Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock

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

187ml bottle thanks to Styles: Brown body, somewhat murky, with pink/red highlights when held to light. The aroma is sweet raspberries (though they’re somewhat restrained compared to many other beers with fruit), apples, subtle orange, caramel, dry aged chocolate, and a hint of biscuit. The taste is dry, almost bitter raspberry (I like the no sweeteners added here very much), and a subtle chocolate that just grows and grows over the sampling. At first the chocolate-raspberry taste takes on a light caramel note, then a light alcohol-soaked bread, a nice grainy-wheat flavor, and a hint of roasted malt and hops hidden in there barely detectable. Medium bodied, light-medium carbonation, sweet yet not at all syrupy or sugary. Finishes with a long drawn-out chocolate-raspberry aftertaste, highlighting the fruity qualities of the berry while still retaining some grain-like qualities of the malt. If one holds the beer in mouth and agitates with the tongue (ok I couldn’t come up with a less-lame term for it....move shit around in your mouth) then distinct flavors of dark chocolate with real raspberry flavorings dusted with chocolate come to the party. Very nice

Review #300! 2007 vintage. Pours a dark reddish brown in the glass which has orange tints when held up to the light. There is almost no head at all, leaving no lacing or head retention. The smell is pretty intense, with the obvious raspberry aroma, but with a huge sweetness featuring caramel and chocolate. Alcohol burn increased as it warmed. The taste is like a raspberry tootsie pop. Lots of raspberry sweetness up front with chocolate mixed in as well. The alcohol makes its presence felt with a burn in the throat through the finish and lingering between sips. Mouthfeel is like a liquid dessert, syrupy sweet and sticky. This is definitely a dessert beer and very much a sipper. The sweetness is pretty intense and the alcohol is evident in the taste, especially as it warms. Still, an extremely unique beer.

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.

Huge thanks to hoppymeal for this beer. Pours a very dark reddish brown with a little mocha head. The nose on this is amazing...dark chocolate raspberry truffles just dominates the air...wonderful. Flavor is surprisingly smooth and full...and I’m sipping it like a port. Taste is very much chocolate raspberry truffles along with port, oak, vanilla and caramel. Finish is long and lingering. Being a huge wine aficionado, I just love this beer...fantastic.

2004, 6.3 oz bottle. Pours a reddish purple with a off-white head. Aroma of raspberry cream and chocolate. The flavor found mush of the same with a little caramel also. It was like drinking chocolate covered raspberries. Medium to full body, sweet, and creamy. The ultimate after dinner drink. Thanks to Springslicker for sharing this at the Tennessee Tasting!!

Is this beer or a liqueur? 2004 bottle. Dark brown pour and no head. The nose is huge and filled with raspberry, raisin, brown sugar and chocolate, especially chocolate. The eisbock drinks like a liquid flourless chocolate cake topped with raspberry granache. Fruity and sweet with a tart finish. Hints of raisin and alcohol. The body is full and sticky — just like a liquere. An excellent after dinner apertif. So interesting in its uniqueness, it has to be rated highly.

Oh baby. This one exceded my expectations...Cloudy dark red with small head. Aroma of raspberry and malty sweetness. This is a very unique and tasty beer...Maple syrup, chocolate and raspberry. Fantastic.

Édition 2004. Robe brune aux reflets rouges légèrement voilée surmontée d’un très mince filet beige. Arômes d’alcool, de chocolat, de caramel et de framboises sucrées. Saveurs de chocolat, de caramel et d’alcool.