Eiraphiotes - Olde Hickory Brewery

Metalmonk

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Nice deep golden color, with a slightly off-white head that's big and fluffy, but not for long. Transforms to a crown quickly, and lots of dots and little splats of lace are left on the glass.

Smell is on the lighter side, and favors the chardonnay. Only mildly woody. Some honey comes in, and the alcohol gives it a warming, almost mead-like vibe. Hops push through the white wine dominance a little, but clearly this is not to be judged as a traditional pilsner (and it's not trying to be one, obviously).

At first the flavor is wonderful. Honey, chardonnay, wood, sugared white raisin, lots of pear, herbal hops, just a hint of white pepper. But then I think "formaldehyde." And then I realize that's a little extreme. It's just that the alcohol, which isn't enormous at 7.5%, makes its presence felt just a smidgen much. But a medicinal side definitely emerges. Flavor would get another notch scored if it didn't have this strained, almost astringent sort of flavor in the back end of the sip and finish. Fairly dry, and every now and then the pilsner character does shine through.

I've noticed that my favorite imperial pilsners (not that it's a huge list, but there are a handful) tend to feature a super creamy, round, almost thick feel. I love that, and this one has it as well. Big time. Carbonation is soft and subtle.

Eiraphiotes isn't a perfect beer, but it's very good, and it feels absolutely incredible. I'd love to try it before it hit the chard barrels, because it's almost more wine than beer. Almost. The label itself claims "this imperial pilsner was a stellar beer right out of the conditioning tank..." So I wonder if that original might be a bit stellar-er than this barreled version? Who knows?

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 23:33:17 | More by Metalmonk

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +5.8%

05-10-2013 05:54:07 | More by RedneckBeerz

DruRho

Maryland

4/5  rDev +5.8%

04-07-2013 22:04:08 | More by DruRho

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.69/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

The beer pours a clear golden yellow with a razor thin head that fades. The nose is surprisingly floral hop forward with no wine barrel/funk/pilsner maltiness. The taste is along the same vein with a light malty sweetness, big floral hoppinness, and still no wine barrel characteristics. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, sweet and malty as opposed to the expected vinous, dry, acidity. This is a good beer, but absolutely a letdown as far as wine barrel aged pilsners go.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 00:24:20 | More by ThePorterSorter

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +5.8%

03-11-2013 14:40:04 | More by DrunkinYogi

mattafett

Iowa

3/5  rDev -20.6%

03-05-2013 23:56:41 | More by mattafett

mjenkins5

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

02-20-2013 03:31:05 | More by mjenkins5

humuloner22

4.23/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.75

This beer was interesting to me. At first I wasn't sure what it would be like as I had never had this style before. I have had many Pilsner's before, but never one classified as an "Imperial Pilsner". It was very fruity but also had a strong hop component. Not a bad surprise but an interesting one.

A: Color was a erubescent golden very appealing, but not what I would expect from the traditional Pilsner style. Nevertheless a very nice color for a beer. Perhaps the color comes from aging process. I am not by any means knocking this beer. It was gorgeous.

S: It has a bittersweetness too it but also has a very nice floral component. As it opens up to the air the floral notes from the hops come alive and waft pleasantly out of the pint glass.

T: This is where this beer shows its unusual character. I was not expecting a lot from this beer really, even though everything I have tried from Olde Hickory have been wonderful. I purchased this beer from a local shop on a whim and I am certainly happy I did. It had a nice mouthfeel but not overly thick or watery, nicely balanced. It almost reminded me of a nice draft IPA, but also had a woodiness to it that obviously comes from the aging in Chardonnay barrel aging. Without a doubt one of the best and most unusual beers I have ever tasted and increases my belief that this is one of the best breweries out there right now.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 02:39:39 | More by humuloner22

imperialking

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5.8%

02-04-2013 19:33:27 | More by imperialking

metter98

New York

3.89/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is relatively clear dark yellowish amber in color and has a slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high off white head that died down leaving delicate lacing covering the surface.
S: There are moderate aromas of oak, vanilla and chardonnay from the barrel aging in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the vanilla and oaky flavors really dominate the overall taste of this beer. Notes of chardonnay are evident in the finish.
M: It feels nearly medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: If you like barrel aged beers, this would make for a good selection. However, this overwhelms the beer and masks the underlying pilsner.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 01:44:59 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a very lightly hazy golden copper in color with some golden yellow and orange highlights aas well as a moderate to heavy amount of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall sudsy white head that quickly reduces to a couple of small patch of medium sized bubbles along with a very thin fil covering the majority of the surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate amounts of honey, biscuit malts, grassy hops, and just a touch of floral hops. The chardonnay barrel aging contributes a moderate amount of oak and white grapes in additional to the vinous notes.

T: Upfront there is a moderate flavor of biscuit malts with some light honey sweetness. After that the flavors contributed by the chardonnay come through - vinous, white grapes, and just a touch of light fruit. There is a touch of vanilla from the oak barrels along with the normal oak flavors. Finally, there is a light amount of grassy and floral hops which contribute just a touch of lingering bitterness.

M: Just slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly crisp with a light amount of creaminess and a very dry finish.

O: This beer really worked for me - the combination of the imperial pilsner flavors/aromas along with the contributions from the chardonnay barrel aging really add something to this one. The alcohol is pretty well hidden and this is easy to drink for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 01:37:21 | More by dbrauneis

Texasfan549

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

01-27-2013 23:53:34 | More by Texasfan549

kjkinsey

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

01-27-2013 16:55:11 | More by kjkinsey

IrishColonial

Virginia

4/5  rDev +5.8%

01-11-2013 00:13:01 | More by IrishColonial

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

01-03-2013 00:07:56 | More by Rhettroactive

cbwufpack

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

12-29-2012 02:49:17 | More by cbwufpack

aasher

Indiana

4/5  rDev +5.8%

12-20-2012 18:57:31 | More by aasher

Mantooth

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

11-18-2012 18:57:18 | More by Mantooth

oline73

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this at the November Baltimore BA tasting. Served from the bottle into a tasting snifter.

Appearance: The beer pours a cloudy golden amber color with a layer of off white head. The head fades to a ring around the glass.

Smell: Light and a bit sweet. I'm getting a fruity white wine note along with some warming alcohol.

Taste: This one is a bit herbal with a definite pils malt component. There is plenty of bitterness from the hops, but enough sweet malt to balance things out. There is also a mild white wine note throughout the sipper. The finish is hoppy.

Mouthfeel: The body is medium with tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This was a very interesting beer with a lot going on. The wine notes went well with the herbal hops. I'd have more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 21:45:32 | More by oline73

mendvicdog

Maryland

3/5  rDev -20.6%

11-06-2012 19:28:28 | More by mendvicdog

marlinsfan4

Maryland

3/5  rDev -20.6%

11-05-2012 22:47:06 | More by marlinsfan4

duceswild

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

11-04-2012 17:02:15 | More by duceswild

orsulacp

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Imperial pilsner in Chardonnay barrels, what is not to like about that. The appearance is ok, a little cloudy, probably from the barrel aging, but for a pilsner it takes something away, even with an imperial pilsner, most are clear. The head is nice and white and lasts for a long time. I like the smell, first a hit of grapey chardonnay, then a nice floral/spicy hop aroma, with a hint of vanilla. The taste is right on for what this beer is; pilsner malty, lightly hopped, then the barrel aging takes over, I love the subtle grape overtones with the oaky/vanilla finish. The mouthfeel and body are a little too thick for an imperial pils, but you have to take that with the barrel aging. Seek it out and drink it.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 01:33:49 | More by orsulacp

EasyReader

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

10-23-2012 02:45:55 | More by EasyReader

ncaudle

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

10-13-2012 14:40:14 | More by ncaudle