Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock

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

Bottle vintage 2004. [ Huge thanks to thewolf for sharing this one, the bouquet are still to be felt in my nostrils….he he ] I wish that I could give more then ten points for aroma, because this was the epitome of what scent a fruit beer (or any beer for that matter) should appear as. The complexity of what hits you are indescribable, but I am going to try anyway. Small creamy and beige looking head that mostly diminished. Spar display of lacework. Muddy looking reddish brown color. Surprisingly one of the first aromas that I picked up was chocolate or sweet coco. Then came an assortment of notes: amazing raspberry, fruit gum like, bubblegum, raisin, pear, peach, apricot, spice, vanilla and light vinegar. The experience was borderline to a good red win or port win. Very vinous I must say. Full bodied with a light alcoholic and sticky texture, combined with a smooth mouth feel. Average carbonation could be detected. Moderated sweet flavor with light notes of acidic. Raspberry sweet and long lasting finish. We kept taking turns to sniff the bottle after it was finished, and the lingering bouquet never disappeared from the bottle. What a pity they don’t make this anymore.

2004 Bottle. A person knows when they have made an serious impact on an community and that same community reaches back to them to share in their treasures. This rating is due to the generousity and kindness of Boboski. Jason (don’t Jason’ rock?) gave me out of the blue not too long ago a tracking number filled with the instructions:

These are your instructions:
1) Do not deviate from these instructions. Doing so will cause problems unforseeable. These instructions are to be taken extremely seriously and with the utmost reverence.
2) On Wednesday or Thursday you will recieve ’the package’.
3) Resist all temptation to open ’the package’.
4) Place ’the package’, in its entirety, into your refrigerator. If ’the package’ is dirty, place in on a paper towel. Note: at this time, ’the package’ should absolutely be intact, just as it arrived to you.
5) The following evening, upon arrival home from work, do the following:
a) place your finest snifter on a stable surface nearest your favorite haunt of imbibery
b) place the smoked gouda cheese, purchased earlier in the day at your place of employment, on a plate, with a knife, next to the glass
c) retrieve ’the package’ from the refrigerator
d) very carefully, open ’the package’
e) pour contents into snifter
f) be patient, for patience is a virtue
6) Updates and status reports, via beermail or telephone, are required to complete the journey.
7) It should be noted that any deviation from the instructions will signifigantly decrease enjoyment of ’the package’

Well Life got complicated with the family so I couldn’t do as was requested. But I was still excited at the chance to enjoy this fine brew.

Poured a cloudy, thick brow/reddish body with no head. Aroma is light berry, malty. A very smooth red berry fruit taste, heavy malt with a complex body that kept me tempted to drink it despite it’s 6oz bottle. I wanted to savor every last bit. It made me sad when it was gone. Hopefully one day I’ll have another!

2004 bottle tasted June 16th ’07.

Pours a deep caramel brown with scant head. The nose is deeply impressive: shaved bitter chocolate, raspberries, chocolate truffles, dark caramel, tootsie roll, a marvelous rolling-together of dessert aromas. The flavor is surprisingly tart, carrying little of the expected sweetness. Instead, raspberries and bitter chocolate, but also the beer has oxidized considerably, and I’m afraid this detracts from the flavor. The fault is mine for keeping it in the cellar too long; I wonder whether it would have been similar a year ago. Mouthfeel is smooth, less syrupy than I might have expected, and very nice; I don’t feel the alcohol whatsoever.

I’m very glad to have tried this one, though I am kicking myself for waiting so long for the right special occasion. (The occasion tonight: I wanted something that could hope to do justice as a nightcap to the best dinner I’ve had in Seattle to date, at Cascadia.). 10/4/7/4/16=4.1

2007 bottle tasted January 27th, 2008.

Opened this one (courtesy of tetrik -- thanks) to share with my wife in celebration of my son’s first birthday. Pours a nearly still red chcolate-brown Like the 2004, lovely caramel and raspberry nose, tootsie roll. Not as muchj chocolate as I recall from that one, and none of the oxidation. The flavor is again not quite as chocolate-rich as the other, and it’s sweeter (mostly a good thing). All of that oxidation is absent and I get the sense that I’m tasting a not-quite-as-good beer in much better condition. Beautiful smooth soft cordial mouthfeel with no heat from the alcohol. I’ll give this a 9/4/9/5/17=4.4, though I’m tempted to ding it one point on the overall because at $13 for six ounces (split two ways) I don’t feel like I can drink deep.

Shared bottle thanks to CMUBEERMAN. Vintage 2004, white label. 6.3 oz. Pours dark brown, tan head. Aroma is caramel, grapes, syrup, slight metal, Tootsie Roll. Flavor is chocolate, malt, caramel, prunes, slight raspberry. This may be past it’s prime(?)

*Drank at le Mondial 07*Amber red murky poor with little or no head. Aromas of creamcheese, raspberries, prunes, figs and meringue. Oily, nice creamy mouthfeel. You can feel the alcohol. Amazing balance, perfect bitterness, sweetness with a slight acid / sour twist. Added flavors of molasses, raspberry jam, oak, cherries and licorice. 2004 Bottle.

Bottle from the Mondiale 07. dark ruby/brown color, no head. aroma is raspberry, strawberry, prunes, and figs, and LOTS of chocolate. Flavour is awesome. again with the chocolate, but there is a slight sourness to it, that really adds to the fruit flavours, wow this really works well together, exceptional beer!

Mondial de la bière 07, bouteille 2004. Couleur sombre de prune, pratiquement aucune mousse. Arôme acide, petits fruits, framboises, chocolat. Goût explosif en acidité de framboises, boisé, chocolat. Alcool moins présent. Corps et effervescence moyennes. Quelle complexité et quelle découverte !

This incredible beer was on draft at Ashley’s for a short time. Almost no head, purple, dark raspberry truffle scent with the flavors to follow, plus some caramel and other fruits. Simply awesome.