Whole Hog Imperial Pilsner - Stevens Point Brewery

al3

Maryland

4.47/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - golden orange, good lacing

S - faint citrus, bread and butter.

T&M- sweet malt, slight grapefruit, finishes with a mild hop flavor. Medium feel, with a buttery characteristic.

D - All night....or day..

Overall a very well balanced beer, not very complex, but an easy drinker that is worth seeking out. One I'd like to try on tap.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2010 23:09:50 | More by al3

ssjkyle

Nebraska

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%

07-14-2012 19:28:00 | More by ssjkyle

TimRasmussen

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +38.5%

05-31-2012 18:08:02 | More by TimRasmussen

swgwilt

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%

05-13-2012 02:55:41 | More by swgwilt

Beezee

Illinois

4/5  rDev +10.8%

02-18-2012 05:58:55 | More by Beezee

LJWalker

Alabama

3/5  rDev -16.9%

02-08-2012 17:43:45 | More by LJWalker

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.65/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance- Pours a slightly coudy copper color with a small white head that vanishes quickly and very little lacing.

Smell- Lots of alchohol, floral and citrus hops, fig. Very strong overall, almost fels like it could clear your sinuses.

Taste- Isn't as overpowering as the smell. Citrusy hops jump out immediately. The bitterness stands out but it is complemented by a caramel sweet malt. Imperial pilsners like this are interesting because the bitterness of the hops and sweetness of the malts strangely work well together.

Mouthfeel- Thick. Almost a syrupy aspect. carbonation is well balanced.

Overall a good tasting Imperial. Smell and mouth fell might be a little overpowering at times but taste is well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 23:13:18 | More by Treyliff

scootercrabb

Illinois

4/5  rDev +10.8%

12-01-2011 18:27:43 | More by scootercrabb

brentk56

North Carolina

2.6/5  rDev -28%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy amber color with a nice head; the retention and lacing were good but the color is all wrong for a pils

Smell: Very malty, with sweet caramel; little hop presence

Taste: Sweet caramel malt, up front, with the sweetness growing, like a malt liquor, through the finish; a lot of fusel alcohol in this one

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation; warmth in the gullet

Overall: Not sure what the brewery was targeting with this but it appears that this may be discontinued from the series - certainly understandable

Thanks, chocosushi, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 21:36:21 | More by brentk56

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.42/5  rDev -33%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Served in a Chicago Bears shaker pint glass.

Nice random find at a local shop. Never saw it there before, but figured it'd be worth a shot. It pours a clear orange-amber topped by a short-lived finger of dirty white foam. The nose comprises mandarin orange, caramel, and a touch of flowers. The taste holds notes of mandarin orange syrup, orange peel, caramel, hard water, and a stiff backbone of flowery booze. Man, does this kind of hurt going down... The body is a stolid medium (almost hefty-leaning), with a light moderate carbonation and a sorta syrupy feel. Overall, this beer did not sit right with me. There was very little pils character: It came off more like some kind of amped-up imperial amber or something, just poorly done. Boo this.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 18:45:37 | More by TMoney2591

larsenju

Wisconsin

2.78/5  rDev -23%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A-Very pale orange with a thin coating of white head, not much at all.

S-Orange peel, coriander, lemon, and just a hint of pepper.

T-Caramelized pineapple and a little juicy orange up front, biscuit and honey sugars. I got a pretty good amount of almost rubbing alcohol like heat, it was pretty rough. Moving back I got a little fresh cut grass and pepper.

M-light to medium carb, slick but finishing slightly dry.

D-Its kind of a mess, I have trouble thinking of this as any relation to a Pilsner because I don't get any of the characteristic hops that I love in Pilsners. Instead I got very strong citrus flavors mixed with a bready muddled mess of grain. I feel like some direction with the hops could save this beer, the bottle says they use four varieties, keep it to Saaz and step up the quantity significantly.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2011 02:49:48 | More by larsenju

ZimZamZoom

West Virginia

2.95/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz. twisty poured into a pint glass. Imperial or not, I like my pilsners nice and clear. This one fails, coming in a pretty hazy looking light orange-amber color. Thin white head fades to a ring that hangs around for a bit.

A bit of a piney hop spice in the aroma, and there is the promise of a big malty presence in the background. Overall there is balance but aroma is very subtle. Taste is big on alcohol, which overpowers the hops though there is some noticeable fruity spice present. Alcohol owns the middle of this as well, though some malt roundness sweetens things up a bit. Briefly reminds me of a tripel with an interesting bubble-gum flavor...then hops bite bitter in the end as the mouth dries out with alcohol.

Big bodied but really just too much alcohol to make for a nice mouthfeel. Some beers hide the alcohol well...this is not one of them. Not a very drinkable impy pils.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2011 19:32:14 | More by ZimZamZoom

Rmason104

Nebraska

3.8/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: hazy, dark golden, thin head w/ moderate retention & lacing

S: slight floral hoppiness

T: starts w/ a mellow, almost a wheat taste @ the beginning, subtle hint of the underlying alcohol. Finishes with a moderate hop bite. Drinks a bit like a pale ale

D: pretty good. The hop finish moderates the alcohol well

Not bad, my first experience with this style. The hoppy finish was a nice surprise that kept this one clean & crisp.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 03:21:13 | More by Rmason104

samie85

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours a hazy orange color with two and a half fingers of white, thick, dense head.

S-Smells of fruity white wine notes with some light malt and herbal hop notes.

T-Tastes like a sweet, fruity, slightly corny with some piney and herbal hop notes reminiscent of an old IPA.

M-On the light side of medium bodied with relatively low carbonation and a slightly drying wine-like finish.

D-Pretty easy drinking... I was expecting more of a German hop punch in the face with some corn and graininess in the background. An interesting beer and a style that I'd like to try again.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2010 01:24:08 | More by samie85

cpolking

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark honey gold in color and slightly cloudy. Aroma of fresh grain and grass with a hint of sweetness. It is sweet and bitter at the same time with a heavy undertone of malted grain and a bracing pilsner hop finish. Not as sweet and alcohol laden in flavor as many imperials.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 02:46:23 | More by cpolking

lester619

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a deep golden honey boardering on orange color. Smells of corn, malt, grass, pear, and citrus with a noticable alcohol presance. The taste is a pretty straight forward clean bitter lager flavor at first. As it warms and I get more of it in me, I pick up a lot more complex bitter fruity hop flavors and a boozy aftertaste. This one will sneak up on you. Very easy drinking for a beer going on 9%. This is a very interesting style. It's a ratcheted up pilsner much like an IPA is a ratcheted up pale ale. I like it.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2010 17:11:37 | More by lester619

EwaldEichstaett

Jordan

3.9/5  rDev +8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Weak head, golden color which is maybe just a tinge cloudy.

Thick warm bready hops with a fresh bitter hop aroma.

Nice malt background and a bitter hop presence up front. Not overly harsh, but nicely balanced beer. The alcohol is also not notable. The taste is the redeeming quality of this average beer.

Smooth, nice body to this beer. It is quite pleasent to swollow and for 8.5 ABV! nice! It is quite drinkable for the style. I like it :)

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2010 04:06:38 | More by EwaldEichstaett

zeff80

Missouri

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

A - Poured out a clear, golden-orange color with a two-finger, white head of bubbly foam. It was short-lived and left little to no lacing.

S - It smelled floral and of some sweet caramel.

T - It was fairly boozy tasting with sweet caramel maltiness. There was a subtle spicy hop profile.

M - It was crisp and fairly sharp. A medium bodied lager.

D - This is an okay imperial pilsener. A little boozy and lacking balance.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2010 02:06:56 | More by zeff80

climax

Missouri

3.58/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep gold with good clarity, this imperial pils offered a modest yet creamy tan head with excellent retention.

The nose, initially left some intensity to be desired. A slight tinny funk was somewhat hard to ignore as I dug deeper for dark sugars and citrus and candied orange.

The flavor was warming, as the high alcohol was well-masked by buttery tones, and appropriately more flavor than the nose. The hop bitterness was much more apparent, offering an especially herbal grassy finish.

The medium to thick body was creamy and smooth. The carbonation was crisp at most, which help bring out the viscosity. Very easy to drink given the strength of the alcohol and the thick body, a little more from the tasting senses would have helped round it out properly.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2010 00:39:11 | More by climax

wagenvolks

Texas

4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a dusky, golden-peach hue with a bit more yeast haziness than is appropriate for the style. Plus, the minuscule egg-carton white head recedes quickly to a thin wisp and ring of foam...not much lacing or retention. The aroma is an improvement, with a bit of grassy hay and pilsner malt providing a backbone for a bit of piny hoppiness that smells of pineapple and tangerine citrus fruits.

The flavor mimics the aroma nicely, although a hint of soapiness creeps in among the dusty pilsner malt and bitter, grassy German hop notes. Hops linger in the finish alongside a bit of spicy, medicinal booze. Mouthfeel is crisp and bubbly, and has a nice weight for the ABV without becoming overly taxing or syrupy on the palate. In sum: a solidly built Imperial Pilsner, and one I'd quickly reach for again.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2010 02:07:43 | More by wagenvolks

garymuchow

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Acquired as a special from Big Top liquors.
Presents as in impressively big American-style lager. Strong malt character of American lager style and actually fairly subdued hops.
Appears heavy in the glass and is mostly clear with some rising bubbles. Dense white head settles with a few big bubbles in a small thin layer of white small bubbles. Also leaves considerable lacing as the drink proceeds downward.
Taste is heavy on malt flavor although there is a prominent bitterness which is fairly short-lived as a green hop flavor and contributes a small dry finish. Hops are more noted in taste and then in aroma and blend nicely with the malt characteristics.
A heavy body for a lager with carbonation that blends nicely.
This beer drinks nicely. As noted previously it's a big old American-style lager that is hopped up with some significance.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 01:15:08 | More by garymuchow

homebrew311

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a pale straw yellow color with a 1 finger head, leaves plenty of sticky lacing, clear

S: nose consists of lemon, grassy hops, toasted bread, caramel, and flowers

T: the flavor begins with a pretty big malt presence in the form of bready grains and follows up with grassy and lemony hops, very well balanced and well hidden alcohol

MF: suprisingly smooth and creamy, medium body, nice

D: this one sure beats the Whole Hog 6-ipa...overall a well constructed brew and a good representation of a pils

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2010 04:25:25 | More by homebrew311

CPeterson

Minnesota

3/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A -- A bright clear golden beer pours and produces a nice head that calms quickly leaving light bits of lacing on the glass.

S -- Sweet grain, detectable hop aromas of citrus and flora.

T -- Sweet graininess, grapefruit, dry and hoppy.

M -- Medium bodied with a residual stickiness that is punctuated with a dry note.

D -- I can't see sitting and drinking several, but very nicely done in the style. Unassuming yet bold, worth the $ (I paid $3.49 / 4 pk), but not amazing.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2010 04:07:36 | More by CPeterson

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a 5 (or so) oz taster glass at the Saukville Beer and Wine Tasting.

A - The bottle pours out a lightly hazy golden yellow with a dense off-white head. Bits of lace left on the glass with moderate retention.

S - The aroma starts with a light pale malt backbone with a fair blend of noble and other hops that impart pine and citrus with a low level alcohol kiss.

T - Big pale and pilsner malt backbone with a crispness and overlapping hop flavor that's noble it seems. A thin dry and bitter finish.

M - Highly carbonated and smooth with a dry and bitter finish to this medium-bodied pilsner.

D - This pilsner falls darn close to a sessionable brew. The medium body and "imperial" boost in flavor knock the drinkability down slightly, but not by a whole lot.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2010 04:01:19 | More by BeerFMAndy

Vancer

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This big bad boy starts off with a semi-hazy amber in the Corsendonk tulip, eggshell marshmallow 2'inches thick, even with such a big brew. Nice lace on the way down, but then...

Aroma is a strange pilsner bird, sweet citrus malt is the key ingredient. Quaff does not match it; unfortunately, a sour and raspy wood dominates the malt backbone. I know it's a strong brew, and the alcohol does not burn through, but the taste is just not right

Four pack for $8 ain't a bad deal, too bad the brews just don't make a better showing.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2010 20:00:32 | More by Vancer