Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock

Giant thanks to Steve for sending this to Tim and I. Nose has huge caramel, raspberry tort, chocolate, rich malt. Its like those raspberry filled chocolates you get around the holidays. Flavor is caramel, port, raspberry, chocolate, butterscotch, cherry. A bit tart. Caramel/chocolate/butterscotch finish. Wow.

This 2004 release was obtained in a trade with BA CRJMellor, the Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock came in a waxed green bottle in an unusual size of 6.3 oz. Scraping off the wax was rather easy with a knife. The beer came out dark red in color, with very fizzy carbonation head like a soda pop. The smell was a blend of chocolate and raspberry, and reminded me very much of gourmet dark chocolate truffles that I sample around Christmas. Taste was very much like reminiscent of those truffles as well, with melted dark chocolate blended with raspberry syrup. Rum, maple syrup, and vanilla, and coffee were some of the other flavors that came to mind while sipping the beer. Alcohol was medicinal, and hops herbal in nature. Aftertaste was peppery sharp, and prevented the beer from getting too sweet. Smooth and slick mouthfeel also advanced the impression of richness. A very unique beer that has little to do with flavors typically associated with other beers, and is closer in flavor profile to a pudding or a cake. Viva le difference!

Bottled 2004. Pours with no head really. A good swirl gets a thin tan layer of foam that disappears quick. Some haze to it’s red/amber color. Aroma is sweet smelling candy raspberries or maybe more like strawberry, big malts, smells like a fruity barley wine. Flavor is fairly different from the aroma. A good amount of chocolate and caramel flavors are present. Very distinct raspberry flavors and some other stuff going on that I can’t really put into words. Overall it’s pretty sweet, kinda sticky cloying. Whether it’s 10.6% or the previously listed 18% I don’t know, either way there’s not much alcohol in the flavor or aroma, besides the way it makes your chest feel when you swallow. It’s very decent, I must admit. Overall #5 good? Nah, I don’t think so. Somewhat disappointing. Thanks for the bottle Styles.

A dainty little bottle, which seems appropriate for a slow sipping beer like this. Coppery brown when I look at it from the side of the glass, but from the top there are some nice red highlights. A faint skim of light head. Surprisingly little alcohol smell. Subtly sweet raspberry cheesecake. Further layers of angel-food cake, vanilla, dried cherries, roses and leather. The aroma builds and opens as it warms. Profound, deep, melting chocolate-like creaminess, followed by smooth raspberry preserves. An earthy, toasty munich-malt encapsulates the whole, giving cohesiveness to the talented individual components, and never letting your mouth forget that this is beer. A bit of sour cherry in the finish as the flavor evolves. Thick, velvet-smooth palate. A truly memorable tasting. Thanks Hezron, for sending this amazing beer to me!

(6.3 oz bottle, 2004 vintage – drank in January 2006) – Poured a hazy deep red/brown beer with a rather large dark foamy head with great retention. Aroma of raspberry chocolate cake is quite evident with some port-like alcohol sensation. Taste is less sweet then expected as well as raspberry, which I had expected to be more dominant. Instead there is strong chocolate and caramel malt with a semi-sweet ending. Did not fit my expectation but is still very good nonetheless. I would now be very curious to try the raspberry-free eisbock.

(6.3oz bottle, 2004, many thanks Pailhead) Small tan head atop a clear blood-red body. Aroma is moderately sweet, raspberry, fig, toffee, some chocolate, cookie dough, cherry. Taste is a liquid chocolate fudge brownie accented by raspberry, cherry and caramel. Low carbonation in the moderately full body that holds the alcohol incredibly well. I admit I was somewhat skeptical by the reception this beer has received, but I have been won over.

Has a great flavor to it with a taste of rasberry hitting the taste buds. This was a great after dinner beer that came to me from a girlfriends father who knows his beers.

2004. Complements of SuIIy. Poured a deep mahogany color body with a small tan head. An incredible nose of sweet chocolate and syrupy rasberries. The flavor was bitter dark chocolate up front with a perfect blend of meduim tart and sweet rasberries coming through in the finish. Just an all around incredible creation!