Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier

Brewed by Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg
Style: Doppelbock
Vorchdorf, Austria

Serve in Dimpled mug, Stein, Stem glass

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Right off, powerful malty, biscuity aromas wafting up, along with honey. The flavor, likewise, was intensely sweet, richly toasty, honeyed, and contained hints of grape and saffron. Dry at the finish. Completely worth it, either at room temperature or gently chilled.

This beers smell is pretty rich with dark fruit and wine like. Flavour is too much alcoholic. it has overwhelmed all other flavours. It’s really strong, too strong for my taste. As if someone mixed beer with stock. Good beer but little too strong.

2011 Edition. Pours ruby red, with a thin, off-white head. Nose is raisin, plum, cherry, Christmas spice, vanilla, pear, oak, scotch, and a bit of pepper. The fruity aromas are dominant here. Mouth feel is thick and viscous with medium-low carbonation. Taste is intensely sticky-sweet with smoked dried fruit, malted barley, fortified wine, and nuts. Oak, vanilla, and cinnamon all contribute to a delightful smoky bourbon note as it warms in the mouth, followed by an earthy/grassy bitterness. Of course, it’s very boozy, but pleasant and slightly numbing. Finishes long and sticky leaving cherry cough drops, and a slightly acrid bitterness. I enjoyed it very much. More like a liquor than a beer. Can’t wait to see how it ages.

A good ten years or so of waiting, and meh, it was good.
At cellar temperature and into an eisbock tulip. Oily looking, almost lifeless pour results in no head bar a tannish ring on the meniscus atop fiery, ruddy chestnut beer that shimmers in the light. A lot of carbonation rises with great effort in streams to the surface. Spicy rye-bread and Pumpernickel is predominant on the nose; a follow up sniff brings heavily toasted malt melanoidins and seeping hints of roasted cacao beans, rich port, raisins and prunes in a thick syrup and a good dash of salty kecap manis. Surprisingly light, oily and soft in the mouth. Has body when held on the palate. Rich and sweet, quite vinous and port-like with bold, caramelised stone-fruit, roasted malt and oily nuts coming through amongst the lorry load of melanoidins that fill every nook and cranny. Residually sweet but controlled, the alcohol so well masked it could well be a beer of petty strength. Kicks in though, not driving after this. Really sticks around, has a treacly feel to it late into drinking, I take back what I thought of the body. This is so sweet, but oh so nice. Not complex at all, but somehow pulls off something to twist me into liking it. A beer of great history, even if it is contract brewed now. A nice, slow sipper!! (33cL,vintage 2010, Cellarbrations Carlisle)

From notes: tried two separate bottlings, and will compare/contrast here. Started with a 2007 bottling, sold in 2008. Poured ruby red with a small, thin off-white head. Aromas of dark candied fruit and caramel. Full-bodied, with a slight thickness to it. Still, not too heavy and a nice, lingering finish. Slight dryness and astringency to the finish. Flavors of dark cherry, candied fruit, mild caramel and maybe cola. Next, was a "fresh" 2010 bottling, sold for the 2011 holiday season. Appearance was identical. Aroma similar, but with more alcohol in the nose. Palate is significantly thicker and syrupy. All of the flavors are there, but are muted by a fairly strong note of alcohol. All-in-all, excellent, but worth aging if you have the patience. Wondering how much longer I should keep that 1995 bottle in my refrigerator...

2009 bottle. pours with pretty much no head. Slick body, all malt. A good beer, decent value for 14% abv considering what the rest of the world charges. I could actually drink a coupe of these as I find this one pretty smooth.

Liquide ambré-rougeâtre coiffé d’une mousse éphémère réapparaît au gré des brassées. Au nez, des odeurs d’épices, de cannelle principalement, mais aussi de clou de girofle et d’anis étoilé, fruitées, par la pelure d’orange et les cerises au marasquin avec une pointe maltée. En bouche, ouf, l’alcool joue aux gros bras, pas surprenant, j’en étais avertis, mais laisse quand même de la place aux épices. Ça tape. C’est trop fort. Il fallait que j’y goûte. (226080512)

Inizio col dire che stiamo parlando di una birra estrema, e non mi riferisco solamente alla gradazione alcolica. in quanto "estrema" penso che possa non incontrare un l’apprezzamento generale, ma di certo non è una birra che si dimentica. Un appassionato di bitter, porter e birre inglesi in genere (ma anche pale ale americane), credo che ne possa stare tranquillamente alla larga. Consistenza sciropposa, densa, entrata dolciastra con il malto che la fa da padrone, completamente, si sviluppano poi aromi che possono ricardare la melassa, il caramello, le nocciole, fino addirittura al cioccolato. L’alcool si percepisce, con effetti anche di "riscaldamento". Quasi assente invece sia schiuma che, per fortuna, la carbonatazione. Luppolatura ed amaro molto, molto moderato. Una birra da "assaporare" lentamente, con un sapore particolare che permane anche a degustazione completata. Consigliata, almeno per una prova, una volta. Consigliata.

Reminded me of making home brew with my grandad. that pure syrupy warm, maltiness that filled the air and that my brother and I occasionally were allowed to taste when making home brew with grandad when we were 8-9 is present in this liquid form. Realy like this beer. But am very wary of because of that high Alc content. Good this beer is good though. Deep crystal brown poor. Loved the flavour as much as the memories this one has bought back.

Bottled poured into a tulip, 14% alc version. Aroma is of malt, a bit of maple syrup and faint alcohol (interesting for such a high alc content). Color is clear amber/brown, with a 1/4 inch-thick head after pouring which quickly fades to absolutely nothing. Nothing even sticks to the glass! Living in Quebec, Canada, what struck me when I tasted this beer is how it had a strong maple syrup taste! Best drank cold, as the alcohol becomes a bit too present as the beer warms up. I even tried to put it in the freezer for about 15min and it became a bit "syrupy" and and the maple taste/sugar was intensified...strange, but interesting! Texture is slick and becomes a bit oily when really really cold. Finish is long (and sugary), no bitterness at all. While I do recommend that one would try this beer at least once, I can definitely say that I wouldn’t have more than one per session! It packs quite a punch.

Dark copper pour with a thread of an off-white head. Some lace on the glass. Deep aromas of stale, dark fruit, nut, plum and red grape. Vanilla and sweet malt becomes prominent as it warms. This Samichlaus packs a punch. Initially quite sweet and tart with a strong sensation of alcohol warmth. The flavour profile is complex. Definite brown sugar, plum, spice, vanilla and malt. Really good. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone