Southampton Double Ice Bock

Formerly brewed at Southampton Publick House
Style: Eisbock
Southampton, New York USA

2006 bottle 76 of 100. Very still appearance with a gorgeous burnished bronze colour. Aroma of honeyed fruit, dried plums/prune, cherry, and peach. Light pepper but not alcoholic smelling. Sweet malty aroma, very vineous with notes of orange peel, dried white grapes and icewine. Light noble hop spiciness comes through as well. Port like. Marzipan, pistachio, and baked Middle Eastern desserts. Easily one of the most gorgeous smelling beers I’ve ever had... that alone is worth the price of admission. It’s hard to believe that the flavour can match it, but it does. Unctuous, silky mouthfeel. Warming, but not overly hot. Honey and dried fruit, baked pastry, sweet nuts. Long and luxurious finish. After my first visit to Southampton, I was unimpressed, but a beer like this makes the memory of that visit disappear. The sexiest beer I’ve even tasted. Unbelievably good.

So thankful I got to try this. Gary brought this to a Tiger event and I was one of the fortunate ones that got some. Nothing else like this one. Very sweet and creamy. No carbonation or head and sips like a fine sherry. Very fine chewy characters of caramel and toffee. Where was I when Slander poured that one at BCTC, probably Doggie Claws in hand.

Courtesy boboski. 2002. Ugly multi brown. Carbonation bubbles resting on the bottom, must be some heavy brew. Looks nasty in a good way. Nose of rich caramel, heavy dough, dried fruit (plum), tobacco that grows more prominent as it warms, and subtle heat. Flavors of chocolate cookie dough, candy corn, rich caramel, earth, tobacco, subtle clove, dried fruit, underlying alcohol in second half and finish provides a spice like character. Chocolate milk aftertaste. Full, smooth, viscous palate. The measuring stick for all Eisbocks.

Eyedrinkale is amazing. My two favorite beers tasted at the post-Dark Lord release were both Southhampton (this and the Imperial Stout.. Grand Cru was pretty good too). First of all, this makes me think liquor more than beer. Unlike 120 min and WWS, the only other two beers of this ABV I’ve tried, this one barely resembles any particular style I’ve had. Glowing ruby with a little forced head from my straight pour. Strong aroma of honey, caramel, and toffee. Flavors of nuts and honey on a strong alcohol backbone. Facto’s right on comparing this to a sherry. Definitely an experience to try.

Courtesy of Footbalm, DL ’06. Can’t thank you enough Eric. Bottle #72. Brilliant copper, wispy film for head. Huge toffee syrup aroma. Very fruity through the middle. Tart grape, pear, and apple. aroma doesn’t sound like much but, absolutely one of the best aroma’s I’ve some acrossed. Flavor again, huge caramel and toffee. Middle has plenty of fruit through and through. Tiniest hint of oxidation towards the finish. Oily-smooth mouthfeel. A brew that makes me long to be a writer, as my review does no justice.

Thanks to Paul for giving me a chance to try this monster. Pours red with a small white head. Smells floral with soe chewy malt. Tastes of raisins, some nuts, hints of booziness. Some residual sugar on the finish. The alcohol is there but complimentary. Very nice!

2003; 6.3 oz. bottle: Glowing crystal clear rust. Bottle conditioned. Heavy emphasis on the cinnamon coated bready malt nuances and the nose buring alocholic flares. Very meaty. A manifold of underlying melon notes, fruitcake, honey, vanilla, pecan, maple, apple crisp, caramel, fig, mild metallic shades, and lightly toasted coconut. Visciously thick, silky on the palate. Minute carbonation. Initial acidity up front, followed by evergreen alcoholic flavors, like biting into a pine needle, cinnamon dipped malts coupled with intense blasts of spicy, puckering alcohol. Finishes with apple skin and a touch of tropical fruit, lush caramel, salty mint leaf, and long fig notes. Only a trace of hop presence. I know it’s there, but with this being so young, it’s difficult to find. Only 100 of these produced? A fallacy.

This is a really wonderful beer. It has such a high ABV, and an alcohol nose, yet it's so fine! It tastes like what I imagine Bombay Sapphire gin infused with brown sugar would be like. And what an aesthetically appealing liquid, with its lovely rich color, it's like drinking a precious amber gemstone. Can you tell I loved it?! :)