Beer Review: Morimoto Imperial Pilsner

[Guest Ranger_Man]

before we get started, yes, morimoto of iron chef fame, owner of nobu in new york and morimoto in phili. together with rogue brewery, morimoto designed this beer and two others of different styles. i got this for my birthday and am just now getting around to trying it.

 

bottle: possibly the best bottle ive seen to date. it is a 750ml egg shell colored ceramic bottle with a swinging ceramic/rubber cork that allows for easy resealing. on the front of the bottle is the rogue lable off to the side and morimoto with japanese characters and imperial pilsner below it. the back says the following: "no chemicals, preservatives, or additives. 4 ingredients: 100% french pilsner malt; 100% sterling hops, free range coastal water and czech pilsner yeast. golden in color with a dry hop floral aroma and intense hop bitterness supported by a big malty backbone with culminates into a hedonistic mouthful.".

 

pour: the beer does indeed pour out as a golden color with a head that starts off tall and finishes small and lacy. the head also sticks to the side of the glass as you drink away the beer. plenty of carbonation can be seen through the glass.

 

taste: rogue lies. there is no way that this beer is made of 4 ingredients. it is just too good and too complex to be only 4 ingredients. at first sip the malt attacks every tastebud in your mouth with everything it has. shortly thereafter though, the hops overpowers the malt and smacks you in the face so hard that it leaves a distinct sharp bitterness lingering in your mouth for damn near eternity. this lingering bitterness only leaves you wanting for more as you hope the sweet malt taste will eventually prevail over the hops. however, this is not the case and the bitterness always wins out. wow is it a good bitterness though. rogue may not lie after all. perhaps they did pull it off with 4 ingredients. the world may never know.

 

overall: at 8.8 ABV and 18 degrees plato, this pilsner is a mouthful to say the least and could compete with some of the much darker stouts in that category. however, unlike the darker stouts, this pilsner is much more drinkable. as it is currently summer, i highly recommend this beer for cookouts.

 

http://s90651370.onlinehome.us/morimotopils.jpg