EKU 28

I think that the circumstances under which this beer were tried would greatly influence my rating of this beer. As it happens, I think that I enjoyed this beer within the perfect setting-- in front of a warm fire, Christmas tree lit up beside me, Christmas songs playing in the background, Scrabble game with my wife. Pours a clear copper amber with a yellow, sponge-toffee head that is surprisingly as short-lived as it is dense. English toffee, bourbon, wood aroma. Flavours of toffee, brown sugar, with a sherry touch to its character and a definite subtle kiersch flavour in the finish. Very warming but nat at all harsh, sweet but not cloying. A perfect winter sipper, and along with the circumstances, I enjoyed it very much!

ruby amber color with a very small off white head. toffee oak aroma. syrupy thick body. roasted maple wood taste with a light orange liquer note.

Pours a deep amber color with a thin tan head that leaves quickly. This beer has a strong malty caramalized sugar and toffee smell to it, a bit of brown sugar and dark fruits at the end of the sniff. Taste is again more caramel and toffee. Sweetness is present but not too sweet or overpowering. I feel this is a fairly balanced beer, alcohol is noticable though. I need to let this warm up a bit and sip again.

Clear orange in color with minimal white head. Sweet caramelized aroma with fruits, apricots, burnt sugar, and a touch of alcohol. Thick body. This is almost a delicious beer. Carmalized malts, sugar, apricots, and alcohol. The alcohol is too intense, burning like a shot of vodka. The finish is mostly sweet alcohol. I was initially intrigued and excited by the flavor untill the alcohol kicked in. I generally enjoy big, intense beers. But I would have liked a more mellow, well blended beer. Still, on a cold winters night this would be a fine beer to have.

Wow. I was blown away by the INTENSE flavor of this one. I’m a big fan of Erdinger hefeweisen and this by comparison is like taking Erdinger an multiplying it by 3x the flavor intensity plus a bit of sugar and a bit more complex flavor. I guess if it came down to it, I can more easily drink large quantities of Erdinger. This is a bit more potent than I’m used to, but I have a feeling that I could get used to this beer really fast. It’s definitely not what I expected after drinking so many lackluster German beers lately.’

Powerful, sturdy brew. I wasn’t expecting a whole lot from this one, but it really surprised me. Enjoyable sipper to end the evening, I took my time sampling this. Aroma of candied sugar and rum, exceptionally sweet to the nose. Golden-amber pour with a surprisingly generous, thick head that provided ample lacing. Harsh mouth feel, overpowering alcoholic sweetness. Aggressive, warming, and pleasing. Smaller sips yield a more enjoyable experience. Flavor is thick with heavy malts, gritty sugar, syrup, and aftertastes of fibrous vegetables. Fermented dough, with a flowery perfume taste. Fairly complex and deep, it overpowers the senses. This would be a good beer to have on hand tucked away in the cellar for when the mood seems fit to enjoy.

EKU 28 poured golden & fizzy with thick foam. First sip is a BOOM! of yeasty bready, sweet acohol, and bitterness. EKU 28 is an Eisbock, tastes like a blend of 2XIPA, baryleywine, doppelbock and malt liquor. Too Hi-Test for my palate, but a beer that is important in beer-geek culture.

Vintage 2005 (I think... Actually, it could be older. The date code on the label is 02105.)

11/12/2007: EKU 28 pours a beautiful transparent orange color into my EKU 28 snifter. There is a thin off-white head that surfaces quickly and then fades away just as fast. It has some big bubbles that rise quickly to the surface and seem to soften as the beer breathes a bit. The aroma is amazing. It is super sweet and rich. It reminds me of a extremely well-craft mead that was made with high-quality honey. Other aromas include walnut oil (maybe a hint of sunflower oil as well) and dried fruits (dates, raisins, and apricots) soaked in top-shelf alcohol. The flavor is nearly as good - if not better at times - than the aroma. It is very complex and like an exquisite distillation of malts, fruit, and nuts. The finish and lingering flavors are also incredible and like a mouthfull of fresh, dried apricots soaked in cognac or something - sweet, fruity, and with a nice alcohol presence. The alcohol is really smooth and blended into the flavor, but also substantially warming and has a very slight burn. The body of this beer is medium and extremely smooth with a touch of creaminess to it. There is also some residual stickiness on the lips that is perfect. Overall this beer really is world-class and completely underrated. This beer (or at least this particular bottle) is absolutely fantastic!

11.2 fl. oz. bottle (11% Alc. by Volume) from West Side Liquor Store in West Harrison, Indiana. Rating #509 for this beer...