EKU 28 | Kulmbacher Brauerei AG
Brewed by:
Kulmbacher Brauerei AG
Germany
kulmbacher.de
Style: Doppelbock
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
A super-strong Bock, but not an Eisbock.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 08-16-2001
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 716 | Reviews: 467
3.04/5 rDev -23%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
4.25/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.88/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.25/5 rDev -17.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
4.38/5 rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Great Dopple. Big flavor. Pours without a good head and almost no retention. Drink this one a little bit warmer, like 45-50, and the flavor really comes out. Malty and sweet with very little bitterness. Can definetly feel the high alcohol. This is a solid brew!
269 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Great Dopple. Big flavor. Pours without a good head and almost no retention. Drink this one a little bit warmer, like 45-50, and the flavor really comes out. Malty and sweet with very little bitterness. Can definetly feel the high alcohol. This is a solid brew!
269 characters
4.04/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Heard many things about this beer finally found it and tried it out of a 11.2 oz bottle.. tried just below room temperature. Had sweet notes of fruit followed by alcohol most notably tasted like grape lollipops that you get from the bank here in America.. at 11% it definitely packs a punch good for a closing beer. Will definitely have this one again
351 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Heard many things about this beer finally found it and tried it out of a 11.2 oz bottle.. tried just below room temperature. Had sweet notes of fruit followed by alcohol most notably tasted like grape lollipops that you get from the bank here in America.. at 11% it definitely packs a punch good for a closing beer. Will definitely have this one again
351 characters
3.52/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a single-serve bottle into a tall pilsner glass.
Pours clear copper/amber with a fine two-finger head that lacks retention (not remarkable given the ABV) but features decent lacing and good stick down the sides of the glass.
The nose is immediately hit with salted caramel malts with hints of clean booze. Simple but straight.
The booze isn't as well-hidden on the tongue, but plenty of sweet malts and diacetyl notes provide good backbone before clean fusel alcohol hits like a mack-truck. However, it's a crisp "bite" not a staying "burn" in the booze department. Zero hops.
The mouthfeel is excellent. Not as heavy as expected. The booze stands in for the hops to provide the dry note needed to balance what is ultimately a pretty sweet offering.
Overall, glad I tried, but this is a shade boozy and one-note.
840 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a single-serve bottle into a tall pilsner glass.
Pours clear copper/amber with a fine two-finger head that lacks retention (not remarkable given the ABV) but features decent lacing and good stick down the sides of the glass.
The nose is immediately hit with salted caramel malts with hints of clean booze. Simple but straight.
The booze isn't as well-hidden on the tongue, but plenty of sweet malts and diacetyl notes provide good backbone before clean fusel alcohol hits like a mack-truck. However, it's a crisp "bite" not a staying "burn" in the booze department. Zero hops.
The mouthfeel is excellent. Not as heavy as expected. The booze stands in for the hops to provide the dry note needed to balance what is ultimately a pretty sweet offering.
Overall, glad I tried, but this is a shade boozy and one-note.
840 characters
4.83/5 rDev +22.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
All you need to know is that this lager is the benchmark of doppelbock’s. When judging other doppelbock’s... just base their rating on how close they come to EKU 28
168 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
All you need to know is that this lager is the benchmark of doppelbock’s. When judging other doppelbock’s... just base their rating on how close they come to EKU 28
168 characters
3.28/5 rDev -17%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.56/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Four Euros/0.331 L at Maisel and Friends, a bier garten/ beer store in Kulmbach, DE. A suitcase beer.
Bottle dated 28.05.18, stored at 42 degrees. Served at 57 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King Snifter.
Aroma – initially caramel malt but it fades with the head until it’s nearly odorless.
Head – large (Maximum 4.8 cm, aggressive pour), light tan, fizzy, gone in less than sixty seconds leaving neither ring nor layer.
Lacing – none.
Body – medium amber, clear.
Flavor – sweet and caramel. No hops, no alcohol, no diacetyl. The alcohol doesn’t show up until the post swallow gastric burn. Considering that this is made with both hops and hops extract, it’s a little surprising that the hops are undetectable.
Palate – full, syrupy, flat.
Worth trying once to see how the 11.2% ABV is hidden. One and done.
Appearance 3.5, Aroma 3.75, Flavor 3.5, Palate 3.5, Overall 3.5.
910 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Four Euros/0.331 L at Maisel and Friends, a bier garten/ beer store in Kulmbach, DE. A suitcase beer.
Bottle dated 28.05.18, stored at 42 degrees. Served at 57 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King Snifter.
Aroma – initially caramel malt but it fades with the head until it’s nearly odorless.
Head – large (Maximum 4.8 cm, aggressive pour), light tan, fizzy, gone in less than sixty seconds leaving neither ring nor layer.
Lacing – none.
Body – medium amber, clear.
Flavor – sweet and caramel. No hops, no alcohol, no diacetyl. The alcohol doesn’t show up until the post swallow gastric burn. Considering that this is made with both hops and hops extract, it’s a little surprising that the hops are undetectable.
Palate – full, syrupy, flat.
Worth trying once to see how the 11.2% ABV is hidden. One and done.
Appearance 3.5, Aroma 3.75, Flavor 3.5, Palate 3.5, Overall 3.5.
910 characters
4.19/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Nice Dopplebock!
Aggressive pour into generic tulip with 3/4" head which quickly dissipated to a white foam ring (abv perhaps?).
On the eyes, a very nice deep brown clear color with no sediment or floaties.
On the nose, sweet sugars and malt coupled with slight heat from the 11% abv, which is more of an afterthought from the sugars and malty goodness.
Mouthfeel is full with sweetness and maltiness up front through the middle and back, with an ever so subtle palatte cleansing hoppiness...
Overall a fine example of the style - but keep in mind I use Samiclaus as the "standard" of the style.
Thanks for reading!
624 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Nice Dopplebock!
Aggressive pour into generic tulip with 3/4" head which quickly dissipated to a white foam ring (abv perhaps?).
On the eyes, a very nice deep brown clear color with no sediment or floaties.
On the nose, sweet sugars and malt coupled with slight heat from the 11% abv, which is more of an afterthought from the sugars and malty goodness.
Mouthfeel is full with sweetness and maltiness up front through the middle and back, with an ever so subtle palatte cleansing hoppiness...
Overall a fine example of the style - but keep in mind I use Samiclaus as the "standard" of the style.
Thanks for reading!
624 characters
3.5/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.23/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Bought one to try, I finally found a place that sells this beer, so I figured I better get it. Opening the beer and drinking straight from the bottle, 2 scents jump out-- sweet fruit and alcohol. With 11% alcohol content, the 2nd is not a big surprise. The alcohol scent is not overpowering however.
Tasting the beer is a pleasant surprise, it is very balanced and sweet overall. Alcohol, while the scent is present initially, is well masked until the very end. Plum, sugar, apples, and hops are definitely present. Beer finishes a little dry, sticky, yet has an overall light feel which is surprising.
A very good doppelbock, and also a very strong one too. Surprisingly to me this is not an eisbock, but the sweet taste help mask the alcohol in this beer making it very drinkable. I will get more of this beer in the future.
838 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Bought one to try, I finally found a place that sells this beer, so I figured I better get it. Opening the beer and drinking straight from the bottle, 2 scents jump out-- sweet fruit and alcohol. With 11% alcohol content, the 2nd is not a big surprise. The alcohol scent is not overpowering however.
Tasting the beer is a pleasant surprise, it is very balanced and sweet overall. Alcohol, while the scent is present initially, is well masked until the very end. Plum, sugar, apples, and hops are definitely present. Beer finishes a little dry, sticky, yet has an overall light feel which is surprising.
A very good doppelbock, and also a very strong one too. Surprisingly to me this is not an eisbock, but the sweet taste help mask the alcohol in this beer making it very drinkable. I will get more of this beer in the future.
838 characters
3.69/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.99/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
11.2 oz. bottle poured into pilsener
L: brown-amber, orange, crystal clear, a bit light compared to other dopplebocks but an absolute beauty -- the color and clarity are stunning; pushes up big head, almost 1 1/2-inches tall, beige/tan foam that looks thick and sticky but dissipates rapidly and doesn't stick; good activity in the glass, mainly a tight column of bubbles in the middle of the column; keeps a thin collar of beige foam
S: fruity sweet ... plums, dates ... just a bit of dust, clean abbey ale dust (nothing barnyardesque or from the farmhouse); fig fruitcake
T: a bit hot from the alcohol is the first note, can't get around it, like a port wine; dusty fig and prune, some spicy hops, way more black pepper/spicy hop flavor than you can detect in the nose; smoothed out on the back end with a layer of brown sugar, molasses -- those notes are light compared to the dark fruit flavors; as it warms, has a slight peat/earthy flavor; the second half of the glass takes on a dominate earthy flavor ... not fruity or sweet but also not bitter or peaty
F: crispy and light for 11% ABV; carbonation tickles the tongue and may be enhancing the alcohol heat; I normally like a lot of carbonation, but for some reason the carbonation here might be a bit much
O: the alcohol heat can throw you at first, but all in all a great brew; the fruity sweet nose is the highlight for me, and the bubble activity inside the beautiful burnt orange-colored brew is quite a show
1,479 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
11.2 oz. bottle poured into pilsener
L: brown-amber, orange, crystal clear, a bit light compared to other dopplebocks but an absolute beauty -- the color and clarity are stunning; pushes up big head, almost 1 1/2-inches tall, beige/tan foam that looks thick and sticky but dissipates rapidly and doesn't stick; good activity in the glass, mainly a tight column of bubbles in the middle of the column; keeps a thin collar of beige foam
S: fruity sweet ... plums, dates ... just a bit of dust, clean abbey ale dust (nothing barnyardesque or from the farmhouse); fig fruitcake
T: a bit hot from the alcohol is the first note, can't get around it, like a port wine; dusty fig and prune, some spicy hops, way more black pepper/spicy hop flavor than you can detect in the nose; smoothed out on the back end with a layer of brown sugar, molasses -- those notes are light compared to the dark fruit flavors; as it warms, has a slight peat/earthy flavor; the second half of the glass takes on a dominate earthy flavor ... not fruity or sweet but also not bitter or peaty
F: crispy and light for 11% ABV; carbonation tickles the tongue and may be enhancing the alcohol heat; I normally like a lot of carbonation, but for some reason the carbonation here might be a bit much
O: the alcohol heat can throw you at first, but all in all a great brew; the fruity sweet nose is the highlight for me, and the bubble activity inside the beautiful burnt orange-colored brew is quite a show
1,479 characters
4.34/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
EKU 28 from Kulmbacher Brauerei AG
Beer rating:
3.95 out of
5 with
716 ratings
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