Bowled over by Sam Adams Imperial Stout
I had a Samuel Adams Imperial Stout the other night, or it had me. It will take me a day or two to figure which.
This Imperial Stout is one the brewery's new line of bigger beers, which boost ingredients and alcohol levels above those in normal craft beers. It sells in four packs for about $10.
This stout poured as dark as night, with a picture-perfect head. Nice coffee and chocolate notes, very smooth. Only later, after I nodded off, did I check ABV -- 9.2 percent. Wow!
Such stouts, I read, were first brewed by 18th-century English brewers for the Russian Imperial Court of Catherine the Great.
I would not have lasted in Catherine's Court. Falling asleep in the presence of royalty after downing an Imperial Stout would have soon had me tossed out of the castle to wallow with the peasants.
Anyone else sip this stout?
Once you enter the "imperial " lifestyle, can you come back to tamer beers?
Comments
I have trouble drinking regular stouts and porters after Victory's Storm King and Flying Dog's Gonzo, respectively. I can still do draft Guinness, of course, but other regular stouts and porters don't kick you in the head like these imperial ones do.
Of course, you don't always want something that's 10% ABV. Just because I love dogfish 120 doesn't mean I don't like to drink Sierra Nevada too.
Posted by: Grant | February 11, 2009 10:11 AM
Just had my first Clipper City Imperial Stout, Peg Leg. I loved it and will definitely try some other brands too.
Posted by: Jones | February 19, 2009 7:39 PM
Imperials are totally the way to go. I started out with milder stouts but once I began tasting imperials anything else just kinda tasted bleh. From Stone's Russian Imperial (which is just now available east coast), to Stoudt's Fat Dog, Imperial Oatmeal Stout and Brooklyn's Black Chocolate Stout, they're all delicious and everything seems to pale in comparison.
But their strength is also their weakness; with my girlish constitution, I find those beers are a one a night kinda deals. But I find I much more appreciate those than blander weaker session style brews.
Posted by: Mandy | February 23, 2009 3:20 PM
My take on it was that Hot Chocolate and Sam Adams beer god drunk one night and had a love child. That love child was Jessica Alba. Well, at least that's what it tasted like to me.
I've been going through the imperial series. I'm not sure if I'll be able to go back to "regular" beer. This definitely raised the bar for me. The Double Bock is my favorite.
Posted by: Kenny | March 7, 2009 6:21 PM