Granitbock Ice
Brauerei Hofstetten / Krammer

Granitbock IceGranitbock Ice
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From:
Brauerei Hofstetten / Krammer
 
Austria
Style:
Eisbock
Ranked #10
ABV:
11.5%
Score:
87
Ranked #15,525
Avg:
3.9 | pDev: 12.56%
Reviews:
25
Ratings:
59
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 16, 2022
Added:
Nov 15, 2011
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by clayrock81:
Photo of clayrock81
Reviewed by clayrock81 from Florida

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured a brownish body with one finger offwhite head and some lace on top of an aroma that was strong, almost like a sticky sweet smell if that makes sense, barley malt aplenty, yeast pokes out and some dark/sweet fruit. The brew is creamy, smooth, the yeast makes it fluffy on the tongue and easy to pass, with a balance of caramel and toffee sweetness and good malts that border on roasted and some fruit flavors that border sweet fruit and dark fruit but I can't really pinpoint them. There are not really any citric type fruits like orange that sometimes poke out with a good amount of yeast in a beer, but the finish is a little crisp and these bitter citric hops poke out on the finish, overpowering the sweet malts and dryer malts. A very good beer that has a great balance of hearty maltiness and sweetness.
Feb 25, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of SLeffler27
Reviewed by SLeffler27 from New York

4.16/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
The bottle date is December 2013.

It is very dark brown, with a thin, off-white, cream that lasts the duration, leaving a fine coating of lace on a Pretentious Beer Company Crispi-Boi tulip glass. A viscous film almost leaves legs after each sip.

Bready malt is intense and mingles with prunes, brown sugar, and spiced rum. There is definitely oxidation here, making me intensely curious about what a fresh bottle would resent. Warmth draws out dried figs and raisins.

The flavor opens with sweet malt and is similar to the aroma. Fresh-baked pumpernickel bread is followed by strong prunes and brown sugar. Figs are subtle from beginning to end, while raisins only show in the finish. Warmth reveals soy sauce, though in a positive way. Perhaps some steak sauce as well.

The alcohol has a light burn, consistent with expectations. The dense body has a lush, velvety texture, softly scrubbed by prickly carbonation. Lots of residual sugar deposits itself on the lips.

This is definitely a sipping beer, and I enjoyed it after a long day. I find myself wondering if it would pair well with pumpernickle dipped in Grueyre Fondu.
Oct 16, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 26, 2022
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

3.97/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
300ml bottle into a teku. 2013 vintage.

Looks very good in the glass, at least until the final ounce where some sizable floaties appear. (They quickly sink). Black body, deepest red when held up to the light. The small off white head shrinks to a ring, a few spots of lacing.

Pleasing boozy dark skinned and dried fruit aroma.

On tasting, slightly sweet, a little molasses. Plums, raisin.

Finish sweet and boozy, even a light spice. The odd thing here is that the mouth is much thinner than you would think, and despite the strong flavors, initially feels watery. Weird.

Overall, a bit confused by the finish, but overall certainly a worthwhile drink.
Jan 09, 2022
 
Rated: 3.72 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Feb 22, 2021
 
Rated: 3.49 by brandonld23 from Massachusetts

Dec 08, 2019
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle from Alpenhaus Deli. Murky brown pour, small creamy head, last for a while. Pungent, sweet malty aroma, not out of place, reminiscent of a doppelbock. Taste is also sweet, some bitterness towards the back, and plenty of burn. Instantly warming, dries out a bit at the finish. Boy, I’ve missed this style. What memories.
Nov 29, 2019
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
the small bottle says it was brewed in 2013, but this should be basically bulletproof right? not enough eisbock in the world, and its always a treat to find one and drink one. very deep amber in color, almost mahogany toned, with a short off white head that settles fast. the nose is red apple, soy sauce, molasses, german dark dense bread, and warming alcohol, quite complex, like an enormous doppelbock thats been aged awhile. things like raisins and figs and chestnuts hit my nose, some oxidation, brown sugar, roasted nuts, some distinctively german malt and yeast, a concentrated, intense, fusel alcohol profile, and some slight spice like clove or anise, definitely wintery and strong. the flavor is much of the same, some obvious soy sauce here that probably wasnt when it was more fresh, but i dont really mind. lots of sugar still, brown sugar and long cooked tasting to me, past caramelized, and lots of alcohol, especially as it warms. this is without question on the down slide at this point of its life, and i didnt love it, but the potential is enormous, and its hard to be too harsh on something like this, which, who knows how it has been handled since it was bottled six years ago now. ill try this again when i can find it newer and compare. a monster malty old world sipper either way...
Jun 28, 2019
 
Rated: 3.94 by shelby415 from Oregon

Dec 22, 2015
Photo of drpimento
Reviewed by drpimento from Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I have a bottle brewed in 2013 that seems to have been properly handled. Aroma was dark malts, roast, toffee, bit of licorice. Flavor’s similar to nose, not too sweet, but does have a bit of medicine in the finish.
Dec 04, 2015
Photo of Bitterbill
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming

4.38/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
It pours a very dark brown, murky brown, with an inch of tannish foam. Superb lacing.

Lots of brown sugar, caramel malt, and some grain in the nose. Oh, I do believe that I am sensing some Port like aromas. Hell, yes I do.

Yikes, the taste almost reaches the heights of the super good and style specific smells.

Caramel malt and brown sugar sweet notes dominate but fall far below the "this is too sweet" category. There are definitely some chocolate, perhaps of the semi sweet kind going on that add just a touch of bitterness. The Port I mentioned in the smell is there but a bit muted.

Close to full bodied without being cloying.

It might just be me but I find this Eisbock a rare and wonderful treat. Try it if you see it. PROST!
Apr 19, 2015
Photo of bwood06
Reviewed by bwood06 from Wisconsin

4.01/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A - Very dark and some red with a small but creamy khaki head. 4.5/5

S - Dark stone fruit. Grapes. Sweet dark dessert wine. 4/5

T - Dates, plums, molasses, roasted malt, earthy hops. A bit of tobacco. Soy is very prevalent and seems to dominate flavor profile. 4/5

M - Heavy body with very little carbonation. 3.75/5

O - Nice complex beer. Not boozy at all for the abv. Too dominated by a soy umami for me to rate this beer higher. Very good though. 4/5
Mar 01, 2015
Photo of UrbanCaveman
Reviewed by UrbanCaveman from Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
12 oz bottle, poured into a snifter at approximately 40 degrees F.

Appearance: Pours a murky, cloudy medium-dark brown, almost like hot 65%-75% chocolate that has been partially frozen so that it's still mostly liquid, but slushy. Forms little to no head, and leaves no lacing on the glass at all. A very mud-puddle sort of aesthetic.

Smell: Sweetness leaps out of the glass, gloves on, mouthguard in, ready to open with a faked leg sweep into a haymaker. Dark stone fruit notes hang in the malty haze like ripe plums suspended in a fruitcake.

Taste: Woo! When served cold, this is like sipping on pure malt syrup, all sweetness, toffee, and a bit of booze! As it warms up, more flavors emerge, revealing notes of cooked raisin, black currant, baked ginger - this beer becomes a liquid fruitcake, soaked in rum. The finish leaves a lingering tone of toffee and an almost rum-based liquor.

Mouthfeel: Thick and syrupy, this beer sticks to every mouth surface and does not give way easily.

Overall: Not my favorite eisbock, as the Aventinus eisbock is a tough act to follow. However, it is pretty darned tasty, loaded with a depth that cool temperatures can mask. I'd repeat this beer, were I to stumble upon it on tap anywhere, or find it on a shelf in a place where the Aventinus were not available.
Feb 09, 2015
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

3.99/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hofstetten Granitbock Ice pours clean, brilliant chestnut with a thin film for a head that dissipates to nothing. Raisins, alcohol and rich sweet malts dominate the nose. It has rich dark bread malt flavors and traces of fruit but it tastes a little metallic – like when you are doing carpentry and are holding nails in your mouth, there is a dash of salt in the finish and the alcohol is a touch too hot. It has a full body and the carbonation is below average.
Feb 01, 2015
Photo of ygtbsm94
Rated by ygtbsm94 from Utah

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Aroma of dark fruit, licorice, roasted malts, brown sugar, faint rum ABV. Taste sweet caramel, malt, molasses, plums, faint soy & booze.
Jan 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by tykechandler from Kentucky

Jan 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.96 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Dec 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.8 by JackieAnton from Illinois

Nov 29, 2014
Photo of flagmantho
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured from 330mL bottle into a straight-sided glass.

Appearance: dark brown with a slightly murky appearance. Head poured a finger of dense tan foam. It's kind of intimidating.

Smell: richly malty with a lot of sweetness and dark fruit aromas. There's tobacco, raisin, date and cherry in here. Eisbocks and kvasses have very common themes in their aromas, despite the fact that this beer has ten times the alcohol of a kvass. It's quite good.

Taste: sweet and strong, with lots of bready maltiness. The alcohol is also quite strong toward the end. The rich fruity element from the aroma is much more subdued in the flavor, however; I would like to have tasted more of it.

Mouthfeel: tons of body with a relatively low carbonation, this is still a very smooth and velvety beer. Great.

Overall: aroma is great but I wish the flavor tracked more with the smell. Not quaffable in any conventional sense but a soothing sipper, good on a cold November night.
Nov 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by oriolesfan4 from Maryland

Oct 10, 2014
Granitbock Ice from Brauerei Hofstetten / Krammer
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 59 ratings