Ramstein Winter Wheat Eisbock - High Point Brewing Company

rtepiak

Poland

4.47/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

holy shit suprise. The first of its kind to have such definition. It may be that my palate has been excericed by two bottles of jolly pumpkin but this beer has so much dimensions its unbelievable. Pour is a deduced hef. Head isn't as big... Doesn't last as long. Nose is a mess of things... Toast, smoke, molasses, and earthy minerals in a lace of digestive notes. Licorice and banana equally fused. Palate is rich and lean and a touch of dough. A molasses hef. And astringent notes of mineral and acidic fruit hints. Dark fruit tart. Black berry and dry maple syrup. Bread finish of banana. Too dry to be associated to banana bread. Too roasted yet it still has a lot of carbonation. Its a big brew. With a lot of undertones. The best american eisbock i've had. Wheat rich... But not dominating.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2011 05:43:14 | More by rtepiak

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap @ Al's of Hampden -served chilled in a cervoise.

The color is black, or as close to it as it gets with a very dark brown color at the base of the glass with a ring of light beige at the top for cream. The beading is pin sized with silly string stickage of lace. the smell is great, a plethora of aromas including deep ripe banana and slight stonefruit with a light accent of wheat sweetness and some yeast esters that are hard to put into words just toffee-like aromas from the malt w/ a pretty high alcohol aroma. The Eisbock is highly carbonated w/ moderately full body w/ slightly sweet/creamy texture with slight spice and biscuit toasted texture w/ a very very dry finish. Alcohol presence is mild in the overall feel w/ light tanginess of yeast in the semi-sweet finish.

The taste is fruity and earthy w/ some mild toasted grain and vegetal notes with a lot of wheat cereral-like flavorsfrom the dark wheat and mild fruity almost prune-like element with a light date and dark brown sugar quality. The eisbock finishes with a warming dry finish. A pretty high drinkability score for an 11% beer, but is is not to be taken lightly. The Eisbock has a smooth quality that makes you forget about how strong it is until halfway through, not one I recommend having more than 1 of. I sipped on this for a while, a pretty good example of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2011 14:28:08 | More by Slatetank

donniecuffs

New Jersey

4.85/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Ok, since I am lazy, I'll just direct you to please read my (glowing) review of Ramstein Winter Wheat...then multiply that times ten. Despite pouring with very little head, modest retention, and decent lace, if you close your eyes, the aroma of dark chocolate mixed with modest alcohol essence will have you thinking that you're smelling a Russian Imp Stout. The taste also revealed hints of dark fruit and caramel, but the chocolate and roastiness dominates, and the finish on this beer I found to be slightly dryer than the Winter Wheat. Again, the alcohol is definitely more noticeable in this offering (and expectedly so), but it blends well with the dark fruit/chocolate/malty balance. Thick and smooth on the palate. Once again, another dangerously drinkable offering by this brewery. Give someone your car keys when drinking this.

Serving type: on-tap

07-22-2010 01:18:45 | More by donniecuffs

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-Tap

A- RWWI is quite dark having a black look but is more of a very deep brown. Did not get any head or foam to speak so no lace as well.

S- Takes a while to open up. Smells of chocolate, ripe banana, dark malts. A whole bunch of wheat as well and some alcohol. Some cherry with warming.

T- Tastes like an eisbock with malts upon malts giving off a huge sweetness, No hops getting in the way. Chocolate and some cherry make a nice combination. A nice amount of wheat from the base beer. Some alcohol in this 11.5%er, well I kind of saw that coming.

M- Sweet and a bit boozy. The feel on RWWI is full and just grabs your attention. No bitterness at all. Very smooth actually with improvement as it warms.

D- Well the verdict is out and this stuff is top-notch. 11.5% is nothing to take lightly but barkeep, can I get another? Dangerously drinkable, I will look forward to having this treat whenever possible.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2009 05:23:21 | More by onix1agr

MusicaleMike

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I got the rare opportunity to try this beer on tap. This is one of those beers which doesn't hold any sort of street cred, but can stand against some of the great beers of the world. Before tonight, I had never heard of this beer. I hope that some day I get to try it again, preferably during winter.

A: The color is black with ruby red highlights one the bottom of the glass. It could be seen, in better light I suppose, as a deep brown. The brown head does not stay very well at all and eventually dissolves to nothing.

S: The nose on this beer is absolutely delicious. The predominant smell is an almost overwhelming strawberry-banana aroma. Seriously. This is the same smell as all those strawberry-banana treats out there. Other noticeable smells include figs and peat. No hop aroma, which is appropriate for the style.

T: The taste is very good. Very similar to some Belgium beers that I have had. I get this nice balance of banana flavor, which sits right on the tongue and up front, and a smokey tobacco flavor which accompanies the drinker to the finish. I think it is a wonderful combination. I have never had a "tobacco" flavor be so pronounced in a beer before and now I really understand that characteristic. It is not "smokey" but more like that cigarette smell. It's good, shut up.

M: The mouthfeel is full-bodied and incredibly smooth. No alcohol present. This makes this beer very palatable. Honestly couldn't be better.

D: This beer rates "exceptional" for this category because the aroma and taste are both so interesting and the alcohol, though 11.5%, is almost absent. SO drinkable. Couldn't be better.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2008 04:56:07 | More by MusicaleMike

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very dark brown with a thin skim of tan foam. Not much in the way of lacing, but that's to be expected. Malty, caramelized sugar aroma with some dried fruit and vanilla notes. Toffee flavour up front with some raisin and alcohol, light chocolate and vanilla. Alcohol showed up towards the end and there was a hint of smoke present. Full bodied with low carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel. Quite good and very drinkable for how robust it is.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2008 00:39:28 | More by DrJay

Phatz

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: When the server brought the Ramstein Eisbock I thought she brought the wrong beer. I have never seen a black Eisbock. With a frothy tan head on top of this beer it looked like a stout. I even had nice lacing. Again I questioned and was re-assured by others who had this beer it is in fact the Ramstein Eisbock. Interesting.

Smell: Roasted dark malts vanilla, raw sugar, malts sweet sweet 'Malt Liquor' type nose with ripe fruit plum and a very gentle alcohol presence.

Taste: Roasty and smooth with the sweet Eisbock attribute that has the 'Malt Liquor' element but with so much more depth. This is the only Eisbock I have ever had that is dark and roasty with chocolate and caramel in the flavor too. A splash of fruit juice as well.

Mouthfeel: Silky smooth with only a light warmth form the flavor and spices.

Drinkability: There is absolutely no way that this seemed like a 11.50 % ABV beer. It went down very easily. You'd put down two pint easily before stumbling to your feet to realize what it did to you =).

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2007 07:16:54 | More by Phatz

egajdzis

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a dark mahogany color with a light tan, quickly dissapating off white head, that left spotty lacing on the glass. Aroma of chocolate, nuts, bananas, roast, smoke, and dried fruits. Chocolate, wheaty taste, more dried fruits, with lots of sweet malts in the taste. Peppery alcohol, very nice.

Serving type: on-tap

08-23-2005 23:47:00 | More by egajdzis

Rastacouere

Quebec (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Ruby coke brown, light quickly fading head. Strong coffee and tobacco aroma, very dry, enough that it creates a ashes-like aspect. Gentle woody component accompanies dark bitter chocolate, cocoa even. I must say I’m a bit shocked at the almost total absence of any fruit hints. The malt is there most definitely, big, thick, but perhaps a little too dry for the beer to deserve its praise in my mind. Focus of flavours seems to be geared toward coffee, cigar and roasted chocolate. A beany aspect also gets uncovered after a few sips and bring up a vegetal tone that I could live without. Medium bodied, light to moderate carbonation level. Let’s sum it up by saying this is a very stoutish eisbock which doesn’t wear its 11.5% at all.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2005 00:37:29 | More by Rastacouere

ElGuapo

New Jersey

4.78/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Well, if you are a fan of Ramstein Winter Wheat, you will have to try his big ol' cousin Eisbock.

A black pour out of the growler topped in a huge pillow of tan foam. Lace is left all over the glass at the end. The aroma is very nice. It has a lot of toasty wheat malt and yeast scents. There are big whiffs of dark fruits to sweeten things a little bit. Roasty coffee hints are in there as well. A pure delite for your nose.

The body is full with mild carbonation and a very rich and smooth mouthfeel. It is nice and hearty; I guess you could say chewy. Roasty flavors are huge in this one, more so than in the Winter Wheat. The toasted wheat flavors are also in tall order. Bits of chocolate are in there as well, although they are hidden a bit in the mass of complexity. Dark fruits meet with currants and hints of clove in the finish before it gets nice and dry for the aftertaste. The aftertaste is toasted and lingers for a bit (longer than you want to wait for your next sip). The alcohol is nearly invisible, but you can find it here and there. This is a work of art.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2004 21:41:42 | More by ElGuapo

yen157

New Jersey

4.8/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Made the trek out to the brewery for a growler of this beauty. It wasn’t cheap, but definitely worth it.

It poured like old, black motor oil topped by a dense, creamy head. Please read Dantes’ review for background on the carbonation. Beer’s got a great nose, but very mild. I expected the aromatics to be more concentrated in this version of the brew. Regardless of intensity, it consisted of delicately layered notes of clove, overripe banana, and semi-sweet chocolate. As it warms these become more apparent and some dark fruit emerges.

Taste-wise, IMO the biggest difference between the original and this incarnation is the concentration of charcoal and bread crust flavors. The rest of the flavors are amplified a bit, and the alcohol is non-existent except for some appropriate spiciness. This meshes well making this beer the most drinkable 11.5% beer ever.

Great viscosity, carbonation, everything. Damn near perfect. This is a beer perfectly suited for a nightcap, not for it’s strength, but because of its finesse and elegance.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2004 14:14:26 | More by yen157

Dantes

New Jersey

4.83/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Package: 2 liter growler from draught and several 6 oz. samples. 11.5% ABV

Presentation: Fluted tasting glass

Appearance: Dark chocolate brown with ruby highlights. Resembles Coca-Cola, but opaque. Started off with a wet head with several strata. Large-gauge bubbles resting atop a dense cocoa bed of finer beads. Resolves very slowly down to a lasting collar.

Smell: Unlike the “standard” Winter Wheat, this eisbock seems to showcase the earthier chocolate, caramel and other roasted malt smells. Remarkably little or no whiff of alcohol. Like it’s sibling, the bouquet is relatively subdued.

Taste: Wow! Even though my first sample of this was too cold, the flavor impact is immediate and intense. Again, the roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate flavors dominate. As I warm it in my mouth, the fruitier elements speak up: tart apple, banana, and some stone fruit flavors. However, this is a touch drier than I expected, consistent with this year's drier, slightly more austere Winter Wheat. There is virtually no hint of the alcohol wallop sure to come from too much indulgence. The finish is long and rich.

Mouthfeel: Greg informed me that the kegs had been heavily carbonated and kept extra cold in order to facilitate growler fills (and the Copperfield’s event). Therefore, the beer was more carbonated than WW typically is, and too cold. However, the unctuousness definitely comes through. Served properly, this is likely to be even richer and more flavorful, with a potential “5” rating.

Drinkability: Finesse! An incredibly integrated beer, with deep flavor, nice texture, and extremely well-integrated alcohol. I can’t speak for the consequences, but it drinks like one could finish the growler in one sitting. Really should be 5+.

Backwash: After a few false starts, I was very happy to get my hands on some of this. It was worth the effort. As I mentioned, this just became available, and the kegs were heavily carbonated and extra-cold in preparation to fill growlers, so more impressions are likely. All I can say is that rarely have I enjoyed a liquid lunch so much! This beer is the essence of craftsmanship. If you get a chance, visit the brewery and you’ll see the attention lavished on all of their products.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2004 20:56:43 | More by Dantes

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served on Nitro-Tap at Al's of Hampden into a tulip glass.

A - Pours deep, dark, brown with a small thin cap of off white head leaving little to no lacing down the glass.

S - Smells of dulled wheat, chocolate, banana, light spice, sweet toffee, and some dark fruits. Not as strong as I was expecting but still plenty going on. The booze is ever present, getting stronger as the beer comes to room temp.

T - Flavors are similar to the nose with plenty of chocolate, clove, dark fruits, tart cherries, and bready wheat. The booze is light at the beginning only getting stronger as it warms. Finish is a mix of chewy wheat and lingering sweetness. Good balance overall, just a touch too much booze.

M - Medium-Heavy body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Full, chewy, feel with plenty of dry lingering chewy sweetness. The booze is ever present.

O - Not so much. I thought this one was ok but not anything mind blowing. The combo of strong flavors and 11% ABV. really make this one hard to drink.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-30-2011 18:14:02 | More by orangesol

koopa

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler picked up at the brewery and shared by beerloco at a mega tasting last night. Thanks Alan!

Appearance: Classic dunkel look...chestnut brown with a 1 finger lightly browned butter crown that displays moderate retention and lace.

Smell: Classic banana and clove action.

Taste: Same as nose. Hard to detect the high abv on this one as it drinks like a tasty dunkel.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low carbonation.

Drinkability: Damn good despite the abv.

Serving type: growler

01-23-2011 15:23:13 | More by koopa

tpd975

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Ratebeer Wintergathering

A: Pours an amberish brown hue with with a small cream colored head. Lite retention and no lace.

S: Aromas of light wheat, banana, and some bubblegum. Caramel malt, sweet toffee, and a bit of booze.

T: Flavor is very much like the aroma. Banana bread with bubblegum notes. Candy malt sweetness, with hints of clove and bits of booze.

M: Medium in body smooth, the booze is present.

D: Not really. Nice flavors but it just don't quite come together.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 00:32:20 | More by tpd975

DmanGTR

New York

4.35/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to a generous BA for sharing this at DLD. Review from notes on 4/24/10

Poured a dark brown, pretty hazy and opaque. Head didn't last long but left a few trails of bubbles here and there. My initial thought was that is was slightly reminiscent of Aventinus, which is confirmed that it's basically a weizenbock with the ice distillation. Wheaty twang with lots of plum, raisins, and caramel. Alcohol is well hidden, only shows as a warmth in the throat. Wonderfully chewy and raisiny. Banana and clove with a touch of vanilla and a woody earthiness... how strange, is this oak aged? Regardless, it is a complex flavorful malt bomb on your palate and everyone needs to try this at least once.

Serving type: growler

05-11-2010 06:10:24 | More by DmanGTR

grub

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Viggo brought this one over. thanks eric!

1 litre swingtop growler. sampled april 27/2010.

pours crystal clear deep reddish brown with a very thin layer of very fine white head. the head quickly drops to a scant ring around the glass and leaves only a few spots of lace.

aroma is good. banana and clove. butterscotch and caramel. hint of alcohol. whole wheat bread. date and plum. bit of raisin. hint of smoke.

taste is good. white and whole wheat bread. banana and clove. caramel and butterscotch. date, plum, and raisin. light alcohol. low bitterness level. touch of smoke.

mouthfeel is nice. very low carbonation level. medium-large body.

drinkability is good. nice balance, but the low carbonation does detract from it somewhat. not quite as much depth and complexity as in some eisbocks, but still pretty tasty.

Serving type: growler

04-28-2010 01:31:21 | More by grub

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Beerloco again for this one, another 1 liter swingtop he filled up for me. IP trade at DLD.

Pours a pretty hazy and opaque dark brown, a few reddish orange highlights, tough to see through, big and bubbly light tan head forms and settles down to a very thin ring around the glass, no real lacing sticks.

Smell is nice, big and malty, some caramel, lots of biscuit, dark fruit, banana, big spicy character, some light sherry notes, cherries, toast, alcohol, a bit of earthiness, a touch of chocolate maltiness.

Taste is nice as well, not as intense as I expected for the weight, some banana smoothie, a bit of spice, big biscuit and bread character, a bit of fruitiness, wheat, strawberries, nice chocolate roastiness near the finish, decently balanced, a bit of warmth but the booze is well hidden.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low to medium carbonation. Pretty smooth for the ABV, just a bit of warmth. Just lacking the complexity I hoped for, but still really nice stuff. Thanks Alan!

Serving type: growler

04-28-2010 00:58:34 | More by Viggo

aerozeppl

New York

4.78/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Finally knocked this off my wants. 32oz Magic Hat mini growler.

A: Dark ruby color. Minimal brown head with no lacing.

S: Nice bananna and clove nose. It really did just smell like a slightly stronger version of their weizenbock. No smell of the alcohol at all.

T: Wow. Amazing. Not hint of the ABV at all. You get all the good things about a weizenbock (wheat, esters) without the usual downfall to the style which is the fusel alcohols.

M: Medium bodied. Little syrupy. Very smooth.

D: Wow. Amazing. No hint of the ABV at all. Probably the best eisbock I have ever had. Would love to try the rasberry one side by side with this one since it has been a while since I have had it.

Serving type: growler

04-14-2010 16:36:22 | More by aerozeppl

scootny

New York

4.47/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is some very impressive stuff. Doesn't start out that way though. The pour is unassuming. A dark purplish brown with a collar on against the glass instead of a head. A clear fluid with a sticky consistency.

You get notice of greatness here. Smell is full of dark fruits and overripe banana. Clove and roasted malts with a bit of coffee. A sweet alcohol and light yeasty breadiness. Multilayered and complex.

Taste is walking in the footsteps of Aventinus Eisbock and that's saying a whole lot. Smooth, sweet, and wheat malty with a rich delicious fruitiness and nary a trace of alcohol to be found anywhere. There is a larger roasted smokiness compared to the aforementioned but that is not a bad thing. The fruitiness unfolds flavors of cherries and grape as well as raisins, dates, figs. There is a bit of molasses as well. The light coffee shows up in the finish to add a gentle bitterness but hopping is mild if at all. The finish is surprisingly dry and clean with a bit of coffee and clove bound together by banana, yeast and peppery spiciness.

Feel is crisp and dry with a sticky light syrup. Carbonation is just about perfect with a light effervescence on the tongue and cheeks as it sits in your mouth.

Way to easy to drink this one. It may be 11.5 percent but I'd never guess from the taste. I nursed my way through a 16 oz growler that I shared a bit of with the Mrs. and If I had a 32 we would be on our faces. Delicious and sneaky stuff.

Serving type: growler

03-29-2010 03:38:24 | More by scootny

Gmann

New York

3.83/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a rich ruby brown color with a very small wisy off white head, not much of a head at all. The aroma is of dark fruit, booze soaked cherries and raisins followed by scents of clove and banana. Nice aroma, not overly strong. The flavor is of alcohol vapors, clove and banana, followed by a solid roast malt flavor. It seems to lack a depth of character. Some of the dark fruit pops up in the end as well as a sour cherry note. A moderate body with very soft carbonation; finishes with a sour bitter bite. Though I did get a bit of an alcohol presence in the taste, this eisbock doesn't taste overly boozy or cloying. It could use some more clove and banana flavors but the flavors that are there are good.

Serving type: growler

03-26-2010 03:09:58 | More by Gmann

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bman1113vr for sharing this beer.

12 ounce hand bottle. The beer pours a dark brown color with no head. The aroma is dark fruit and caramel malt with some alcohol. The flavor is dark fruit, alcohol, caramel and some chocolate. Medium mouthfeel and low carbonation.

Serving type: growler

03-19-2010 22:35:46 | More by Mora2000

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I'll call this a "growler." Filled by Bierkraft and put into a 22oz. bottle. Thanks to mikeyv35 for getting me this one.

A: Poured a dirty mahogany with a large darker tan head. Not too much retention or lacing, but it still looks pretty nice.

S: Superb. Lots of black licorice, sweet malt, dark fruit, cherries, hints of smoke, some alcohol, and bits of chocolate.

T: Very, very intense all around. The black licorice, sweet malt, and dark fruits (plus cherries) stand out as being the most dominant, but this one has a lot going on and only gets better as it warms.

M: Good amounts of alcohol, but nothing distracting too much from the taste.

D: Excellent drinkability. High alcohol and insane complexity make this one a slow sipper.

Serving type: growler

03-08-2010 15:09:10 | More by Thorpe429

brdc

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to alcstradamus for sharing this one, out of a growler into a large glass, shaped like a tulip.

Deep brown, reddish highlights, short lasting tan head, some lacing.
Aroma is malty sweet as expected; caramel, fruits including prunes, raising and fig, bananas and burnt sugar.
Not as full as I expected, with a pleasant taste that is not as explosive as expected for the ABV. Sweet notes easily predominate, malty in the forefront, bananas and clove in the forefront, with the same fruits mentioned in the background. No alcohol to be found.
Carbonation is on the low end of the spectrum, not sure if it s because of the growler or intended to be that way, but does not compromise. There is an Angels share in front of me that shows less than a third of the bubbles, for the sake of comparison.
Nice one.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2010 16:29:22 | More by brdc

alcstradamus

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to mikey711 for the growler of this, much appreciated. Split with brdc this afternoon.

Pours a deep cola brown with a finger of head that dies quickly. The smell is a nice blend of burnt caramel, light raisin and fig, charred banana peel, and perhaps even a bit of citrus.

The taste is lighter than I expected for an 11.5% eisbock. I taste absolutely no trace of the alcohol. But at the same time, it is not quite as big and flavorful as I was expecting either. Expectations sure are a killer, aren't they? Fortunately, this still was quite nice. Banana and burnt caramel dominate, along with a very light orange peel flavor. Not terribly complex, but very easy to sip.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and mostly flat. The carbonation levels do seem appropriate though and match the flavor profile nicely. Drinkability is high for a beer of this ABV. I would have guessed it was closer to 7% if I didn't already feel the strong buzz kicking in after around 16 oz. or so. This is definitely a solid beer and one that I would like to drink again.

Serving type: growler

02-14-2010 20:05:32 | More by alcstradamus