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

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BA SCORE
86
good
-
1,214 Ratings

rAvg: 3.8
pDev: 14.47%
Reviews: 778
Hads: 436

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Brewed by:
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Massachusetts, United States

Style | ABV
Russian Imperial Stout | 9.20% ABV

Availability: Year-round. bottle (774), on-tap (4).

Notes:
No notes at this time.

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Reviews

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Reviews by barnzy78:

barnzy78

Illinois

4.1/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a thick, opaque black with a milk chocolate colored creamy head. Aromas of roasted and burnt malts, molasses and hints of black licorice, with a mild alcohol nose. Mouthfeel is appropriately thick for the style. Tastes of burnt malts, alcohol, and molasses, with hints of chocolate and espresso. Nicely balanced with a mildly sweet finish. Overall, I think Boston Beer did a good job for the style. It was better than I anticipated and average for the style - there are definitely better ones out there.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2009 02:17:00 | More by barnzy78

More User Reviews:

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3.75/5 rDev -1.3%

05-18-2013 03:01:00 | More by SmellsofMahagony

carlosega

Ohio

4/5 rDev +5.3%

05-17-2013 19:30:16 | More by carlosega

verge

California

4/5 rDev +5.3%

05-16-2013 22:05:23 | More by verge

drgonzo2k2

California

4/5 rDev +5.3%

05-16-2013 13:20:59 | More by drgonzo2k2

aty11b

Texas

4.25/5 rDev +11.8%

05-14-2013 01:54:17 | More by aty11b

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.09/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle purchased from BevMo in Sunnyvale, CA.

Pours a dull, slightly translucent but rather oily brown colour, with a minimal flat futz of beige foam that becomes a static ring. Body looks quite thick, but the beer itself looks dead and lifeless. It's not overly impressive.

Nose is pleasant, though. Mild chocolate and toasty grain, with some boozy undertones which give vanilla and banana aromas. There's some deep caramel and toffee as well, providing a pleasant sweetness to provide body and structure. It's nice stuff.

Taste is similarly smooth and structured. Solid, pleasant dark malt sweetness, spiked with vanilla and aniseed. Some spicy booze comes out on the back, giving more of a prickly feel than anything else. Finish is surprisingly light, evaporating almost towards the end, with just a lingering roast character.

Feel is smooth but light and supple. It's very good.

Overall, this is a nice beer. A very nice beer, in fact. It's not an imperial stout that redefines the genre, but it's well made and well-structured. I like it.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:38:54 | More by lacqueredmouse

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.5/5 rDev -7.9%

05-14-2013 00:19:30 | More by Kegatron

BMart

Pennsylvania

2.25/5 rDev -40.8%

05-13-2013 16:46:31 | More by BMart

JamesStreet

Louisiana

3.75/5 rDev -1.3%

05-12-2013 16:29:39 | More by JamesStreet

MinorThreat

Colorado

3.75/5 rDev -1.3%

05-11-2013 21:25:05 | More by MinorThreat

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.5/5 rDev -7.9%

05-10-2013 15:23:46 | More by twenty5

rph97

Texas

3.5/5 rDev -7.9%

05-10-2013 00:15:00 | More by rph97

Christov

Michigan

4/5 rDev +5.3%

05-08-2013 16:38:40 | More by Christov

bubseymour

Maryland

3.75/5 rDev -1.3%

05-02-2013 00:34:42 | More by bubseymour

FliryVorru

Alabama

4.25/5 rDev +11.8%

04-29-2013 17:30:15 | More by FliryVorru

odement

Michigan

4/5 rDev +5.3%

04-25-2013 00:23:31 | More by odement

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.96/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter at cellar temperature.

L – Black color with a nice 3-finger, frothy, foamy, tan head. Awesome retention and fantastic sheets of lacing.

S – Mostly sweet aromas with chocolate, caramel, and brown sugar. The aroma doesn’t have much in the way of roasted malt but it is very pleasant.

T – It starts off sweet with chocolate, caramel, and molasses and eventually progresses to a smooth and mild bitter roasted coffee taste. After the bitterness fades, there may be some sweet dark fruits and licorice that creep in. It’s not as complex as some of the best beers of the style, but it’s definitely tasty.

F – Medium-to-full-bodied with nice carbonation, a sticky and mouth-coating feel, and a bittersweet and slightly dry finish. Bittersweet coffee, chocolate, and molasses flavors linger.

O – This is a nice RIS. As I said before, it’s not as complex as some of the best beers of the style, but it’s a great basic example of the style – just like most Samuel Adams beers. It’s very tasty and drinkable, and the ABV is hidden very well. While there are other Russian imperial stouts that I’d rather have, I would certainly never say no to this one. Nice beer from Sam.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 23:44:42 | More by BlackBelt5112203

MichaelNickerson

Michigan

4.79/5 rDev +26.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance - unbelievably dark beer with a dark brown strong, thick, and prestigious head.

Smell - coffee and cocoa aromas with subtle brown sugar, molasses, and raisin notes

Taste - small sweet complexion, followed by a strong coffee flavor that dominates the palate. Not too hoppy, but finished instead with a roasted taste.

Mouthfeel - extremely smooth for an imperial stout. You don't notice the alcohol taste at all.

Overall - Extremely thick and relaxing beer to sip on. Excellent dessert beer, especially if you love coffee and chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 16:26:30 | More by MichaelNickerson