Samichlaus

Special strong beer, Austrian, 14% alcohol, low fermentation.

It is reddish in color, with aromas of Cognac, a firm body, hints of cherry and crème brûlée, with a warm finish of spices and pepper.
Once brewed - on December 6th - and fermented for the first time, it undergoes a slow second fermentation in tank at low temperature (lagering) that lasts a year. Occasionally, the beer is moved from one tank to another to reinvigorate the second fermentation.
After being bottled, it can still age for years in the bottle.
Getting a 14% beer through fermentation is almost impossible, because the yeast that works in beer wort usually dies when reaching an alcohol percentage of 11-12%. The brewer at Hürlimann spent years selecting his yeasts to be able to withstand these special conditions, thus achieving this powerful beer.
The Samichlaus is not a normal beer, so it is very difficult to pair with food. It is considered more like a brandy, to be enjoyed as a dessert with dark chocolate!!