Kulmbacher Reichelbrau Eisbock - Kulmbacher Brauerei AG

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

On tap served into a snifter.

The beer comes to me with a small off white head and a dark body with amber highlights.

Smells like a malt bombbb. Dark fruits like crazy. Raisins.

More raisiny dark fruit malt character on the taste. The alcohol is there but fairly tame and warming.

This is smooth with a medium-full body. It has a subtle carbonation that massages your tongue.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2013 04:10:35 | More by MattSweatshirt

merc7186

New York

4.11/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Crabapples in Cheektowaga NY, poured into a pint glass.

A: Dark Reddish, Brownish Hue, Passes Mild Light, Off White Head, Some Lacing

S: Sweet Bread, Cherries, Plums, Mild Boozy

T: Sweet Bread, Cherry, Plum, Mild Apple

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Sweet, Mildly Boozy

Overall, a pretty solid eisbock with great balance of fruit flavors with a mild booziness to it but nothing drastic, solid.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2013 20:43:16 | More by merc7186

scar

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I am a beer expert. That being said, this is the beer I judge all beers against because it is simply the best beer I have ever had.

I had it on tap in 2006 during the world cup in Sachenhausen Frankfurt at a pub that only served this beer. The tap sign had an snowman on it labeled 24%, which is the starting Plato.

Appearance in a half liter mug, tan head, really a thick lather that didn't dissipate. The color was a little darker than cola. Sticky lace.

The smell and taste of this beer can't be separated. Molasses, chocolate, booze, burnt dark fruits/burnt marshmallow, licorice, and an insane hammer of Munich malt maltiness. The heat is nice and not overpowering. Smooth and truly remarkable especially since this beer is only made with malt.

Mouthfeel, Sticky like a big porter, but not as thick as a barleywine. The malty sugar actually makes your lips sticky.

Germany has been going through a beer de-evolution, however not in this case. The Kulmbach brewers hit this ball out of the atmosphere in every way. This beer was the best thing I have ever drank and edged out a Robert Mondavi Cab worth over $300, and 30 year old Highland Park which are my second and third respectively. I often fantasize about taking a trip to Germany just for this beverage because for my taste buds this beer was rapturous and cathartic.

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2012 01:46:18 | More by scar

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Probably shouldnt have ordered a liter stein, but whatever.

Pour is pitch black with a full inch head. Huge for the ABV, but given the volume, its understandable.

The smell is laden with a sweet candied dark fruit booze. Its sweet and boozy.

The taste started all boozy at first, but as it warmed, the vanilla came out. I really liked how warm it tasted almost Barrel-Aged. Very malty, but still had some punch of non-sweet flavors.

Overall, still boozy and rough, but in the most glorious way possible.

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2012 02:17:20 | More by VncentLIFE

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Rich, dark copper body. Doppelbock brown with a very creamy thin head.

S - Lots and lots of rich malt sweetness and dark candied sugars. A medley of fruit aromas as well.

T - A deep, well balanced malt profile with a richness and sweetness to it, with a bitter bite. Maybe some hop bitterness to even help tame the malt flavors. A dry alcohol taste works its way in followed by fruit skin and some tasty yeast. Mildly spiced and fruity.

M - A complex brew, full bodied and sturdy in its flavor. The abc is found nicely through the glass.

O - Full flavored and delicious, as an eisbock should be.

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2012 21:51:19 | More by BeerForMuscle

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap 11/27/2011 at Doherty’s East Ave Irish Pub, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a dark reddish brown color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains dark fruit, brown sugar, caramelized malts and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out very sweet with flavors of brown sugar, caramel and dark fruit. The malt character is hearty and the hops presence is mild, but there’s a good balance considering the heavy sweetness. There’s also no trace of the high ABV unlike most Eisbocks. The after-taste is sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down dangerously easily, not too filling, strong kick, good representation of style, this is a nice strong beer to drink for a while if you like the heavy sweetness.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2011 21:40:47 | More by TheManiacalOne

mdfb79

New York

3.63/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

From 08/03/11 notes. Had on tap at Rustico in Ballston. Last glass of the keg poured into a tulip.

a - Pours a deep brown color with a reddish tint, one inch of light tan head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of bready malts, fruit, carmael malts, light alcohol.

t - Tastes of bready malts, caramel malts, fruity malts, and some lightly musty notes.

m - Medium body and low carbonation, very smooth and creamy body. Very nice.

o - Overall a decent beer. Not my favorite, but a really nice mouthfeel and pretty easy to drink. Woudl give another shot.

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2011 19:29:18 | More by mdfb79

taigor

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into snifter glass.

A - Poured dark amber, almost black non-transparent color with medium head that quickly dissipated leaving significant lacing around the glass.

S - Mostly malts with dark fruits and nuts present as well. Overall, very nice winter scent.

T - Very malty with sweetness coming from brown sugar, raisins and other dark fruits.

M - Full bodied with average carbonation.

O - Very enjoyable. ABV is high but well hidden. I would recommend it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2011 20:41:04 | More by taigor

metter98

New York

4.05/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is very dark amber in color and has an off white head.
S: There are light aromas of malts in the nose along with some hints of raisins.
T: The overall taste is quite malty and like the nose has notes of raisins in the flavors.
M: It feels full-bodied and thick on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. The beer coats your mouth.
D: Although the beer definitely tastes strong, the alcohol is well masked.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2011 01:52:19 | More by metter98

wgkealey

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had this on Tap at Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia 1/31/11.

This beer pours a dark smooth brown, almost black with a healthy head. The smell isn't strong, but pleasant. The taste and the mouth feel are where this beer shines. It's pretty malty, but the flavors are also pretty full and disguise the 9.2 ABV quite well. This is an excellent winter beer, very drinkable, and a nice introduction to ice bocks.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2011 17:25:40 | More by wgkealey

afksports

New York

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is a surprise beer. Happy me! On tap at Washington Commons in Prospect Heights Brooklyn.

It looks red with fantastic head to start that fades to a minimum of lacing. The nose is big - big in fruit, big on booze, big in general. Very sweet taste, with sweet fruits present - almost a tropical presence with the dark fruit standard.

I surprisingly dig this one. A full body drinker, this one should be made a winter seasonal, but I'll be happy to find it any time of year.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2011 05:11:55 | More by afksports

aerozeppl

New York

4.3/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Deep reddish color with quite a bit of brown head that quickly dissipated.

S: Nice phenols. Tons of dark fruit. Plums, raisins, little bit of booze. Nice amount of malt.

T: Malty up front. Dark fruit raisins. Got a little bit of port probably a touch oxidized. Mustiness.

M: Nice full body with a creamy mouthfeel.

D: A really nice enjoyable sipper. Classic example of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2010 13:02:41 | More by aerozeppl

EtOHMD

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap at the other side. Pours beautifully dark black in the middle with dark but clear edges with hint of red. Nice white frothy head. Sweet fruity smell with cherries, figs. Taste follows but also with chocolate hints. Alcohol comes through on the back end with nice bite. Thin feel with mild carbonation. Great for one, bit too sweet and strong for more than that.

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2010 20:30:29 | More by EtOHMD

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a tall thin tulip, not quite a tulip but not quite a flute.

A: In the dark room, this beer looks like an almost opaque black, but upon further review, this beer is actually a rich ruby brown color...almost looks like non-carbonated Coca-Cola. As the level in the glass drops, this analogy becomes more and more true. Upon the completion of the pour, this beer displays a beautiful creamy thick head that reaches a full inch in height.

S: The first aroma that strikes me is a peat malt-like aroma of caramel and scotch. The scotch and caramel are sticky, and they give way to dark fruit aromas of dates.

T: The scotchy notes from the aroma dominate the front of the flavor profile. They are accompanied in lesser strengths by dates and even raisiny esters. There is some bitter chocolate in there as well. While the flavor profile of this beer is not overly complex, the intensity of the flavors really make this a great drink.

M/D: Creamy and kind of heavy, but not a beer that I would characterize as "thick" per se. The beer has a nice malty sweetness in the finish, but it isn't too sweet, and as mentioned before, nor is it too complex. This is a beer with little nuance but a ton of character. This is a very enjoyable beer, and good enough to drink more than one at a time.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2010 21:15:00 | More by NittanyBeerFan

david18

New York

3.85/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

this may be my first Eisbock I've had and i really liked it. Very good color and aroma, plenty of balance to make the alcohol standable, interesting aroma and a very good and interesting dry and bitter flavor. I will definitely get this again as soon as I see it. .

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2010 23:42:32 | More by david18

homebrew311

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: dark brown with red highlights, no head, mild lacing

S: the smell was muted at first, but as it opened up, I got lots of sweet molasses, toffee, and raisins with a noticeable alcohol presence

T: just like the nose but more intense, pretty sweet all around with raisins and molasses, decent balance for the style, finishes sweet but not cloying

MF: slightly sticky with mild carbonation

D: loses points for sweetness, but overall the abv is well hidden and it has a nice flavor

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2009 02:55:37 | More by homebrew311

Travlr

District of Columbia

3.88/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Maroon color, see-through, with a tiny bubble head that sticks to the edges. No lacing to speak of.
S: Aroma of maple syrup and nutmeg.
T: Sweet maltiness, somewhat on the syrupy side.
M: Medium body, average I suppose for the style.
D: Nice enough if you like the style, not really my taste.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2009 13:48:47 | More by Travlr

drabmuh

Maryland

4.58/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

YES! An Eisbock on draft, one of the world's greatest things.

Had this great beer on draft at a beer bar in Baltimore. Beer is dark brown but still clear, can see through it. Forms a white head that leaves a lot of lacing on the glass. Carbonation is low to moderate.

Beer smells sweet, malt bomb. Totally. This aroma is dominated by the sweetness. There isn't much else that I can draw from it, 100% malt.

This beer is a dream. You would never guess the alcohol by drinking it. I can feel my mind shutting off. Beer is smooth, sweet up front, full bodied, no solvents, no aftertaste, drinkability amazingly high.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2009 19:12:42 | More by drabmuh

DeepSix

Maryland

3.88/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this at Max's for their German Beer Fest. A light brown color as it pours. A half a finger head, and some decent lacing.

Some sweetness and dark fruity malt on the nose, with a hint of alcohol.

The same in the taste, but somehow the alcohol isn't noticeable... Didn't detect any hops here. A light-medium mouthfeel, lighter then I thought it would be, syrupy to a degree.

Pretty good pick here, this being the first time I've had an eisbock, so I didn't know what to expect. I didn't feel the ABV though. You might wanna wanna watch out with this beer, with 9.2 it could creep up on you and kick your ass.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2008 00:54:37 | More by DeepSix

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Goodbar in Buffalo. They have an insane draft selection!

Pours a clear tawny brown/red, very rich looking, small off white head, some lace spots, leaves a solid ring. Smell is malty as hell, dark fruits, alcohol, dates/figs, light roast, very nice and complex. Taste is very malty too, toffee and dates, raisins, fruity finish, light roasted malt and alcohol. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation, warms on the way done but very smooth. Very nice, drinkable eisbock that tastes great and hits hard, definate winter sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2007 21:41:44 | More by Viggo

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.28/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at Max's today.

The beer pours a dark cola brown color, with a hint of orange. The beer has very nice head retentention and very good lacing. The nose really comes across with cola and rootbeer, with a hint of vanilla. Not the least bit overdone and quite impressive. On the palate the beer is very rich and sweet, with lots of chocolate, vanilla and cola. The combination works very well, as the beer is just delicious. The beer has a fluffy smoothness, with a plush mouthfeel. I've had this beer on a number occasions, but today's version is just excellent. The abv. is well disguised, and hence the beer seems very, very drinkable. I was tempted to order another, but one more of these and it would time to park the car and call a cab. Excellent beer. What a treat.

Serving type: on-tap

06-02-2007 22:34:27 | More by johnmichaelsen

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A snifter glass served at Capone's.

A: The eisbock is a dark brown/black murky beer, impossible to see through with the color and the sediment. Head is neglibile at best.

S: The nose is yeasty, thick with dark alefruits and an intense alcohol presence. Syrupy sweetness and molasses bitterness round out the nose.

T: The first sip reveals both strong alcohol and dark fruit sweetness. Raisins and figs dominate the body, providing a dark sweetness that coats the entire mouth. Some ester and yeast flavors round out the mouth, providing a strong finish to the beer. The mouth, while bretraying a big alcohol body, is not dominated by it.

M: A surprisingly easy drink for a beer of this strength. The dark fruit flavors are pleasing.

D: At 9.2%, this is a sippin' beer. Any more and you are courting trouble. Enjoy those sips though, they are good.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2007 01:03:07 | More by akorsak

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sampled on-tap at Redbones.

This eisbock poured a clear, deep garnet color with creamy, light brown foam that persisted, clinged, coated, and left lace on the glass. The smell was malty with a hint of cocoa and a distinct Munich malt aroma. The taste was malty and lightly sweet, with some Munich malt fruitiness, moderate hoppiness, and a taste of alcohol in the finish. The mouthfeel was very, very smooth with medium-full body and modest carbonation. This beer was warming, and had a light sweetness in the finish and aftertaste. This was an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2006 19:52:50 | More by UncleJimbo

MuddyFeet

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served with my dinner at Redbones on November 10.

Poured a dark brown with some ruby tints poking through the edges. Slight filmy head. Bits of stringy lace around the glass.

Nose was dark and sweet with hints of earthy malts and sugars.

Flavor was very interesting. Syrupy toffee tones with some earthy hazelnut flavors. Behind it all was a sugary sweetness. Raisins and dark grapes. Picked out some malasses too. Kind of reminds me of a fruity red wine. Alcohol was a bit noticeable and rather warming.

Mouthfeel is heavy, thick and syrupy. Very full bodied and while not cloying it was kind of clingy. Great beer for a chilly night.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2005 21:35:17 | More by MuddyFeet

clvand0

Kentucky

4.43/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at Rich-O's Public House. Pours a brown color with a small head that leaves some lacing on the glass. The aroma smelled just like hot wort. Sweet and sticky with some dark fruit. The flavor didn't match what I'm used to with an Eisbock. Very smooth and enjoyable, even slightly mild. Nice flavors of dark fruits with a bready feel. Finishes smooth with a slight bitter bite. Body is just right on this one and the drinkability is very good for having 9.2% abv.

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2005 23:23:32 | More by clvand0