Hurlimann Samichlaus

Formerly brewed at Hürlimann (Feldschlösschen)
Style: Doppelbock
Zürich, Switzerland

Bottled in 1997 - Ruby red pour with almost no head. Aroma is big and sweet with plum, raisin, tropical fruits and brown sugar. Taste starts with very sweet raisins, sugar, candy - by the back end I’m getting some light smokiness and a little alcohol. Full bodied. Really good when you want something sweet - reminds me a bit of Kuhnhenn 4th Dimentia. Based on my tasting I want to make it a rule that no version of Samichlaus is ever drank before its 10 years old. This stuff is just damn good.

Serious caramel nose. The beer pours a dark amber, almost antique gold with a very thin and quickly evaporating head. The flavor is as intense as the nose. It has a sugary mouth feel and a nice bitter end. I don’t care for sweetish taste but I know that some people love it.

Bottle from 1995. Pours a slightly hazy brown color with a very small off-white head. Has a malty caramel and dark fruit aroma. Sweet malty caramel flavor with lots of chocolate and dark fruit. Sweetish malty finish with hints of chocolate and dark fruit in the aftertaste.

Bottle from 1995. Pours brown with no head. Smells of licorice, lots of dark fruit, some sugar. Taste blends the mess this beer is fresh into a beautiful layered treat that yields lots of licorice, dark fruit, some residual sweetness. An excellent beer that does well as an after dinner cordial. This beer never ceases to amaze me.

Wow...this is a doppelbock? Aroma was all alcohol with a hints of black licorice. Pour was a dark brown with no head. Taste was huge and alcoholic. This beer was from 1995 (aged 13 years) and STILL THIS STRONG?! I can’t imagine what it was like fresh! Strong caramel and raisin taste with a strong burn in the aftertaste. Thanks Yinzer. Amazing opportunity you gave us!

Had the pleasure of sampling this at the 1/27/2008 Pittsburgh ratebeer.com gathering upstairs, Sharp Edge Creekhouse. It will be a long time, if ever, I see a spread of bottles like I did there - ever again. I am not good enough for the beers that were that we sampled! For example, how about this beer, from yinzer. I am in debt to you Mark! A 1995 Samichlaus? Must have been a counterfeit! Just kidding. Chocolate liquorish aroma. Slightly darker than iced tea. Orange tinge on the eyeball. Smooth coating chocolate hints with no carbonation what so ever. I think I feel (not taste) raisins and other interesting fruits alcohol laced fruits. Drink this a shot glass at a time. I am not qualified to rate this beer. If you like good beers, and are a beer connoisseur, read the next guys rating! As far as doppels go; not as good as troeg’s or weltenburger. But better than st. victorious.

Had this beer several times in the mid nineties and the very first time was a dare due to the high Alc content! Another jazz club cigar companion. I’m sorry to see it’s retired now. I have some younger friends that would have loved to try this. Very dark plum color pour, thick and not much of a head, fills your nose and pallet. Sweet strong rich taste, almost like a mocha sweet punch. The high brew helped keep everything together. This will be one I will sadly miss.

12 oz bottle, 1995 Vintage, last one from the depths of my cellar. Pours a dark amber body with a good amount of chunky floaties (to be expected). Very minimal quickly vanishing head with zero lacing. Some sparce lazy carbonation visible. Huge heavy malt nose with just a little oxidation in the form of soy and worcestershire sauce. Clearly noticable alcohol. Toffee, caramel, dark fruits and chocolate notes. Heavier oxidation on the flavor, very molasses and soy like with tons of sweet dark fruit and toffee. Finish is more molasses and lingering soy. Pretty minimal alcohol on the flavor. Mouthfeel is full bodied, very mouthcoating, but no sticky or cloying aspect. Great subtle, light, and fine carbonation. This really has aged nicely. Reminds me of the Silver Gulch Grand Reserve. Been a long time since I had one of these, and this was my last one. Wish I hadn’t traded them all away.