Ballast Point Sea Monster Imperial Stout

Sea Monster Imperial Stout is a new version of an old favorite. This hearty stout is black as the abyss and clocks in at a whopping 10% ABV, a real monster. The flavors of roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate are complamented by a velvety smoothness from the addition of un-malted barley and oats. Colombus and Amarillo hops help to balance out the huge malt character of this flavor bomb.
Be careful the alcohol is well hidden and will sneak up on you if you don’t watch out. Like most scary monsters, it can be a little intimidating, but have no fear.

3.8

811 reviews

San Diego, United States

Community reviews

3.2 Bottle/Fest. A- Cocoa, slightly roasty, watery. A- Dark brown color, dark liquid, beige head. T- Tobacco, char, roasty, bitter, cocoa. P- Full body, average texture, average carbonation, bitter finish. O- Honestly, I expected better. Especially after having all the Victory at Sea beers. This seemed pretty traditional as far as Imperial Stouts go. Okay, but just not exciting. The taste was at least much more diverse than the aroma.

3.4 Semi sweet aroma, milk chocolate, coffee bitterness, some oatmeal, some booze. Jet black with a light brown head. Bitter chocolate and coffee flavor. Aftertaste is bitter as well. This is hoppy for an imperial stout; not particularly well balanced. Palate is too thin for my tastes. This is okay but I was expecting better from Ballast Point.

4.2 650 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is10.0%. Black colour, large tan head. Pleasant aroma of roast malts, oats, chocolate and mild coffee, hints of fruity hops. Roasty flavour, notes of roasted barley, strong coffee, dark bitter chocolate, liquorice, hints of fruity hops, moderate bittering hops. .

3.8 Tasted on tap at Crown Liquors in Chicago. It poured jet black with a light brown head leaving heavy lacing that streaks as you enjoy. Subtle chocolate hop aroma. Smooth and creamy taste with chocolate notes and a well hidden 10% ABV.

3.6 Pours very dark brown, with a tan head. Aroma is malty with hints of chocolate. Taste is similar, with a fairly low level of sweetness. Not as complex as some, this is still a very good imperial stout. Thumbs up!

3.7 Appearance: opaque black with deep ruby highlights, one fat finger of fluffy medium beige head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: cocoa, coffee, boozy dark fruit and red berries, hint of vanilla, pale malt, lightly earthy. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter, light metallic. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body dropping off to watery, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter and warming finish. (3/5) Not bad, but falls a little short. There’s a slight metallic tinge instead of a clean high ABV heat, and the body seems to fall off just a touch to a slightly watery finish. I’m starting to think that oatmeal - somewhat counterintuitively - makes for a thinnish (imperial) stout. Bottom line, not as good as I was hoping for, but not bad. (15/20)

3.9 12 oz bottle pours black with a brown head. Aroma of coffee, chocolate and toffee.very very nice beer

3.9 Tap; pours black with a beige head; aroma of chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, dark fruits, and hints of licorice; taste is bittersweet with chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, and a touch of licorice; finish is dry, bitter, with some roasted coffee and chocolate notes

3.7 Bottle. Black in colour with moderate carbonation. Aromas are of red currant, chocolate, crispy toffee, and cookie dough. Flavors are of dark chocolate, vanilla, pale malt and earth. Medium bodied, and quite clean for an imperial stout.

3.7 Dark brown almost opaque body. Frothy tan head. Nutty sweet aroma. Nutty taste with strong notes of alcohol, bitter finish and espresso notes.

3.8 Bottle to pint glass Consummation: Soy, motor oil, toasted malt, biscuit, caramel, dark chocolate, booze, and bitterness. Adjunct: Aroma is sweet blackcurrant, caramel, chocolate and wine; pours a silky black with a moderate, creamy, tan head.

3.6 Tap at New Bohemia in Uptown. 10oz pour into snifter style glass. Pitch black in color with minimal tan head. Aroma is sweet caramel/toffee with accents of candied dark fruit. Reminds me of something barrel aged. Taste is big roasty chocolate and heavy alcohol bite. This one clearly wants to assert itself as an imperial stout. There are plenty of burnt caramel sugar elements combining with bourbon alcohol burn. This almost loses sight of imparting flavor at the expense of being big and boozy. There are better options in the style.

3.4 Bottle. Pours black, small head. Roasted aroma. Dark chocolate, coffee, bread crumb. Fairly dry and roasted.

3.7 Pours black, creamy tan head. Aroma is milky, roasted. Taste os smooth, roasted, coffee. But balanced.

3.6 Bottle. Pours black with a foamy tan head. Roasty aroma with chocolate and caramel. Flavor of dark chocolate, coffee, molasses, caramel and had some nuttiness.

4.2 Bottle pour. Pours pitch black. Fresh and light but malty on the nose. Strong bodied, malty. Great

3.7 Rich dark brown/black color; Heavy creamy body; Aroma of toasted malt, espresso, & dark chocolate; Flavor of rich roasted malt, caramel, dark chocolate, coffee, and hops; Finish is slightly bitter; Nicely balanced; Good drinkability - but a bit thin.

4.2 Flaska från SB, beställningssortiment. Kolsvart med fingerhögt brunbeiget skum. Doft av svarta vinbär, fruktkola, toffee, kaffe, enbärsris och en gnutta chark. Något större kropp som är len av havren. Smakbilden inleds med tydliga inslag av lakrits och viol. Utöver detta snygga toner av kola, toffee, svarta vinbär, inlagda körsbär och kakdeg. Kompletteras med bra beska och avslutas i toner av mörk choklad. Jämn och välkomponerad - blir bättre och bättre för varje klunk jag tar. Påminner något om Great Divides Yeti, vilket är en komplimang på alla sätt. Ruskigt bra!

4.3 This is one heck of a beer! Pitch black pour with moderate lasting lacing. Aroma doesn’t leave much to imagination, as it’s all about the flavour. There’s heavy notes of coffee followed by rich, smooth chocolate, leaving a long lasting aftertaste on the palate. This was excellent.

3.6 Nice, pleasant aroma. Attractive nearly black pour with a dark tan healthy head that lases as if it has diamond chips sprinkled in it. There is a tobacco flavor to this one...quite prominent really. It’s not sweet. Thick and smooth and very nearly a perfect stout.

3.5 Keg at Beer Run, 3/27/16. Dark brown, thin fizzy tan head, good retention. Aroma of roasted malts, coffee, molasses, oats. The taste is chocolate, roasted malts, oats. Thin-medium bodied, low carbonation.

3.7 Thin for imperial, near black,aroma is roast, chocolate. Flavour is slick roasty malt, soy sauce, milk chocolate. Decent

3.7 Svart med ett gult skum. Ganska snäll imperial Stout, rätt torr och saknar djup i smakerna

3.9 Draft. Cherry, chocolate malt, and straw aroma. Dark brown with giant head. Moderately sweet chocolate malt and moderately bitter dry hay/ash flavor. Good body and balance.

3.8 Pours dark black with small head and little lacing. Aroma is coffee and chocolate with roasted malt.

3.5 650ml bottle from Systembolaget. Near the black with a creamy tan head that disappears quickly and completely, only some lacing. Sweet chocolate aroma with roasted barley, sweet licorice and fruity notes. Medium bodied, medium carbonated. Dark chocolate taste also a bit fruity and hoppy, oats and roasted barley. Mild chalky finish.

4.0 Smokey and charcoal. Cocoa and chocolate. Whiskey notes. Black pour from 22oz bottle at Tom and Danielle’s. Good stuffs

3.6 650 ml bottle from Systembolaget. Black with a medium mocca head. Medium malty aroma of roast, coffee, caramel and bitter chocolate. Taste reflects the aroma. Medium body. Medium bitterness. Medium carbonation.

3.8 Pint at Vulture’s Lane. Inky black with little for the nose but a lot for the tongue. Tastes as inky black as it looks, with tonnes of malts. Some soy as well.

4.5 Poured from a 22 OZ bomber into a pint glass. Pure black color with a rich tan to brown head. smooth taste heavy with malt and chocolate. The high ABV is noticeable but blends well with the flavor.