Hakusekikan Eisbock 28%

Had with Natrat and Aceofhearts at Popeye’s strong ale festival. Actually I think the pour was only 50ml, but that was plent as far as I was concerned. Very dark brown color, reminded me of HOTD Adam in color only. No head. Burnt raisins, alcohol, dark cherries come up from the nose. Not the complexity I was expecting. A sweet sickly mouth of brown sugar, alcohol, earth, mud, cherries. A big brow sugar, dark rum, warming finish. Not as complex as I hoped. Perhaps a year or decade cellaring will help round things out. As other commented it doesn’t come across as big as it is, though it still is UNMISTAKABLY a big beer.

Tap at Popeye’s in Tokyo. Pour was small (just 125 ml) and dark dark red, like mahogany. Almost dark enough to make it seem black in the dimly lit pub. Head was marginal, just a thin foam at the glass and loose bubbles on top. Swirling the beer made an impressive lacing, no *coating* on the glass. Aroma hits you hard, with a deep demerara sugar smell, a bit like a fruity rumball! A bit of hoppy smell comes through, but definitely a minor player...Perle, perhaps? First taste, yum! Then another yum! Thick thick mouthfeel from the high alky! Taste has that ester-y complex fruitiness characteristic of slow-fermented beers. Lots of plum flavour, with a hint of apple and apricot. A deep woodiness from the oak is present, but hard to taste through the alcohol. Still, the way it tastes, you’re surprised it’s almost 5 times the ABV of your favourite tipple! I think the taste would benefit from another year or two in the keg.

Tap. Dark, almost opaque, no head whatsoever. Aroma of wine, red grapes, cherries. Something with this outrageous an ABV doesn’t really leave me with much to compare it to, but the #1 ABV beer, HoTD Dave, is somehow more...mature than this. More refined. This one is still damn good, but just a little bit it missing. Jeez, I 4.4ed this and I’m criticizing?? On with the rating: maple syrup, apples, cherries, mildly effervescent. Very warming finish. As for the alcohol, "It might be 28%, but I’d swear it’s only 16%"