Kulmbacher Eisbock

Brew: Kulmbacher Eisbock

Location: Germany

First Impressions: The eisbock, otherwise known as “ice bock”, owes its discovery to an apprentice who forgot to bring two barrels of beer into the brewery cellar, and as a result discovered this frozen beer the following spring. Hmmm…that makes for an interesting introduction to this brew.

I also have to mention how sweet this bottle looks. Holograms galore. Shields. Snowflakes. Truly badass.

Aroma: Dark fruits with roasted malts – chocolate, maple syrup, cherry, raisin, and vanilla. A wide combination of nose candy.

Overall Taste: Very heavy, highly complex, and strong in alcohol content. Overall, this was a memorable brew with tons of flavor and tons of kick to it.

However, the one thing which it lacks is drinkability. It took me about 40 minutes to kill one bottle of this Eisbock so I would recommend a food pairing with it, or at least some chips and salsa.

This brew is not your typical foreign beer, as it will suprise you with it’s taste and complexity. This brew will require your full attention.

You might also like: EKU 28, Brauerei AG, Brooklyn Chocolate Stout

Price: 11.99 / 6-pack

ABV: 9.2%

Grade: C+

Sapporo

Brew: Sapporo

Location: Japan

First Impressions:  A wise man once told me, “You gotta diversify your portfolio.” At the time, the wise man was talking about dating asian women, but I suppose the quote also applies to beer. So, I thought I’d try out Sapporo, Japan’s oldest beer.

Aroma: Sorta dull, sorta bitter. Smells like your typical beer.

Overall Taste: This brew is similiar to the popular American beers such as Bud Light and Miller Lite, in the fact that it is a a light lager, which is smooth and easy to drink. The one difference which Sapporo has is that it is not watered down like the American beers are. Compared to brews like Bud Heavy and MGD, Sapporo may even be heavier. The number of calories in each of these beers are similar, but I feel that Sapporo just tastes heavier than what I am used too. This makes this brew less drinkable which I believe is one of it’s downsides. It’s certainly a one and done.

In the end, I feel that Sapporo is worth trying, but not worth buying a six pack of. Just like my old friend once said, “You gotta diversify your portfolio”.

You might also like: Kirin Lager, Chimay Blue, Asahi Black

Price: 7.99 / 6-pack

ABV: 4.9%

Calories: 140

Grade: C-