Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier

This beer pours a reddish-brown hue, with almost no head. The aroma is that of barnyard (similiar to a Pinot Noir), as well as hints of honey, smoke, toffee, and dark roast cofee. Holy malt bomb! This beer is an explosion of Honey, Raisens, and a sweet almost bourbon like burn. The earthy nuttiness accompanies teh powerful alcholol on the finish and burns out to a nice caramel tofee finish like that of a highland single malt. This beer is unique (all the non-beer) references and I fell the have done just what they set out to do. No attempt to hide the alcholol. Instead they accompany it. Definately a one and don, but what a great one.

I enjoyed an 11.2 oz bottle of the 2005 batch, poured into a small glass. The beer was a fascinating, translucent medium brown/very dark amber color, with just the slightest white foamy head, that was gone within seconds. The aroma was very complex, mostly controlled by fruity malts, and perhaps some chocolate hints, with a faint scent of alcohol. Upon tasting the beer I was first hit with sweetness, which quickly changed to a bitter-slight alcohol sensation, followed by a dry finish with a disappearing aftertaste; maybe even a touch of citrus. The carbonation in the beer was very low, with no bubbles in sight. Admittedly, I was somewhat intimidated by the 14% alcohol label, but this characteristic was remarkably well controlled, and it was a great beer to sip slowly.

Clear ruby body with a definite glow. Little to no head. Scent of dark malt caramels. Very sweet flavour, some whiskey.

bottled 2005, close to two years old. Thought I’d try it...after all it’s the "rarest beer in the world." It was more like drinking ...I dont know... some random liquor mixed with warm beer. Clear orange / red. No head. Buttery flavor, smelled like dried malts, warm flavors... I probably will never try any "beer" that’s 14% alcohol again. This included. NOT BAD, don’t get me wrong, but I couldn’t enjoy it by itself. Maybe over ice? Mixed with something? With some strong pasta? Use it to cook marinate fish / chicken?

11.2 oz bottle. 2004 Vintage. Pours cloudy copper with basically a one eight of a head. The nose is very sweet and slightly malty. It does not look or like a dopplebock, but has a similar scent to Celebrator. The taste is candied sugar sweet with a fruity caramel taste. I’d say this has elements of both a barley wine and of a dopplebock. Certainly the alchol content sets it apart from other dopplebocks I’ve sampled. This is a curious brew, I’ve had it a couple of times, and now that my palate is more refined, I can say that this is well worth a try, and worth considering in more detail. The key here for me is that the alchol comes through far too much, it would be a stronger beer at 8-10% abv.

[Tasted at Carlsens in 2005.] Strong and warmly beer with notes fruits. Would be good in a cellar for some more years. Tastes like dessert wine!

How can one rate a beer when you find different things on it everytime you taste it, even in bottles of the same vintage? Samichlaus was absolutely amazing and wonderful back when it was bottled by Hürlimann and it’s amazing and wonderful now. It was amazing when it came in 25 cl bottles and now in 33 cl. It’s one of my two favorites beers. Opaque red colour, very very nice when you see against the light. It pours an amazing almost not existing head, you blink and the head is not there anymore. From the very first moment you opne the bottle, a cascade of aromas come to your nose, and, as in the palate it developes and changes as the time passes and the temperature increases: brandy or generous sherry, port, cask aged wine, caramel, figs, dates, vanilla, chocolate, liquor, spices, berries... you name it. Very strong, in aroma and in flavours. Mouth of syrup, sweet, but strong, extraordinary complex, chocolate, brandy, spices... everything I noticed in the aroma is there too. And that final warmness when it gets down your throat...that post-taste that lingers like when you drink a good brandy... Well, I think I’m out of words, I don’t know what can I say next week, when I rate Stille Nacht, my other favorite. Just drink it slowly to appreciate all the subtles in it.

The 2005 batch. I tasted something vaguely beerlike and sweet before a burning flood of alcohol scorched my taste buds into uselessness. I imagine this might be good after a few years. I was excited about trying this one, but ended up pouring most of it down the drain.