Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier

Brewed by Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg
Style: Doppelbock
Vorchdorf, Austria

Bottle. Looks like a 2006 version. Pours a ruby mixed with amber color, very little head. Aroma is sweet with notes of fruit and malt. Body is kind of oily and has medium to light carbonation. Flavor is sweet, malty, and of fruit, apricot, figs. It has a fairly sweet finish with sweet malts and hints of alcohol. Man, this is strong with alcohol but it remains hidden besides the warmth. Flavorful, a little sweet, decently balanced, this is one gnarly beer. I’ll try to get another and age it a while.

Yummy aroma: chocolate, coffee, malt and alcohol. Body like pivo discribed. Taste sweet, too sweet, malt and strong nearly harsh alcohol.. Kicks on the top of the tongue. to much alcohol taste for me that kills the´other flavors, but still nice.

Bottled 2003: Amber coloured. Clear. Beige dense head. Alcohol and fruit in the aroma. Is a bit sherry like. Alcohol, prunes, fruit, some sweetness and raisins in the flaovur. Is quite complex. Dry and alcoholdense in the end. It drains the palate completely. I’m sure this beer will grow over years. I have one 2003 more in the cellar. I will give it at least 2 years more.

2001 vintage, aged 13 months. Dark ruby red, nearly still, a bit unsettling in that regard. Thick. The 14% is evident but hidden well. I guessed 10% before looking. The alcohol warmth lies below layers of sweet toffee, vanilla, dates, and raisin. Extremely pleasant, finishing like real maple syrup. Look forward to trying older bottles.

Strong and syrupy nose with some figs. Pours rich copper with no head. Flavour is sweet and rich with plenty of honey and malt and a subtly developing long finish of some cinnamon, ethanol, and more very sweet malt. An incredibly well-realised beer for the strength.

Burnt Beer Night: Pours a dark red color with no head. Strong aroma of alcohol and malts. Sweet malt and a pruny taste coupled with the alcohol. I’m betting it chills out over a couple of years. Tasty!

Pours dark red with a thin head that remains. Aroma is of sweet dark fruit, dough, and alcohol. Flavor is of dark fruit, dough, alcohol, and raisins. Slightly cough syrupy flavor and palate but the alcohol does a good job of thinning the palate and cutting the sweetness to enjoyable levels. The alcohol is noticable but is not overpowering. I like it but I like a lot of beers many consider to sweet.

(Vintage 2003) Thin foamy head which lasts a while. Strong, pungent aroma of alcohol, raisins and caramel. Clear body unlike the 2000 vintage. Dark orange in color. Thick mouthfeel. Strong alcohol presence which burns on the way down. NICE. Caramel and malty sweet. Alcohol kills alot of the flavor. Finish is warming and smooth with a big alcohol kick. A beer for sipping, at best. Rating remains the same.

(Vintage 2000) Almost no head and very little carbonation. Wow, powerful, complex aroma dominated by prunes and caramel. Color is a murky dark mahagony. Flavor is very powerful. Sweet with maple syrup, and some other dark fruits (raisin) in the flavor along with a big alchol punch. Guess you would expect it with a 14% abv. Finish is creamy smooth and leaves a lingering aftertaste with hint of smoke. Plus a big alcohol warming to boot. I recommend not drinking this one on an empty stomach. A very good, strong, complex brew that needs to be enjoyed slowly.