Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier

Brewed by Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg
Style: Doppelbock
Vorchdorf, Austria

This one is very sweet and malty overall, which I kinda like, but I can understand how other people wouldn’t like this at all. Pours a dark amber with a small head. Aroma is malt, with some sweetness of apples and raisins. There is a hint of spice in there as well, perhaps some anise and cloves. Flavor reminds me of this pear and balsamic vinegar jam that I had once. Brown sugar, pears, raisins, a bit of eucalyptus. Not bad.

330 ml bottle, served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass.

App.: Deep copper, clear, ring of white head. Aroma: Lots of intensely sweet malt, brown sugar, light molasses, toffee, old apples and other vague fruitiness, slightly woody and nutty, alcohol apparent throughout. Palate: Medium+ body, moderate carbonation. Flav.: Much like the nose – sickly sweet malts, some fruitiness, a good deal of alcohol, brown sugar, apples, some dried fruits; sweet, sweet, sweet with a lot of aggressive alcohol, some bad bitterness and malt notes that linger a bit.

Ouch. Not a particularly pleasant brew, but on par with other uber-strong products such as malt liquor that serve a purpose (making you blind).

Bottle shared by a friend. Light brown pour with a tan head. Sweet aroma of malt, fruit, booze and candi sugar. Incredibly sweet and syrupy flavor with cherries and berries and a somewhat boozy finish. Not my thing.

2007 bottle. Pour was thick dark roasty brown with a strong but smooth malt aroma. Flavors were very well blended with toast, sweet malt, smooth alcohol, some cognac. Very aromatic and flavorful brew. Definitely a fun drink.

330ml Bottle: Pours pumpkin orange, no head to be found. Aroma is cherry liqueur, caramel sugar.. strangely, the same aroma you’ll get from rotting lettuce, sweet and pungent. Not that it’s bad, but quite strong. The booze hits you instantly on first sip, it’s VERY strong. Afterwards you pull out a heavy, syrupy sweetness alongside brandy and candy apples. As it warms it balances slightly but that cognac-like hit of booze is there all the time. Bit much for me, but I respect it.

I found this bottle and was immediately intrigued... Pours a pretty shiny tan head and a syrupy looking light muddy brown. Aroma is pretty intense, with heavy amounts of liqueur smell, little boozy, bunch of sugar and malts. Taste is sweet and hell of malty. Heavy dark fruit taste. Alcohol well covered, but you certainly can’t drink it fast. I suppose you can only drink one of these at a time, but that is why it doesn’t come in a six-pack.

On tap at 515 in Santa Cruz. Poured into a snifter. Deep amber with a fluffy and sticky beige head. Aromas of caramel, eggnog, raisins, other dried fruits, and alcohol. The taste is very sweet and borders on cloying unless you really take your time. Big honey and raisin notes with a very syrupy texture. Alcohol is obviously present but not distractingly harsh. Too thick and sweet for me.

Draft at Burp Castle. An alcohol fueled monster. Poured dark with some read. Fruity and a bit plummy? I don’t know. But yeah not malty enough and with 14%, damn...