Yule Shoot Your Eye Out - Karbach Brewing Co.

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.89/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Cap to the end of a busy and crazy weekend, that snowed and freezing rain on and off the entire time, so a nice winter beer sounds good. Thanks to ApostleBrewing for this interesting beer.

Pours a big creamy thick rich almost 2 finger head that forces me to stop pouring, that fades at a med pace with nice layered lacing, over slightly clear dark mahogany brown color with faint hints of maroon light sneaking through.

NOse is explosive, dark brown malts, caramel, molasses, brown sugar, plenty of bready biscuit toasty cookie like bready malts. Big time spices, baking and holiday spices galore, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc etc etc!! Somewhere under that is a bit of cocoa, cocoa powder and a little bit of baking chocolate, and ginger... gingerbread cookie is def nice and strong.

Taste starts with bitter mix, between the spices, light roasty like dark malts, and faint hint of earthy hops. Then into creamy malts, creamy almost lush malts with a light possibly lactose or oats, light milk chocolate, as well as a light caramel and toasty brown malts, and into lots more biscuit and bready brown malts. Of course, big time spices, baking and holiday spices are what mostly dominate this beer, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and more gingerbread cookie. A light bitter dark chocolate and cocoa powder in the back end again, is more of a background thought but nothing big. Bitterness builds as it goes, between the spices and earthy hops both really ramping, and a light tannin flavor. Finish gets quite bitter and tannic, little salty almost astringent bitterness, plenty of lingering spices, little cocoa, brown malts, etc, quite dry too.

Mouth is med bodied, creamy, decent carb, hint of warming booze in the middle.

Overall not bad, an interesting beer overall, a bit too much on the spices and bitterness, especially as it gets tannic salty and a bit astringent on the finish, but otherwise a nice beer, I like the toasty biscuit brown malts, sweet flavors, ginger bread, light cocoa, etc, and a tasty beer overall. If this were barrel aged it would go to a whole other level I think.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 02:09:29 | More by jlindros

superspak

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got this in a trade with icetrauma, thanks man. 22 ounce bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but was bottled recently. Pours fairly clear extremely dark reddish brown color with a nice 2 finger dense light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big caramel, chocolate, toffee, raisin, fig, toast, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, brown sugar, dark bread, light roast, and light herbal. Excellent aromas with great complexity, strength, and balance of malt/spice notes; very inviting. Taste of caramel, chocolate, toffee, raisin, fig, toast, dark bread, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, brown sugar, light roast, and herbal. Light spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, chocolate, dark fruit, toast, toffee, dark bread, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, light roast, and herbal on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice flavor balance, complexity, and robustness; with a great malt/spice balance; and minimal cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a creamy and fairly slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent winter warmer style! Great balance and robustness of flavors and spices; and extremely smooth to sip on. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 05:29:45 | More by superspak

Justin_Neff

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured into CCB Snifter - another one received in recent haul from Azzy

A: Very dark brown, with 1 finger beige head that sits around for a decent amount of time and leaves a very nice ring around the top of the brew. Laces the glass nicely.

S: Very malty smelling. Figs, some vanilla, cocoa, and a dominant smell of cinnamon and black licorice. Very pungent - but smells nice and complex.

T: The taste follows the nose. Malty with some hop bitterness. A little caramel and dark fruity figs, but lots of cinnamon.

M: Good creamy, medium-full body. Perfect amount of carbonation.

O: I had little expectations, and I am pleasantly surprised coming out of the glass. Strong flavors and very complex - overall a good first experience with Karbach.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 01:19:41 | More by Justin_Neff

ronzorelli

Texas

3.03/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I had really high hopes for this one. I really wanted to like it.

When I poured it into a chalice, it looked great. Nice dark amber, almost mahogany color. Looked like a spectacular cold weather brew.

The aromas were underwhelming. The slight punch of hops were there and the sweetness of the malt as well, but not a lot of anything really standing out besides those.

The flavor was mediocre. Not a lot going on. Picked up a weak caramel flavor, and a little honey, but mostly, just standard hops and malt. No real spices or nuances in there.

I would say it's better than anything "big beer" puts out, but there are so many great holiday/fall/winter beers out there. I wouldn't bother with this one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 03:13:32 | More by ronzorelli

BryanCarey

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Karbach Yule Shoot Your Eye Out Winter Warmer is spicy seasonal beer, dark brown in color, and with a nose of nutmeg, clove, chocolate, and various holiday spices. The beer produces a solid head of foam that doesn’t quit and stays with you all the way to the bottom of the glass.

This winter warmer tastes as spicy and complex as the nose leads you to believe- even more so. I get flavors of caramel malt, ginger, orange peel, chocolate, nutmeg, clove, allspice, and other assorted holiday spices. There is some dark roast in there as well, some plum, and some cherries. The flavors come together quite nicely in the finish where they blend in just the right manner to smooth out some of the initial bitterness. The mouthfeel is creamy and you get an aftertaste that is satisfying and dessert- like in many ways.

Complex beers are common during the winter season and this beer from Karbach brewing is certainly a complex brew. I like that I continue to discover more taste sensations with each sip and I even had some fun sharing a bottle with another person and comparing notes.

This dark ale is brewed and sold for only a limited time, so consumers need to seek it out quickly while supplies last. The search will be worthwhile, as this is a complex and warming beer that makes a great choice for a cool winter day.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 03:29:13 | More by BryanCarey

MordorMongo

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Christmas Eve....what better time to break this out with 24 hours of A Christmas Story in background on TBS and getting things all prepped for the kiddo in the morning?

A - Super dark brown, some ruby hues, beautiful thick khaki head, lacing spot on, really a sexy mofo.

S - Roasted malt, a bevy of spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, clove), slight caramel/toffee in there too.

T - Initial blast of smooth roasted malt, mid-palate some dark fruits and spices kick in, caramel, dark cherry, some slight spice but not as dominant here as in the nose. Finish has a nice hoppy dryness which plays well with the roast and dark fruit notes. Some slight smoke intertwines as well.

M - Creamy, carb is spot on, a tad bit less thick than I expected and it appears.

O - Winter warmers are hit and miss with me in general. Spice level is low enough overall here that I find it quite enjoyable. WW's in general seem to be too spice focused where here the emphasis seems more on the roasted malt and dark fruits. I definitely would (and will) bang again...and soon.

If you like Winter Warmers you would be remiss to not track one of these down. If you don't and the issue is they usually are too spice heavy then you may like this bad boy. Also, one of the cooler *theme* I have seen out there. The BA version Fra Gee Lay is up next.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 04:35:19 | More by MordorMongo

HTownGuy85

3.1/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bought a couple of these back in November, had 1 left over.

A - pours a dark tubby brown, decent sized head on it. Leaves plenty of lacing.

S - spices! Can definitely smell them. Malty, very slight hop aroma.

T - spices are well balanced, but nothing special. Not the best Winter Warmee I've had, but definitely not the worst. Malts are prevalent, finishes off with a slight hop flavor.

M - lightly carbonated, little thick. Very smooth.

Overall, I wouldn't seek the brew, but I'd have one if offered. Not very impressed by it.

Serving type: growler

12-22-2012 06:58:57 | More by HTownGuy85

Ford

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Another winner from Karbach.

Very dark brown beer..

The spices are easy to smell.. really good smelling beer.

Caramel is easy to pickup in the taste. I won't lie and say I can pick out all of the individual spices... but man they mix well. This is a super swell beer in my opinion. More complex than Saint Arnold Christmas with a bit more of a bitter finish, though not really that bitter if it makes sense. Probably doesn't, but oh well.

I'll be picking this one up every holiday season. I have a couple of bottes this year. Drinking one and saving another to see how it ages.

Maybe I'll watch A Christmas Story next week with a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2012 01:45:01 | More by Ford

champ103

Texas

4.4/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Queen Vic, Houston TX.

A: Pours a dark ruby brown color/ A two finger beige head forms with excellent retention. Lots of sticky spiderweb looking lace is left behind. This looks great.
S: Toasted malt, chocolate, cinnamon, and spice. Very nice.
T: Oh man, this is great. Big Toasted malts. Chocolate and dark fruits of cherries and plums. Lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. A pine hop bitterness lingers and brings everything together perfectly.
M/D: A medium to full body. So smooth and velvety. Just a treat to drink. A great winter warmer.

This is just awesome. I love it, and maybe the best Karback has to offer. Exactly what I would expect from a Winter Warmer. Very highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2011 01:55:04 | More by champ103

LadyOfMuchBeer

Texas

3.78/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from growler to pint glass. dark brown, clear, no head, moderate visible carbonation.

Smells of holiday spice(nutmeg, clove), caramel, nuts, wood.

Tastes nice and warm with spice. Cinnamon and vanilla dominate, very smokey wood, walnuts

Feels sticky and metallic.

Is a good winter warmer, but doesn't stand out in a crowd.

Serving type: growler

11-26-2011 01:04:21 | More by LadyOfMuchBeer

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Petrol Station in Houston.

The beer pours a dark brown color with an off-white head. The aroma is full of Christmas spices, with quite a bit of cinnamon and some caramel and toffee malt. The aroma is very spicy overall and also has a little bit of alcohol mixed in.

The flavor follows suit. I get a lot of cinnamon and caramel malt, as well as a little bit of nutmeg. There is also some nice raisin notes in the flavor, as well as some other dark fruit such as cherries. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2011 02:53:37 | More by Mora2000