New Glarus Symposium Eisbock

Date: 12/05/2003
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

dark amber, rich sweet malt aroma and flavor, rich like a barleywine, nice balancing bitter finish, hot alcohol essence,
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Date: 05/10/2006
Words: Bottle
Words: Tasting

clear dark brown, whispy beige head, touch of drippy lace, huge rich sweet malt aroma with hints of dark fruit, big body at first but ends up very thin, sticky sweet malt flavor, well balanced with an earthy hop quality, good ripe fruit quality, long light bitterness in the finish, touch of oxidation shows after a while

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: **4

Degarth is the man for trading me this bottle. Dark copper body Fairly see through. The aroma shows signs of oxidation as does the body, but seems to be very well under control for a brew thats sat in the bottle 6 years. Flavor is filled with dark fruit, the alcohol has subsided and blends nicely with the other components. Lacks the palate of other eisbocks I’ve had, not sure if this has to do with the age. Either way its damn good and would drink it again if the chance presented itself.

Because Degarth has been incessantly busting my balls about not rating this fine rare brew that he has shared with me… 9 months later I am ratting it! I still have my notes, and I still very vividly recall the beer, as it was the first in a long line from that particular evening of tasting.

Poured a caramel brown / amber body and a soft ivory head. There was little lacing and the head was quickly fleeting. My first thought from the aroma was the slight oxidation, a mention of cardboard, but it was a nice addition to the boldly malty body that was probably long ago once cloyingly sweet. A suggestion of molasses, maple syrup, raisins and dates; did you know that dates come from a Date Palm Tree? I just learned that in a gardening book a couple nights ago! Anyhow, loads of dark pit fruit suggestions were still present… and there was a nice Thomas Hardy’s English style yeastiness in the finish, note of tangerine zest as well.
Overall, I can attest to this beer aging with absolute divinity and grace!

Bottle shared by goldtwins: Pours a transparent dark copper mahogany with a thin, lightly-lacing light tan head. Rich, sweet complex caramel malty aroma has a very nice authentic bock character and mild dark fruits. Body starts with a good viscous caramel maltiness, subtle dark fruit and chocolate character. Finishes drier, slightly earthy with some lingering bittersweet dark chocolate. Very nicely balanced and complex. Seems to have aged quite well.

<!-- b -->Rating 1400:<!-- /b --> Big thanks to Degarth for this rare treat. Disclaimer:This beer is 6 years old and I am rating it based on what it tastes like now. Not if it was an Eisbock in 2000. Poured a clear dark brown color with copper edges and a thin beige head. Thick and sweet aroma of finely aged malt. Not papery oxidized malt but just aged malt. Notes of prunes, wood and molasses. It smells great. Sweet aged malt makes up the flavor. A good amount of dark fruits. Light to medium body. This could be the only place that age could have been negative to the beer. It was fantastic. Somebody seems to have taken very good care of this beer. It lends the answer to "Can beers be aged?"

Props go to MrFacto for procuring this rare and exceptional treat! Poured a deep ruddy brown with a fairly-retained cap of beige head. Hazy, with some visible carbonation and sediment in the pour. Deep, rich dark fruity malts, mild oak, oxidization, and Port wine in the complex and excellent nose. Flavor was much like the aroma, with a rich, dark fruity base, toffee, and woodiness... alcohol emerged with warmth, but only as complementary to the other goodness. Creamy and rich on the palate... other than mild oxidization, age has treated this very well! Fantastic!

Hazy, murky, mahogany appearance with beady cascading lace along with a few ice sheaf-like centipede formations to serve as the head. Aroma hints at its age with portly attenuations, mulled apple cider, vinegar, open-air bordeaux and cranberry sauce stains on the dining room table. Flavor turns it right around. Buttery caramel toffees persevere in true fashion. Greasy pecans meet vanilla, smooth cedar, and some tannin like qualities. Gentle, natural carbonation still remains, along with a prominent noble hops presence that meanders prevalently throughout the experience. Pralines and caramel provide an ever-so-sweet finish. Quite the treat, and big thanks to MrFacto for landing it!

Thanks Matt! The beer pours to a caramel chestnut body with a thin beige head. The aroma is very good. Woodsy old ale aromas. Very good, delicate, balanced malts and sugars. I thought it held up well. The flavor is also woodsy old ale-ish. Perhaps that’s oxidation? Either way, I didn’t think it matters because it was still quite good. The palate is carbonated with a medium body and good texture. Bring this beer back Dan!