2004 750mL generously given by Sammy. Consumed on 9/20/2005. Ruddy-amber to garnet colored body. Clear, with huge amounts of medium-sized bubbles rising to create a one-finger head of a yellowish-cream color. Aroma of raisins, fresh barley, toffee, caramel, hint of lightly tart vinousness on the end. An odd, almost dull/dirty metallic smell is faintly perceived. Aroma is, altogether, quite weak. Good bock character though in the nose. Lots of liquid bread/sugary malt. Head is creamy/pillowy. Immediate flavor is the best, IMHO. Bocky wine-like character, cherries, dates, rum raisins and a lovely, soft, gentle mouthfeel of fine carbonation. Tapers off a good amount in flavor, drying out a good deal and adding a touch of wateriness. No hops, or a maybe a touch on the end actually. Dirty, nutrient rich yeast notes on the finish. Caramel and cherry-vanilla iced-cream flavors in the middle with slight, slight breadiness trailing off. Medium body, not sticky or thick. Certainly very light relative to style. Doppelbock in character. No alcohol noted. Good amount of lacing. I really prefer this stuff less as it warms up, as it gets weaker in flavor. Light yeast is pleasant and the body is so easygoing and drinkable. I’ll have finished this 750 in about 15 minutes. Some dry licorice and walnut skin on end as it warms. No sediment on the bottom.

2005 RBSG Small frothy white head that disappears immediately. Light brown body Unassertive malty aroma. The flavor had many acetic and sour notes that shouldn’t be in any sort of Bock. Off a bit perhaps??

Clear amber/copper coloured body with a thinnish tan head. Aroma of peaches, fresh hops, caramel, raisins and figs. Medium to Full-bodied; Super sweet maltiness with a nice toffee flavour and subtle hops in the background. Aftertaste shows alcohol lingering with malt, sweetness and a fair amount of hops-still! Overall, a nice sweet eisbock, great to try-very pleased to pick this rare one up a while ago! I sampled this 75 cL bottle purchased at the LCBO on Queen’s Quay in Toronto, Ontario on 27-September-2004.

This Eisbock pours a rich dark red colour with a creamy off white head. The scents include apples and pears, caramel malt and a little sugar and alcohol. Initial sip is almost creamy with a slight wine taste to it almost like fermenting fruit. The finish is slightly alcoholic with a little waterness to it. The palate has lingering malt and a small amount of bitterness to it.

2003. Brown hue with white foam. Sweet aroma with some fruitiness. Lightly roasted malt tatse, with some soody overnote, some vanlilla, and a nice shapr bitterness near the end. Much less body than in previous years. A bit of a let down. 6-3-6-3-14 2004: Light brown and sickly cherry orange with a thick off-white head. Light sweet malt with caramel notes in aroma. Sweet malt and german crips hops , with lighlty vinous alcohol warmth and vodka finale. Light ody doesnt support alchohol too well. Astringent notes in mouth. Unbalanced. 6-3-6-2-12

Bottled. 2000 version sampled in March 2000.
Red-brown. Softly malty, dry, yeasty but well balanced.

I've previously written how the recent vintages of this beer have not lived up to past greats...and that's still true. After all, the batches from the early to mid 90's rank alongside the first Tall Ship No.1 and 96-97 Quelque Chose as the best beers every produced in this country. Every year, Upper Canadian beer geeks wait for this beer, hoping that it will regain its former glory. The 2001-02 Eisbock shows some of that promise. It has a rich amber colour, complex aroma of fresh bread, dried oranges, light hoppiness and amber malts. Vibrant body - still far too light and the finish is kind of watery, but showing signs of life not seen since '97. It is vinous, slightly chewy, with touches of smoke and fruit. The numbers here reflect the 2001-02 vintage, and you can see that I think they are getting back to what they used to do. Not there yet, they'll need to ratchet up the malt for that, but I'm hoping this means they are on the right path.