It’s Christmas Eve and the final day of the Beer Advent Calendar for 2012! Today’s pick is one of my favorite Christmas beers and a perfectly suitable beer for Christmas Eve: Samichlaus from Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg in Austria.

“Samichlaus” means “Santa Claus” in the Swiss-German dialect of Zurich where the beer originated in 1980, and it has the distinction of being the strongest lager in the world at 14% abv. The brewery’s description tells the story:

Samichlaus Bier is only brewed once a year on December 6, and is aged for 10  months before bottling. Samichlaus is one of the rarest beer specialties in the world and with 14% alcohol by volume, it is the strongest of its kind. Samichlaus may be aged in the bottle for many years to come, as older vintages become more complex with a creamy warming finish. This beer can be served with hardy robust dishes and desserts, particularly with chocolates, or as an after dinner drink by itself.

It’s a special, strong beer for a special time of the year. Here’s to Santa Claus, Samichlaus, and wishing you a merry Christmas!

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