Samichlaus Classic Bier - Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg

pkalix

California

4.19/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

dang, and the memories come flooding back...
little to no head, lots of tiny bubbles rising to the surface and crackling upon surfacing. true copper/amber/orange color. much more of a 'carbonation' than i was expecting for such a high abv brew.
smell is almost non-existent, but maybe barley?
taste? sweet. alcohol-ly, slightly twangy bitter. i never knew this was classified as a dopplebock.
much thinner than i remember. back before i got into anything too extraordinary or diverse, this was the killer. it had to be crossed off the list along with its sister, the pale, enroute to completing the '101 beers from around the world'at Der Baron's in Las Vegas. this and thomas hardy. and celebrator! but dang i really like celebrator these days... it's also a dopplebock, my favorite style. but this isnt as bad as i remember it. i will still prefer a 9% belgian over this, but i had to try it again after discovering it is classified as a dopplebock.
overall, though, i'd have to say it's a worthwhile endeavor; just dont allow it to get warm, i imagine. the 14% abv will surely come out to bite ya then. it's a stately brew, even while sitting in my pathetic 11oz butwiper clydesdale mug.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 01:14:30 | More by pkalix

patre_tim

China

4.51/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A: Dark brown with orange tinge, fair carbonation, filtered, almost no head just a white residue from carbonation.

S: Smells like barley, puke, caramel, alcohol.

T: Pleasantly surprised. I get the barley, some sweet caramel, crème brule, some floral fruitiness, heavy hit of alcohol makes me think I am drinking a liquor. There is an underlying sweetness that backs this all the way. Almost an orange and a cherry blossom quality.

M: Thick and syrupy, alcohol burn, medium carbonation.

O: Bottled in 2012. Loving this one. I think its great, like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. Love the sweetnes and the complex flavours, as well as the bottle with the pic. Definitely a sipper or dessert beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 04:25:52 | More by patre_tim

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.43/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours with a two-finger, bubbly white head that fades quickly leaving no lace. Crystal ruby/amber color. Light carbonation and light - medium bodied. Nose is sweet raisins and alcohol, flavor is smooth and sweet dark fruit and honey. NOT a session beer - the 14% ABV is quite noticeable . . . savor this beer. $5.10 for a 330ml bottle, from Tully's Beer & Wine Wells, Me. Bottled in 2010 - cellars well.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 23:24:37 | More by jdhilt

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Single bottle, 2012 vintage. Glad to see this in the LCBO after being rejected a few years back. Enjoyed as an after-supper sipper on the first cold night in a couple of weeks.

Poured into my Duvel tulip. Nice bright caramel-ruby in colour, with about a half inch of head that burns away in a matter of seconds. For a brew that is at 14%, this doesn't surprise me, but regardless of the reason it ain't the best looking brew to come out of the fridge.

Smells sweet and boozy, nice rich caramel, lightly burned sugar, vanilla, plum, and cherry.

Damn this is one tasty brew. Lovely and sweet, very rich - a real pleasure to sip. Big sweet caramel and vanilla flavours, with the booze and fruit coming in later. Light puckery finish, not as bold as I'd have thought, but still delicious. Like a sweet barleywine. I know it's a doppelbock, but honestly at this strength it shares so many similar characteristics to other similar styles. Whatever it is, I'm really enjoying it. Great mouthfeel to it as well - not overly thick or heavy, but with a nice balanced carbonation to keep things in check. A fine sipping beer.

Great winter brew - definitely planning on holding on to a few of these for next Christmas.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 04:18:38 | More by JohnnyBarman

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A treat to see at my local LCBO...

A - Pours a crystal clear ruby red colour, finger of head with little retention and no lacing.

S - Dark fruits, dried raisins, hints of apricot, candied sugar and a touch of toffee and leather on the finish.

T - The sweetness took me by surprise, syropy butter caramel and toffee, the dark fruit notes of raisins and plums come through, vinous red wine notes, candied apple and apricots, and alcohol sweetness lingers on the palette alongside a hint of leafy hops and bready malt.

M - Lighter bodied and a tad syropy for my liking, ABV heat is present but not overwhelming.

O - This stuff is not for the faint of heart. More of an after dinner dessert type drink, and a sweetness reminiscent to ice wine. It's a sipper and the first of the style of brew that is genuinely unique and memorable. Well worth seeking out, but certainly not something I could drink more than one of in a single sitting.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 22:12:29 | More by andrenaline

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.36/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

(2011 bottle - tasted early Jan 2013, poured into a snifter)

A: small bit of tan head, no retention, no lacing - liquid is a deep copper color, quite clear - reminds me of maple syrup

S: melanoidin-rich malt, somewhat bold - toasty, sugary-sweet dense bread - fresh, invigorating alcohol, in the background at first and balanced real well, which eventually comes to the fore, exhibiting a vaguely floral, medicinal edge

T: alcohol is way more apparent on the palate, but buffered wonderfully by the malt - the decidedly bock-like malt character shows nice depth - fruity aromatics create some complexity - the aftertaste is the best part, as the malt slowly resurfaces from beneath the herbal alcohol warmth

M: almost shockingly sharp (booze) up front, gives way quickly to a mildly syrupy body (w/o cloying sweetness) - the alcohol seems to float above the medium-dense malt foundation - really smooth - a warming flush starts seconds after ingesting, washes away, stays warm mid-chest - the alcohol lightly burns and lifts off the palate, out up into the nose - surprising level of dryness in the finish, tastebuds experience slight dessication

O: definitely a sipper - I could imagine how aging this would mellow out the overall burn of the alcohol, establishing the malt more, finding balance, very likely turning this into a 5-start brew somewhere down that line

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 21:39:17 | More by Bouleboubier

Stocean1

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a thin off white head that immediately dissipated. Deep copper semi-clear but thick like syrup. Thin patchy lacing. What I expected.

Smell is plums and cherry, lots of booze, reminds me of a rum filled chocolate, I like.

Taste is a bowl of sweet rum soaked cherries and raisins, this should be accompanied my a slab of christmas fruit cake. Has some underlying earthy peat coming through. The hops do not stand out whatsoever. Big, bold, and good if this is what you are looking for.

Mouth is full bodied as expected, syrupy, very sweet, not overly bitter, boozy, little carbonation.

A very nice brew that has a big well balanced taste. Will grab another ($3.95 - very decent) and put it in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 20:36:36 | More by Stocean1

rickyleepotts

Arizona

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I have no idea what this beer is going to taste like. I saw this the other day at Total Wine & More, and the bottled looked interesting. Sure enough it was on the list. So I grabbed a bottle for $4.99 and was excited to drink it. I was excited because I like the name, it was around the holidays (when this beer is brewed) and it is 14% alcohol by volume! This is a BIG beer, and some folks on Twitter said it smells and tastes like booze. A 14% beer that hasn’t had proper time to age is probably more like drinking whiskey. Which is fine… I like whiskey!

Oh, and another thing I like about this one. It says “malt liquor” on the label. Forget beer when you can drink malt liquor!

In the Glass: The beer is ruby red and has a VERY thin head. It appears thick and flat in the glass. There is no lace here, but the beer does coat the inside of the glass nicely making me think the flavor is strong and the aftertaste just hang on for dear life. Beers like this are usually for special occasions. What is the special occasion today? The fact we get to drink this beer!

Nose: We are drinking this right from the fridge, so it is still a little too cold. But the aroma is not as pronounced as I expected it to be. It is sweet, and has loads of raisin aromas as well as some hints of cherry. I am not smelling the booze that everyone on Twitter was talking about. When I say it smells “sweet”, I am not talking barleywine sweet. I am talking burnt sugar sweet. Think of something that is caramelized in the kitchen. That is what I am getting here. There is some big raisin aroma on my second whiff.

Flavor: Holy. Crap. That is incredible. Those same dark fruit notes from the aroma are there, and they just smack you in the face. The booze that everyone is talking about is more pronounced in the flavor. That booze is pretty much all you taste right off the bat. This is not a beer you would chug, and I am actually surprised they don’t sell this in bombers. They might, but our store just doesn’t carry them. Plus, the ABV is so high, it might not be possible (or against the law) to sell a beer that high in a bottle that big.

When it comes to the flavor, I am VERY pleased and quite impressed. It is not like any other beer that I can think off the top of my head.

Mouthfeel: This might be the best part about this beer. Well, the flavor is pretty great… but the mouthfeel is really nice, too. Right off the bat, your palate is just destroyed with the booze. Then, as you swallow, the booze mellows out and the sweetness sets in. Those same dark fruits that you were smelling are there, and are blatantly obvious. Also, as you sit there, the aftertaste loses luster really fast, but with every swallow you are back to the raisins that I was smelling. After the booze mellows after your first swallow, you would never know this was 14% ABV.

Aftertaste: I was expecting the sweetness to stick around for a while… but it doesn’t. It’s there, and then gone. The burp is nice, but is forced. The beer has VERY little carbonation. It reminds me of what a cask beer produces… almost flat. It’s not flat, but after one drink you will see what I mean. For a beer that has an ABV this high, meaning you are not going to have more than 1 or 2 of these, I expected the aftertaste to last a little longer. I like it when beers last for 5-7 minutes. Those beers are easily paired with a nice cigar.

I must say, I really enjoyed this beer. I might buy another bottle to sit on for a few years to see how it mellows out in the cellar. We are starting to get a pretty impressive cellar going. I think we are actually out of closet space! If you get the chance to try this beer, do. It’s not too expensive, and has a nice flavor. Bravo Castle, you did a fine job with the Samichlaus Bier.

Samichlaus Bier – The bottle says: “Brewed only once a year on December 6. Samichlaus is aged for 10 months before bottling. This specialty 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.”

Rating: 4/5 (If the aftertaste would have lasted a few minutes longer, I might have given this a 5/5. But with that weak aftertaste, I can’t go all the way. The flavor is great… but I have to rate on all aspects of the beer, not just the flavor.)

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 04:36:41 | More by rickyleepotts

JimTeal

Nevada

4.73/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Complex way beyond complex. All the things said about this really special brew are probably true, and few of us are really qualified to review such a rare example of brewing arts. It is almost syrupy, sweet, sugary and oh, did I mention it packs a major league wallop of 14%ABV, careful. And yes, the alcohol is up front, but give it a few seconds to settle on the tongue and combined with tons of absurdly good flavors this brew is astounding, and I am glad to add a 4 pack (3 remaining) to my cave under the steps. I tried a 2010 vintage, it is newly 2013 so if it got better over the last few years, look out, this one is dangerously beautiful.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 22:30:17 | More by JimTeal

kvnstfrd

Missouri

4.6/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Stored for one year. Poured from a 330 ml bottle into a 12 oz. snifter.
Dark brown, slightly red and crystal clear. No head to speak of. Oaky smell of a good tawny port, fruit cake and alcohol. The taste tells me my nose was right. This is very much like a tawny port or creamed sherry. Also a similar warming alcohol sensation after the swallow. There are some hops in there, but they’re dominated by a wonderful sweetness. Mouth-feel is thick and almost oily with little detectable carbonation. I’m not sure this fits into the Doppelbock category, but this is one unique and awesome brew!

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 18:40:02 | More by kvnstfrd

emyers

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle. Bottled in 2010.

Appearance: Pours a clear golden-amber color with essentially no head, just a hint of white lacing on the edges. This beer looks incredibly viscous in the glass - carbonation bubbles seem to be suspended as opposed to rising to the surface. Actually, it looks like a glass full of maple syrup.

Smell: Big sweet caramel up front with sweet dark fruit and a little solvent alcohol. Smells like it's going to be one sweet, strong beer.

Taste: Yep, it's sweet alright. The dark fruit comes out a little more here. Tastes like figs and sweet cherries covered in caramel and then another dusting of sugar, with the solvent-like alcohol coming through in the finish. The alcohol presence is expected, and frankly I don't think I would enjoy the beer as much without it there.

Mouthfeel: Thick and syrupy with virtually no carbonation. Really coats the inside of the mouth as it goes down.

Overall: This is a big, sweet, complex sipper. And when all is said and done it's a damn good one. While I would definitely prefer it with more bittering hops, it's a great beer to sip by the fireplace on a winter night.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 08:11:49 | More by emyers

BedetheVenerable

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 11.2oz brown pop top, beautifully foiled, with an elegant label. The last of my 2006 4-pk, so I figured I'd give this a review on Christmas night after a wonderful holiday with my family. Poured into my Founders snifter. From my parents for Christmas, several years ago. Cheers to you, guys!

Appearance: Pours a beautiful deep red/amber, a bright hue reminding me of well-aged rum or whiskey. A firm pour produces a half-finger head, but it fades quickly to a thin whisp of a ring around the glass. However, there are TINY but lively bubbles of carbonation rising around the edges of the glass, even after six years in the bottle. Elegant.

Smell: Rich, creamy caramel, dark fruits (rum-raisin, maybe?) and the slightest hint of apple as well I think. A hint of sugary candy sweetness and light notes of toasted nuts. It smells boozy (like a spirit) but without the sharp burn. Powerful, warm, inviting.

Taste: I've had this several years younger and, I can now unequivocally say, this is, at six years of age, by far the best I've seen this beer. Powerful and boozy, but not hot at all, and with a softly prickly level of carbonation that matches with a viscous, heavy mouthfeel. Sweet dark caramel, sugary, candy-like sweetness, light notes of dark fruit, and a hint of apple here and there. It shares some characteristics in common with a good Belgian Quadrupel, but this is definitely its own beast. Just a hint of a sort of earthy/mushroom note that I've found in poorly-aged English old ales (Gale's Prize Old, for example, from 10-12 years ago) but here they're quite light and add just another layer of complexity. Stunning.

Mouthfeel: Rich, full, and with a perfect (light) level of peppery carbonation.

Overall: Adds up to slightly more than the sum of its parts. It's a $20-24 four-pack, depending on where you get it, and it's not easy to find. When young-ish, it's not particularly palatable, either. However, when aged for six years (even in decidedly sub-par conditions), it's really something special. If you find it, and you have the cash (and patience) it's definitely worth the price to lay some down long-term. After all, $12 for a bomber doesn't seem that unreasonable these days (even if such prices are becoming more of a hindrance as funds run tighter), so double that for a four-pack of 14% beer doesn't seem too bad. This is the perfect and (dare I say, despite my love of English barleywines) almost quintessential night-cap for a cold winter's evening. Especially Christmas.

93% A

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 04:41:32 | More by BedetheVenerable

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.43/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to my Dad who got this for me for Christmas two years ago. Drinking it with him now, 2 years later. 2009 bottle.

Beer pours a dark reddish-brown with a thin white head. Smell is of caramel malt, candied sugar, dark fruit and a good amount of nuttiness. It honestly smells like an aged Belgian quad and is rather impressive. Flavor follows the nose - it's sweet up front, but not overwhelmingly so, then it finishes with an awesome malty nuttiness, again, just like a quad. It hides its 14% incredibly well and is certainly unlike any doppelbock I've ever had. Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation, nothing particularly positive or negative here. Overall, I'm really quite impressed with this beer. I've never had it fresh, but I can certainly imagine that it's sweeter and boozier, and thus some age does this one some serious good. This is an impressive beer that ages as well as any quad out there and has a similar flavor profile. Go buy a 2012 now and stash it in the cellar for 3+ years.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 01:28:01 | More by starrdogg

Holmes698

Pennsylvania

4.88/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a 11.2oz bottle into a Bruery Tulip glass.

A: Like a burnt orange with an amber tint. Perfectly clear with some faint bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass. 1/2 finger of head that dissipates quickly to a fine ring. Nice alcohol legs.

S: Slightly boozy, but not too much so. Little bit of butterscotch, malts, sweet dark fruits.

T: Simply amazing. follows the nose to a point. Very complex with toffee, caramel, butterscotch, hard candy and a nice host of malty sweetness. There is a very mild alcohol burn, but for 14% this is well hidden. As this beer warms the depth of character really come out.

M: Slick and coating. Very low carbonation, but its there.

Overall: One of the best beers I've had. I got 3 bottles if this and will have a very hard time not drinking them all very soon.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 14:11:12 | More by Holmes698

beergoot

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Assuming my bottle -- labeled "Samichlaus Classic" is the same beer the other reviews are about. Bottled in 2012.

Very nice copper color but the thin, fizzy head nearly completely disappeared within a few minutes. There's a classic doppelbock sweetness in the aroma along with a plum and slight citrus-like fruit scent. Heavy, vinous feel; syrupy. Powerful sweetness and alcohol meld with the taste: raisins and apricots, lots of alcohol heat to balance out the immense sweetness; hard to differentiate between the alcohol burn and hop bitterness, but they're both present in the mix.

A somewhat underwhelming appearance and smell will surprise you once the taste and mouthfeel come in to play. For a 14% ABV doppelbock, though, I'd say this one is pretty decent. Plenty of doppelbock character abound in this heavy hitter. A must-try for doppelbock and big beer fans. Heck, I may spring for a four-pack and let 'em age for a year or so and see how this beer plays out with some time.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 00:54:52 | More by beergoot

ianjsullivan

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

ST: 11.2oz poured into a snifter. Bottle in 2010.

A: A surprisingly red tinted brown (in the light it looks sunset red) that is very clear. The carbonation seems to struggle in its climb. A thin circle clinging to the glass is the only head.

S: Sweet dark fruit, cake, caramel, strong alcohol esters (sightly medicinal).

T: Sweet dark fruit and bread with a bit of smokey finish from the alcohol.

M: Heavy and coating

O: This beer is one always brought up when discussing the best beers in the world, and I figured it was time I tried it. Is Samichlaus hype rather than content?

While sweet, Sami offers an excellent portfolio of flavors from fruit to dough to alcohol. It is a sipper, and it would be perfect for cold winter nights. It is an experience to try.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 18:12:37 | More by ianjsullivan

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.65/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Samichlaus 2009 vintage pours a brilliant garnet color, with a thin sliver of a head. Practically no carbonation. Appearance looks syrupy. The aroma is bursting with sweet, fruity esters, fresh cut flowers, and plenty of malt sugar to go along with it- wonderful! The alcohol heat is immediately apparent, but it does not take away from the flavor, which consists of port wine, molasses, spiced rum, dark fruits, candy, bittersweet chocolate, and sweet tea. This beer is literally packed with layers of complex, sweet flavor aspects! Very full-bodied, and by the way, its even labeled as a 'malt liquor,' which is surely due to a particular region's definition of beer in regards to the ABV. Great for a dessert beer or something to finish out the night!

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 22:44:01 | More by Neorebel

slm100

4.75/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is like a dessert in a bottle! If you like sweet beers you will love it. Rich, sweet and boozy.

This was $4.99 at World Market. I bought one to try and then rushed back that same night to buy more. Probably shouldn't have driven on this 14% beer but was overcome with the need to have a stock in my cupboard :)

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 22:13:21 | More by slm100

rygar8dung

4.9/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I got the Large Bottle! 3 Liters of Samichlaus! $80 well spent! It was great!! The bottle is 2007 brew, better than the 2010 versions. it was the full dark version, not the red-label. If you can find it...I suggest the large bottle of Samichlaus for hours for fun!!!

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 05:02:48 | More by rygar8dung

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2010 vintage 11.2 oz. bottle fairly aggressively poured into a Samichlaus Bier branded snifter

Pours amber with strong ruby red hues. One and a half finger foamy head that recedes fairly quickly; not surprising as the head of high abv brews usually have little to no retention. Boozy, but inviting nose filled with ripe fruit, brown sugar, and phenol alcohol. Initially, a ton of ripe fruit notes: appleskin, pear, cherry, hints of date, joined by caramel and abundant malt with biscuity tones. Finishes fairly dry with continued caramel notes and booze. Smooth, syrupy, full body with moderate to low carbonation that fights its way through here and there. This is just a fantastic sipper and truly a one of kind brew. Appropriately enjoyed on Dec. 6, St. Nicholas Day, the one and only day the new batch of this beer is brewed annually.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 03:55:45 | More by chanokokoro

writerLJBerg

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2005 vintage on tap at HAF. Consumed while palate was still fresh.

A: Practically transparent ruby-copper color. Very thin head. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but it’ll do.

N: Very thick brandy, malt , and cherry. Rich caramel and toffee with some brown sugar laced through.

T: Brown sugar, brandy, and molasses. Raisins and prunes, licorice and a slight dark cherry twinge. This is definitely oxidizing though

M: Very heavy with a very noticeable alcohol punch, as expected for a 14% beer.

O: At the tipping point of the aging process, if not already over the peak. (This, after all 8 years old, as it should have been brewed in 2004.) I much prefer a vintage about 2 years old.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 16:36:29 | More by writerLJBerg

teromous

Virginia

3.35/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This bottle says Samichlaus Classic Malt Liquor, but it appears that this is the same and that there are different bottles...I could be wrong. The bottle says aged 10 months before bottling, and it was bottled in 2010.

A: Brilliant tints of dark mahogany with various ambers and reds peeking through. The head is white and stands up fairly long, fading down to a thin cap. Pretty light carbonation showing inside the beer.

S: Lots of malt character comes through. Lots of dark fruit scents...dates, some prune scent coming through. Light alcohol scent. I actually had a slightly yeasty smell as soon as the bottle was opened as well.

T: Very big on malt. It has a strong caramel sweetness to it, with a slight bread taste to it...like a light bread that you can only taste without anything on it. I'm guessing it's light oxidation but I don't drink too many beers with this much age on them. I'm getting some esters from it too, like a light banana flavor. The alcohol flavor still comes through.

M: The mouthfeel is very full and a bit syrupy. It kind of has the effect of drinking Robitussin. Carbination goes away very quickly in the beer, and it makes it even harder to drink. It's not an easy drinker.

O: Overall I'd say I'm about 50-50 on this beer. Part of me likes it for the depth and complexity of what the malt is presenting, the other part of me does not appreciate how difficult it is to drink. I would recommend it if you're climbing Mt. Everest, and you have run out of your hard alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 00:46:23 | More by teromous

TheRealBigC

Nevada

2.7/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I was looking forward to this one. I bought it about 6 months ago and I've been waiting for the right time to crack it open. I can only say I'm awfull disappointed. It is ridiculously sweet and the flavors are an array of things I don't like. Rum & raisin notes abound and something feels totally unbalanced about it. It was just too much, too sweet. Maybe it was a bad vintage?

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 08:15:46 | More by TheRealBigC

B33R501

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +21.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottled 2010 brewed December 6 2009. Absolutely one of the best beers I've had, one of the best in the world. The beer I discovered Christmas season 2009 when an old Yuengling lager drinker googled strongest lager in the world.

Beautiful clear amber, head disappears immediately making this sherry like. Big malt bomb classic dopplebock aromas, 1/2 thru the bottle even some mint. Wow. Tastes like fruits dipped in alcohol, apple, cherry, pears, other assorted berries and fresh ripe melon. But no alcohol is present at all. Amazing. Even a little nutty with some hops come thru for balance. So damn complex. Mouthfeel is superb. Alot less sweet than I remember, just so damn good. 3 years old but tastes like it was brewed yesterday. So fresh, I'm sure this would last another 10 years.

This beer is simply amazing.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 00:41:58 | More by B33R501

MadScientist

New York

4.73/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled in 2008
A: A medium copper with excellent clarity. The head is almost non-existant with just a slight ring of tiny bubbles around the edge. There is enough alcohol to form leg on the side of the glass.

S: This has a rich malty aroma with smells of raisins and a dark crusty bread. There isn't any hops aroma and a clean lager fermentation with no esters. There is a good amount of smooth alcohol in the nose but it isn't hot or solventy.

T: Rich malt character with a moderately-high malt sweetness. The malt has moderate flavors of melanoidin and caramel with a hint of chocolate. There is no hop flavor and only a moderately-low hop bitterness; the malt sweetness is being balance by the alcohol as much as by the hop bitterness. The balance is moderately sweet with a sweet finish and an aftertaste of malt sweetness and alcohol.

M: A full bodied beer with moderately-low carbonation and a substantial alcohol warmth.

O: A smooth potent beer sure to take the chill out of a cold winters night. Another beer that would be a fine after dinner cordial but given the level of sweetness this is more for the port drinker that the scotch drinker.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 22:08:14 | More by MadScientist