Tasting a Sam Adams Imperial Pilsener tonight from a four-pack I found at the Wine Source in Hampden for (only!) $10. Golden pale straw color, zero-haze, with a rich white head. Beautifully rich hop bouquet; if you want to really learn what Hallertau smells like, this is a great example. Surprisingly, the nose is not overpowering as the bottle would suggest. There's enough subtlety with the Hallertau which allows the malt to sneak through.
This a big beer, about 8.1% ABV I think, but the malt is nice and fat without being cloying. Spicy, herbal bitterness with a distinct Hallertau softness and LONG finish. This reminds me of one of Jason's beers I had after golf on some frustrating, profanity-laden afternoon. I guess it's fitting that big pilseners go with intellectually defeating activities like golf, statistics, or random signals homework.
I'm surprised I found this for only $10, too, since Hallertau hops are quite expensive lately. If you find this, be sure to pick it up and take your time with it as it ages well.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
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