The LCBO and Santa — or at least the Swiss-German version, Samichlaus — have had a rocky relationship. In 2008, the provincial liquor monopoly mandated a sticker over the Samichlaus-themed beer from Austria, and, in 2010, the AGCO prevented sales entirely on the grounds that it could appeal to children. This year, Ontario’s door is again open to the Austrian holiday beer that bills itself as the world’s strongest lager. 

It might seem problematic that we didn’t see Samichlaus on store shelves before Dec. 25 — unless of course you’re on the Julian calendar and the big day is still coming up — except for one important angle. At 14 per cent alcohol (that’s higher than most wines), this beer will happily spend a year (or more) in your cellar. The heat from the alcohol will calm, and other flavours will develop depth and complexity. My plan is to stock up on a few bottles every year so that in four or five years I’ll be well-equipped for a modest, vertical tasting.

Samichlaus pours a golden amber colour with a thin, white head. The aroma is full of sweet baked goods, like biscuits drizzled with honey, and the flavour follows suit with more well-tuned sweetness and a hint of hops on the lingering finish. The alcohol’s heat is there but isn’t overbearing, even after its relatively short time in the bottle (the beer is brewed once a year, on Dec. 6, and aged for 10 months). 

Once you have your hands on two or three bottles you might wonder: how should I store these boozy Ghosts of Christmas Future? There is not as much advice for cellaring beer as there is for wine, but I did find a few common threads. Light and heat are enemies of beer (light more so), so find a place that is dark and cool. Experts seem to disagree about whether bottles should lie on their side or stand up straight, but I lean toward the idea that beer bottles are best stored upright, so that the liquid’s surface is as small as possible and, therefore, so is its contact with oxygen.   

Eggenberg Brewery’s Samichlaus, $3.95 for a 330 mL bottle, LCBO #97469

In addition to covering beer, new restaurants and food trucks for Post City, David writes about food and drink for several Toronto publications including Spotlight Toronto and his own site, Food With Legs. For more of his thoughts on food, beer and life in general, follow him on Twitter.

The LCBO has brought Howe Sound brewery’s Pothole Filler to Ontario as part of its winter beer release. This imperial stout, which took silver in its category at the 2010 North American Beer Awards, is another great example of B.C.’s thriving craft-brewing industry.

With regards to beer, “imperial” has come to mean “stronger than usual.” But the origin is more literal. In the 1800s, Imperial stouts were brewed in England at 8 per cent alcohol (or above) for the journey to Russia and the Baltic States, and they became a strong favourite with the Czar’s imperial court.

True to its type, the Pothole Filler pours a murky-dark brown-black with an off-white cap. On the nose, it has all the roasted malt aromas of chocolate and coffee, along with a bit of sweet molasses (an actual ingredient), but there is also a hint of alcohol heat that reminds me of grappa. Maybe it’s the suggestive power of the name, but after taking a sip I get a definite gravelly note where the roasted malts edge towards burnt. That’s more pleasant than it sounds, since it gives the beer structure and keeps the sweet or bitter flavours from dominating. 

Strong stouts like Pothole Filler are at home at either end of a festive holiday meal. Shellfish (oysters in particular) match well with the hint of sweetness of that spray-on-the-shore gravel note. At the other extreme, the funky flavours of strong cheeses like Stilton are given even more length and power by the high alcohol.

The crown cap and swing-top combination means that the beer will stay fresh until you’re ready for it, and it can technically be resealed if you don’t make it through the whole litre in one shot. The more likely scenario is that friends who brew their own beer will want the bottle for their supply — a green solution that might score the bottle’s owner some free beer.

Howe Sound Pothole Filler Imperial Stout, $11.35 for a 1L swing-top bottle, LCBO 303586

In addition to covering beer, new restaurants and food trucks for Post City, David writes about food and drink for several Toronto publications including Spotlight Toronto and his own site, Food With Legs. For more of his thoughts on food, beer and life in general, follow him on Twitter.