EKU 28

Brewed by Kulmbacher Brauerei (Schörghuber)
Style: Eisbock
Kulmbach, Germany

Another of my faves! This is an excellent beer. Strong alcohol notes throughout. Not very carbonated. Golden brown to brown red in color. Excellent as a digestif or dessert. Try it with a shot of Scotch in it as me and my friends do (then known as Luftwaffe Fuel!). Talk about strong!! HIGHLY recommended! It"s even better when aged!

My first eisbok -- very much like a barleywine. Poured dark transparent red-brown, little head. Aromas of sweet malt, toffee, molasses, yeast, chocolate and alcohol. Flavor was intense sweet, toasty malt, caramel, chocolate, coffee, port wine, toffee, dark fruit and yeast. Not much hop flavor, but good bitterness in the background. Nice smooth finish. Mouthfeel was thick and chewy. Excellent.

Lovely strong aroma, with an excellent palate. The finish warms the body on the coldest night. It's too bad it's such a strong beer; I'd love to drink it more!

This is a favorite of mine - perfect for nursing over a quiet winters night. Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this beer pours a crystal clear deep mahogany color with very little head that disappears very quickly. The brew has the texture of of brandy without the burn. The aroma is sweet and nutty. There is a burst of sweetness, plum and molasses in the flavor. Some faint bitterness lingers. There is some alcohol burn. Definitely a slow sipping beer more reminiscent of wine or brandy. A classic.

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...

Apperance: pours with a clear, dark amber-copper color and a light head of foam that settles very quickly. Moderate levels of carbonation make this a pleasantly lively lager. Aroma: Wow. Intense and very interesting/complex. Some nutty hazelnut aromas ride on top of a Solera Sherry-like base. A suggestion of sweetness. Flavor & Finish: Sweet entry, like an Extra Cream Sherry. The nut tones are somewhat surprising. This beer finishes with some warmth that travels down to the stomach. A very powerful, thick, sweet (but not cloyingly so), and heavy malt bomb with a long, long finish. A great sipping beer that you’d almost want to pour in a brandy glass. I love this beer.

Clear gold with a small, white, quickly diminishing head. Sweet nose with caramel/toffee. Flavor is sweet, nutty, with plum, caramel, and peach. Nice creamy mouthfeel.

EKU 28 was high-gravity before high-gravity was cool. Appetizing honey color. Almost completely headless as would be expected for the style (the freezing process decreases carbonation). Still, the palate is far from lifeless--thick, slippery, and smooth. It complements the malty sweetness brilliantly. The depth of flavor is breath-taking and it changes with each sip. Molasses, honey, raisin, cherry, clove, raw sugar, plum, even a bit of chocolate all make themselves known with no one flavor taking over. Leaves a lip-smacking stickiness in the mouth after each taste. It's all so very lovely. The alcohol here is not overdone. It helps contrast the sweetness, adding a much needed dryness to the overall presenationt. I savored every drop.