The 750ml capped bottle, displayed a dark straw colored body with a rather impressive two finger frothy white head. With such a head, I was disappointed to see the lacing was weak. The aroma profile on the nose is where I think this beer has its strongest qualities. The initial aroma is full of  grassy hops and fruity accents of honey and grape. As the beer sat to breathe, the aroma started to shift towards more of a wheat and grainy profile.

The taste was very different then many of the traditional beers with a heavy malt or hop flavor — consisting of a primarily fruit-centric profile. More grapes and a slight sweetness from the honey play well with the grassy hops notes. Some alcohol esters are noticeable as it warmed and was able to breathe. The body of the beer helps make this more enjoyable, coupling mild carbonation and a heavier body over a traditional Pilsner.

Overall, this was a pretty decent example of an Imperial Pilsner. It was difficult for me to be objective on the review as stated previously, Pilsners are not my style. I strongly suggest if you enjoy the style or want to try a great example of one, give the Schlafly #20, Volume 1 a shot if you can find it. It won’t be around for long.

Rating

84
out of 100

At 7.5% ABV inside the traditional 750ml Dogfish Head bottle, this Imperial Pilsner is quite the departure from the typical styles Dogfish Head brews. Dubbed a “continually hopped Imperial Pilsner,” I’m expecting (and hoping) a traditional take on the style with some Dogfish flair.

Poured into my Dogfish signature glass, the body is a vibrant pale orange and since this is bottle conditioned with yeast, it’s quite cloudy overall. The sediment is evident in the glass and everything is topped with a huge billowy and creamy white head. The nose is full of bready grains, pale malts and some acidic citrus notes. Pineapple and lemon rind help take the edge off a grain-centric beer. Though, for the style, I can’t complain. For being “continually hopped” the hops seem to recede quite a bit, swallowed up by the malt profile.

Typical to the style, this is a light to medium-bodied beer with a distinctly dry and crisp mouth feel. More bready malts blend with some dough and flour qualities that clean the palate for some hop and citrus flavors. Grassy hops are most noticeable though, some orange citrus hints break through but very slightly.

I was quite surprised how little hop presence this had, especially considering the branding and style. While I wasn’t expecting a hop overload like an Imperial IPA would give me, I still wanted more from this. Judging the beer for the style — taking a Pilsner and amplifying its qualities — this is spot on. It may catch some people off guard by the overall mildness of the hops and increase in the grains, though it’s still a devilishly tasty beer. I applaud Dogfish Head for stepping out of their comfort zone in making this, without throwing wild and sometimes unnecessary ingredients at this. A simple, yet delicious Imperial Pilsner — well done.

Rating

90
out of 100

Served on tap, the color was a nice amber/copper color that was slightly cloudy. It had a small, white head that was fluffy and filled with clear bubbles. I thought that was a rather interesting look. Well so far, it looks great! The smell was a little, lackluster. I didn’t get a strong smell of anything really. What I did get in the nose was a slight sweet, citrus smell. Other than that, it was bland.

The taste was where this beer really shined. The immediate mouthful was really a nice light to medium in body. I got a slight sweet and tangy taste with an orange/grapefruit flavor. I could definitely taste the hops but they weren’t bitter. A really well balanced flavor between the hops and sweet malt. My goodness, this was a good brew!

If you ever have the chance to try this, please do. Even for those who aren’t really into Pilsners, this is a must try. By far the best Imperial Pilsner I’ve had to date. Bravo!

Overall: 8.5/10

Title photo from: http://www.ccbeer.com