Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock

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

2004 bottle. Not easy getting all that wax off the top, but built some anticipation anyway. From the first phhhssst of the cap I could smell the beer. It poured out a dark brown with really quite lively carbonation (thin streams of tiny bubbles) and a surprisingly rich caramel-cream foam for its abv. The aroma is very accomplished--it has a vintage quality but not like a 1986 Lees which is just oxidized caramel. Rather, it’s like caramel melting in a wood pot, with some raspberry toffee, partially dessicated oranges, vanilla, and tootsie rolls (cheap chocolate candy) thrown into the mix. The palate is rich enough, coating my lips with stickiness, but there’s a lot of carbonation, too. The flavor is fine, though I can see how it doesn’t turn everyone on. I had a chocolate raspberry cake today actually (for my 35th birthday, happy birthday to me!), and that may have reached a little bit better balance of the two; the raspberries here are very subtle, amid a dense caramel-chocolate, rum-raisin (you said it Tad), and a slightly toasty toffee, like a creme brulee. Extremely drinkable, not tasting anywhere near 10.6%, though by 2/3rds through my bottle I’ve had enough for one sitting and would prefer to go on to something else, like a port perhaps. Very nice beer, though in the sweet, fruity, high alcohol category I think there are a lot of other beers and drinks (fine ports and meads) that clearly surpass this in my enjoyment category. Thanks the_lutheran for passing a bottle my way (in exchange for my being a research subject for him!)

Beer pours dark red color with a tan color at the fringes. Aroma is raspberries, very alchol popish, like Big Red with vodka, some rum and raisins. Flavor is that of a base brown ale with lots of raspberry flavor; hot alcohol finish. Some raisin flavor too. Quite delicous, but not up to the hype for me.

Dark ruby, almost no head, no lacing. Smells like black chocolate with nuts (pralines) but no raspberries. The raspberries show-up in the taste along with the chocolate and some earthy flavours. Very sweet. Alcohol well hidden. Almost no carbonation. Medicinal flavours and cough syrup mouthfeel (a six-pack of this and I feel cured of everything). I was a little disappointed by this famous beer firt time I had it (bottle: 4.0) but I had it again draught at EBF 07 and I’m raising my score to 4.2. Still nowhere near the top-10 non-retired beers (according to global ratebeer ratings) and not even worth the ultra-high price tag.

2004 bottle. well, i loved it. wish there was more. dark burgundy color, looks like a wine, basically no head. the smell changed a bunch as it warmed up. at first mostly raspberries, later on pure raspberry dark chocolate. perhaps because there’s only 6 ounces, i spent a ton of time smelling it, and what a great aroma. there was alcohol in the flavor, but not too much. raspberry wasn’t too pronounced there. i agree it wasn’t top 50 worthy, but it was still awesome.

2004 bottle. Pours out dark purple with no head. Looks brown when you wipe it off a wood floor becuase your friend’s bitch-ass cat jumped on your arm while holding it. Aroma is mild raspberries, chocolate, and alcohol. Flavor is much of the same. A lot more chocolate than I was expecting and a lot less raspberry. I’d like to try this fresh but I would suspect the alcohol being even more pronounced. Not even deserving of top 200. Though good for an Eisbock.

I have never rated before...nor do I think I will rate much more. But I just had to get this out in words. This is just an outstanding beer. Thanks Jim! HUGE tootsie roll and rasberry fruit aromas and the best part is that the flavor is the exact same...tootsie rolls rasberries and alcohol. This beer is exceptional and outstanding. I never thought a fruit beer could be produced that was this breathtaking. An absolute must try!!!!

2004 bottle from Rastacouere - thanks, buddy. After removing the unique wax seal, I filled a framboise flute with the dark reddish brown lager. There was a small light brown head that dissipated rather quickly, and a strong scent of raspberry and chocolate. This is truly a dessert drink, as the flavor is candy-like -- somewhat sweet with a port-like body, very rich and warming. Next time I’m in Motown, I’m going to stock up on this.

Bu au Mondial de la Bière 06. Brunne foncée, zéro collet. Délicieux arome de petit fruit et de caramel. Goût de franboise fortifié. Elle valait bien ses 10 coupons!