Kuhnhenn Nine - Kuhnhenn Brewing Company

cosmicevan

New York

3.4/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

thanks to bierenutz for sending this my way. 2011 vintage poured into la trappe chalice.

a - poured a brownish purple with a somewhat thin creamy head that was gone quick. catches somewhat the BSDA look.

s - whoa that's interesting. figs and bakers chocolate with strong cranberry.

t - tastes just like it smells. figs and cranberries and some coconut and banana. not really a fan at first sip, but as i got adjusted to the flavoring i found myself enjoying it more and more. a belgian strong dark or dubbel...perhaps, but not in the traditional sense. some coffee flavors also. an interesting mix of flavors. the heat is there. pretty good beer, but not really anything to write home about.

m - fizzy as opposed to creamy, but not as bad as most american breweries. i can feel the booziness quick.

o - overall, not your classic american miss on a belgian, but far from the classic flavoring and feel. glad i tried it. i have another one of these that i think i'll tuck away and forget about for a year or two and then see what its like.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 01:46:23 | More by cosmicevan

fvernon

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

2011 as a nice extra from camil1mj - thanks much! Poured at 50 degrees into a Deschutes snifter.

Pours a currant purple-black with a generous tan head that takes quite a while to settle down but leaves very little lacing. A nice galaxy of thin bubbles remains in the center of the otherwise dark purple/black universe after about five minutes. While still cold and coated the aroma is of caramel, toffee, and raisins, but as it warms and the beer begins to breathe a bit of fig, a strong dose of belgian sugar and yeast, and a slight astringent burn comes through. Over time the astringent quality becomes more dominant.

The taste is heavy on currants, cranberry, and green apple - that is, a sort of sweet-and-sour unripe tartness - and is more muted than I was expecting in terms of sweet malt. There is a slight juniper flavor in the background, and as I get into it there is more of a woody flavor... not oak, but more like paper. Dare I say this tastes a bit watery? There isn't a lot of body (at least for the style), and feels a bit unbalanced, although to be fair I'm still sipping away with a smile.

My end thought: it's nice and enjoyable, but feels like a shot at a belgian ale from someplace whose strengths are in other styles.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 00:48:15 | More by fvernon

travMI13

Michigan

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 Winter Solstice vintage. 12 oz. bottle, poured into a Kuhnhenn snifter.

A: Deep, murky, chocolate brown with a very slight tan head. Head recedes very quickly. Moderate lacing.

S: Currant, plum, fig, raisin, and yeasty bread. This smells very true to the style. Nice.

T: Bread, candied sugar, plum, raisin, and Belgian yeast again. Again, very true to style. Very smooth. Not really detecting any kind of heat.

M: Slick and smooth with medium carbonation. Some sweetness, but I think it's just enough. Not cloying at all.

O: A nice example of a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. Is it the best Kuhnhenn beer I have had? No. But it is a very good example of the style, and I am enjoying this very much. Will definitely need to try it out again, possibly with some age on it.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 03:20:17 | More by travMI13

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2011 bottle

Pours chestnut brown with nice head and retention. Lacing is good as well.

The aroma is full of caramel and dark malts. Dark fruit as well.

The taste matches the smell minus a bit of intensity. Very balanced and tastefully done. Less extreme than I'd expect from kuhnhenns but still quite nice.

The body is medium full and medium light in weight. The finish is moderately dry and slightly sticky.

Overall, a decent beer. Tremendously drinkable and well balanced. I just didn't think it stood out as much as it could.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 04:46:56 | More by BBP

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.05/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a snifter.

4.0 A: Black color. Two fingers of creamy tan head. Retention is good given the ABV and a short ring of lacing is left.

3.0 S: Metallic with coca-cola and caramel. Underneath there is plum, currant, and raisin fruitiness with hints of Christmas spices.

3.0 T: Like the nose. Lots of metal, coke, and caramel. Fruits in the form of plum, currant, cherry, and raisin. There's a fairly strong tartness in the taste. I'm not sure if this is infected or if there is actual fruit additions in this. Either way, it isn't bad, but isn't good either.

3.0 M: Medium body. Carbonation is a bit light for the style and not spritzy enough. Reasonably creamy though.

3.0 D: I do enjoy me some Kuhnhenn, but this was a bit of a disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 03:42:25 | More by DavoleBomb

alpinebryant

Connecticut

3.05/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours a dark raisin color with a creamy tan edging around my snifter

S: Aroma is metallic and slightly ashy clashing with a tartness that is hard to describe mixing with an earthy musty scent.

T: Taste did not surprise. I definitely pick up some belgian spicey esters, but they clash with dark roasted slightly ashy malt and a cherry tartness. Nearly none of the flavors go together well. It reminds me of sweet and sour sauce where it is interesting enough tasting that you want to keep sipping on it but neither refreshing nor that fulfilling, just more of a curiosity.

M: Medium mouthfeel, medium carbonation

O: I do think this is oxidized due to the mettalic finish mixing with roasty malts. It really is a different beer and I can applaud that, but nearly a train wreck that most people would love to watch.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 01:00:21 | More by alpinebryant

MasterSki

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased in the brewery in summer 2011.

A - A thin tan foam settles to a partial collar and a few wisps. Opaque cappuccino-colored body. Minimal lace.

S - Chocolate, cola nut, raisins, some slightly musky and overripe cherries and currants. There's a lactic yogurty character too - I think this may be infected, but it still smells pretty good.

T - Taste is a mixture of cocoa powder, Belgian yeast, roasted malt, tropical fruits, and yogurt. I'm guessing the latter two are from inadvertently introduced wild yeast? Again, it's strangely enjoyable, even though the Belgian Dark character only really shows up in the finish with some roast character.

M - Full bodied, sticky texture, lower carbonation, and a fairly dry finish. Alcohol is masterfully disguised, but I'd expect nothing less of Kuhnhenn. Could use a bit more spritz.

D - There are some very unexpected flavors in this beer that I don't remember experiencing when I tried this on draft. That being said I found it pretty enjoyable and had no problem polishing off a bottle as a nightcap. That being said, I suspect mileage may vary from bottle to bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 05:14:55 | More by MasterSki

HopHead84

California

3.38/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

10/23/2011

Extra from OHLRangers, thanks! Snifter.

A: Dark brown with a slight reddish tinge and a small light brown head.

S: Sugary peach accompanies grape, currant, plum, and cherry. The fruit is sweet and expressive, with a little tartness and some lactic notes. Malt is bread and caramel. Alcohol is well masked.

T: Tart grape and currant with a little cherry. I get a little chocolate and quite a bit of peach. Malt is bready with notes of sugar and a little caramel. There's a touch of alcohol and vinegar near the end. Quite sweet.

M: Upper medium body with moderate carbonation.

Overall: I'm not sure if the beer is supposed to be tart, but it sort of works with the fruit notes. Ultimately, this is far too sweet to drink more than a few ounces.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 22:17:30 | More by HopHead84

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.98/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to FourKicks for this bottle.

A: Pours a murky brown/red. This beer is super cloudy with very little head. There is almost no lacing as it drinks.

S: Smells of sweet malts, and plums. There is also a noticeable tartness of cherries and Belgian funk. I'm picking up notes of over ripened fruit and dirt, but not in a bad way.

T: The first hit is sweet, with an immediate shift to tart. It's like biting into a juicy peach and having it immediately change to sour cherry. There is an earthiness to this beer (whether wanted or unwanted) that I really like. The finish is sour, but not lip puckering.

M: It's a full bodied beer that leans towards the dry side in the finish.

O: I don't exactly know what to think of this beer, but I find myself liking it more and more as I drink it. It's sweet, and tart, and dry. Yup, I'm into it. Solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 03:30:03 | More by trxxpaxxs

ColdPoncho

Ohio

3.18/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From notes

A - red/brown body, moderate brown head.

S - smells like a butt...uh oh.

T - cloyingly sweet malts, some dark fruit

M - syrupy, drying, pretty mediocre.

O - this is a pretty bad beer, methinks. It changed a bit over the course of the glass, and got a bit better, and less butt-like, but still wasn't too good

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 18:13:07 | More by ColdPoncho

Urbancaver

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a reddigh brown. Orange halo around the edges. Some light tan head. Smells like a fruity oxidized mess. Some earth aromas as wlel. Tastes sweet... overly sweet and oxidized. Rusty almost. Fruity notes peak through. Overall not that exciting but drinkable. Another oxidized Kuhnhenn offering

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 14:50:52 | More by Urbancaver

brew3crew

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- maroon brown body with no head what so ever

S-sweetness little bit of maltiness

T-very sweet caramel that finishes light and fluffy almost

M-light body and smooth. Very nice

O-very good beer. Glad I got it sent to me. The opinions varied widely on this one. Lots of people said it smelled and tasted like ass but i like it

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 00:19:13 | More by brew3crew

woosterbill

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a tasting glass. Thanks to Knifestyles for opening this one.

A: Clear deep russet body with a finger of fine tan foam. Ok retention, nice light lace. Attractive.

S: Chocolate, spice, apple, grapes, brandy. Weird, and not bad at all.

T: Sweet + fruity, with cherry + grape tartness on the finish. Strange, intense, and only lightly boozy.

M: Slick, sticky body with plenty of soft carbonation. Pleasant.

O: This beer was unlike any other BSDA I've had (surprise surprise, coming from Kuhnhenn), and I really enjoyed its complexly bizarre nature. I'm not sure how well-integrated the Belgian yeast really was, and I kind of wish Kuhnhenn would stick to Barleywines and Old Ales, especially the barrel-aged variety. Still, a tasty and interesting brew.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 17:42:42 | More by woosterbill

Spider889

Ohio

2.65/5  rDev -29.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Black with a very short mocha head on it. Very light carbonation though there are some visible bubbles rising from the glass's laser etching. Rootbeer highlights in the light.

Smells of strong cinnamon initially. Then comes fig and some mild raisin. The bottle didn't state what style this was, but I was able to guess a BSDA only this far in. There's also some mild roasted malt as well as sweet fragrant vanilla. I was reminded of french toast.

The taste was a little off. I was now guessing a flanders old bruin or something. The flavor had a very potent cola quality to it. Hints of cherry syrup and green fruit tartness was on the sides of my tongue. Maybe this is showing some degree of infection?

The carbonation feels much stronger than it looks. Slightly boozy. There's an odd combination of sticky yet watery textures in the mouthfeel. I attribute this to undercarbonation.

If the above seems contradictory to you, you're not alone. My notes state, "the carbonation doesn't know whether it wants to be non-existent or too pronounced." It was a strange combo of feeling too strong, but in reality being quite low on carbonation. Being Kuhnhenn, I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised by this.

Overall not my cup o' tea, but again, there's a chance this bottle is infected to some degree. Who knows? I hate the Kuhnhenn labeling as it essentially tells you zero about the beer inside. Seeing as this was an extra in a deal, I had no real expectations of this coming in.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2011 16:59:37 | More by Spider889

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Special thanks to Masterski for providing this beer. I always love trying Kuhnhenn's stuff.

A foamy tan head with tiny bubbles forms and slowly settles. Beer is a very dark burgundy color that to almost brown in the center and more maroon at the edges. Not much lacing.

Aroma was initially of Coca Cola. The hints a of sweet soda remain. A deep almost black pepper and dank malt aroma.

Well, I almost typed above that I detected a bit of almost metallic aroma. After tasting the beer this is reinforced.  A plum, sweet flavor with some Coca Cola flavors too. The black pepper makes itself known in the flavor as well. (Not saying there is actually pepper in this) some black cherry flavor as well.

Medium bodied, foamy is how I describe the carbonation.

This is not my favorite offering from this brewery. Oh well, can't win them all

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 00:58:44 | More by Reagan1984

AgentZero

Illinois

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Caramel brown color with a small white head. Nice bubbles coming to the top with a decent amount of spots on the side.

S - Dark fruits, belgian yeasts, bit of brown sugar and caramel. Smells pretty nice.

T - Was expecting some more alcohol and a bit of a heavier taste. Surpringly light taste with a bit of citrus and some cinnamon and caramel, bit of brown sugar and honey sweetness. Nice dark fruit and some oak.

M - Syrupy and full bodied. Decent carbonation on this one.

D - Really drinkable for the style and a good beer. Would definately drink again.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 04:17:44 | More by AgentZero

jrallen34

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12oz bottle picked up at the pub, drank from De Struise glass... The body is a dark mahogany, amber, nice glassy sheen. A big tan head rises at first, good retention, but lacing is light... Malty aroma with lots of dark fruits, plums and raisins, brown sugar, bread, banana and a hint of nutmeg. Complex with a ton going on but lacks balance, but a decent strong sweet beer... The taste is weak and subdued compared to the aroma, complexity is gone. The taste is just light throughout, but wow that 9% is hidden well. Banana, plums, brown sugar, good but light.... the mouthfeel is as good, smooth, easy to drink, no warmth... This is way to crushable.

This is pretty damn good. Doesn't taste like a whole lot but its not offensive and way to easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 00:42:45 | More by jrallen34

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle acquired in trade with goldtwins (thanks!).

Poured a deep and cloudy brown color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of plums, raisins, stronger yeast, and dark cherries. Tastes of stronger raisins, cherries, yeast and caramel. Starts of lightly sweet in ends in a lightly sour/tart cherry finish. Alcohol content well hidden.

Notes from 7/27/06

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2008 14:18:20 | More by hopdog

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to hopdog for this one...
Appears a dark mahogany with a small, off white ehad that quickly fades into a gentle collar. Spotty streaks of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of cinnamon, oak, caramel, vanilla, nutmeg, and cherries.
Taste is of the mentioned cinnamon, oak, vanilla, nutmeg, along with plenty of ripened fruits up front.
Mouthfeel is sweety, syrupy, vniuous, oaky, lowly carbonated. Pretty damn good beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2008 00:19:06 | More by weeare138

Lothore

California

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a cola brown hue with a small off white head. Still looks like there is quite a bit of carbonation for the age of this one.

S- Smells sweet with hints of dark fruits such as fig and has a citrusey character which is followed by belgian yeastiness.

T- Taste is much lighter than expected. Definite hints of citrus from the nose tie into the flavor along with sweet caramel notes that fade away to a long, lingering malt character. Alcohol at the end is more prominent as it warms.

M- Medium body with a good amount of carbonation.

D- This is another winner from kuhnhenn. I honestly can't say what this one was like fresh but it seems to have aged very well. Very subtle and balanced. The alcohol is barely present in this one which is surprising considering the 9 percent abv. All in all I think I enjoyed the syrah nine a little better because it added another layer of complexity to this brew but the simplistic elegance of this one really works out in the long run.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2008 00:43:15 | More by Lothore

beckje01

Minnesota

4.6/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Brewed on 4-18-05

Had April 07

Just starting WOW, my first Kuhnhenn brew and wow. Wonderful sweet nose, with nice floral. The taste is very nice with floral tastes mixed in sweet and sour notes. Very nice balance of sour not overpowering but up lifting. Just a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2007 18:36:08 | More by beckje01

ypsifly

Michigan

4.3/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drank from a stemmed tulip at the source.

Deep dark brown with a good sized head of light tan that shows decent retention but not much lace.

Has all of the yeasty banana aromas that the standard version has along with some dark fruits and a "Simcoe Silly" aroma that approaches medicinal but backs off before crossing the line.

The taste is almost exactly like the bottled version of the regular Nine, but just a bit smoother. Malty with lots of yeasty bread and some fruits. The alcohol is a lot less apparent than the standard. Full bodied and very smooth. It was very easy to order one more than I had intended.

Serving type: cask

01-10-2007 19:29:23 | More by ypsifly

alexgash

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark root-beer brown. Light barely penetrates. Small, tight, light sandy brown head. Caramel, toasted malts, light sweet-smoke funk. Brown sugar and maple syrup. Sweet caramel and chocolatey malt. Buttery toffee and peaty middle. Toasted marshmallows and herbal hop throughout. Circus peanuts? Interesting. Molasses and herbal finish. Warming. Medium-full body with soft, gentle carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2006 22:55:54 | More by alexgash

benito

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the brewpub. This was a treat.

From what I gathered at the brewpub this was a Belgian ale that they aged a wine barrel for the first half of 2006.

It pours like a light cherry wine with little head and virtually no carbonation. The bouquet too points to the wine trace: there's a grape-like fruitiness with some wet, steamed barley and a strong alcohol presence.

This may be the best marriage of wine and beer I've ever tasted. The palate is filled with fruit flavors--cherry, grape--as well as chocolate and nuts. It has the delicate flavors and alcohol presence of a fine red wine as well as the sweet, malty backbone of a good Belgian ale. The body is smooth and full and shows good length.

A wonderful beer that is all too drinkable given its strength. This is one of the best beers I've tried from Michigan (that is not brewed by Bell's).

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2006 13:22:20 | More by benito

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled at the brewery & actually 10.5% abv.

A: Dark-caramel/brownish-black, off-white head, some lace.

S: Banana, caramel, spice.

T: Dark banana bread, plenty of spice, burnt caramel, dark raisin, some phenol and bubblegum esters.

M: Moderate to full body, moderate carbonation, fairly dry finish.

D: It's a sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2006 02:01:28 | More by Derek