bauhauswerk

Dear Coilers, today is December 6th, Saint Nicholas Day, one of the most exciting days in the world of beer!

On this day, and on this day only, the most exclusive beer is brewed and it got its name after it.

I have tasted this beer just once, some 15 years ago so I can’t wait to taste it again.

It is brewed in the style of DOPPELBOCK – The “liquid bread” of the beer world, Doppelbock was first created by 17th Century Paulaner monks, who began brewing a hyper-malted beer – think “grain in a glass” – to drink during their Lenten fasts. Doppelbock remains among the most hearty, power-packing beers there is. Like a Bock, but “double,” which is to say even higher in terms of strength and flavor, Doppelbocks can be either pale or dark, with pale versions brewed with Munich and lighter Pilsner malts and dark versions brewed with Munich and Vienna malts. Lighter versions might showcase a bit more in the way of hops, but you’re never going to find a “hoppy” Doppelbock. This is a malt-bomb, the good kind, with flavors of toast, caramel, toffee, raisins, prune, and chocolate (the darker flavors show up in the dark versions). Hops are there for balance, and even with them you’ll get a lingering sweetness and some warm alcohol in a big, brawny bearhug of a beer. No wonder the first Paulaner Doppelbock was called “Salvator” (Savior).

SAMICHLAUS CLASSIC by SCHLOSS EGGENBERG

The once strongest beer in the world!

Brewed only once a year on December 6 in Schloss Eggenberg brewery which was founded in 1803, by Johann Georg Forstinger in Salzburg, Austria.

Samichlaus is aged for 10 months before bottling. This beer is perhaps the rarest in the world. It is the once strongest lager beer in the world and also known as “Santa Claus Beer” (Samichlaus means Santa Claus in the Swiss-German dialect of Zurich).

To make this beer it takes almost a year of slow secondary fermentation while stored in the foothills of the Alps for it to develop all of its qualities, after those 10 months of aging.

Only the best selected yeasts are used.

Samichlaus may be aged for many years. Older vintages become more complex with a creamy warming finish.

Serve it with hardy robust dishes and desserts, particulary with chocolates, or as an after dinner drink by itself.

I’ve got 3 bottles of only 15 in a beer wholesale warehouse in Zagreb. 99 more bottles were ordered but they are not sure will they get them and when. It is not a beer you can buy in every shop around the corner but specialized shops which care about their class and reputation will always try to order and have some...

...So let’s taste this gem!

SAMICHLAUS BOTTLED IN 2019

STYLE: DOPPELBOCK

ALC VOL: 14% (!!!)

BITTERNESS: (n/a) IBU (extremely low bitterness)

It pours clear, dark amber in colour with almost no head, just a small white while poured which disappears almost immediately. Carbonation not seen at all.

Smell 😍 OMG! In nose it screams Christmas!

Liqueurish warm and sweet. Dark fresh bread, prune, cherries, chocolate, toffee, raisins... Alcohol is felt in nose like when smelling strong drinks but it is pleasant and warming.

The first sip 😲😍♥️🥰

Is this a beer?! Liqueur sweet spicy wine. Sweet malts all over. Strong dried fruits, honey sweet and textured like melting caramel. Creamy chocolate with that dark chocolate sourness. Cherries, cherry brandy. Plums and raisins mixed with Christmas spices...

...Is this a cookie? A cake?

The body is full, potent, robust but the sweetness makes it more of a food than a beverage. Carbonation is at its lowest. Imagine a mouth full of chocolate brownie with raisins and spicy rum in a log house while the snow is falling outside and the open fire warms you inside – this is it!

In the exhale there are Christmas sweets, cookies and cakes, wrapped in sweet warming alcohol.

Aftertaste is lingering fresh dark bread with honey and jam.

THIS IS AN AMAZING BREW!!! Absolutely recommended to taste at least once in life!

My mark: 9,99/10

Thanks for reading,

Srdan