Why we picked it: This should be an unique beer. 14% ABV...brewed once a year...beer advocate gives it a rating of 89 and 100. This is what 24 Days of Beer is about, trying beers like this.
About Eggenberg's Samichlaus: The once strongest beer in the world is back! Brewed only once a year on December 6. Samichlaus is aged for 10 months before bottling. This beer is perhaps the rarest in the world. Samichlaus may be aged for many years to come. Older vintages become more complex with a creamy warming finish. Serve with hardy robust dishes and desserts, particulary with chocolates, or as an after dinner drink by itself. Brewed under the exclusive licence of Feldschlösschen-Hürlimann-Holding, Switzerland.
Samichlaus is one of the strongest lager beers in the world, at 14% alcohol by volume. The name means Santa Claus in Swiss German. It was originally brewed by the Hürlimann Brewery in Zürich, Switzerland. Hürlimann's founder Albert Hürlimann was a world leader in the scientific study of yeast, and the brewery has a long history of yeast development. The Samichlaus Christmas beer was first brewed in 1979 for sale in 1980. Production continued annually until 1997, when the brewery closed. In 2000, it returned, this time produced by Schloss Eggenberg in collaboration with the original Hürlimann brewers, using the original Hürlimann Samichlaus recipe. The beer is only brewed once a year, on December 6 (which is the day of Saint Nicholas), which makes it a relatively rare brew. It is in the style of a Bavarian Doppelbock, and undergoes unusually long fermentation by traditional cold lagering over a ten-month period, leaving very little residual sugar in the final beer.
Beer Advocate Score: 89 and 100
Style: Doppelbock
ABV: 14.0%
Case Cost: $110 ($20 for a 4 pack)
*website: http://www.schloss-eggenberg.at/de/unsere-biere/samichlaus-classic
"Refills all around"
ReplyDeleteStarting early today...
Boozy sweet, strong but very tasty. I like this a lot.
Drink this slightly warmer than "ice cold" for all the favors!
Undrinkable
DeleteOne night a few years ago, I wandered down the block to my favorite mega beer watering hole, World of Beer and starting throwing a few back. After a few rounds I was sufficiently drunk yet completely bored at the same time since I kept ordering beers I liked. So a brilliant idea popped in my head! They had around 250 beers in the venue so I figured I would get the worst beer they had just to spice things up. (No they don't serve Natty light, Milwaukee Beast or any other staples from your late teens). I tell the bartender of my plan and she looks intrigued then walks away to confer with the others. She comes back with the Samichlaus and needless to say I don't remember the rest of the night other than I almost gagged on the first sip and the fact that I finished it.
ReplyDeleteMan how things have changed! This beer is downright amazing. Almost reminds me of a Dubbel. Tasted like cherry and raisins to me but it had this sickeningly sweet aftertaste. But who cares, after a few of those 14% sips all will be right with world! Needless to say, don't make the same mistake I did and end your night with this beer. A!
This is definitely a welp-see-ya-later beer
DeleteUndrinkable
DeleteThis one is heavy! I'm a little unhappy that they cheap you out of .8 fluid ounces it is very nice. I think I may be developing a taste for malt. It's a good thing they charge a lot for it, there'd probably be a few more people passed out in the world otherwise - including myself.
ReplyDeleteUndrinkable
DeleteDidn't like this one at all. But i finished what i started. Chasing it down with the great tasting, less filling, and number one in your hearts: miller lite. It's miller time.
ReplyDeleteMiller lite = WGB
DeleteSo I have both looked forward to and dreaded this day. When I went to pick up my beer from Tony, the top case was the Samichlaus case. I gave him a concerned look and said something like, "really?" He said "oh yes, you know the Samichlaus?" And how. For the record, anyone who is looking for the box, I have it. And yes, that is intentional.
ReplyDeleteI have one and only one experience with Samichlaus. This goes back to aught seven. Rosemary, her sister, and my future brother in law Andrew had a lovely three or four beer dinner at Coppi's back when it was the only restaurant on U Street. We then headed up to the Black Squirrel which had just opened on my old block. This was before the owner started making blog posts on immigration that were subsequently quoted by current GOP presidential candidates (seriously). The beer selection was outstanding. I was overwhelmed and asked Andrew what I should have since he had more Belgianesque beer experience than I had. He giggled a bit and said he'd take care of me. Soon after I was faced with my first Samichlaus. It tasted pretty thick and sweet and that's about all I remember. I went from a pleasant level of intoxication to blacked out wasted in under 15 minutes. Pretty sure I was carried home that night. This night is still brought up in the family at least twice a year. So to say I was apprehensive about this was an understatement.
For the last few days I have been agonizing about when to drink this. Supposed to blast a 5K tomorrow morning. Normally I do not worry too much about beer consumption, but this is Samichlaus. Do I start early and risk going on an impromptu bender? Or do I start late and risk still being drunk when the gun goes off? I decided to go with the early strategy. So here I am.
This is pretty much exactly how I remember. I hate it. Just sweet, syrupy booze. I do not drink liquor unless it comes in a margarita glass and this my friends tastes like the only brandy I have ever had in my life. I don't remember that very well either so at least this tastes like what I think brandy would taste like. I'm not even entirely sure it's the alcohol content since I've had several 11% ABV beers that taste like beer. It's the sweetness combined with the booze.
So I am down to two ounces left and for the first time in my life I am glad I was cheated out of the 0.8 ounces. Already picturing the Sierra Celebration Ale that I will need to drink to wash this down. Which I think means this has led to the aforementioned and feared impromptu bender. It's 5:30 and I'm hammered. So drunk that Florida seems to be beating Alabama. Andrew, add 10 minutes to my expected 5K time. Per mile. Damn You Samichlaus! Edelweiss! Oesterreich uber alles! Das ist nicht gut! Ich bin sehr getrunken. Ich bin ein Berliner!
Update. Universe returning to normal. Alabama is winning. Celebration Ale tastes better than Samichlaus. Things returning to normal. Glad that tomorrow's doppelbock is half the strength of tonight's.
DeleteUpdate. Just sliced my finger open with the cheese grater. Thanks Samichlaus!
DeleteBlack Squirrel connection to crazy GOP taking points is a fantastic discovery.
DeleteBlack Squirrel connection to crazy GOP taking points is a fantastic discovery.
DeleteUndrinkable
DeleteEvery time I see a malt liquor, I think of the old Colt 45 commercials with Billy D Williams or my brother (Chad Molnar) drinking Zima after adding a Jolly Rancher in the bottle, both make me chuckle.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Bolt, undrinkable.
This is not your father's 8 ball. Or St. Ides.
DeleteSo funny, I do too!!! And I drank Private Stock in my youth
DeleteSo funny, I do too!!! And I drank Private Stock in my youth
DeleteI guess I need to swim upstream on this one (while I still can). I'm about half way through it and am really enjoying this, but then I like Troeg's Mad Elf and this seems to be in a similar vein. It pours heavy, no head on it; a completely different consistency and mouthfeel from most tradition beers. Like Todd, I was thrown by the malt liquor label and wondered if I should wander around the house with it in a paper bag. But I opted for a glass and am planning to nurse this one for a while. Anyway, this one goes on the keeper list for me. Interesting pick.
ReplyDeleteConcur; undrinkable.
ReplyDeleteFirst, thanks to the 24 DoB team for getting this one into the lineüp. As many have said before me, tasting beers that I otherwise woüldn’t find or take a chance on is the compelling part of this 24 DoB adventüre.
ReplyDeleteI hope I love this beer, büt am worried that the ABV will make it not enjoyable. It will be cool to say that I’ve had one of the strongest beers oüt there, büt that doesn’t mean it will be good. I normally don’t read comments before I post my own, büt I coüldn’t resist today and as a resült, I’ve taken some advice: 1) I let it warm üp a bit before opening and 2) I’m drinking it as a pre-game (neighborhood holiday party) instead of a cürtain dropping nightcap. I like the package – a Eüropean feel thanks to the high neck label, Sammy Claüse front and center, and good colors.
After poüring, I’m already getting that boozy aroma and getting scared. A post-poür whiff makes me think of boürbon. On the first sip, I get a big boozy taste üp front that very qüickly and sürprisingly fades and reveals that süper sweet syrüpy stüff ünderneath. I’m not saying it türned pleasant, only that I was not expecting the boozy thing to qüickly fade. HOWEVER, as I worked my way to the bottom of the glass, the booziness did not fade and in fact, got stronger. At the end, I was working hard to get throügh it, ünlike the last 2 nights when I was sad when my glass became empty. Balanced it’s not. Is this beer the polar opposite of “sessionable”?
Happy to have met this beer, büt I won’t be hanging oüt with it anytime soon.
This beer is ok, it's pretty smooth but too sweet, I could only have one. However the ABV is doing its job and making me think the wizard on the label is the dos exis man in disguise, it even says this is the most extradinary beer in the world. Then I look further down on the label and realize this beverage is in the same family as one of my high school favorites, OE, which conviently came in a 40oz size. Anyways this beer is ok in taste but a little to sweet however this is the best label yet.
ReplyDeleteI had the pleasure of drinking yesterday's beer while making Christmas cookies with the kids. It was perfect for a Saturday at 10am.
ReplyDeleteToday's beer reminded me of drinking a port wine and was tasty at the first sip, but a few sips is all I can take. There's no way I could drink more than one of these. Maybe this gets better with age...
Drinking beer on a Saturday at 10am...Winner!!!!
DeleteSo the boys annoyed the crap out of me today with "age-appropriate" behaviors ...blah, blah, blah.
ReplyDeleteAs a result, I was really looking forward to a beer and the harder the better. So, 14% ABV was right up my alley and what I was looking for.
And then I had a sip. Ugh. It's the beer version of Jagermeister, and - from what little I remember of those nights of my youth - that's a pretty significant insult. It's alcoholic sweet syrup.
Mind you, I drank every drop before moving quickly to a pallet cleanser (Ballast Point Wahoo). The good news is I am well on my way to being inebriated and giggling about all the things that the boys annoyed me with. 1.25/5
Easily the most intriguing beer of our entire lineup this season. Sorry Bolts...it it is eminently drinkable, but certainly not to be treated like any other beer. This is special beer...$110 for a case wholesale, no idea what this would cost retail (I would charge $15 a beer at the restaurant).
ReplyDeleteFlavor is reminicent of the mad elf simply due to massive malt and abv with intensely complex and layered flavors and aromas. Clearly not a session beer...I immediately decide to stop drinking it and go make myself a cheese plate to go with the rest of this beer. It is something that can be drank alone but prolly is meant to be part of a special meal. For me a dessert cheese plate. The flavors play well with Brie and bleu and should be drank much like a port. It sure is boozy enough to stand up to a fortified wine. Added a little cherry jam to round things out and I was in heaven. Super complex...this honestly isn't a beer as we know it anymore. It is elevated to something apecial and unusual.
Made the call not to have the mad elf in the 24DOB this year...glad to have enjoyed this brew. Sure did get my fix for absurdly strong and unusual brews.
So I started drinking this late last night and the next thing you know I woke up with a hangover. Was that a beer or a double shot of some kind of liquor? Holy Shit
ReplyDeleteI think it was kerosene
DeleteSo I started drinking this late last night and the next thing you know I woke up with a hangover. Was that a beer or a double shot of some kind of liquor? Holy Shit
ReplyDeleteHad significant trouble blogging about this one in my phone last night. Wrote 2 long comments and both poof disappeared. So annoying. Possibly due to the high ABV...I suppose it could have been human error
ReplyDeleteOk got it to work this time.
DeleteLong story short...if you go into this one expecting a traditional beer drinking experience you will be sadly disappointed. Cold lagered for 10 months are you kidding...this one is a monster. We chose not to do the mad elf this year so it's good to have an eccentric beast on the list.
I love it...it is deep, strong and complex. I did however drink 1/3 and run into the kitchen to make myself a dessert cheese plate with some Brie and bleu and jam. Now this beer is really shining.
Your original post went to the spam folder. I added it above.
Deletewoahhh boy. malt liquor, and that's no joke this stuff is strong and tastes boozy. Glad to have tried it but I had higher hopes for it.
ReplyDeletePassed on drinking this yesterday as I had to go to a company party and didn't want to show up hammered. Probably a good decision on my part. Just poured this into a tulip glass and it kind of smells like Mad Elf to me...looks a little like it too. First sip has a lot going on, really sweet. I’m going to sip on this slowly and see if it changes as it warms up. Second taste and I’m still thinking Mad Elf. It would be interesting to try these next to each other. (Katy just took a sip and she hates it.) VERY sweet aftertaste. Most people have either loved this, hated this, or can’t remember finishing this. I don’t hate it, I don’t love it, so I’m taking notes as I drink it in case I fall into the last category. OK, half way through…here comes the buzz. Is this going to be like when they ask you to count down from 10 to 1 before surgery and you never get to one? I feel like I’m not going to remember the end of this beer. It’s a little warmer now and the smell hasn’t changed much. It’s not really a beer smell. More Brandy or liquor smell. A lot warmer now and I get that syrupy taste. This beer has also warmed me up…definitely made the right decision by not drinking this before the company holiday party. Overall I’m glad I tried it, but I won’t be seeking this out in the future. I would however try one that has been aged for a few years if I come across it. Grade 7 of 10, C-
ReplyDeleteThe first taste smacked me in the face. Not sur if I am going to be able to drink this one. Who am I kidding
ReplyDeleteWow! This smacked me in the face too! I took it out the fridge and after that first dip I contemplated pouring it out! I let it rest a little and warm up and went back to it. The first taste is pretty enjoyable and followed by the 14% punch. I would have this again for sure but probably on a Friday night.
ReplyDeleteRich and sweet. Super boozy. Not to be consumed at a cold temperature, cool, but never cold. Raisins. One of my fave sippers actually and that's exactly what it is; a sipper. Trying to down mouthfuls of this will only cause you to incur its heavy, cloying, boozy wrath. Great when paired with good company, good conversation and a good movie.
ReplyDeleteThis always made me wonder how much of a kick in the face Schorschbräu Schorschbock would deliver, an eisbock (frozen doppelbock with the ice removed in order to harness the most alcohol and flavour) weighing in at 57% ABV.
I've been in LA since Wed....finally home and who's in the house to greet me?! The mother-in-law! Time to get caught up on the 24DoB and this Malt Liquor will certainly get the afternoon started off with a disgusting BANG! I'm not a fan, but this is what's great about the 24DoB, there's only 1 to deal with.
ReplyDeleteWow, this beer def didn't drink like a beer. After the first taste I treated it like a port and sipped it. Not my favorite but glad I was able to try it.
ReplyDeleteD+
Glad to have tried it, would never have chosen to drink this at a bar. The taste improved a bit after it warmed up a little, but sweeter than I like my beers and not really my style. On the plus side, got a great buzz from just one beer...
ReplyDeleteI used to buy (and drink) it when it was made in Switzerland. Astonished b y the comments. 1. If you go to the effort to source Samichlaus, you should do some research. It appears that all the messages above were written by 'quaffers'while Samichlaus is a 'sipper'. The 'chillers' would have had a whole day to let it 'warm' up to drink on Samichlaus Day? Why warm it up?
ReplyDeleteSamichlaus does not belong in the refrigerator at any time. Not one responder has tasted it with ANY BOTTLE AGE! Back in the 1990ies it came in sixpacks and I used to buy a sixer every year I could find it and put it in my wine cellar for consumption on Samichlaus Day a year or more later. I drink it out of a small, tulip shaped cordial glass and treat it like a Vintage Port pair it with blue cheeses, very dark chocolates, almonds and walnuts.