Hurlimann Caesarus Imperator Heller Bock

Formerly brewed at Hürlimann (Feldschlösschen)
Style: Heller Bock
Zürich, Switzerland

Poured a clear dark amber color. Aroma was sweet malty and a little smokey. Flavors of dark fruit and caramel with a sweet bitter finish. Very warming. Quite tasty. I was surprised to see this beer at our bock tasting. I had never heard about or seen this beer and was nicely suprised by it. I want more of it.

Bottle. And, I’d like to know when it was bottled, but there’s no hint on the bottle itself. The aroma is like nothing else I’ve encountered. Sweet with maple syrup and butter, but also a woodiness, astringent and a slight hint of fruitiness (banana) when agitated. The appearance is downright disturbing. Little globules of all different sizes are floating throughout, and there’s no head when it pours, no head when sits, and very little head when it’s shaken. When pouring, it sounds like flat soda. First sip ... Well, the flavor matches the aroma, very strange, but strange in a good way, I think. The woodiness greats your tongue at first, followed by an alcohol tingle at the back of the throat, goes down very sweet, and finally hits your stomach with a very warming feel. Behind it all is a chewy, sweet mouthfeel that’s present throughout. The only aspect of this brew that is reminiscent of a doppelbock at all is the lingering nutty, almost peanut buttery taste that it leaves in your mouth. This really is unlike anything I’ve had before. I struggled to break it down to numbers. It’s most like a Coen Bros movie: some will thoroughly enjoy it, some will abhor it, and some will find it dumbfounding.

Very interesting aroma. Lots of caramel malty sweetness mixed in with a spicy pepperiness. Very woodsy aroma as well. Vinous with a fair amount of alcohol detected as well. Moderately hazy orange/garnet/amber color with suspended floaties and a small, delicated light tan head. Start is sweet and malty up front with brown sugar notes, lots of caramel malts, and a nice roastiness in the middle. Nutiness is also present. Finish is high octane and very warming, but not taking away from the flavor. I don;t understand why this is rated so low.

Pours like a glass of iced tea. No head. Malty, toffeeish nose. Very reminiscent of a barleywine. Flavor is brown sugar,alcohol, toffee and rum. Abv is much to dominant.

I thought this was really good. I agree that it has similarities with Samichlaus, although it isn't as quality. Very sweet, maple syrup mouthfeel as well. There is no way I could drink a whole glass of this, so it loses a few points for that. Good stuff.

Pours a clear copper with a thin fast-fading tanish head. Nose is pure sugar plums. Body has some nice complexity, but is a little thin. Mostly caramel sugar and alcohol. This might be a little past its prime. Definitely packs a punch though.

hazy amber with a musty malty smell. rather sweet and definitely warming, nose is sugary! Didn't this was 12.5% until now; I must admit this is my first heller bock.

Nasty, over-alcoholic, buttery, syrupy, and hard to swallow. Flat and thick. The sugary, syrupy mouthfeel was disgusting.