Samuel Adams Imperial White - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

markman

Connecticut

2.93/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Now, I'm a big fan of witbiers. And this ain't your Daddy's witbier, imperial or otherwise.

Clear orangey brass with a tight head. And a malty almost doppelbock like aroma leaps from the glass.

At first taste there was a cider like quality to it ...and quite big-bodied for the style. I'm thinking doppelbock with a heavy twist of unidentified spiciness.

I'll tell you what it puts me in the mind of. Several years ago now, Southampton Publick House fucked up a batch or two of it's renowned Grand Cru; after a bit of aging, some yeast issues resulted in an undesirable apple quality that was very distracting. And here it is again in this beer...and it is still quite undesirable to this reviewer.

I'm not sure what the intention was here. For me, the balance of the four-pack will find it's calling in the kitchen as a deglazer. There, it just may shine.

If you want an "Imperial White" experience, look to Southampton Double White...or, better still, Allagash Fluxus 2008.

Cheers...

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2009 04:06:20 | More by markman

bigkahunas4

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tulip. Came out of the bottle a grapefruit color, settling in the glass a hazy brown. Okay retention on a white head, lacing was spotty. Aromas are similar to the SA heffy pepper, lemon grass, and banana peel.

Flavors are heavier than I anticipated. Lots of banana, some spiciness, a bit of straw, rounded out with some alcohol. Alcohol is hidden until the end, and then its flavors really take over the mouth. Mouthfeel is medium, smooth.

Lots of alcohol flavor that just isn't balanced out for a style like this. Certainly different, but not very refreshing. Probably won't seek this out again.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2009 21:18:03 | More by bigkahunas4

JordanChabot

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Yes... an Imperial White....at 10% + abv. ... awesome..thank you Jimbo

A - pours a semi transparent golden color. Not as cloudy as I would expect for this style. about 3-4 inches of white head that fluffs up nicely.

S - the smell is full of butterscotch...caramelized banana...spices (nutmeg...hint of clove....allspice)...some alcohol

T- Sweet butterscotch and caramel notes with a whole bunch of spices. like the aroma... caramelized banana and brown sugar linger for a while with a finish of chewy glutenous bread, clove, and some alcohol. Theres something salty about this in the end I can't quite figure it out (help?)

M- The mouthfeel is big....reallly big. Very sticky and full bodied. This will leave its mark on your palate for a long time, but its not too syrupy or overbearing.

D - I mean, your not going to knock this back like the spring white ale or a blue moon, but....given the ABV this baby is very easy to drink. Still, I don't see myself getting through a 4 pack of these in a sitting.

Truly a unique beer...like nothing i have ever had. Awesome addition for Sam Adams....a real redeemer for not making the coffee stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2009 19:36:17 | More by JordanChabot

LiquorLockerVP

Rhode Island

4.38/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

An imperial white ale? I am intrigued.

Appearance:
A murky copper color that looks less bright than I had expected. Alot of white ales Ive had are pretty orange looking, but this one is darker. Almost a dirty cider color. Very cloudy. Nice thick cup cake head that wouldnt stop growing. It was thick and dense, like frosting. As it receded it left lacing, and never truly cleared the beer's surface.

Smell:
Almost a mix of papya/mango/spiced rum. There is alot of fruit mated with a strong background of sweet, spicey malts. I was expecting the 10% to burn through but I am not picking up much alcohol sizzle. Well perhaps a bit on the deep nose pulls, but it is rather subtle.

Taste:
Mmm, really tastey. The sweet/spice is balanced with a thick flabby body so as not to be over the top. A bit of banana ester. The alchohol content is awesome in that it perfectly matches the sweetness and makes the brew both thick but palate cleansing. Sweetness skunk stripes down the tongue, while the back sides pings some bitter. A mild throb remains as the alcohol works the gums. Little to no aftertaste. I am a big fan, not the light fruit flavor I was expecting.

Moutful:
Feels fat in the mouth, carbonation getting pretty foamy during exploration. The bubbles are creamy, and the overall consistency is thick. The beer pulls in allakazam though, the thickness is quick sizzled away by the alcohol leaving a lightness that leaves you ready for more. Really nice.

Drinkability:
As I got to know this beer more, I decided it was much more drinkable than I originally thought. It has a ton of flavor, but isn't excess in its impact on the pallate and gut. I've let it sit a bit and open up, and it still retains its initial enjoyment on each pull. I think it would be a knockout with hot chinese orange chicken.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2009 16:51:59 | More by LiquorLockerVP

xxHelderxx

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer poured a semi hazy light brown with about 2 fingers worth of head (aggressive pour) which dissipated quickly. Pretty good lacing

The nose of this beer has a great deal of fruit and alcohol. The alcohol can actually be overwhelming if you really go in for a good sniff.

The taste of this beer is very orangey, the coriander/spice peeks through and there is a definite strong presence of alcohol in the aftertaste.

The mouthfeel is a bit strange for me. If you think of other Witbiers like Blue Moon, Hoegarden etc they're all very refreshing and hit the spot on a warm day... I'm not sure I can see myself being refreshed with this beer due to the sheer alcohol taste. When you give this beer a try, exhale through your nose a second after swallowing, the alcohol for me carried right through my nostrils and actually stung a little bit.

For a fan of the imperial heavy-hitters, I'd say give it a shot because its still an interesting brew. However dont expect to chug it down like a Hoegarden or you might get yourself in trouble.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2009 02:42:55 | More by xxHelderxx

aerozeppl

New York

3.95/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured a deep golden almost honey like color. The white head quickly retreated to the rim of my tulip. There is some lacing and good retention of the little bit of head there is.

S: Tons of honey and sweetness with a hint of booze in the back. A touch of coriander and orange peel as well. By far the booziest smelling wit ever.

T: The orange peel is quite up front. Again a ton of sweetness. Maybe they used a little bit of honey to boost the ABV? It is super sweet. Booze runs throughout and it meshes with the sweetness in the finish.

M: For a "wit: this is super thick. Syrupy.

D: At 10.3% I would almost call this more of a wheatwine hybrid. It is boozy. I am enjoying it but the point of a wit is to sit on a hot day and have a few. Maybe they should market this as a winter wit.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2009 23:02:23 | More by aerozeppl

prototypic

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: It's a light golden brown color with a lot of haze clouding the scene. It's topped with a tad off-white head that's about a finger and a half deep. It dissipated quickly and left a light, sticky coat of lace clinging to the glass.

Smell: The nose is lacking in strength. A little too much, truth be told. It is sweet and very sugary smelling. It features some citrus orange and lemon notes. Clove, orange peel and coriander spices are apparent. Smells earthy and grainy. Alcohol is noted. It seems pretty well blended for the abv. My bottle indicates it's 10.3%. A little more strength would go a long way here.

Taste: It's indeed very sweet and sugary. Almost too sweet. The spices are interesting in that they don't come across nearly as strong here. Sure, there's some evidence of clove, coriander, and orange peel, but it's far from prevalent. The wheat certainly gives it a grainy/earthy flavor. There's some light floral hops that emerge. They're very faint. Alcohol is very prevalent and runs a little too hot. The nose masked it pretty well, but that's not the case here. Finishes sweet and boozy.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: It features a medium body, that borders thick. It's relatively smooth, but is hindered a little by high carbonation. Drinkability is above average, but not quite good. It's too hot, boozy, and abv at 10.3% limits it.

Imperial White's an intriguing beer. It's not bad, but it's far from great. The biggest problem is the alcohol. It's far too prevalent and too hot. If that could be worked out, it'd be dramatically improved. Perhaps the alcohol just needs to be 2% lower. It needs some work to say the least. But, it's definitely worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2009 02:28:18 | More by prototypic

mtbbaboon

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I grabbed a four back of this upon seeing it in the Beer Store beer cooler. I poured a bottle into a tulip glass. Maybe not the right glass, but I like that glass. The appearance is a dark orange and very cloudy. An aggressive pour leaves a half inch head that settle quickly, leaving a ring and some light foam behind. Some light lacing after the first sip. Smells wheaty and spicy with a noticable citrus aroma. Kind of a mild aroma, but well balanced. The taste starts out somewhat sweet, but the spicyness follows quickly, fading to a bitterness. Kind of a tangy bite to it. A very good tasting beer. Medium body and slightly sticky. Mild carbonation. This is real easy to drink. Kind of hard to believe this is 9%. I don't sense it at all. Overall this is a real nice beer that I'm sure I'll buy again.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2009 00:04:00 | More by mtbbaboon

bowersdm

Ohio

3.23/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a bavarian pilsner.

A - cloudy orange-copper color. 2.5cm of head disappeared very quickly.

S - bananas, oranges, spice, wheat. finally, Sam Adams has paid attention to the aroma part of their beers.

T - tangy wheat, sweet malt, very a very dry, slightly hoppy, citrusy finish. there was a lot of spice in the finish too. I found it to be too much.

M - good.

D - I'm not really a fan of witbiers. This is only the third that I've had I believe. It's much better than SA White Ale, but I find this a tad on the spicy side.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2009 03:54:11 | More by bowersdm

Drobinator

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +29.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - poured a misty dark gold with very little head

S - Strong aromas of spice, fruit and malt

T - Malty, orange. Fairly balanced with an edge toward the sweet side. Less spice on the palate than the nose.

M - Poured thick, and had a full feel to it. Felt creamy on the finish.

D - Very drinkable. That combined with the high ABV makes it a beer to be careful with.

I was looking forward to checking this out because while I love the Double Bock, I've always been a little underwhelmed by the many of the other offerings. This did not disappoint. Will have again soon.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2009 03:39:38 | More by Drobinator

damienblack

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Of the 3 SA Imperials recently released, this one intrigued me the most. Pours a nutty dark golden brown, like a dark tripel or a light weizenbock. Not much of a head to be seen. Smells like a very spicey weizenbock, there's evidence of plum, or cherry to be had. Excellent aroma.

First impression: This doesn't hide the alcohol too well. Every sip is big and boozey. Big malt tastes with some dried fruit. A little bit of hops, in line with the rest of SA's beers. It also has a very medicinal cloying sense to it. The spicing isn't so detectable in the flavor as in the nose. Mouthfeel is big and coating, but the medicinal part of the coating detracts from it. A little too boozey to be anything more than a slow sipper right now, but this will make an interesting candidate for aging.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 06:59:19 | More by damienblack

bgjohnston

Connecticut

3.78/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This beer came in a 4-pack, poured into my favorite pint glass. It poured a cloudy amber, with a very creamy, off-white head. The creamy foam was surprising, with a very nice mouthfeel all by itself.

Taking a deeper sip, it gives you a very pronounced boozy presence right upfront, but still manages to finish fairly dry. There is a sort of dried apricot fruity flavor in there as well.

Altogether, a very nice beer that is only limited in drinkability by its very stout ABV.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 00:20:00 | More by bgjohnston

Pjev11

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got a growler of this limited variety and finished the whole thing so I must have liked it well enough. Labelled as a witbier but was a little darker than most and certainly stronger and bolder than you would expect in that generally lighter style. More like a belgian ale, really. Overall a solid beer that is more of a sipper than a session. I think I liked it more getting it in a growler when I wasn't expecting to get anything on tap. Good and solid, not great.

Serving type: growler

06-29-2012 03:35:36 | More by Pjev11

socon67

New York

3.48/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours golden, cloudy and with an active white foam. Minimal lacing.

S - Scent is of fresh grain, citrus, and sugary candy.

T - Taste is consistent with the smell. Citrus and sweetn flavor, with a taste of hearty grain. Finish has a slight acidic burn.

M - Smooth, medium bodied, and a tasty beer that feels ligther than its ABV.

O - Interesting take on the style. I found it a potent witbier that pushes the envelope.

Serving type: growler

02-06-2012 04:29:14 | More by socon67

alleykatking

Indiana

2.9/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had on tap at Fiddler's.

A- Pours a semi-hazed orangey honey color. Two finger eggshell white head shows medium retention. Long streaks of lace all along the sides of the glass.

S- Tons of spicey wheat on the front of the beer. Alcohol comes through and tingles the nose midway through with hints of orange peel. There seems to be a light flowery tone to this in the ending with more alcohol coming through at the final part with a light peppercorn aroma.

T- Tons of wheat in the front with a nice spicing in there as well....peppercorn is all I can really pick up. Orange zest with some warming alcohol in the ending of the front of the beer. Middle of the beer shows more orange and the warming alcohol turns a light medicinal. Wheat comes through once again in the ending with the alcohol just dominating the ending flavors.

M- Medium heavy mouthfeel. Carbonation is good for the style. Thick feeling from start to finish. Wheat and alcohol with a hint of orange left on the palate. Aftertaste is warming alcohol, peppercorn, and wheat. Flavors were balanced as well as it could be for the style. No real off flavors overall but the alcohol does become a little dominate toward the middle and ending. Heavy alcohol drying on the palate.

O- Overall this is a average drinking beer. The alcohol does really come out a ton and for that it makes this beer a little unbearable at times. Well I shouldn't say unbearable but just average overall. The ABV is a little high making this a one and done drinker.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 02:55:42 | More by alleykatking

jgasparine

Maryland

2.8/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

A- Poured with almost no head or lacing, just a faint swirl of haze on top. The body was a turbid dark amber color with some aggressive bubble trains working up the sides of the glass. This is supposed to be a Wit??

S- Super sweet candy malts... almost cloyingly sweet. I'm also picking up vinous notes, candied fruit, burnt sugar and [after the beer warmed] some cinnamon. Smells good, but not at all what I would expect from a Wit... I suppose an average mark would be fitting then...

T- A very sweet replicate of the nose. Finishes with the resinous taste of corriander, cinnamon and an echo of booze. As the beer warmed, a bit of tartness from the wheat emerged as well. Again, tastes good, but not at all what I would expect from a Wit... I suppose an average mark would be fitting then...

M- An overcarbonated medium body, textured a bit by some unattenuated sugar. Carbonation was a turn-off.

D- Not a drain pour, but definitely not my bag. Too sweet, not-to-style and overcarbonated.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2010 16:01:05 | More by jgasparine

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Had on tap at 6 & Save in New Kensington, PA. Big up to Sean for spotting me this one.

Looks very nice, with a deep orange/brown body that kind of glows. Finger of white foam.

Smells of passion fruit, peach, banana bubble gum. Taste follows right with it, rich & fruity. Intriguing at first, as I've never really experienced these kind of flavors in a beer before, & they're unique. Once the novelty wears off, it's a bit much to withstand in sip after sip, I'm sorry to say. The sweetness & fruitiness overwhelms in a way that most fruit beers don't -- it's thicker & heavier, & I feel like I'm on spring break drinking a tropical daiquiri when instead I'm in 40 degree Pittsburgh (this is not actually a good thing, if you can believe it). In the end I find myself barely being able to finish this rich fruit drink.

In the vein of a lot of Dogfish Head stuff, I gotta give SA credit for trying something kind of bananas (literally), despite my not actually enjoying it tremendously.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2009 00:03:32 | More by OneDropSoup

jdubjacket

Georgia

3.33/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at Carraba's at Perimeter in north Atlanta. Served in a chilled pilsner glass. Pours a generally yellow color with a minimal head. Smell is generally citrusy. Taste is citrus and bready. Taste is somewhat subdued. Moderate carbonation. I don't know if this was the best environment for this beer. The glass was chilled and the beer may have been served too cold. I tried to warm it, but even so, the beer was just ok.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2009 02:37:52 | More by jdubjacket

Duhast500

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +28.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Initial Response:

I had this at a beer tasting. It was one of the first times they rolled out a couple of kegs of the imperial series after announcing the release so I was intent on trying each.

From the tap poured into a small tasting cup.

The color was a light yellow. Head was white and quite foamy.

The smell was strong with a fruity overtone and a bit hoppy as well.

The taste was full of great hop flavor. Fruity taste with hint of tangerine in the background (I may have placed that fruit wrong) with a malty wheat taste as well.

This beer was a bit of a surprise. I was second among the friends that tried it and my friends first tasting of it was of dissatisfaction. I greatly liked the beer and i will be picking up a four pack and will update my review when I have more of this good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2009 14:40:31 | More by Duhast500