Dogfish Head Golden Era Imperial Pilsner

I've been wanting to try a good imperial pilsner for a while now. I tend to favor high gravity beers, and I pretty much always choose ale over lager (even in the summer). But, of course there are some equally potent lagers out there. Such as...Dogfish Head Golden Era Imperial Pilsner. Dogfish Head is certainly one of the most prolific and experimental breweries in America. They are constantly releasing new beers that push the limits of something or another, and usually the results are seriously delicious. One of the only complaints that beer lovers might have about them is that their beers often have a bunch of crap in them. Most of their specialty beers contain fruit, or honey, or are aged in wooden barrels.

But this imperial pilsner is "brewed in the tradition of the Reinheitsgebot", meaning it contains only water, barley, and hops (and yeast). It represents the old-world traditions of Czech brewing, and at 9% abv, it's a completely different beverage than popular American pilsners. Unfortunately, it might be hard to get your hands on a bottle of this, as it was a limited release and I don't think Dogfish Head has any plans to re-release it.

It pours a hazy, golden yellow. The smell is amazing. Very malty with a honey scent. Wow. Very full bodied for a lager. Lots of hops. And it's pretty bitter with a long finish. I'm impressed and I wish I had a few other imperial pilsners to compare this to.

Dogfish Head Golden Era Imperial Pilsner
Is it delicious?: A-
Is it interesting?: B+
Drinkability: B-