Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock

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

2004 Bottle: Absolutely no head on this brown/ruby beer. The top of the beer looks oily and viscous. The nose is literally out of this (beer) world. This is fudge cake drizzled with raspberry glaze. Deep, rich cake with chunks of warm fudge with a balanced raspberry tartness and a nice peppering of alcohol beneath. Wow is all I can say, and I haven’t even tried it yet. The body reveals a slight carbonation, but remains mostly velvetty and slick. The tartness of the raspberry hits me first, spreading the deep, chocolate malts across the tongue. The tartness of the fruit softens with the sweet chocolate and evolves more into a strawberry realm. Even deeper notes of caramel and toffee emerge as the alcohol begins to warm in my stomach. What a refreshing beer, it’s great to see brewers continuing to push the limits of hops, malts, yeast and water (OK and fruit). Fabulous stuff.

2004 Bottle. Deep ruby red, no head. Wow, oh my goodness that aroma is nice - deep rich raspberries, soothing warming alcohol, spice, rich dark fruit - wow, this is an aroma I could smell all night. Even some fine dark chocolate notes to it - quite simply one of the nicest smelling beers I have tried. Rich silky mouthfeel. No really, silk best describes it. Taste: tons of rich chocolate surprisingly stands out at first, followed by fresh raspberries, and only some of the alcohol I was expecting. Dense dense beer - complex stuff that I mulled over for a good hour. Less raspberry, tons more chocolate, surprisingly balanced than I was expecting. Lovely after dinner / end of the night stuff - lives up to the hype and more...

Big thanks to Ross for a 6 ounce bottle of the 2004 vintage. This one has eluded me for a long time. The pour was hazy deep ruby brownish, with a nice 1-finger, creamy tan head. The aroma was big raspberries, plus some figs, blackberries, chocolate, and caramel malt. The palate was dense and complex, with flavors of big raspberry, plus cacao, caramel malt, dark chocolate, and some yeasty notes. Very complex and dense palate that acquired some heat as it warmed. IS this one a top 50 beer?? I say yes with a lot of conviction. In fact, I think you could remove the raspberries altogether from this one, and it would still be a top 50 beer. This bottle is going on my mantel piece.

This beer is absolutely one of my all time favorites. Pours a murky dark brown (it’s only flaw in IMO), with little to no head. The aroma is stunning. So many things going on, yet not one over powers the other. Raspberries, chocolate roast, dark fruits, molasses, and candied malts. If that isn’t tantalizing enough, the flavor is even better. Your mouth is greeted with a raspberry nose that is very refreshing and then followed up with a deep chocolatey roast flavor that melds perfectly with the raspberry. While all this is going on you can also taste dark candied fruits, brandy, some dark sugars. Alcohol is very well hidden. To me, this beer was best when served fresh from the cellar; it’s an absolute treat.

This rasberry, toffee, chocolate bomb pours a murky dark brown with almost no head. After i spend a long time smelling the chocolate caramel aromas, i finally tasted it. Like a fine, but less sweet, rasberry filled chocolate. Long aftertaste

I was a bit put off by the aroma, it sure didn’t smell like raspberry to me. But the flavor was delicious. Tastes like a raspberry truffle. Lots of fruit and chocolate, but without being sweet. The ABV was not noticed at all, except for the warming afterglow. Very good.

2004 batch drank 7/23/06 Dark ruby brown and golden tinged beer pours thickly into my chalice with very little head, just a tan ring of foam. Smooth melted creamy chocolate with tart raspberry, kissed with dark fruits; plums, prunes and blackberries. Up front, almost cloying sweetness segues into bitter black/dark chocolate, like 60% cocoa, with tart raspberry and sour prune. The slightest hint of coffee and roast malt come out in the end. Body is the perfect balance of slick & thick! Delicate carbonation makes for an AWESOME body! Not super quaffable, but extremely complex and tasty. A must have.

Acquired in a trade from ClarkVV and SuIIy on their way through to Boston, 6.3 oz nip bottle 2004: Hazy mohogany brown w/a thin off white ring of lace around the top of the body. Chocolate, raspberry, and sherry notes at first, w/ raspberry being the strongest. Toasty malt strengthens as it warms, a bit of alcohol, but more of a fresh picked raspberry becomes more evident. Also has some light vanilla notes. Toasty malt flavor & raspberry in equal proportions. Chocolate mid palate into the sweet finish, but overall well balanced for a big beer. Light caramel and sherry flavors mid palate. Finish is toasty malt and sweet w/ a raspberry flavored chocolate. Lingering aftertaste is raspberry and toasted malt. Low carbonation, smooth full body, well hidden alcohol w/ just a touch of warmth. Apertif my ass! This beer is good any time weather it’s with dessert, as dessert, or by itself before dinner!