EisPhyre - Capital Brewery

emerge077

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Eisphyre pours a semi-transparent garnet, with one finger of foam that settles to a bubbly skim with some lacing. Mainly a mild caramel malt in the nose.

First quality that's noticeable is it's strength, but not in a bad way. This is a big damn beer, not one to be taken lightly. Silky mouthfeel, the alcohol is present, but well integrated. This tops the Autumnal Fire, by it's sheer power, moreso than by taste.

Taste is caramel malt, fruity in the first sip, but not after that. A bit of grainy hops. Not really any roastiness, or subtlety. It gets points for hiding the alcohol though.

One 12 oz. was enough for me, going to put the other one in the cellar for awhile...

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2006 01:29:57 | More by emerge077

bluemoonswoon

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, poured into a Goose Island pint glass.

A: Bright and dark, ambery orange. Clear as day and topped with a loose and frothy sandy white head.

S: Smells more like a dopplebock than an eisbock. Tons and tons of sweet malt, apples, pears and caramel.

T/MF: About as malty as the nose would indicate. Thick rows of caramel, apple, pear and light touches of caramel. Feel is substantially less than nearly 10% would indicate. Really a well crafted beer in that respect in that there is nearly no indication of the amount of alcohol in this beer.

D: Not a bad beer. A solid lager, well hidden alcoholic content and a good introduction back to the eisbock after my last one from about two years ago.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2010 03:12:47 | More by bluemoonswoon

badbeer

Iowa

3.7/5  rDev -10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Very dark and beautiful amber color, with a white head that left very nice lacing. Smell is of burnt caramel, dark fruit, and a bit of toffee. Taste was similar to the smell, but not as good. Nice, thick mouthfeel, medium carbonation and medium bodied. Pretty good, and certainly worth a try. I'll see what some age does to my remaining bottles.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2006 20:43:02 | More by badbeer

pmarlowe

California

3.7/5  rDev -10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle to tulip glass.

Pours clear, light amber with a half finger of stone colored head, good retention and some lacing. Really love the color. Smells like raisin, malts, caramel, and some red dried fruit and spice. Taste is bready and caramel malt, off dry and a tad flabby, with a slightly bitter finish. Medium body, medium-light carbonation. The alcohol is quite well hidden. Overall, a pretty good beer, though not something I really find myself wanting to drink a lot of.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 04:27:36 | More by pmarlowe

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.7/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got this one many moons ago from a trader I can no longer remember. If it was you, cheers for the brews!

From a bottle into a snifter

APPEARANCE: Pours a small, fizzy, off-white head with lousy retention. Head fades quickly to a ring only. A slightly hazy maroon red in color with no carbonation evident. A very slight ring remains, but it looks relatively flat by the end.

SMELL: Caramel, toffee, and lots of sugary aromas, especially brown sugar. A hint of red fruits as well. A light alcohol scent as well.

TASTE: Caramel, toffee and some nice red fruits up front. Lots of berries and malty, sugary sweetness. Bold and lingering finish of sweet candy, red fruits, some light, bitter hop notes and a touch of alcohol. Flavorful stuff, and quite sweet.

PALATE: Medium-full body and medium carbonation. Creamy smooth on the palate, goes down fine and finishes slightly mouth-coating. A bit of heat lingers on the palate.

OVERALL: This was a solid brew. More of a doppelbock than an Eisbock, as it really wasn't as boozy as most eisbocks might be, but that is beside the point. Flavorful, interesting and enjoyable, I'd recommend this to anyone. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 19:56:07 | More by Jeffo

wcudwight

North Carolina

3.83/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to jj21.
Mixture of amber and tawny red in color. Nice thick lasting head that is butter colored. Sticky lace in spots.
Huge malty aroma with hint of alcohol. This is one big beer. I'm not sure of the age but there seems to be a hint of oxidation in the aroma. This doesn't detract from it though.
Big sweet and caramel malt flavors. Lot's of fruitness. Grapes, rasins, dates, figs, just a hint of green apple. Alcohol is quite noticable but not overbearing. Alcohol lingers in the finish and becomes more intense as the beer warms.
Nice thick rich mouthfeel.
This is a good beer. I like it. After awhile though, it becomes a bit too big for my britches.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2009 01:37:45 | More by wcudwight

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This poured out pretty thick looking and a deep amber color. The head was thin and didn't last very long. The lacing very minimal. The smell of the beer was a little boozy with some sweetness on the nose also. The taste was sweet and a little earthy, the flavors of dark fruits popped in and mixed well with the malt. The mouthfeel isn't as thick as it looked with it was being poured out. This beer still has a solid body to it and is rather smooth. Overall I can't this was my favorite Eisbock but I did enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 00:35:15 | More by Knapp85

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I love that there's a relatively local brewery specializing in doppelbocks. Okay, so this one's not a doppelbock, but it was before they froze it. Bottled 18 Jan 2011, but this is a beer I'd expect to hold up over that time.

Pours a very coppery dark amber, clear despite the dark color. Even an aggressive pour can only coax a thin layer of foam out of it, and that's quickly gone. Nice lacing, though.

Smell is sweet and spicy. Loads of dark fruit (dates), coated in brown sugar, and topped with some chopped hazelnuts, a dollop of alcohol, and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Has that rich sweetness I expect from a doppelbock, just jacked up a little higher. There's a lot going on here, and I like it.

Taste is nuttier and less sweet, with the alcohol even more prominent. Starts out with some of the same malty character, but I don't get the brown sugar, and what fruit there is quickly gives way to a drying slightly bitter alcohol taste.

Medium-bodied, less sticky than I expected. A little on the flat side, though a nice wave of carbonation sweeps through late. Finish is surprisingly dry - perhaps the driest beer I've had at this high ABV.

Smell carries this beer a long way for me, but the flavor just isn't what I want it to be. I want more of the sugary, fruity sweetness to show up when the beer hits my mouth.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 02:08:54 | More by zeledonia

hopsaplenty

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz brown bottle, 1456 07 inkjetted on the bottle just above the front label, and I’m not sure if this a date code or something else.

Deep, sparkling coppered amber. Quick fading short, fizzy loose head of soft tan bubbles leaves no lace and just a thin dusting of . A handful of slow shooting carbonation streams are visible. Aromas of toasted malt, spicy dark fruit, mincemeat, and a nudge of alcohol are obvious. A medium-full body filled with toasted malt and a healthy dose of spiced dark fruits, plums and raisins, finishes with a full load of spicy hops melded around a slightly medicinal alcohol edge. The finish is long on the alcohol while being slightly dry. This is amply hopped which compliments the initial fruit sweetness. Starting on the sweet side and finishing dry and crisp. The carbonation is minimal, and it has a sandy-oily mouthfeel. Easily drinkable, and not as full bodied or slick as other eisbocks, but still nice.

Thanks to Stonecrusher for the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2006 13:51:44 | More by hopsaplenty

swizzlenuts

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer is poured a deep copper/ruby colour with a nice off white head. The nose is filled with a bready maltiness. It's pretty standard. The flavour of the beer has more caramel than I'd expect. There is a great maltiness, but the beer is a bit too thin compared to what I'd way. The one problem I have with Capital lagers is that their lager character isn't very clean. It really bugs me. The flavour is good, but it just seems like it's missing the HUGE maltiness like most doppelbocks.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2009 03:36:24 | More by swizzlenuts

alcstradamus

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Absolutely stunning crystal clear, deep red color with a billowing three fingers of head that leaves some lacing behind.

Smell is floral hops, sweet caramel malts, a mild alcohol burn, some grape skin, and perhaps even a bit of spiciness.

The taste is crisp, clean, and smooth. There is a bit of a sharp bitterness and some pine resin, but it is balanced very well by a mildly sweet malt profile. Clove, apple skin, and spices round out a subtly complex yet flavorful brew.

Medium bodied with lots of carbonation, this one is definitely a sipper and a pretty solid one at that. Perhaps a few months to mellow out the tiny bit of rubbing alcohol heat will really make this one a keeper.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2009 02:46:42 | More by alcstradamus

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz provided over the weekend by my buddy Ditmier... Thanks Eric.... I've been wanting to try the new vintage for a long time.

Pours clear orange/brown with a lite yellow head... doesn't stick around too long as expected.

Nose is fairly malty (but not as much as my mind's nostrils remember).. a bit bready with some caramel and hints of vanilla.

Flavor is about where such a big boned lager should be.. rich maltiness with an adequate toasty element.. lite caramel and only bits and pieces of some cocoa.. a bit of booze shows but isn't distracting at all .. I don't have a whole lot else to say.. very clean.. maybe some plum and fig. Body seems a tad thin from the EtOH and the carbonation seems a little too high.

Very nice take on a tough style to get right.... I would love a case of these.. hint hint hint.

Thanks again Eric.. I appreciate you holding this for me.

4/3.5/4/3.5/4

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2010 08:16:32 | More by JohnGalt1

ZAP

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours an impressive deep amber...incredible nose of sweet vanilla, toffee, caramel, and sweet berries.

Taste nowhere close to being as impressive as the aroma. Malty but not richly sweet....a little sweet berry flavor...mild vanilla and toffee and a good hit of alcohol...

Body is on the light side of full...realitvely creamy and smooth and the alcohol contributes a tight spiciness on the finish.

Overall I expected great things after smelling this but am slightly let down....it's decent enough but not the special beer the nose led me to expect...

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2006 04:49:23 | More by ZAP

beertooth

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to acme for giving me this three year old bottle. I poured it into a small snifter.

A very nice faded amber colored body with a thin collar of off white head. There is some spotty lacing as well.

The nose consists of burnt sugar, very sweet caramel malts, vanilla, there's also a tiny hit of dried cherry, raisins, and prunes. It doesn't smell dusty or oxidized at all which is awesome for a three year old bottle with a twist off cap.

The first sip gives me a huge caramel hit, burnt sugar or molasses. Some vanilla sneaks in along with prunes, dates, and other dried fruits and some bitter burnt malt. There is no trace of the avb% and it's not as cloying as I thought it would be from the nose. Pretty tasty stuff, although now that it's warming up I can detect some alcohol and dustiness.

Mouthfeel is rich and full with medium to low carbonation.

This is an extremely tasty beer, but the alcohol is catching up to me fast. I'll be nursing this bottle for the next couple of hours and then call it a night.

Thanks again, Aaron!

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2009 03:21:04 | More by beertooth

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle, thanks to grub for sharing.

Pours a mostly clear burnished red/amber, some bright orange highlights, does have a fire look to it, medium sized off white head forms and settles down to a thin ring around the glass and a thin layer, tons of lace spots stick around the glass.

Smell is nice, very sweet and malty, big toffee/caramel, biscuit, a bit of sweat sock, lots of dark fruit, bready, figs and raisins, a touch of booze, sherry, vanilla and wood, cognac, very intense aroma, but still quite clean.

Taste is similar, very malty, caramel, lots of biscuity malt, raisins and figs, quite fruity and boozy, mix of cognac and sherry, lightly woody, vanilla, sharp and minerally in the finish but still balanced, really lingers.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation, a bit of heat going down. A pretty nice bock. Thanks Russ!

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 23:23:41 | More by Viggo

hellcatsjg

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to JJ21 for the trade!

Appearance: Deep dark amber and very cloudy. You get a finger of tan head that quickly drops to a thin layer that sticks around for about half the glass.

Smell: Spicy and slightly sweet with a good malty smell mixed in.

Taste: Starts with a nice sweet malty flavor that gives way to the spiciness that was present in the nose. Nice flavor but not as bold as I would like, especially given the 11%.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and a bit syrupy. Pretty much what I expected if not slightly light.

Drinkability: Good beer that feels lighter than it's 11% ABV. Worth a try but not the best Eisbock out there. Needs a bit fuller taste and character but definitely good.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2008 02:02:48 | More by hellcatsjg

Mdog

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Red-amber, good head.

Smell: Very bready.

Taste: Bready, toffee, then some tart fruit flavors.

Drinkability: A nice malty beer for winter.

I wanted to try this when it came out a few years ago, but I don't think it made it close to the Twin Cities. It's a pretty good beer, nothing too outstanding, but worth a try. Not as complex as some other eisbocks I've had.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 18:23:33 | More by Mdog

matjack85

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I found this single 12oz brown bottle at the Binny's store in Glen Ellyn, IL for $3.29, so not a cheap beer. That comes to almost $20 a six pack if bought separately. No freshness date.

The beer poured a nearly clear bronze color, but only produced a ½-finger of light tan head that dissipated quickly and left no lacing at all.

Concentrated malt smell along with brown sugar and molasses.

This stuff is malty to the max. Roasted, almost burnt malt flavor, caramel, hard candy sugar, sweet brown sugar, dark fruits, and a good dose of alcohol make up the flavor profile. No hop flavor or bitterness at all.

This is thick and full bodied with medium carbonation.

I guess it fits the profile for an eisbock, but this being my first one, I have nothing to compare it to yet. Definitely a sipper to be enjoyed slowly and savored.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 04:29:50 | More by matjack85

shbobdb

Indiana

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Doing a side-by-side with Autumnal fire.

The first major difference is actually the head. It is darker and it lasts far longer than Autumnal Fire's. It also seems more carbonated. The color, however, is the same.

The taste is much richer. The chocolate is much more noticable, while the darker fruits so prominent in Autumnal Fire take a backseat.

The mouthfeel is also sticker. Rounder. This may be due to the inceased carbonation, I can't be sure.

Drinkability . . . it's good. However, it is a pinch too warm to really let me drink it without thinking. A good take on the Eisbock style. Again, it pales compared to the German offerings, which is sad since Capital has proven itself able to brew on par with the Germans.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2006 22:13:02 | More by shbobdb

joe1510

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle

This is yet another beer that hoppymeal managed to knock off my "wants" list, thanks Derek! Eisphyre is a dense liquid with the rusty tones of an apple cider. The body glows ruby when backlit and shows there's a little haziness throughout. A somewhat aggressive pour yields a finger's worth of yellowed head that fades to a swirling with a thick collar. The collar is small but leaves behind some impressive drink lines after each sip.

The nose shows a lot of fruit with a big bold caramel background. Cherries, plums, dried pineapple, slightly under ripe peppery banana and a random mix of other fruits make the nose big and complex. Caramel and honey is big and bad offering up big sweetness to the aroma but a fairly clean somewhat fruity alcohol cuts the sweetness to keep it in line. When this beer nears room temperature it picks up a clean raw graininess.

The flavor brings even deeper complexities than the aroma suggested. The clean graininess is the first thing to pop on the tongue before the big caramel sweetness takes over. The concentrated caramel maltiness leads the way front to back while all the fruit mentioned in the aroma show up one after the other. The cherry sweetness makes the biggest impact of the bunch.

The carbonation is lively enough to create and airy feel on the tip of the tongue but quickly fades out and lets the oozingly thick body coat the tongue. The swallow brings clean alcohol that seems to cut through some of the sweetness and makes for a nice body.

For the sheer size and density of this beer the drinkability is good. The sweetness could be a little much if venturing beyond one bottle but never catches up with only one.

This beer has been on my "wants" list since day one and I finally got the chance to give it a go. The sweetness is big but the fruitiness and depth more then make up for it. Thanks for the bottle Derek!

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2008 04:04:29 | More by joe1510

seeswo

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from end 2009, early 2010 (aged around 1 year). Pours a medium reddish brown color with limited head. Oddly enough, I get big banana, along with other dark fruits, caramel, etc. Smells great. Flavor is huge Autumnal Fire, for sure. Big, aggressive malty doppelbock flavor. Tastes like the biggest doppelbock you have ever had. Surprisingly, the tiniest bit of hops poke through the whole process and help somewhat balance out the big sweetness. Carbonation still comes through in the body with a surprisingly reserved sugary mouthfeel (I.e., not as thick as I expected, possibly in a good way). I wouldn't call the beer super drinkable. It is an enjoyable sipper, that is great, but is missing something to be elite.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 05:49:53 | More by seeswo

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a snifter)

A- This beer has a golden oak brown body that is clear with a strong carbonation of tiny bubbles. The thick mousse head is off-white and last and last.

S- The sweet light toasted malt smell is rich and powerful with a fresh malt and light honey note. As it warms it really shows of the complexity with a faint biscuit malt note that is note to strong.

T- The taste of slightly dry caramel malt has a faint sweetness afterwards followed by a bitter hop bite in the finish. It is note as complex as the smell was but it has good flavor none the less.

M- The medium full mouthfeel has a slight creamy texture to it.

D- The smell is wonderfully complex with a light almost thin taste that could use more flavor or complexity.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2006 03:05:11 | More by rhoadsrage

oakbluff

Manitoba (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a crystal clear garnite hue with a slightly off white head and fine lacing. Nose- sweet breads and dark fruit. Taste- very delicate flavours, malt is nutty and sweet. No initial alcohol heat detectable until it slides down the throat. Some hop bitterness on the finish. Thinner bodied than expected with lower carbonation. A great sipper for christmas and dangerously drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2009 23:38:22 | More by oakbluff

drizzam

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - A clear reddish orange body topped by a one finger beige head. The head quickly dissipated with a crackly snapping sound, akin to soda head dissipating. Not very good head retention, but at this ABV it wasn't really expected.

S - Sweet caramel malt, buttery toffee notes and bread in the nose. Not overly aromatic, but smells tasty. Smells like a Bock.

T & M - Caramel malt leads the way, followed by some dark fruit and a bit of some unrecognizable spice. Seems a bit shy of medium bodied and the carbonation is very recognizable. I thought with the relatively high ABV, that the alcohol would be more pronounced, but it seems pretty well hidden in my opinion. This almost reminds me of a fine wine.

D - A very nice Bock. I have some fabulous friends, for sharing this with me. Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 04:12:29 | More by drizzam

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Split with BeerFMAndy.

Pours a tawny brown hue with a light beige head. The head rise amybe a half in a leaves just a smattering of lace.

The aroma has a great sweet malty funk going on. Toffee, apples, candied dark fruit and a hint of roasted nuts. Traces of booze can be picked out as well.

The flavor sweet roast malt is the dominant force in this beer. Caramel, sugary dark fruits, tart cherries, and a trace of nutiness are all present after some warming. The booze comes out at this point too. Although not too heavy.

Medium body with very light carbonation.

Overall a pretty good beer. Life changing? No. Would I drink it again? Yes.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2009 19:10:33 | More by beerwolf77