Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock

Brewed by Kuhnhenn Brewing
Style: Fruit Beer
Warren, Michigan USA

2004 bottle. Thanks to yjb for the sample! Leathery brown with a reddish hint. Not so much as the suggestion of a head. Delightfully sweet malty honey raspberry. Creamy some some subtle unoffensive alcohol beneath the surface. Caramel, creme brulee. A little bit of molsasses. Flat as can be on the tongue. No carbonation. Not syrupy, yet thick. It’s as though the alcohol cuts the viscosity. Relatively tart raspberry over a sweet smooth malt. Light on the tastebuds, ethereal really. Balanced alcohol and raspberry tartness against malt. Some diacetyl, but it’s largely cut by the alcohol. Mellow with a clean fruity finish. I didn’t pick up much chocolate like most people, but I don’t think it really hurt this beauty! 2007 vintage, thanks again yjb! Differences? Bigger dark malt character. Thicker and fuller on the tongue. More chocolate. More raspberry in the nose, for sure, fuller and richer at least. Less alcohol? Perhaps a bit murkier? Maybe age will make this thing shine just as much. In the meantime, I have to give this same for appearance and nose. Up the palate to 4-5, downgrade flavor to 7 and overall to 16-17. Current scores reflect averages.

Thanks to olso2116 for sharing this gem. Poured a dark ruby color with absolutely no head. The aroma is amazing with chocolate, caramel, molasses, with a hint of raspberry. Taste is very sweet, and is almost similar to a chocolate cake, but there is raspberry present as well. The beer finished very smoothly. This truly is a dessert in a bottle.

[Bottle, vintage 2004 via trade with Footbalm (thanks!)] Poured dark brown with no head. Aroma was incredible--I would go higher than 10 with the rating if I could--a blast of chocolate, caramel, molasses, with notes of vanilla, raspberry, oak and bourbon (quite faint). Talk about a flavor explosion! Very sweet with the main tastes coming through being caramel and chocolate. Great finish. One of the smoothest beers I have ever had. Wow, this stuff has blown me away, I can only hope that someday it is produced again.

Many thanks to olso2116 for sharing this rare treat. 2004 Vintage. No head on this murky read pour. Chocolate molasses and faint raspberries on the nose. Caramel, faint chocolate, and sweet raspberries. Definite raspberry bite to the finish.

2004 bottle via trade with HogTownHarry and Pailhead - Pours a hazy brown color with no head or lacing. Aroma is berry, caramel, chocolate, and esters (raisin). Flavor is berry and caramel. Palate is slightly tart, but smooth. Has a lingering tart aftertaste. Medium body. I thought this was a very good beer overall, but it was a slight letdown after the way everyone built it up. Thanks Harry and Kevin.

Shared with cbkschubert. Pours a golden brown with no head or lacing. Smells like carmels with a berry essence, with a touch of light chocolate. Leaves a lingering carmel taste in the mouth. Nice after dinner beer or just instead of dessert.

A thick sludge of deep mahogany red. Completely still. Golden delicious apples, vanilla, strawberry and raspberry ice creams, caramelized sugar, honey - a wellspring of an aroma. A distinct sweet oak presence with a bourbon disposition seems tilted toward oxidation - wet cardboard is too noisy to ignore. Chardonnay butter tempers these shouts, and the intensity of the jammy raspberries is not lost in the muck. Palate is oily, slightly flat, but full. Poignancy and precision have deteriorated slightly with age, but the effect of the statement remains. A towering sycamore amongst the saplings. Thanks Phil!

Bottle, vintage 2004 [thank you so much Boutip].

Pours a brownish red with a small film head. Then the bouquet hits me - wow! How to describe...? There is so much fruityness to this aroma, that it ends up smelling like chocolate! That will not make sense to anybody who haven’t tried this brew, but I think most of you who has, will agree. So chocolate, naturally raspberries, some oakyness, a litlle raisins and so much more. Extremely nice, creamy mouthfeel as well, helped by the relatively large ABV. Round and full flavours, dominated by fruityness, viniousness, chocolate, raisins and a slight sour note. So incredibly well-balanced, I was amazed. The aroma should be a 12 out of 10 though! :o)