Original German ice beer brewed by freezing water at low enough temperature to form dispensable ice crystals, yet high enough temperature to keep alcohol liquid. Vintage date on alcohol-stiffened, reddish brown, oak-aged ‘ice bock’ label reads July 11, 1996 #38,512. Beautiful mocha-induced burgundy sweetness draws you into warming dessert lager. Lusty brown-sugared cherry, raisin, and candied apple illusions bound by currant-embittered hop-spiced coffee liqueur resonation.
All posts by John Fortunato
KULMBACHER REICHELBRAU FRANKISCHES URBIER
Indifferent tiny-headed barley-crisped moderation undermined by tepid caramelized malting and phenol hop undercurrent. Ultimately unassuming, considering German heritage. Doubtlessly defunct.
(KULMBACHER) MONCHSHOF SCHWARZBIER BLACK PILSNER
Dry charred hops invade burnt barley setting as varying mocha bitterness, chocolate malt roast, and licorice-tea-cola hints sufficiently counterbalance solid-bodied dark pilsner. But tinny mouthfeel and anti-climactic muted grain finish soften resolve and foil initial thrust.
(KULMBACHER) MONCHSHOF KLOSTER SCHWARZBIER
Soothingly creamed barley-roasted Bavarian dark lager finds relaxing middle ground between musty molded breading and sugary brown chocolate spicing. Sharp hop bittering contrasts ancillary vanilla, cocoa and walnut illusions, mellowing syrupy caramel malt backdrop.
(KULMBACHER) MONCHSHOF KELLERBRAU LAGER
Matured in open underground vats, unfiltered ‘keller’ beer styling uses only four basic ingredients (water-hops-barley-yeast). But turbid copper German suffers from crumbling spice-hopped butterscotch overlay and musty yeast bed. Clover honeyed caramel malts sour at midst, debunking dried tobacco whim and spiced apple tinge.
KULMBACHER KAPUZINER WEISSE
Mild Bavarian wheat with less fizz than most German brews is easy to plow, but indistinct. Expectant citric-teased banana-clove-bubblegum illusions get washed-out by insufficient caramel malting and slight metallic tinge. More like a pilsner with mere dusting of wheat.
KULMBACHER KAPUZINER SCHWARZ-WEIZEN
Oddball Bavarian-styled black (a.k.a. dark) wheat ale benefits from peculiar chocolate-covered banana opening and hop-roasted smoked malt buttress, but suffers a bit from harsh nutty astringency. Creamy milk chocolate-y center makes up ground, but leathery tobacco quilt smothers preferred vanilla sweetness and powdered cocoa souring.
KULMBACHER KAPUZINER BAVARIAN HEFE-WEIZEN
Floral yeast effervescence and malted wheat contour enhance doughy nature of light-bodied cotton-candied unfiltered Bavarian. Lemony hop spritz, clove spicing, and popcorn-buttered astringency fortify frothy finish, increasing its pliant dynamic range.
KULMBACHER EISBOCK
Intoxicatingly complex ruby chestnut cascade-headed ‘ice’ bock perfect as creamy dessert. Chewy molasses malting, prickly hop spicing, burnt-sugared raisin-prune swoon, and plush pecan pie reminder pick up rich barleywine density. Cherry pie, chocolate liqueur, hazelnut, and black licorice illusions detail rum-soaked finish.
KUJAWIAK LAGER
Meek golden-cleared pilsner-styled Czech lager puts nondescript cereal grains in bland dry malt setting. Seltzer water frisk can’t overcome lame body and alcohol reminder gets annoyingly astringent.
KUHNHENN TANGERINE WIT
Dynamic well-balanced straw-hazed wheat beer offers refreshingly juicy apricot-tangerine depth for delightfully spicy lemon tartness. Soft hops sit on tongue as cracked wheat backbone settles in, picking up mild chamomile-coriander notes. Ripe citric tang lingers forever.
KUHNHENN SIMCOE SILLY ALE
Tremendously juicy sienna-hazed fruit ale brings ripe cherry-tangerine-peach-melon-strawberry abundance to white ale-like nutmeg-coriander spicing. Floral dusting and minor pumpkin hint found in maple malt midst.