Eisenhugel
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

 

Wow - quite surprised by the quality of this brew. I'm going to suggest this is a damn close substitute - check that - it's a remarkably similar - check that - this comes across as sort of hybrid or missing link between Schnieder Aventinus and their Eisbock. The strong booze is softened quite nicely in the aroma and taste, though it surely pokes through. Light banana and yeasty sweet rolls highlight the aroma. Just about the same yellow-purple-brown color of my said fave Weizenbock. (they really need to be trained on how to properly, respectfully pour a beer at this place!). Ultra-dense, murky opacity. The smell is just wonderful - real potent, sweet. The depth and complexity of a dark, heavy German Weizenbock is surprisingly spot-on here. Silky, fruity, not overly yeasty/bready yet plump with malt. The high-octane ethyl slips it all through deftly. Really enjoyed it. I'd swill on this a few more times, lovin' its punch.

On tap @ Iron Hill Maple Shade (Maple Shade, NJ) on 12/4/10. Served in a goblet.

Pours a deep murky amber in the glass, topped with a thin covering of foamy light tan head. This retains with bunching around the edges, as well as some thin wisps in the center, and stays frothy on the sides with a rich cascade that slowly slides down the glass. The aroma is hefty feeling in the nose, with tangy wheat and then more bready and sweet smelling malts. I'm picking up some strong notes of banana and clove from the yeast, which adds some depth to the overall twang that this is giving off. This just has a nice powerful and even mix of flavors here.

The taste follows the lead of the aroma, with big full flavored crispness tanginess to it. Tight bready sweetness, with a bit of a burnt toasted edge to it, is complimented by notes of fruity ripe banana and some earthy bitterness. The hops mingle with the burnt character of the malts and stretches into the finish along with lingering spicy clove. The mouthfeel is full bodied, with a sharpness to it that compliments the huge crispness of the flavors but then as you near the swallow, this gets much more creamy and sticky feeling as this rolls down the throat. The large ABV here is hid very well. Not alcohol flavors are detectable but it's just the overall size of the body that holds the drinkibility of this back some.

This was good and came off to me like an extra-strength Weizenbock. Flavors were powerful and fairly complex with a deep warming nature to it from the larger ABV on this. I'm not sure if this is any kind of established sub-style or just the brewer's stab at an imperial sized take on a Weizen beer but I really dug this.