Kulmbacher Eisbock

Brewed by Kulmbacher Brauerei (Schörghuber)
Style: Eisbock
Kulmbach, Germany

Dated 28.09.96. Stammwurze 24% (9.6% ABV). Lucid blood red with frightening chunks of clotted yeast. Off white creamy head around the perimeter. Very minimal carbonation. Aroma of caramel, molasses, dark berries and dustballs. Smooth, palatial body with a hefty vinous quality atop a mellow molasses sweetness. Chewyness seems blunted with age. Medium thick body. Cask like feel with the light carbonation. So smooth and delicate with nary a hint of alcohol. The yeast pile is scaring my wife, but is calling out to me like a siren sitting on a rock pile awaiting a ship full of unsuspecting victims. Thins a bit, with whiskey like accents, as it climaxes. Finishes with an increasing sweetness, slightly grainy and sugary, yet still vinous and rich. The yeast pile was slightly musty, but tasty. A jewel if found in a store that has aged this properly.

Pours nice head which fails pretty rapidly. EXTREMELY malty nose. Hazy dark chocolate brown color. (No sediment in bottle so not sure where the haze is coming from). Thick chewy moutfeel. Carmelization in flavor (or do I taste some oxidation?). Warming aftertaste in the back of the throat. If the legend is half true about how this came about, it’d be awesome. Doesn’t have the syrupy texture and aftertaste of EKU28! But then again, it doesn’t have the alcohol level and specific gravity either!! Sorry to keep comparing it, but I wonder if this is EKU28, jr.? Malty flavor opens up after warming for about five minutes out of my fridge. Don’t drink this "eis-cold" but only slightly chilled.

Reichelbrau Eisbock #11897 bottled on 7/11/96 sampled on 7/29/05: Transparent dark mahogany brown with some small off-white bubbles and thin lacing. Aroma is intensely complex, dark fruity and oxidized. Body is semi-sweet, sticky and complex with some dark caramel and hints of milk chocolate. This has aged very well.

Rerate best by 10/22/04 sampled on 12/21/04 and cellared for at least a year previously: This stuff has aged quite well. I mean it’s past its best by date and it’s not showing any signs of deteriorating at all. In fact it’s even smoother and more complex with the malts just as flavorable. Ein wunderbares Deutsches Eisbock!

8/20/2003: Pours a rich dark brown with a thin off-white head. Richly malty aroma has good complexity and hints of dark fruits. Body is thick, sweet and alcoholic. Caramel malt and toffee flavors dominate with a mildly bitter and warming finish with chocolate notes. A very good, well-balanced eisbock.

Dark brown w/ finger of light brown foam. Rich, roasted malt flavour w/ some licorice & treacle notes & an underlying hint of black cherry. Thick, oily feel. Flavour is rich & malty w/ a warm alcohol laden finish.

Awesome. My bottle was dated 1996, with a handwritten number and everything. Malts to the max, duuuuude. Very smooth and chocolatey, with a hint of caramel. Hops are minimal, providing only a mild dryness in the finish. Big flavor, much like a Samichlaus, although a bit lighter. I enjoyed this beer very much, sir.

Excellent Eisbock. Thanks Captaincougar! Dark brown near black. Aroma is rich caramel malt mixed with Noble hops. Some burnt taste. Slight bitterness. Balanced finish.

This is the perfect drink for one of RateBeerian elders (i.e., an old guy) who just spent the last hour shoveling heavy snow during the height of the storm. - - - - - It begins with the bottle sparkling in my eyes... and no, I’m not snow blinded. They need a picture of this one here. It poured out a rich, deep mahogany with reddish highlights and a thin tan head. It’s got a light caramel aroma mixed with dark dried fruits. Not too sweet; just right. This is medium bodied and way too damned smooth. It’s full of rich malty, caramel tastes without getting as overbearing as some bocks do. It slides down very easily, leaving a sweet finish with a smattering of hop bitterness. You don’t really notice the 9.2% abv until it hits bottom and begins the warming process. I need WAY more of these.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Liquors, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>

33 cl. bottle. Pour a thick but short lived head, over a clear dark amber (SRM 20) body..... nose of raisin, plum, ginger, cinnamon, no hops, minimal alcohol....tastes of molasses, spices, with rich malty sweetness throughout, and a mild bitter dry finish.....mouth feel is thick and chewy. Meets the style to a "T".