7 Days of Christmas Beer – Castle Brewery Eggenberg ‘Samichlaus Bier’

Colin Joliat Staff Writer

Today is the final Christmas beer of my sampling. As many have pointed out to me via twitter, there are 12 days of Christmas. Unfortunately for the other 5 days though, neither my wallet nor my palate are interested in running with this for 12 days. Instead, I made up for it by drinking Samichlaus Bier, the strongest lager in the world.
Samichlaus 160x214 7 Days of Christmas Beer Castle Brewery Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier

“Samichlaus” beer is brewed once a year, in each case on December 6th, and stored and matured afterwards for over 10 months before it is bottled. This beer can be served with heavy meals and desserts, particularly with chocolate – or as digestive and meditations drink. According to the Guinness Book of Records, it is the strongest lager beer in the world with 14 % alcohol and 32° original extract content. It is brewed exclusively of natural raw ingredients after the purity requirement of 1516.

This was my first encounter with “Samichlaus,” and it was likely my last. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good. It’s actually really good. If you’ve ever had a barley wine, think of that and you’ll be in the correct mindset. It’s thick and creamy, almost to the point where it feel like a liqueur, and the immense sweetness hits your from start to finish of every sip. The alcohol is prevalent early on, but as you grow accustomed to it the fruit starts to stand out. The carbonation is low and it’s very drinkable, surprisingly so for a beer that’s 14% ABV.

Now that I’m thinking back, I will probably go pick up another bottle. It’s made to be aged even longer, so I might just tuck one away for a few years. Odds are I get drunk one night and drink it, but it’s at least worth a shot. From what I’ve gathered, 7-10 years old seems to be the ideal age, so be sure to check back with me in 2020 to see how it was.

RateBeer gives Samichlaus a B+ and RateBeer has it at 94. And as for my favorite review?

Taste really isnt as boozy as you would expect. The booze is there, but its masked by dry grains and hints of dark fruits. The scary thing about Samichlaus is that its drinkable. You dont feel the alcohol until youve gotten well into your pint, but when the alcohol hits you, watch out. It catches up rather quickly. That may seem bad, but its not.

Day 1: Great Lakes Brewing – Christmas Ale

Day 2: Anchor Brewing – Our Special Ale 2011

Day 3: Three Floyd’s – Alpha Klaus

Day 4: Goose Island – Christmas Ale

Day 5: Bell’s – Christmas Ale

Day 6: Boulevard Brewing – Nutcracker Ale

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