Samichlaus Classic
Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg

Samichlaus ClassicSamichlaus Classic
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From:
Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg
 
Austria
Style:
Doppelbock
Ranked #33
ABV:
14%
Score:
90
Ranked #9,605
Avg:
4.02 | pDev: 16.17%
Reviews:
1,209
Ratings:
2,275
Status:
Active
Rated:
Today at 12:10 PM
Added:
Feb 25, 2001
Wants:
  203
Gots:
  442
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.
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Ratings by Weizenmensch:
Photo of Weizenmensch
Reviewed by Weizenmensch from Japan

3.72/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
330mL brown bottle with silver collar, best before 11.2013. Laughably labelled MALT LIQUOR 11.2 FL.OZ - evidently this bottle came to Japan via the USA.

Pours chestnut-brown with a small amount of off-white head quickly dissipating to a ring around the glass, and some sticky lacing. Some fine-bubble carbonation. Unassuming - something that has undoubtedly startled more than one Samichlaus newbie!

Volatile alcohol dominates the smell, and brings aromas of apricots, dried stone fruit, pear, the nuttiness of cashews and almonds but without their characteristic fragrance and flavour. Grapevines, fruit chews etc. That pectiny fruit stickiness and sweetness is all over the place.

In the mouth it's an intense mix of flavours - one that I unfortunately think is a little unbalanced. It's still an enjoyable beer, but it's overwhelming. It's overwhelming to try and separate them, too, but I'll try: most of all, alcohol on the palate. Along with it comes candied sugar, so sweetness and alcohol dominate (unsurprisingly)! Overripe red grapes. No idea what hops are used - there's no bitterness but there's a hop flavour, although it's odd to say a 'hop vegetable flavour' without the specific impact of the hops themselves. There's more but it's very complex and I'm not a good enough reviewer to separate them all any more! I'll work on my skills and come back to it in a few hundred beers' time.

Mouthfeel is evaporative and leaves a little skunkiness after everything's gone. Drinkability is not good, unless you're after a light refreshment to celebrate success at a vodka-drinking competition.

Overall: My opinion of this beer is that it works hard to be a rich, complex yet drinkable STRONG lager. The appellation of "strongest lager in the world" surely influences the brewing - it doesn't chance upon this title. But why be the strongest? Because you can't be the best? I think this brewery makes a fine beer, but I give it a poorer rating than it deserves mainly because it isn't merely a delicious beer, it's a STRONG beer made for those who appreciate beer but want something more potent.

Having said that, it's very complex, and I may be the ignorant critic here. I may feel it's a little unbalanced today, but come back when my beer-tasting skills are back on track and recognise a whole palate of different flavours that I had missed before. If so, I'll update my review.

I'm not ignorant, and I'm not new to this one-of-a-kind brew; I first had it eight years ago in a house near Mainz and I didn't underestimate its pedigree. But as of this review, it doesn't perform like I expected (and remembered) it to. However, I'll enjoy the rest of it with cashews and pistachios - it's well-suited to nutty flavours.

But call it what you want, it's sui generis; it's not a doppelbock.

REVIEW #2 6/Feb/2010

This is a young vintage - 2008, it's only been available for purchase where I am for a month or two. I've had it before a few times, and it tastes fresh and fruity. At this ABV it will certainly improve with age. I wish I had the foresight and discipline to buy a few cases of this, age it somewhere cool and quiet and enjoy it in a few decades.

When this young, it's pleasant, but not truly impressive. This follows a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout whose complexity I appreciated much more. Nice appearance in the glass, good head retention considering its ABV. Tons of sugary, fruity smells which continue on the tongue. Can be a bit cloying in the mouth too - I won't be drinking this bottle's twin brother just yet. Maybe not the beer I was after for a quiet Saturday afternoon, but I should be grateful that it's even available in Japan, let alone in my small, regional city.

Overall - a complex beer that is a must-try because of its fame and significance... but don't crack open the freshest batch, or you may be underwhelmed. Still interesting and complex, but not up to its potential in my opinion.
Feb 06, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of stcules
Reviewed by stcules from Italy

4.43/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Vintage 2016.
Vertical of 2015, 2016, 2017.
The more complex, round, full.
Raisins, panettone, candy sugar.
Molasse, caramel. Round, ageing notes. Burnt caramel.
Well defined, structured, not heavy.
Today at 12:10 PM
 
Rated: 3.96 by PvtSnowball from Florida

Feb 21, 2024
 
Rated: 4.22 by chrishiker1409 from New York

Feb 20, 2024
 
Rated: 3.62 by beerrat from Virginia

Feb 18, 2024
Photo of Nass
Reviewed by Nass from Florida

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 3.5
From the can, the pour is amber colored with a generous amount of carbonation. The 14% abv drinks more like a 9% beer, it's well constructed. I'm not sure how old this beer is because I can't find a date on it. Moreover, on the taste I'm getting sone dark prunes, caramel covered raisins, & burnt toast near the finish. This was a fairly decent doppelbock, I would like to try the bottle & draft versions. Cheers! A-
Feb 06, 2024
Photo of VABA
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia

4.07/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a nice clear dark amber color with a slight head and lacing
Aroma has caramel and fruit hints
The taste follows the nose with caramel and fruit flavors
A medium bodied decently carbonated beer
A good Doppelbock
Jan 25, 2024
Photo of mikeg67
Reviewed by mikeg67 from New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
11.2 oz bottle. Pours dark amber with tall, short lived, fluffy off-white head. Aroma is of some vinegar, cherries and caramel malt. Body is full, creamy and smooth. Taste is of caramel malt, spices, cherries, Portwine and some woody notes. Finish is long, sweet and spicy. Very complex sipping brew.
Jan 22, 2024
 
Rated: 3.74 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Jan 18, 2024
 
Rated: 4.3 by EdFed from Illinois

Jan 13, 2024
Photo of paylstep
Rated by paylstep from Canada (ON)

1.6/5  rDev -60.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
worst taste
Jan 04, 2024
Photo of jjamadorphd
Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida

4.51/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I let this age for a year, I'm so glad I did...

In short, this is the booziest dessert beer I have ever had. Beautiful copper colored brew with highlights, sweet smell of figs blended well with the high alcohol content. Mouthfeel is silky smooth with a light carbonated bite. Now, the taste, a malty sweet brew that hides the alcohol mildly. An exceptional beer, one I have to get my hands on again so I can let it age a couple of years next time through.
Dec 31, 2023
Photo of brewandbbq
Rated by brewandbbq from New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle from 1994.

Pure plump, sweet malt through and through. Mostly flat.
Dec 24, 2023
Photo of Grax
Reviewed by Grax from Iowa

4.35/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Aroma is a faint set of figs, caramel, and boozy raisin. The body is a pungent and creamy set of flavors following the aroma, I taste fig, caramel, maple-drizzled boozy raisin, This beer tastes like drinking a fruitcake soaked in rum and maple syrup, without any of the sickly sweetness you might find in a pastry stout, for instance. An extremely satisfying and delicious beer.
Dec 20, 2023
 
Rated: 4.23 by NWHopinator from Oregon

Dec 14, 2023
Photo of Beers-es
Reviewed by Beers-es from Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From a 330ml can, pours a clear deep coppery ruby. Thin head of tan foam dissipates quickly. Smell is complex, with toffee, sweet dark fruits and chocolate. Taste follows. Feel has just a hint of richness. Light carbonation. I'm really loving this beer, great for a cold, rainy November night.
Nov 22, 2023
Photo of Ushouldbeworkinh
Reviewed by Ushouldbeworkinh from England

4.36/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Beautiful clear dark red copper. Bubbles when pouring, but nothing after, flattest beer I've seen. Smells sweet, malty, slight spice, hint of alcohol. Reminds me of King Arthur Barleywine by Tartarus. Taste is very much the same. Feel is smooth, if a bit thin. Much more of a barleywine than doppelbock to me.
Nov 06, 2023
Photo of papposilenus
Reviewed by papposilenus from New Hampshire

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
From a 330ml can with an indecipherable date-stamp. Served in the last surviving precision designed, German engineered, preternaturally fragile Spiegelau BA tasting glass.

Pours caramel coloured with absolutely minimal head formation and a barely rousable super-slippery film of lacing. Looks very much like a (very large) glass of bourbon.

Nose is rich and robustly malty. Aroma of golden syrup and hay.

Taste is sweet and boozy. Tasting caramel and maraschino cherry. A smidge of ashy bitterness and a ton of sugary sweetness.

Edit to add: Rug said ‘baked apple’ in his review and that’s a great call. It doesn’t actually change my opinion at all but it’s right on and I wish I’d picked that up while I was writing my own review.

Feel is clean and smooth, surprisingly not heavy bodied - if that’s a fair way of describing something - gently but adequately carbonated and - again, surprisingly- not the slightest bit boozy.

Overall… OK? I mean, at 14% abv it sure as fuck gets the job done, right? but, aside from that, there’s not much going on here for me. Tooth decay is a serious consideration, however.
Sep 15, 2023
Photo of LBThiele3382
Reviewed by LBThiele3382 from Michigan

2.76/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Europeans may make good adjunct beer, but USA all the way on craft beer! This stuff is weak! And I don't mean on the ABV. 14% but about 25% on flavor. Poured a dark honey color and flat as a pancake. I could tell you the flavors I'm picking up but they're so weak. It's sweet and bland. Not even boozy for 14abv. I drive American cars and drink American craft beers for a reason! My Turbo charged Buick Regal has Balls, even with 107,000 miles on it!! This beer does not!! Pass!!!
Jul 25, 2023
Photo of illusionistlynx
Reviewed by illusionistlynx from Maryland

4.8/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
2021: Served at 48F. Dark amber with a hint of red, no head. Bold, complex and rich flavor. The alcohol punches through but is not overwhelming. Opens up around 52F to express more subtle notes. Christmas in a bottle.

Edit: After having a 2nd one of these I'm blown away by the incredible range of flavors. This is one of my top 5 beers of all time.
Jun 15, 2023
Samichlaus Classic from Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 2275 ratings