The beer was originally brewed by Hurlimann of Switzerland once a year at St
Nickolas Day on Dec 6th and then stored and matured for 10 months. Samichlaus
was officially the strongest beer in the world according to the Guinness Books
of Records when it was brewed. It was withdrawn for economic reasons when fellow
Swiss brewer Feldschlosschen acquired that brewery in 1996.
SWITZERLAND: Beer: Santa’s Back – Thanks to the Internet
Samichlaus, the most famous Christmas beer in Europe if not the world, is available again from today after a three years absence thanks to the "Save Samichlaus" campaign by www.breworld.com.