Bottle, 1985 vintage, at RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Dark brown murky colour. Intensely rhum-raisiny aroma, notes of oak and prunes. Intensely sweet and cloying flavour, quite complex but WAY too sweet.

On August 29, 2007, ratebeer.com choose a me as their Daily Devotee. to celebrate this illustrious moment I thought I would break out something special, I mean there is a whole thread in my honor (http://www.ratebeer.com/Forums/Topic-73374.htm). I feel like I need to give something back.

This beer was provided by jjpm74, John went out of his way to get me this beer, and I thank him very much for it. Must be somewhere between 8-11 years old. I have no idea what to expect. Pours a clear copper with no lacing or head at all, just a few visible bubbles, otherwise a dead looking beer. The aroma , wooo, that is strong. Its like a watered down version of Samichlaus. There is plenty of sweet raisin alcohol. It’s hard to pick out but there is some faint cardboard in the background but I would never guess the age of the beer just from that. Taste, well that’s an isopropal alcohol bomb with some sticky raisin, and faint chocolate. A very thin beer and a very strong beer, weird. Also, I would not say its aging gracefully, just a big alcohol beer and not much more. But none the less its a cool experience. Its such a sipper, I mean I feel like I am having a Samichlaus for the first time, this shouldn’t be. Why did this beer age so badly compared to a Samichlaus, is it the green bottle? Is it that Samichlaus is just an unbelievable sensation that cannot be recreated? also, if Hurlimann was still brewing today, they would be one of the most sought after breweries. Again, thank you John.

bottle, bought at the Channel Tunnel terminal in Calais-Coquelles, brewed in the UK by Shepeard Neame. Pale yellow, hoppy nose. Nothing special, hoppy and malty without any special characteristics.

Bottled vintage 1996 (BB 09/1999)
This is an interesting one: vintage bottle, aged over 10 years. I just sampled a month ago fresh new version. Beer is dark nutty brown, no head. Cookies, fruits and typical vintage oxidation notes in the nose. Sticky mouthfeel in this full-bodied brew. It is sweet; raisins, rye bread, madeira wine and toasted malts in the flavor. Very complex beer at its best now I suppose. Very different from fresh ones, alcohol does not come up much.

Sampled at the Richmond Beer Industry Gathering 2006. 1995 Bottle. This is what Samichlaus always should have been. Dark brown body with a small off-white head. Sweet malty aroma with caramel, raisins, molassas. Strong molassas flavor, rum soaked fruit with a mild caramel background.