Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier

I was rather intrigued by this beer when I bought it. After reading the label and various reviews, there seems to be an air of "aging" that surrounds this beer. Yet, it doesn’t say it’s bottle conditioned and it looks cleanly filtered to me. Anyway, mine’s bottled in 2005. Smells wonderfully sweet and alcoholic, moreso actually while the beer is still cold. Aromas are absolutely thick with molasses and brown sugar and some raisins. Taste is fairly similar, and there’s some butterscotch as it warms. The beer may be cloying in the finish, but it fits the flavors well, and there’s a nice dryness in the throat. Tastes kinda like mesquite charcoal, mixed in with lingering sweet flavors. As the beer warms, it gets pretty hot, and there’s more butterscotch to the aroma. I don’t know how this is a doppelbock but oh well. Excellent beer in my opinion. I love them sweet and syrupy. Right up there with Avery’s Samael and DFH’s Raison d’ Extra.

Bottle at Sicosis, 2006 Vintage Pours a clear, brilliant and gorgeous dark copper color. Head is big, white and frothy but diminishes rather fast and leaves a medium lacing. Aroma is strong, malty with notes of cereal, straw and lots of fruity esters: strawberries, raspberries, red apples, plums, etc. Add notes of walnuts and almonds for a really complex aroma. Flavor is wonderful, very sweet, malty and extreme, akin to a Barley Wine. Tremendous fruity notes, hazelnuts, molasses, caramel and brown sugar. It finishes with a liquorish touch of cognac or maybe rum. This is pretty intense stuff indeed. The body is big but not over the top. Syrupy consistence. Carbonation is medium to high. Finish is sticky and alcoholic. Warming. Nice cognac aftertaste. A lager of considerable size. My first beer from Österreich and what a beer nonetheless.

2005 bottle. No head at all on this one. Color is clear, reddish. You can definately smell the alcohol! First a bit of alcohol in the flavor, then you are bombarded with sweetness! I’ve had this beer in my cellar for a year and a half, waiting for the right occasion... When it finally came, I must say I was disappointed by this beer. It is simply too sweet...

Bottle. Fruity and malty alcolohlic smell akin to a cognac. Copper hue with little head. Almost no carbonation to speak of. I thought I had a spoiled $4 bottle on my hands. Took a swig - thick, strong and sweet; an alcohold overdose. I changed my drinking style for this one - baby sips and didn’t keep the potion in my mouth too long, the alcohol is simply too strong for ordinary beer drinking. I don’t like it. Sure this oSamichlaus will get you smasked but if you can;t enjoy it what is the point. If you want hammered do like Ms. Dukakas - drink rubbing alcohol.

Bottle. Clear amber color with no head whatsoever. Aroma has malt, dried fruits, some cinnamon and a distinct alcoholic vapor. Sweet malt and alcohol in the flavor. Long bitter/sweet finish.Oily on the palate. The alcohol isnt very weel integrated into the aroma and flavor. Have had way better doppelbock.

Bottled in 2005 - 11.2 oz. bottle. Pours a brilliant clear reddish copper. The head appeared briefly, and like a glass of soda, disappeared completely into a fizz. Aroma of oranges, honey and candied fruit. The dominant flavor is brandy with a bit of orange and honey. Long alcohol burn at the finish. A bit syrupy in the mouthfeel. A real winter warmer. I plan on putting a bottle or two away to see how this ages.

This is a very stiff drink for a doppelbock! This is definitely a significant departure from other beers of the same style, but I thought the alcohol flavor was a bit overpowering, and I wouldn’t recommend it. My friend, whose favorite style is barley wine, really liked it, so I would say that it is a matter of personal preference. Served in a tulip glass on-tap at Roman’s in Milwaukee. Appearance is a cocoa brown with a minimal amount of head. Aroma is maltiness with a ton of alcohol esters. Flavor was more of the same...this beer is very malty but also (at 14% ABV) has a ton of alcohol punch. It tasted to me as if someone distilled a Spaten Optimator. Mouthfeel is astringent and this beer made me want to pucker. Not a bad beer, but I couldn’t get over how out-in-the-open its alcohol character is.

Very malty and sweet. Strong alcohol scent and flavor. The malt/alcohol combination was a little overwhelming. Not a huge fan, but his beer has its place, though.