (77) | Reviews (40) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by YumYumGumGum:

YumYumGumGum

Virginia

3/5 rDev -25.6%

08-06-2012 18:41:17 | More by YumYumGumGum

More User Reviews:

Skrypt

Florida

3.5/5 rDev -13.2%

06-19-2013 21:26:04 | More by Skrypt

b-one

California

3/5 rDev -25.6%

06-19-2013 01:58:39 | More by b-one

WizzardOfHops

California

4.25/5 rDev +5.5%

06-18-2013 08:28:11 | More by WizzardOfHops

admonster00

Illinois

4.5/5 rDev +11.7%

06-18-2013 01:41:23 | More by admonster00

Jason1337

Pennsylvania

4/5 rDev -0.7%

06-17-2013 14:41:19 | More by Jason1337

bigalsd

California

4/5 rDev -0.7%

06-17-2013 02:20:51 | More by bigalsd

Liondiscs

California

4/5 rDev -0.7%

06-17-2013 01:26:41 | More by Liondiscs

Kentucky

2.73/5 rDev -32.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

The pour is a touch thin for an imperial russian but still big black dark beer with a tan cap of foam. Nice lacing and given the short time the head is retained I'm a bit surprised.

Light and subtle nose that brings out the dark malts with some coco nibs. Hard to really discuss with much detail as it is faint.

The flavor starts out very dark and over roasted fading into dark chocolate and then we get to a tart sharp alcohol and something else bite and then the after taste is lingering coffee. I'm seeing others getting fruits and perhaps that's what I'm getting in the middle of this beer, but the end result is this beer comes off hot and hard to drink...and I like my scotch neat and smokey as hell.

This is a big stout but it doesn't really take on any of the desirable elements some can bring on. It's carbonated and has body but the carbonation isn't right for the style and the body somewhat suffers from this. Add in my complains above and I find it a bit difficult to enjoy drinking it.

The more I drink the less impressed with this one I am. It's not awful but this is a pretty competitive style and when there are beers like Narwal that per oz are about half this one in price I think Ballast Point might have to consider upping their game or dropping their price.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 07:43:51 | More by bobhits

Doogermeister

Illinois

3.76/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I had high expectations for this beer and I have to say I wasn't entirely let down. The beer pours the usual black of a stout with a small head. The smell is similar to old Rasputin and has actually a similar taste. Not too much to say here but if you are in the mood for a new stout give this one a try

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 05:18:12 | More by Doogermeister

CORKSCREWFISH

Illinois

4.5/5 rDev +11.7%

06-16-2013 02:03:19 | More by CORKSCREWFISH

SocalKicks

California

4/5 rDev -0.7%

06-15-2013 05:53:21 | More by SocalKicks

doremite

Massachusetts

3.75/5 rDev -6.9%

06-13-2013 20:55:58 | More by doremite

dvmin98

North Carolina

3.75/5 rDev -6.9%

06-13-2013 00:16:30 | More by dvmin98

Arsenal0328

Indiana

4.25/5 rDev +5.5%

06-10-2013 22:22:28 | More by Arsenal0328

BKotch

Texas

4/5 rDev -0.7%

06-10-2013 04:38:10 | More by BKotch

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.19/5 rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We unleash the beast from a bottle of their 2011 stock, pouring a brew of the darkest browns into our Founders snifters. It holds a massive and active three finger head of hot cocoa colored bubbles on a rough pour, showing insane retention. Thick and reticular sheets of lacing are left around the glass they pop away. No haze or sediment is noted, and carbonation appears to be robust. The aroma gives chocolatey and coffee malts, with a lightly charred, smoky backbone. Tinny metallics, wax, lavender florals, chalky yeast, fumy booze, licorice, mildly citric hops, candied malted milk balls, milky creaminess, molasses, dark cherry sugars, oily brown malts, and toffee sweetness fill the space between. Our first impression is that the sweetness is deliciously deep with chocolates through the malts, with a wonderfully smooth and creamy feel. As we sip, the taste begins with chocolate wafer cookies, salty molasses, vegetal seaweed, milk and dark chocolate syrups, roasty coffee and brown malts, light char, light leathers, parsnip rootiness, chalk, black cherry sweetness, bittered coffee acidity, and faint banana fruitiness. The middle comes to a peak with enhanced sweetness of toffee and brown sugar, coffee cake breadiness, green leafy vegetals, mild vinegar acidity, alcohol, black coffee bite, and spice of black pepper and jalapeno heat. The end comes with cloying coffee and chocolate malt sweetness, coconut fruitiness, chocolate fudge sugars, pseudo-oaky depth, curiously cooked caramel Belgian maltiness, vanilla pudding, boozy bite, plums, dates, figs, and dark cherries. The aftertaste breathes of coconut milk, roasty coffee, brown, and chocolate malts, red cherry sweetness, lactic acidity, alcohol, gritty chocolate nibs, dusty gravel, phenolic plastics, and white sugar. The body is full, and the carbonation is medium, but prickly. Each sip gives smooth and silky slurp, froth, and cream, with nice following smack and pop. The mouth is thickly coated with slick oiliness, leaving savory salivation and light astringent chalkiness. The abv is appropriate, and the beer sips nicely.

Overall, the thing we liked best about this brew was its flavoring. This exhibited a nice blend of chocolates, vanillas, booze, and fruit, going both with and atop a hearty, roasty, sweeter malt base. The aroma begins things in a similar fashion, with evenness that betrays the inherent abv hidden within. The flavoring does the same, with much of the aforementioned flavors masking anything offensive. This feel lends general softness and slurpability, aiding drinkability, as if it needed it in the first place. This is a hearty brew, and it would definitely be best to find a companion to share it with. Yet another impressive, and varied offering from Ballast Point, who seem to be able to execute any style with their own unique flair and ease.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 02:44:31 | More by TheBrewo