Seventeen Years in the Cellar: Samichlaus 2008

Each year, on the Feast of St. Nicholas, we traditionally break out a few old bottles of Samichlaus Bier that have been aging undisturbed in the cellar. “Samichlaus” means “Santa Claus” in the Swiss-German dialect of Zürich. Brewed only once a year on December 6, the beer is aged for nearly a full year and released in time for the following year’s celebration. This formidable 14% ABV doppelbock is produced by Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg of Austria.

This year, our toast came on the eve of the Saint’s feast day. Digging through the boxes of old beer, I pulled out the oldest Samichlaus I had on hand — a couple of bottles from 2008

Delightfully, the beer had aged very well. It still exhibited low carbonation, producing a thin, short-lived head. A small bit of sediment was present, and the beer poured a translucent caramel color. Deep, rich aromas of toffee, fig, and dates rose from the glass, with little evidence of the 14% ABV on the nose.

Sipping the well-aged lager was a pleasure. Dark notes of fig and toffee carried through into the flavor. Drinking almost like an aged port, each sip ended with a gentle alcohol warmth. A mild malt sweetness lingered with a slightly sticky finish.

After enjoying several sips of the Samichlaus, I lit up an Oliva Serie V Melanio. The Serie V has been well covered in these Musings. It is a remarkably versatile cigar, providing a suitable accompaniment for all manner of libations — coffee, bourbon, and beer included. In this instance, its coffee, caramel, and nutty notes melded beautifully with the dark fruit sweetness of the Samichlaus. A few bites of peppermint bark candy added a festive final touch to the celebration.

We still have some older bottles of Samichlaus, along with other fine beers suitable for aging, tucked away. I haven’t bought much in recent years with the intention of long-term storage, but there is still enough old stock on hand for many more aged beer tastings in the future.

Cheers!